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23,091,565 | Zebras (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) | 1,100,440,482 | null | [
"2009 American television episodes",
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episodes"
] | "Zebras" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the tenth season of the police procedural television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and the show's 224th episode overall. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on June 2, 2009. In the episode, an open-and-shut case against a mentally disturbed murderer, played by Nick Stahl, is blown when a forensics technician makes a technical error. As Elliot and Olivia investigate additional murders believed to be the work of the same killer, they uncover a plot within their own department.
The episode was written by Amanda Green and Daniel Truly, and directed by Peter Leto. It was the final appearance of Mike Doyle, who had played forensics technician Ryan O'Halloran since 2003 and appeared on the show more than 50 times; the character was killed by fellow technician Dale Stuckey (Noel Fisher) as part of a surprise twist conceived by executive producer and showrunner Neal Baer. "Zebras" also included guest appearances by Kelly Bishop, Judith Light and Carol Kane as Gwen Munch, the conspiracy theorist ex-wife of Detective John Munch; Kane had previously played the same role opposite actor Richard Belzer in a 1997 episode of Homicide: Life on the Street.
According to Nielsen ratings, "Zebras" was watched by 11.34 million viewers, making it the highest-rated show of the night and the series' most watched episode in more than a year. The episode received higher ratings than Inside the Obama White House, a one-hour special documenting one day in the White House of U.S. President Barack Obama, which aired earlier in the evening on NBC and was seen by 9.1 million viewers.
## Plot
A father and daughter rollerblading in Central Park stumble across the body of a woman with several lacerations hidden in a bush. Munch (Richard Belzer) and Fin (Ice-T) learn Peter Harrison (Nick Stahl), who was performing community service for a prior crime against a woman, left work early with a cut thumb around the time of the murder. Stabler (Christopher Meloni) and Benson (Mariska Hargitay) question Harrison, who spouts wild conspiracy theories about the police. During an interrogation, Harrison suggests he killed the woman in Central Park for taking photos of him before his attorney, Julia Zimmer (Kelly Bishop), stops the questioning. Munch and Fin find a bloody knife during a search of Harrison's apartment and forensics technician Ryan O'Halloran (Mike Doyle) confirms the DNA matches the victim, resulting in an open-and-shut case against Harrison. However, Zimmer finds a technical error by forensics technician Dale Stuckey (Noel Fisher) in the evidence paperwork. Though Stuckey insists he made no mistake, Judge Elizabeth Donnelly (Judith Light) is forced to set Harrison free, and makes a harsh rebuke against Stuckey.
Shortly afterward, another woman is found murdered at Coney Island in a similar manner; Stuckey finds a soda can with a bloody fingerprint on it, later confirmed to be Harrison's. The police learn Harrison disclosed his hiding place to a friend on a conspiracy theorist website; Munch recognizes the friend as his ex-wife Gwen (Carol Kane), whom he convinces to reveal Harrison's location. After Harrison evades capture, Stabler and Benson ask for help from Zimmer, who said she has been taking care of Harrison since he lost his parents as a child. An unstable Harrison visits Zimmer, who calls Stabler and Benson to arrest him. As they are about to return to the precinct, Zimmer gets locked into her car and a poisonous gas is released into the air; Stabler breaks her car window, but is unable to save her in time.
Later, Judge Donnelly is nearly killed when she sits on a needle filled with potassium chloride at her home; she is saved when Stabler and Benson rush her to the hospital. O'Halloran tells Stabler and Benson that a mosquito sucked the blood from the killer as he or she was rigging Zimmer's car, and that the DNA from the blood will likely implicate Harrison. As the DNA is later being processed, however, O'Halloran is stabbed and killed by someone in the forensics lab. Stabler arrives and sees on the computer screen that the DNA matches Stuckey just before Stuckey knocks him out from behind. Stuckey then answers Elliot's phone when Benson calls to say that Stabler went out for lunch and forgot his phone. He then ties Stabler to a chair and starts torturing him. Stuckey admits he killed the woman at Coney Island in order to frame Harrison, and that he attacked Zimmer and Donnelly for embarrassing him. Benson arrives and is held at gunpoint by Stuckey, but she convinces Stuckey that she, too, hates Stabler and is in love with Stuckey. While Benson kisses Stuckey to distract him, Stabler kicks him from behind, allowing Benson to knock Stuckey out and free Stabler. When Stabler asks how Benson knew he was in trouble, Benson says that Stuckey told her he went out for sushi, which she knows that Stabler hates.
## Production
"Zebras" was written by Amanda Green and Daniel Truly, and directed by Peter Leto. The surprise twist in the episode, in which forensics technician Ryan O'Halloran is killed by fellow technician Dale Stuckey, was conceived by Neal Baer, the series executive producer and showrunner. Baer said the decision to kill the character in the story "just came to [him] one day" and thought that "this may be a really interesting way to bring [the] cast together and deal with this story point". In particular, Baer said he wanted to kill a long-recurring character so the show could "explore characters' reactions to a death in an interesting way". Mike Doyle, the actor who played O'Halloran, was notified about the decision by Baer in a phone call a few weeks before the episode was filmed in May 2009. Baer said Doyle and the rest of the cast took the news well because, in his words, "I think everybody knew that somebody was going, so they weren't shocked." During a May 2009 interview, Baer hinted at the twist by telling media outlets that the season finale would include a surprise ending: "One of our own is murdered."
"Zebras" was the final episode for Doyle, who had been a recurring character since 2003 and had made more than 50 appearances on the show. The episode also marked the seventh on-screen death for the actor, who had been killed in several films and television episodes, including on the HBO series Oz. Christopher Meloni, who also appeared on Oz, comforted Doyle about his character's death by saying, "At least you're not getting gang-raped", a reference to Doyle's death scene from that show. The climax scene of "Zebras", in which Dale Stuckey threatens Elliot Stabler as Olivia Benson tries to talk him down, was filmed on May 7, 2009, in a warehouse in North Bergen, New Jersey. A crew member shouted "dead man walking!" to Doyle as he arrived on the set. The knife protruding from Doyle was staged by strapping to his chest a metal plate with a center slot holding the retractable blade of the fake knife.
Carol Kane played Gwen Munch, Detective John Munch's conspiracy theorist ex-wife. Kane played the same part alongside actor Richard Belzer in 1997 on the series Homicide: Life on the Street, which also starred Belzer as John Munch.
## Reception
### Ratings
The episode was watched by 11.3 million viewers, making it the highest rated show of the night. It was the most watched episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in more than a year, and was about two million viewers over its season average. It captured more viewers than the first one-hour episode of Inside the Obama White House, NBC's two-part special documenting one day in the White House of U.S. President Barack Obama; the show, which aired at 9 p.m., one hour before "Zebras", was seen by 9.1 million viewers, the most of its time-slot. The two shows made NBC, which had been experiencing poor ratings in recent years, the highest-watched network for the fourth night in a row. "Zebras" received a 3.5 rating / 9% share among viewers aged between 18 and 49, and a 2.6 rating / 8% share among viewers between 18 and 34. E! writer Joel Ryan, however, noted that Law & Order: Special Victims Unit had little competition other than re-runs because it aired during the summer season.
### Critical response
Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly called the death of O'Halloran and the twist involving Stuckey "very welcome, because they added a fresh element of uncertainty to a show that can be predictable". Tucker also praised the return of Kelly Bishop as an attorney. In writing of the episode, Nick Zaino of TV Squad said: "Overall, a well-paced, well-written episode, and a whole lot of creepy fun", and said the scenes with Kane and Belzer were "laugh-out-loud funny". |
41,970,991 | Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2014 Winter Paralympics | 1,054,469,005 | null | [
"2014 in Bosnia and Herzegovina sport",
"Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Paralympics",
"Nations at the 2014 Winter Paralympics"
] | Bosnia and Herzegovina sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was the second time the country had participated in a Winter Paralympic Games. The delegation consisted of two alpine skiers, Senad Turkovic and Ilma Kazazic. Neither of the two finished any of their events.
## Background
Bosnia and Herzegovina first participated in Paralympic competition at the 1996 Summer Paralympics, and their first Winter Paralympics appearance was fourteen years later, at the 2010 Winter Paralympics. They have participated in every Summer and Winter Paralympics since their respective debuts, making these 2014 Paralympics their second Winter Paralympic appearance. The 2014 Winter Paralympics were held from 7–16 March 2014, in Sochi, Russia; 45 countries and 547 athletes took part in the multi-sport event. The delegation Bosnia and Herzegovina sent to Sochi consisted of two alpine skiers, Ilma Kazazic and Senad Turkovic. Kazazic was chosen as the flag-bearer for the parade of nations during the opening ceremony and the closing ceremony.
## Disability classification
Every participant at the Paralympics has their disability grouped into one of five disability categories: amputation, which may be congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes, though there is often overlap between this and other categories; visual impairment, including blindness; and Les autres, which is any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, like dwarfism or multiple sclerosis. Each Paralympic sport then has its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition. Events are given a code, made of numbers and letters, describing the type of event and classification of the athletes competing. Events with "B" in the code are for athletes with visual impairment, codes LW1 to LW9 are for athletes who stand to compete and LW10 to LW12 are for athletes who compete sitting down. Alpine skiing events grouped athletes into separate competitions for sitting, standing and visually impaired athletes.
## Alpine skiing
Both competitors said their preparations were hampered by a lack of snow in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Senad Turkovic was 45 years old at the time of the Sochi Paralympics. He has a limb defficency suffered as a result of war, and is classified as LW4, meaning he competes in a standing position. On 13 March, he failed to finish the first run of the Men's standing slalom, falling within the first ten seconds of his race. Two days later, in the Men's standing giant slalom, he finished the first run in a time of 1 minute and 58.16 seconds, which put him in 35th place. However, in the second run, he missed a gate, and was officially recorded as a "Did Not Finish" (DNF).
Ilma Kazazic was 15 years old at the time of these Paralympics. She was born with cerebral palsy, and is classified as an LW3, meaning she competes in a standing position. For the Sochi Paralympics, she was being coached by her teammate Turkovic. On 12 March, she failed to start the women's standing slalom for unspecified reasons. Four days later, in the women's standing giant slalom, she finished her first leg in a time of 2 minutes and 32.64 seconds, putting her in 19th place. In her second run, she fell twice, and missed a gate, causing her to be recorded as a DNF. She represented Bosnia and Herzegovina again at the 2018 Winter Paralympics.
## See also
- Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Paralympics
- Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2014 Winter Olympics |
14,375,631 | HMS Bellona (1909) | 1,134,793,678 | British Boadicea-class scout cruiser | [
"1909 ships",
"Boadicea-class cruisers",
"Ships built in Pembroke Dock",
"World War I cruisers of the United Kingdom"
] | HMS Bellona was one of two Boadicea-class scout cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. The ship served as the flotilla leader for the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla from her completion in 1910 until 1913 when she was transferred to the 1st Battle Squadron. Bellona spent the bulk of World War I with that squadron. She was present at, but did not fight in, the Battle of Jutland in mid-1916. The ship was converted into a minelayer in mid-1917 and made four sorties to lay her mines before the end of the war. Bellona was reduced to reserve in 1919 and sold to be broken up for scrap in 1921.
## Design and description
Designed to provide destroyer flotillas with a command ship, Bellona proved too slow in service from the start of her career. Her 25-knot (46 km/h; 29 mph) speed was barely capable of matching the speeds of the River-class destroyers she led in her flotilla in 1909 and proved inadequate to match the speed of later destroyers.
Displacing 3,350 long tons (3,400 t), the ship had an overall length of 405 feet (123.4 m), a beam of 41 feet 6 inches (12.6 m) and a deep draught of 14 feet (4.3 m). She was powered by two sets of Parsons steam turbines, each driving two shafts. The turbines produced a total of 18,000 indicated horsepower (13,000 kW), using steam produced by 12 Yarrow boilers that burned both fuel oil and coal, and gave a maximum speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph). She carried a maximum of 780 long tons (790 t) of coal and 189 long tons (192 t) of fuel oil. Her crew consisted of 317 officers and ratings.
Her main armament consisted of six breech-loading (BL) four-inch (102 mm) Mk VII guns. The forward pair of guns were mounted side by side on a platform on the forecastle, the middle pair were amidships, one on each broadside, and the two remaining guns were on the centreline of the quarterdeck, one ahead of the other. Her secondary armament consisted of four quick-firing (QF) 3-pounder (47-millimetre (1.9 in)) Vickers Mk I guns and two submerged 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes. During the war, four additional four-inch guns were added amidships to increase her firepower. A QF three-inch (76 mm) 20-cwt anti-aircraft gun was also added. In 1918 it was replaced by a four-inch gun.
As a scout cruiser, the ship was only lightly protected to maximise her speed. She had a curved protective deck that was 1 inch (25 mm) thick on the slope and 0.5 inches (13 mm) on the flat. Her conning tower was protected by four inches of armour.
## Construction and service
Bellona, the sixth ship of that name, was ordered as part of the 1907 Naval Programme and was laid down on No. 5 Slipway at Pembroke Royal Dockyard on 15 June 1908 by Mrs. Kingsford, wife of the Captain-Superintendent of the dockyard, Rear-Admiral Henry Kingsford. The ship was launched on 20 March 1909 by Lady Leonora, wife of John Philips, Baron St Davids. She was completed in February 1910 under the command of Captain Edwyn Alexander-Sinclair, commander of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla. He was relieved by Captain The Honourable Hubert Brand on 7 February 1911. Captain Reginald Tyrwhitt replaced him on 10 August 1912. The ship had been transferred to the 1st Battle Squadron as of 18 June 1913 and Captain Percy Royds assumed command on 5 July.
She was still assigned to the 1st Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet in Scapa Flow at the start of World War I. On 17 December 1914, Bellona collided with the destroyer leader Broke, although both ships were seriously damaged, there were no deaths. Captain Arthur Dutton relieved Royds on 24 April 1916. Bellona was at the Battle of Jutland but was assigned to a position at the rear of the squadron and did not fire her guns. Dutton was relieved in his turn by Captain Claud Sinclair on 28 August and was replaced by Captain Ernest Denison on 1 February 1917. The ship was on detached duty by May, probably for her conversion to a minelayer the following month, and was briefly assigned to the 4th Battle Squadron by July before rejoining the 1st Battle Squadron in August. Bellona's stay was destined to short-lived as the ship was transferred to the 2nd Battle Squadron by October. Bellona laid mines at the entrance to the Kattegat on the nights of 18/19 and 24/25 February 1918, part of her total of 306 mines laid in four missions. Captain Theodore Bigg relieved Denison on 15 November. After the war, the ship was relieved of her assignment with the 2nd Battle Squadron and assigned to Devonport Dockyard in February 1919 and placed in reserve there the following month. By 18 December, she had been listed for sale and sold for scrap on 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward at Lelant. |
41,116,231 | Siege of Kamarja | 1,156,890,291 | Battle fought in 729 CE | [
"720s conflicts",
"720s in the Umayyad Caliphate",
"729",
"Battles involving the Türgesh Khaganate",
"Muslim conquest of Transoxiana",
"Samarqand Region",
"Sieges involving the Umayyad Caliphate"
] | The siege of Kamarja was fought in 729 between the Arab Muslims of the Umayyad Caliphate and the Türgesh Khaganate, along with its Soghdian allies. The Umayyad conquest of Transoxiana had been undone in the 720s by the uprisings of the local Soghdian princes and the Türgesh invasions. By 729, the small fortress of Kamarja near Samarkand (in modern Uzbekistan) was one of the last remaining Arab strongholds in Transoxiana, when it was attacked by the Türgesh under the personal direction of their ruler, Suluk. The subsequent siege, for which a detailed account survives in the history of al-Tabari, lasted for 58 days and ended with the negotiated withdrawal of its garrison to Samarkand. The stubborn defence of Kamarja was celebrated in Arabic literature, but the Arab hold over the region was broken after the Battle of the Defile two years later. It was only following the collapse of the Türgesh Khaganate after 738 that the Arabs re-established their rule over Transoxiana.
## Background
The region of Transoxiana (Arabic: Ma wara' al-nahr) had been conquered by the Umayyad leader Qutayba ibn Muslim in the reign of al-Walid I (r. 705–715), following the Muslim conquests of Persia and Khurasan in the mid-7th century. The loyalty to the Caliphate of Transoxiana's native Iranian and Turkic populations and of the autonomous local rulers remained questionable, and in 719 the latter requested aid from the Chinese and their Türgesh vassals. In response, from 720 on the Türgesh launched a series of attacks against the Muslims in Transoxiana, coupled with uprisings against the Caliphate among the local Soghdians. The Umayyad governors initially managed to suppress the unrest, although control over the Ferghana Valley was lost. In 724, governor Muslim ibn Sa'id al-Kilabi and his army suffered a heavy defeat (the so-called "Day of Thirst") at the hands of the Türgesh when he tried to recapture Ferghana. This defeat pushed the Arabs on the defensive, and even though no pitched battles took place, over the next few years the Arab position in Transoxiana collapsed swiftly. By 728, in the face of the Türgesh attacks and a widespread anti-Arab revolt, only Samarkand and the two fortresses of Kamarja and Dabusiyya on the Zarafshan River remained in Arab hands in all of Transoxiana.
## Siege
In 729, the new Arab governor, Ashras ibn Abdallah al-Sulami, managed to cross the Oxus River and reach Bukhara against stiff opposition by the Türgesh and their Soghdian allies. The Arab victory was narrow, and the Türgesh were able to withdraw unmolested back towards the region of Samarkand, which brought them near the Arab fortress of Kamarja, a fortified town some seven farsakhs—roughly 42 kilometres (26 miles)—west of Samarkand. The subsequent siege of Kamarja, narrated in al-Tabari's History of the Prophets and Kings is, in the words of the historian Hugh N. Kennedy, "one of the most vividly described set pieces of the war".
The Türgesh army under the khagan Suluk, which included the contingents of Ferghana, al-Taraband (capital of Shash, modern Tashkent), Afshinah (a town near Samarkand), Nasaf, and Bukhara, approached along the Bukhara–Samarkand road. When they reached Kamarja, the Türgesh and their allies left the road and made camp, but the town's garrison was unaware of their approach as their movements were screened by a hill. The next morning, when the Arabs took their animals out to water them and climbed the hill, they were amazed to encounter the "mountain of steel" of their enemies' army, as al-Tabari writes. The Arabs sent some of their animals down the hill towards the river to lure the Türgesh that way, and hastened back to the town. The Türgesh soon discovered them and began pursuit, but the Arabs knew the terrain better and managed to reach the town and find refuge behind its earthworks, just before their pursuers caught up with them. A fierce fight developed as the Türgesh attacked the gates and tried to enter the town, until the Arabs threw burning bundles of wood at them, driving them back across the moat. In the evening, the Türgesh withdrew, and the Arabs burned the wooden bridge that spanned the moat.
The khagan then sent two emissaries to the besieged. The first to approach the wall was Khosrau, a grandson of the last Sassanid Persian ruler, Yazdegerd III (r. 632–651). Khosrau's father, Bahram, had fled to the Tang court in China, and now Khosrau accompanied the Türgesh in hopes of recovering his ancestral throne. When he approached the garrison, he urged them to surrender and offered them a safe-conduct, while proclaiming the restoration of his realm. The Arabs, however, indignantly refused to hear him and hurled abuses at him. As the Orientalist scholar H.A.R. Gibb writes, the presence of Khosrau "might be taken as an indication that the rebels were receiving encouragement from China also, though the Chinese records are silent on this expedition". After Khosrau's failure, the khagan sent a local, Bazaghari, to parley with the garrison, bringing a few Arab captives along with him to intimidate them. The khagan offered to take up the Arab garrison into his own army, doubling their salary, but this proposal too was rejected with disdain by the Arab negotiator, Yazid ibn Sa'id al-Bahili (chosen because he spoke a little Turkish), with the words "How can the Arabs, who are wolves, be with the Türgesh, who are sheep?" His reply infuriated Bazaghari's companions, who threatened to kill him, so Yazid offered to split the garrison up: one half with their portable wealth would be allowed to retreat safely, while the other half would remain in service with the Türgesh. Bazaghari accepted this offer and sent Yazid back to convey the terms to the garrison, but once he was back inside the wall, he rejected the terms and exhorted his fellow Arabs to resist.
The khagan then ordered his men to fill the moat with green wood, so that it would not burn, which the garrison countered by throwing in dry wood as well. After six days, when the moat was full, the Arabs set it afire; aided by a strong wind, the hard work of the Türgesh was put to nought. The Arab archers also proved effective, exacting a heavy toll among the Türgesh, including Bazaghari. The Türgesh then executed a hundred Arab captives in full view of the garrison. In response, the Arabs killed the 200 young locals they held as hostages, despite their desperate resistance. The narrative of the siege in al-Tabari, evidently drawing from eyewitness accounts, continues with isolated episodes: the determined Türgesh assault on the gate, with five of them managing to climb the wall before being repelled, the Soghdian prince of al-Taraband who with his companions assaulted a breach in the wall which led into a house only to be killed by the house's elderly and sick owner and his family, how the Arabs used the wooden boards lining the irrigation ditches to improve their earthworks, or the time when the khagan, coming to inspect the Arab fortifications, received an arrow-shot in the face but was saved by his helmet's nose-guard.
The stubborn defence of the garrison irritated the khagan, who blamed his Soghdian allies for claiming that there were "fifty donkeys in this (town) and that we would take it in five days, but now the five days have become two months". At length, the khagan resumed negotiations, and offered safe-conduct to either Dabusiyya or Samarkand, which were still in Arab hands. The garrison sent a rider to Samarkand to ask for advice, and was told to choose Dabusiyya, which was closer to Kamarja. After fifty-eight days, out of which, according to al-Tabari, the garrison "did not water their camels for thirty-five days", the siege was over. The Arabs and Türgesh exchanged five hostages each, including one of Suluk's most important nobles, Kursul. After the mutual massacre of captives early in the siege, the Arabs' mistrust was such that they refused to leave until the khagan and his army had departed, and an Arab with a dagger in his hand was seated behind each of the Türgesh hostages, who wore no armour.
As the Arab garrison of Kamarja approached Dabusiyya, the latter's garrison at first believed that Kamarja had fallen and that the soldiers coming towards them were Türgesh, but as they arrayed themselves for battle, a rider sent by the Kamarja troops alerted them as to the real situation, and "the men of al-Dabusiyya galloped forward to carry whoever was too weak to walk or was wounded". At this the hostages began being released, with the Arabs sending a hostage back and the Türgesh in turn releasing one of the hostages they held. In the end, when the last two hostages were left, neither side was willing to let its own hostage go first, until the Arab hostage volunteered to go last. For this act of chivalry, he was richly rewarded by Kursul with a suit of armour and a horse.
## Aftermath
As Gibb writes, "the fame of the defence of Kamarja spread far and wide, but it brought little relief to the pressure on the Arabs". Almost all of Transoxiana, except for Bukhara and Samarkand, was lost, and even in neighbouring Khwarizm, a revolt broke out, which was nonetheless swiftly suppressed by the local Arab settlers. Samarkand remained the last major outpost of Arab rule deep in Soghdia, and subsequent operations by both sides focused around it. It was while attempting to relieve the Türgesh siege of the city in 731 that the Arabs suffered the calamitous Battle of the Defile, which was followed by the complete collapse of the Arab position in Transoxiana. The Arabs were not able to recover until the murder of Suluk in 738, which led to the outbreak of civil war and brought about the rapid decline of Türgesh power. In 739–741, under the governorship of Nasr ibn Sayyar, the Arabs managed to re-establish the Caliphate's authority up to Samarkand. |
11,536,554 | Almost Blue (song) | 1,122,594,041 | Song by Elvis Costello | [
"1980s ballads",
"1982 songs",
"Chet Baker songs",
"Diana Krall songs",
"Elvis Costello songs",
"Gwen Stefani songs",
"Pop ballads",
"Song recordings produced by Geoff Emerick",
"Songs written by Elvis Costello",
"Traditional pop songs"
] | "Almost Blue" is a song recorded by English group Elvis Costello and the Attractions from their sixth studio album, Imperial Bedroom (1982). Written by Costello and produced by Geoff Emerick, the track shares the name of the group's previous 1981 studio album. It was released on 2 July 1982 along with the rest of Imperial Bedroom, and would later be included on side two of The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions (1985). A traditional pop song, "Almost Blue" contains lyrics that compare a former relationship to a present one.
Unanimously approved by music critics, "Almost Blue" was noted for being a highlight on Imperial Bedroom; Emerick's production on the track was also singled out by reviewers, who acclaimed his "aftermath" approach towards its composition. The song was covered by several performers, notably Chet Baker in 1987, Gwen Stefani in 1998, and by Costello's wife Diana Krall for her seventh studio album, The Girl in the Other Room (2004).
## Background and composition
After listening to Chet Baker's version of the 1931 Ray Henderson/Lew Brown song "The Thrill Is Gone" from the 1954 Pacific Jazz record Chet Baker Sings, Costello became inspired to create similar-sounding music. He noted that the recording's "eeriness" and "haunted" qualities persuaded him to create his own take on it. In a 2015 memoir Costello wrote that Baker's version of the Richie Beirach song Leaving "had provoked my song 'Almost Blue' as much as Chet's recording of the Brown and Henderson song 'The Thrill is Gone.' " Costello wrote the ballad that shared the same name as his previous 1981 studio album, and wrote and recorded it with a "British pop" perspective.
Produced by Geoff Emerick, "Almost Blue" is a traditional pop song, that is written in A minor and is set in time signature of common time with a tender beat consisting of 60 beats per minute. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing, Costello's vocals range from A<sub>3</sub> to C<sub>5</sub>, leading an instrumentation of a piano and guitar. Stylus Magazine's Colin Beckett described its sound as reminiscent to the works of Johnny Hartman and Baker. Lyrically, Costello expresses a "dead past" or "dead relationship" by comparing it to its present state.
## Critical reception
"Almost Blue" was well received by music critics. Beckett, writing for Stylus Magazine, called it the "biggest step" that the singer took on Imperial Bedroom. He continued: "It's one of the strongest songs on the album. It has a haunting quality that had never been present in Costello's work." Imperial Bedroom was deemed one of the 100 best albums of the 1980s and one of the top 500 albums of all time by Rolling Stone. Douglas Wolk of Blender described it as one of the songs that every listener should "download". Timothy and Elizabeth Bracy from Stereogum highlighted Emerick's contributions to the track in their article ranking Costello's albums "from worst to best". James E. Perone, in his book The Words and Music of Elvis Costello, cited "Almost Blue" along with two other songs from Imperial Bedroom as a "demonstrat[ion of] Costello's increasingly successful integration of balladry into his palette of vocal techniques".
## Live performances and covers
"Almost Blue" has been performed and sung live on several occasions. In July 2004, Costello sang it at the North Sea Jazz Festival alongside 13 of his other solo works. The live edition would later be added to the accompanying live album, titled My Flame Burns Blue (2006). On side two of The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions (1985), "Almost Blue" appears in its original format, as displayed on Imperial Bedroom. The recording has also been a number of films since its initial release. Jennifer Jason Leigh performed the song in the 1995 independent film Georgia at a fictitious nightclub. Her take on the track included drums and bass performed by John C. Reilly and Tony Marsico, respectively, and featured a saxophone and harmonica interlude as performed by Jimmy Z. Director Alex Infascelli's 2000 film of the same name, based upon Carlo Lucarelli's 1997 novel, were both inspired by the lyrics of "Almost Blue".
American trumpeter Chet Baker recorded the tune in 1987 for the documentary Let's Get Lost (1989) and it was released on the soundtrack album. He also covered it in concert on June 14, 1987, in Tokyo, creating an extended version totaling seven minutes and fifty-three seconds. After his death in 1988, it was released on his posthumous album Chet Baker in Tokyo (1988). At a 1998 benefit concert for the Walden Woods Project in Concord, Massachusetts, ska musician Gwen Stefani sang it alongside a jazz orchestra. It was later included on the accompanying promotional CD for AT&T customers, titled Stormy Weather (1998). Other renditions were made by Kate Dimbleby and Jimmy Scott for their 1998 albums, Good Vibrations and Holding Back the Years, respectively. The Reputation featured it on their eponymous debut album in 2002, followed with covers performed by Everything but the Girl and Alison Moyet in 2003 and 2004, respectively.
## Diana Krall version
Costello's wife, Canadian singer Diana Krall, recorded a cover of "Almost Blue" for her seventh studio album, The Girl in the Other Room (2004). Both Krall and Tommy LiPuma produced the track, which is over a minute longer than Costello's original rendition. An accompanying music video to Krall's version was created and released in 2004, and eventually uploaded onto her official Vevo account on October 6, 2009. The visual was selected by the singer to appear on her greatest hits album, The Very Best of Diana Krall, in 2007. In her review of the video's inclusion on the aforementioned album, Shackleton mentioned the "wintry outdoor scenes from Diana's native Vancouver Island" as a highlight.
### Background and composition
Much of the song's production is similar to its original counterpart; it was written by Costello, while Krall and Tommy LiPuma handled the track's production. However, this version is in F major at a tempo of 56 beats per minute. According to the recording's official sheet music, her vocals range from E<sub>3</sub> to F<sub>4</sub>, with a "very slow and gentle" expression.
### Critical reception
Krall's version of "Almost Blue" divided critics. On a positive note, Thom Jurek of AllMusic enjoyed its blues roots and called the cover "striking". Agreeing, BBC Music's Kathryn Shackleton appreciated Krall's "sultry and raw" vocals, which Creative Loafing's Hal Horowitz called "beautifully muted". However, Noel Murray of The A.V. Club questioned its overall composure for not "do[ing] much". Despite appreciating Costello's version in a previous review, Wolk from Slate disapproved of her edition and evident genre change, preferring her "pre-rock ballad standards" to her current material. |
15,111,193 | 2001 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | 1,159,786,228 | Cyclone season in the North Indian ocean | [
"2001 North Indian Ocean cyclone season",
"Tropical cyclones in 2001"
] | The 2001 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was fairly quiet, although activity was evenly spread between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. There were six depressions tracked by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which is the official Regional Specialized Meteorological Center for the northern Indian Ocean. The agency also tracked four cyclonic storms, which have maximum winds of at least 65 km/h (40 mph) sustained over 3 minutes. The American-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) tracked an additional storm – Tropical Storm Vamei – which crossed over from the South China Sea at a record-low latitude.
The first storm originated on May 21, and became the strongest recorded storm in the Arabian Sea at the time. The IMD estimated peak 3 minute winds of 215 km/h (135 mph) while the storm was off the west coast of India. The storm weakened greatly before making landfall in Gujarat, and although impact on land was minor, it left up to 950 fishermen missing. A few weeks later, the first Bay of Bengal system originated – a short-lived depression that dropped heavy rainfall upon striking Odisha. After a period of inactivity during the monsoon season, there were cyclonic storms in September and October in the northern Arabian Sea. Both lasted only a few days and dissipated due to unfavorable wind shear. Another cyclonic storm formed in the Bay of Bengal and struck Andhra Pradesh, which dropped heavy rainfall that was equivalent to 300% of the average October precipitation total. The rains caused flooding, particularly in Cuddapah, where a dam was deliberately opened and inundated the town overnight. There were 153 deaths due to the storm and RS5 billion (Indian rupees, US\$104 million) in damage. The final storm of the season tracked by the IMD was a short-lived depression in November in the Bay of Bengal.
## Season summary
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) in New Delhi – the official Regional Specialized Meteorological Center for the northern Indian Ocean as recognized by the World Meteorological Organization – issued warnings for tropical cyclones developing in the region. The basin's activity is sub-divided between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal on opposite coasts of India, and is generally split before and after the monsoon season. The IMD utilized satellite imagery to track storms, and used the Dvorak technique to estimate intensity.
Toward the end of the year, convection was generally lower than normal in the Bay of Bengal, despite being a typical hotspot for activity. There were no deaths or damage throughout the year outside of India, and damage there was lower than what occurred in the previous few seasons.
## Systems
### Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm ARB 01
The first storm of the season originated from a tropical disturbance that formed east of Somalia on May 18. Over the following few days, the system gradually organized, becoming a depression on May 21. It moved eastward toward the coastline of southwestern India and rapidly intensified on May 22, strengthening from a deep depression to a very severe cyclonic storm within 24 hours. After approaching the coastline, the storm turned to the north and northwest away from land due to a ridge. Based on the well-defined eye and the storm's satellite presentation, the IMD estimated peak winds of 215 km/h (135 mph) on May 24, and the JTWC estimated 1 minute winds of 205 km/h (125 mph). It became the strongest storm on record in the Arabian Sea, only to be surpassed by Cyclone Gonu in 2007. Soon after reaching peak intensity, the cyclone rapidly weakened as it turned northward. By May 28, it had deteriorated into a deep depression, and the IMD downgraded the storm to a remnant low before the circulation reached the Gujarat coast.
Ahead of the storm, all ports in Gujarat, including Kandla, one of the largest in the country, were closed as a precautionary measure. Over 10,000 people were evacuated from coastal areas in the threatened region. Offshore, between 1,500 and 2,000 fishing vessels lost contact with the mainland immediately after the storm. However, because the storm remained offshore, the coast only experienced minor damage, although rainfall was widespread. About 200 houses were washed away in Kosamba, and one person died in Jamnagar. About 950 fishermen were missing after the storm, which prompted a helicopter search.
### Cyclonic Storm ARB 02
An upper-level disturbance spawned a low-pressure area in the eastern Arabian Sea on September 24. It initially consisted of a well-defined circulation on the eastern edge of an area of convection about 370 km (230 mi) west-southwest of Mumbai. With low wind shear beneath the subtropical ridge, the system gradually organized and developed curved banding features while moving west-northwestward. At 0900 UTC on September 24, the IMD classified the system as a depression, and nine hours later upgraded it further to a deep depression. On the same day, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert, although they did not begin advisories due to the center being on the east side of the convection. At 0900 UTC on September 25, the IMD upgraded the system to a cyclonic storm, estimating peak winds of 65 km/h (40 mph).
Early on September 26, the circulation moved beneath the convection, prompting the JTWC to begin advisories on Tropical Cyclone 02A. Around that time, the storm's outskirts dropped light rainfall in western India. Forecasters initially anticipated that the storm would strengthen to winds of 95 km/h (60 mph) and strike the southern Arabian Peninsula. However, persistent wind shear dislocated the circulation from the convection and imparted weakening. The IMD downgraded the storm to a deep depression and later depression on September 27, by which time the thunderstorms were rapidly dwindling. The JTWC issued their last advisory on September 28 after the circulation had no nearby convection. At that time, the storm was located 185 km (115 mi) east-southeast of Masirah Island off Oman. The IMD also downgraded the depression to a low-pressure area on September 28 and noted that the remnant system became poorly defined the following day.
### Cyclonic Storm ARB 03
Similar to the previous storm, an area of convection formed in the Arabian Sea about 185 km (115 mi) west-southwest of Mumbai on October 7. It was associated with a circulation that moved westward from the Indian Coast, which formed as a well-defined low-pressure area over western India. The convection organized and increased, aided by low wind shear and good outflow. Late on October 8, the IMD classified the system as a depression, and early the next day upgraded it to a deep depression. A low-level circulation formed beneath a well-defined mid-level storm, with intense convection and strong winds north of the center. At 06:00 UTC on October 9, the JTWC began classifying the system as Tropical Cyclone 03A.
With increasing banding features, the storm strengthened while moving west-northwestward, steered by a ridge to the north. At 09:00 UTC that day, the IMD upgraded the system to a cyclonic storm, estimating peak winds of 65 km/h (40 mph). Soon thereafter, the storm began weakening due to increased dry air and the upper-level environment becoming unfavorable. The thunderstorms diminished and disappeared over the circulation by October 10. That day, the JTWC discontinued advisories, and the IMD downgraded it to a remnant low-pressure area south of Pakistan. The storm brushed the Indian coast with rainfall, reaching 105 mm (4.1 in) in Gujarat state, although there was no major damage.
### Cyclonic Storm BOB 02
Early on October 14, a low-pressure area formed off the eastern coast of India. While moving generally westward, the system quickly organized into a depression that day. On October 15, the IMD estimated peak winds of 65 km/h (40 mph), based on satellite imagery appearance warranting a Dvorak rating of 2.5; this made it a cyclonic storm. However, the circulation remained removed from the deep convection. Early on October 16, the storm made landfall near Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. It quickly weakened over land, degenerating into a remnant low-pressure area over Rayalaseema on October 17.
While moving ashore, the storm dropped heavy rainfall in Andhra Pradesh and extending into Tamil Nadu, causing flooding in some areas for the first time in 40 years. In a 24‐hour period, Sullurpeta recorded 261 mm (10.3 in) of precipitation, and 13 stations recorded daily totals of over 100 mm (4 in); the highest two-day rainfall total was 676.5 mm (26.63 in), and some areas received 300% of the average October rainfall within 36 hours. Damage was heaviest in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in Nellore, Chittoor, and Kadapa, although floods also extended into Bihar. Several regional roads and rail lines were damaged, including portions of National Highway 5, which stranded hundreds of trucks; the routes were reopened within two weeks. The rains breached 1,635 water tanks, while 125,000 ha (310,000 acres) of crop fields, mostly rice and groundnuts, were impaired. About 1,000 head of cattle were killed as well. In Cuddapah, excess water was released from irrigation dams along the Buggavanka River; water levels rose 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in the middle of the night, catching residents off guard, and damaging 18,244 houses. The dam was also breached in Nellore, and many towns in the region were inundated or isolated for two days. Across the state, the storm damaged 55,747 houses, accounting for RS5 billion (Indian rupees, US\$104 million) in losses. There were 153 deaths related to the floods and the storm, mostly in Cuddapah.
Following the storm, the Indian Red Cross Society used funds related to previous floods and an earthquake to help 2,000 families. After the floods, the Indian government provided food and housing to 61,681 residents in 130 shelters, and distributed 20 kg of rice to each household. The army flew helicopters to drop off food, candles, and kerosene to stranded families in Cuddapah. Stagnant waters were disinfected after the floods, and deceased cattle were burned to reduce infection.
### Other systems
For several days in June, the JTWC monitored a disturbance in the northern Bay of Bengal for potential development, associated with the southwest monsoon. On June 9, a low-pressure area formed, and it became well-defined by June 11. By that time, there was convection located west of an exposed circulation. Early on the following day, the IMD classified it as a depression, estimating peak winds of 45 km/h (30 mph). Strong wind shear prevented much development. Shortly after forming, the system moved northwestward and made landfall near Paradip, Odisha. It quickly weakened below depression intensity on June 13 while progressing inland, degenerating into a remnant low near Madhya Pradesh on June 15. The system dropped heavy rainfall along its path, with a daily peak of 350 mm (14 in) in Vidarbha.
On November 7, a cycling area of convection was persistent off the east coast of India, associated with a broad circulation embedded within a trough. The thunderstorms expanded and gradually organized, aided by good outflow and low wind shear. On November 11, the IMD upgraded the system to a depression off the coast of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. On the same day, the JTWC began classifying the depression as Tropical Cyclone 04B. Located within a weakness of the ridge, the depression moved slowly to the north and northeast, and was initially expected to move ashore. However, increasing shear removed the convection from the center, and the storm remained offshore while weakening. On November 12, the IMD downgraded the system back to a low-pressure area. The storm brought rainfall to coastal portions of eastern India, peaking at 150 mm (5.9 in) in Paradip.
The near-equator Tropical Storm Vamei crossed Sumatra from the South China Sea at the end of December. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency – the official agency covering the western Pacific Ocean – the storm weakened into a remnant low on December 28, along the east coast of Sumatra. On the next day, the remnants entered the Bay of Bengal, and thunderstorms soon reformed over the circulation due to weak to moderate wind shear. After the remnants of Vamei regenerated, the JTWC classified it as Tropical Cyclone 05B on December 30, although the agency later treated it as a continuation of the original storm. Moving west-northwest, the storm re-intensified to a secondary peak of 65 km/h (40 mph). However, an increase in wind shear left the circulation center exposed. Vamei quickly weakened, dissipating early on January 1, 2002. The IMD never tracked the storm.
## Season effects
This is a table of all storms in the 2001 North Indian Ocean cyclone season. It mentions all of the season's storms and their names, duration, peak intensities (according to the IMD storm scale), damage, and death totals. Damage and death totals include the damage and deaths caused when that storm was a precursor wave or extratropical low, and all of the damage figures are in 2001 USD.
\|- \| ARB 01 \|\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| Western India\|\| Minimal \|\| 900 \|\| \|- \| BOB 01 \|\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| East India\|\| Minimal \|\| \|\| \|- \| ARB 02 \|\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| None \|\| None \|\| None \|\| \|- \| ARB 03 \|\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| Western India \|\| None \|\| None \|\| \|- \| BOB 02 \|\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| Southeast India \|\| None \|\| None \|\| \|- \| BOB 03 \|\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| bgcolor=#\| \|\| India\|\| Minimal \|\| \|\| \|-
## See also
- List of tropical cyclone records
- 2001 Atlantic hurricane season
- 2001 Pacific hurricane season
- 2001 Pacific typhoon season
- South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2000–01, 2001–02
- Australian region cyclone seasons: 2000–01, 2001–02
- South Pacific cyclone seasons: 2000–01, 2001–02 |
1,585,995 | Too Short a Season | 1,163,670,102 | null | [
"1988 American television episodes",
"Star Trek: The Next Generation (season 1) episodes",
"Television episodes about drugs",
"Television episodes about terrorism",
"Television episodes written by D. C. Fontana"
] | "Too Short a Season" is the sixteenth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. It first aired on February 8, 1988, in broadcast syndication. The teleplay was written by Michael Michaelian and D. C. Fontana, based on a story by Michaelian, and the episode was directed by Rob Bowman.
Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. In this episode, the Enterprise transports the elderly Admiral Mark Jameson to deal with a hostage negotiation on the planet Mordan IV. Jameson took a drug to reverse his aging, and must defuse the situation with a former adversary.
During re-writes of the script by Fontana, various elements introduced by Michaelian were changed, including the ending. Guest stars included Michael Pataki, who had appeared in the original Star Trek series episode "The Trouble with Tribbles". Reviews were mixed, with particular criticism directed at the acting of Clayton Rohner as Admiral Jameson.
## Plot
The Federation starship Enterprise, under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), brings aboard the elderly 85 year old Admiral Mark Jameson and his wife Anne (Marsha Hunt) on request of Karnas (Michael Pataki), the Governor of Mordan IV. Karnas warns that a dissident terrorist group has taken a Federation Ambassador and his staff hostage, and demand to speak to a negotiator. Jameson had negotiated a previous settlement on Mordan IV. As the ship travels to Mordan IV, Jameson becomes stronger and more able to move about on his own, and no longer shows signs of the terminal Iverson's Disease he was known to have before he was beamed aboard. Jameson admits to taking an array of drugs to reverse the aging process over the last two years, and only recently has taken an overdose of the drugs to prepare himself for the negotiations. Jameson begins to appear younger and full of energy, but has frequent pains as a result of the overdose. By the time they are nearing Mordan, Jameson appears as a young adult.
As they approach the planet, Jameson begins audio communication with Karnas to learn more of the situation, and asks Karnas if his old enemies had taken the hostages. Karnas replies they are dead, and that Jameson is coming back to Mordan IV just like he did 45 years before. Jameson realizes that Karnas has never forgiven him and that it is Karnas that has taken the Federation staff. Karnas reminds Jameson that his treachery during their last encounter on Mordan IV resulted in years of war. Against the advice of Picard, Jameson devises plans to rescue the hostages by transporting the away team to the tunnels beneath Karnas' mansion, where Jameson believes the hostages are being held [the same place the previous hostages had been held]. Picard privately confronts Jameson about Karnas' motives. Jameson reveals that in the past, Karnas captured a Federation starliner in revenge for the death of his father by another local tribe. Jameson was sent in to bargain for their release after two previous Federation negotiators had been killed; Jameson reveals the truth to Picard: he did negotiate for the passengers' release not by his golden oratory but by giving Karnas what he demanded, a supply of Federation weapons. Jameson, in his interpretation of the Prime Directive, also supplied the warring tribes with an equal number of weapons. Jameson had thought this would only lead to a short-lived skirmish, and had not expected a war that would last over forty years. Jameson is now insistent on correcting his past mistake and thus took the reverse aging drug to be at his best.
In orbit, the Enterprise crew and Jameson beam down into the tunnels beneath Karnas' manor but find that their arrival was anticipated and face off against armed guards. Jameson collapses during the fight and the crew beams back to the Enterprise. Jameson was not shot, but the reverse aging drug is literally destroying his body. Karnas demands to see Jameson or he will kill a hostage every 15 minutes. Picard opts to beam him, Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden), Jameson and eventually Jameson's wife Anne directly to Karnas' office. Karnas refuses to believe that the young man is Jameson, so Jameson reveals a scar on his wrist inflicted by Karnas years ago to seal their bargain. Jameson dies shortly afterward in his wife's embrace. Karnas agrees to let the hostages go and to allow Jameson to be buried on Mordan IV at Anne's request.
## Production
Writer Michael Michaelian originally pitched a story idea based on andropause, sometimes referred to as "male menopause". He wrote a treatment and first draft script involving reverse aging. D. C. Fontana later explained that the terrorist MacGuffin (an ambiguous but central plot point) was not quite right. Fontana was brought in to overhaul the ending, and explained that a "lot of what I put in at the end was also in Michael's story and drafts, but approached with a different emphasis". One significant alteration she made was to change the plot from involving actual terrorists to a trap that the crew must defuse. The original ending also had the two opposing parties on the planet sit down for peace talks with Jameson surviving the effects of the de-aging drugs. He would have been reduced in age to fourteen and could no longer remember his wife.
Clayton Rohner was cast as Admiral Mark Jameson. Prior to filming, Rohner and director Rob Bowman worked together on weekends on the characterisation of Jameson. Bowman criticized the style of the script, describing it as "sit-and-tell". He also had a variety of problems with the wheelchair used in this episode which cost \$10,000 to construct. It was referred to by prop designer Joe Longo as the "big albatross", and when a wheelchair was required for the Deep Space Nine episode "Melora" they instead created a much simpler version. Karnas was played by Michael Pataki, who had previously portrayed the Klingon Korax in the original Star Trek series episode "The Trouble with Tribbles".
Make-up supervisor Michael Westmore had previously used makeup to age DeForest Kelley in the season premiere "Encounter at Farpoint", but "Too Short a Season" proved a unique challenge as four stages of make-up were required to show Admiral Jameson de-aging. The initial stage to show Jameson at his oldest, involved Rohner wearing a bald-cap and wig plus latex prosthetics applied to his eyes, forehead, throat and jowls. That stage took up to four hours to apply to the actor. Westmore found himself worn out by the volume of work during this episode, as at the time the make-up team on the series included just him and Werner Keppler. On the second day of shooting the first stage make-up, Westmore arrived after Rohner had been in make-up for three hours only to find that he was only half finished. Keppler and Westmore rushed to get him so as not to delay the filming of the episode. Bowman later criticised the make-up used on Rohner, describing it as sub-par. Westmore said that "if I was working on a film, and had several months to test Clayton's make-up beforehand, it probably would have turned out more to my liking. With less than a week to work with, I don't think it turned out too badly."
"Too Short a Season" marked the last time a cityscape would be built as a model for the show until the sixth-season episode "Birthright". They were instead replaced with matte paintings (one was reused from the comedy film Spaceballs). Phasers from the original Star Trek series and movies, along with a staff from "The Last Outpost" were used to decorate Karnas' office.
## Reception
"Too Short a Season" aired in broadcast syndication during the week commencing February 14, 1988. It received Nielsen ratings of 10.9, reflecting the percentage of all households watching the episode during its timeslot. This was the highest ratings received by the series since "The Big Goodbye" four episodes earlier.
### Critical response
Several reviewers re-watched the episode after the end of the series. Keith DeCandido reviewed the episode for Tor.com in June 2011. He said that while the character of Jameson and the history of Mordan IV are interesting, the episode is so focused on Jameson that ultimately "it’s not really a Next Generation episode." He described the return of Michael Pataki to Star Trek as "triumphant" but thought Clayton Rohner was "simply horrible", and that Marsha Hunt "creates no impression whatsoever". He summed up the episode as "a missed opportunity", and gave it a score of 5/10. James Hunt watched the episode in January 2013 for the website Den of Geek. He felt that the episode had a good story at the core but highlighted the "rather dubious make-up and over-acting". His main criticism was that Jameson "is fundamentally unlikeable", and the lack of involvement of the show's main cast.
Zack Handlen watched the episode for The A.V. Club in May 2010, and also found that the episode's interesting concept was undermined by the character of Jameson being "thoroughly unlikable". He described Rohner as "acting like a Muppet when he's supposed to be elderly and weak, then laying on the over-heated angst once his youth is restored". He felt that the main characters were sidelined in the episode, and so it was difficult to be involved in what went on. He gave the episode a grade of C+. Michelle Erica Green reviewed the episode for TrekNation in June 2007. She found fault with the episode for failing to explore the consequences of the discovery of a functional de-aging formula. She too criticised the makeup used on Rohner, but said that in the scenes for which he wore no makeup his acting became more "modulated, but then both Karnas and the actor playing him seem over-the-top by comparison".
## Home media release
The first home media release of "Too Short a Season" was on VHS cassette, appearing on July 1, 1992, in the United States and Canada. The episode was later included on the Star Trek: The Next Generation season one DVD box set, released in March 2002, and then released as part of the season one Blu-ray set on July 24, 2012. |
1,648,079 | Psilocybe tampanensis | 1,060,538,598 | Psychedelic mushroom in the family Hymenogastraceae | [
"Entheogens",
"Fungi described in 1978",
"Fungi of North America",
"Psilocybe",
"Psychedelic tryptamine carriers",
"Psychoactive fungi",
"Taxa named by Gastón Guzmán"
] | Psilocybe tampanensis is a very rare psychedelic mushroom in the family Hymenogastraceae. Originally collected in the wild in a sandy meadow near Tampa, Florida, in 1977, the fungus would not be found in Florida again until 44 years later. The original Florida specimen was cloned, and descendants remain in wide circulation. The fruit bodies (mushrooms) produced by the fungus are yellowish-brown in color with convex to conic caps up to 2.4 cm (0.9 in) in diameter atop a thin stem up to 6 cm (2.4 in) long. Psilocybe tampanensis forms psychoactive truffle-like sclerotia that are known and sold under the nickname "philosopher's stones". The fruit bodies and sclerotia are consumed by some for recreational or entheogenic purposes. In nature, sclerotia are produced by the fungus as a rare form of protection from wildfires and other natural disasters.
## Taxonomy
The species was described scientifically by Steven H. Pollock and Mexican mycologist and Psilocybe authority Gastón Guzmán in a 1978 Mycotaxon publication. According to Paul Stamets, Pollock skipped a "boring taxonomic conference" near Tampa, Florida to go mushroom hunting, and found a single specimen growing in a sand dune, which he did not recognize. Pollock later cloned the specimen and produced a pure culture, which remains widely distributed today. The type specimen is kept at the herbarium of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional in Mexico. Guzmán classified P. tampanensis in his section Mexicanae, a grouping of related Psilocybe species characterized primarily by having spores with lengths greater than 8 micrometers.
## Description
The cap ranges in shape from convex or conic with a slight umbo, expanding in age to become flattened or with a slight central depression; it reaches diameters of 1–2.4 cm (0.4–0.9 in). The surface is smooth, not striate (grooved), ochraceous brown to straw brown, buff to yellowish-grey when dry, with slight bluish tones at the margin, hygrophanous, and somewhat sticky when wet. The gills are more or less adnate (broadly attached to the stem slightly above the bottom of the gill, with most of the gill fused to the stem) and brown to dark purple brown in color with lighter edges. The stem is 2–6 cm (0.8–2.4 in) long, 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) thick, and equal in width throughout to slightly enlarged near the base. There are fibrils near the top of the stem. The partial veil is cortinate (cobweb-like, similar to the partial veil of Cortinarius species), and soon disappears. The flesh is whitish to yellowish, and bruises blue when injured. The taste and odor are slightly farinaceous (similar to freshly ground flour).
The spore print is purple-brown. When viewed with a microscope, the spores of P. tampanensis are somewhat rhombic in face view and roughly elliptical in side view; they have dimensions of 8.8–9.9 by 8–8.8 by 5.5–6.6 μm. Spores appear brownish-yellow when mounted in a solution of potassium hydroxide, and have a thick, smooth wall, a distinct germ pore, and a short appendage. The basidia (spore-bearing cells) are four-spored, hyaline (translucent), and measure 14–22 by 8–10 μm. The cheilocystidia (cystidia on the gill face) measure 16–22 by 4–9 μm, and are lageniform (flask-shaped) with flexuous thin necks that are 2.2–3 μm thick, and infrequently have irregular branches. There are no pleurocystidia (cystidia on the gill face). Clamp connections are present in the hyphae.
### Similar species
Guzmán considers Psilocybe tampanensis to be intermediate in form between P. mexicana and P. caerulescens. Psilocybe mexicana has a more Mycena-like fruit body shape, and longer basidia measuring 22–24 by 7.7–11 μm. It is known only from Mexico and Guatemala. Psilocybe caerulescens, found in the US and Venezuela, is also somewhat similar, but has a collybioid habit (small to medium-sized mushrooms with a convex cap), with spores measuring 6.7–8 by 5.2–6.5 by 3.3–5.2 μm, and cheilocystidia that are 15–22 by 4.4–5.5 μm.
## Habitat and distribution
For almost two decades after its discovery, Psilocybe tampanensis was known only from the type locality, southeast of Brandon, Florida. In 1996, Guzmán reported finding it in a meadow with sandy soil in a deciduous forest in Pearl River County, Mississippi, a habitat similar to that of the type location. Due to its scarcity, however, its habitat preferences are not known with certainty. Like all Psilocybe species, it is saprobic.
Like some other psychoactive grassland species such as Psilocybe semilanceata, Conocybe cyanopus, P. tampanensis can form sclerotia–a hardened mass of mycelia that is more resistant to adverse environmental conditions than normal mycelia. This truffle-like form gives the fungus some protection from wildfires and other natural disasters. Other Psilocybe species known to produce sclerotia include Psilocybe mexicana and Psilocybe caerulescens. Sclerotia are also produced when the species is grown in culture.
## Recreational use
Psilocybe tampanensis contains the psychedelic compounds psilocin and psilocybin, and is consumed for recreational and entheogenic purposes. The species was found to be one of the most popular psychoactive mushrooms confiscated by German authorities in a 2000 report, behind Psilocybe cubensis, Psilocybe semilanceata, and Panaeolus cyanescens. The alkaloid content in the confiscated samples ranged from not detectable to 0.19% psilocybin, and 0.01 to 0.03% psilocin. According to mycologist Michael Beug, dried fruit bodies can contain up to 1% psilocybin and psilocin; in terms of psychoactive potency, Stamets considers the mushroom "moderately to highly active".
The psychoactive compounds are also present in the sclerotia: in one analysis, the levels of psilocybin obtained from sclerotia ranged from 0.31% to 0.68% by dry weight, and were dependent upon the composition of the growth medium. Sclerotia are sold under the nickname "philosopher's stones". They have been described as "resembling congealed muesli", and having a somewhat bitter taste similar to walnut. Strains existing as commercial cultivation kits sold originally in countercultural drug magazines are derived from the original fruit body found by Pollock in Florida. Methods were originally developed by Pollock, and later extended by Stamets in the 1980s to cultivate the sclerotia on a substrate of rye grass (Lolium), and on straw. Sclerotia prepared in this way take from 3 to 12 weeks to develop. Pollock was granted a US patent in 1981 for his method of producing sclerotia.
### Legal status
Psilocin and psilocybin are scheduled drugs in many countries, and mushrooms containing them are prohibited by extension. In the United States, Federal law was passed in 1971 that put the psychoactive components into the most restricted schedule I category. For about three decades following this, several European countries remained relatively tolerant of mushroom use and possession. In the 2000s (decade), in response to increases in prevalence and availability, all European countries banned possession or sale of psychedelic mushrooms; the Netherlands was the last country to enact such laws in 2008. However, they did not include psilocybin-containing sclerotia in the 2008 law, and thus, psilocybin-containing fungal compounds are available commercially in the Netherlands. In parallel legal developments in Asia, P. tampanensis was one of 13 psychoactive mushrooms specifically prohibited by law in Japan in 2002.
## See also
- List of Psilocybe species
- List of psilocybin mushrooms |
30,157,817 | Don't You Wanna Stay | 1,135,651,890 | null | [
"2010 singles",
"2010 songs",
"2010s ballads",
"BBR Music Group singles",
"Country ballads",
"Jason Aldean songs",
"Kelly Clarkson songs",
"Male–female vocal duets",
"Pop ballads",
"RCA Records singles",
"RED Distribution singles",
"Song recordings produced by Michael Knox (record producer)",
"Songs containing the I–V-vi-IV progression",
"Songs written by Jason Sellers",
"Songs written by Paul Jenkins (songwriter)",
"Sony Music singles"
] | "Don't You Wanna Stay" is a duet recorded by American singers Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson. It was written by Andy Gibson, Paul Jenkins, and Jason Sellers. It was released as the second single from Aldean's fourth studio album My Kinda Party, following Aldean's and Clarkson's performance on the 44th annual Country Music Association Awards on November 10, 2010, due to strong demands of radio stations, and was also included on the deluxe edition of Clarkson's fifth studio album Stronger (2011). The song contains elements of country and pop, and its lyrics speak of the difficulties of finding and maintaining love.
"Don't You Wanna Stay" was met with generally favorable reviews by critics who considered the song as "a classic power ballad". Critics also lauded the interesting combination between Aldean's and Clarkson's voices. The song was a crossover hit, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. It became Aldean's fifth number one single and Clarkson's first number one single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Both Aldean and Clarkson performed the song on several occasions, notably on the tenth season of American Idol and at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. Footage from the Country Music Association award performance was used to comprise a music video for "Don't You Wanna Stay", directed by Paul Miller. The song was nominated for "Best Country Duo/Group Performance" at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, but lost to "Barton Hollow" by The Civil Wars. "Don't You Wanna Stay" was covered by Colton Dixon and Skylar Laine in the eleventh season of American Idol and was performed by Justin Chain and Shelbie Z in the fifth season of The Voice.
## Background and release
"Don't You Wanna Stay" was written by Andy Gibson, Paul Jenkins and Jason Sellers. According to Sellers, they were at Jenkins' house when they started composing the song. He explained, "We just wanted to write a love song. We had an idea of what we were targeting. We didn’t write it as a duet. We wrote it, and Andy thought about recording it. After we got the song written, we played it for Jason. Jason Aldean's idea for it was to make it a duet." The song is the first duet that Aldean has recorded. In an interview with Nashville.com, Aldean revealed that the song was not originally presented to him as a duet. Nevertheless, he and producer Michael Knox thought the lyrics would work for two people if he could find a female artist as a duet partner. Aldean considered a number of female vocalists to record the song with, especially Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. However, Clarkson remained as his first choice. He explained,
> "We had the song pitched to us and originally it wasn’t a duet. The more I was listening to the thing and learning the song, I realized it set itself up to be a duet if we wanted to go that route. When I called my producer about it he asked who I wanted to sing it with me and I said Kelly Clarkson, but I didn’t think we’d be able to get her. I’ve always been a big fan of hers. I love her voice and I love her style. Long story short, we got her a copy of the song and she loved it. As soon as she started singing, it became obvious it was going to be great."
On November 10, 2010, "Don't You Wanna Stay" was performed live for the first time by Aldean with Clarkson on the 44th Country Music Association Awards. The performance triggered an overwhelming demand from radio stations across the country. As a result, Aldean’s label, Broken Bow Records, made the song available on PLAY MPE. Carson James, the label's Senior Vice President for Promotion responded, "If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years in the record business, it is always give radio what they want [...] Our entire promotion staff has spent all night fielding calls and returning texts about getting this song, so we decided it best to release it on Play MPE first thing this morning." Myra Dehais of RED Company claimed that the song's rise at adult-radio stations was a result of the company's distribution, saying "This is a proud moment for RED distribution, [...] In crossing a country song over to the adult and pop formats, we can face resistance, since (some) stations have only a slot or two for country music, in order to maintain sonic balance. "Don't You Wanna Stay" was later included on the deluxe edition of Clarkson's fifth studio album, Stronger (2011).
## Composition
"Don't You Wanna Stay" is a country pop song with a length of four minutes and sixteen seconds. It incorporates melancholic guitar riff which is accompanied by classical elements such as violin. Mikael Wood of Billboard described the song as "a dramatic, slow building power ballad in the style of Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart"", a view held similar by John Hill of About.com who considered the song as a "classic power ballad", writing "whether you want to call the song country, pop, or something in between doesn't matter because the chorus is so catchy that it doesn't matter if you use an electric guitar or a steel guitar." It is set in common time and has a steady tempo of 72 beats per minute. It is written in the key of G-sharp minor and both Aldean and Clarkson's vocals span two octaves, from A♯<sub>3</sub> to G♯<sub>5</sub>. It follows the chord progression G♯m–E–B. Bob Peacock of Roughstock thought that the structure of the song was interesting with its brief four-line verses and "don't you wanna stay's throughout the chorus. As the chorus of the song starts in, the sound of electric and slide guitars are prominent as Aldean and Clarkson sing, "Don't you wanna hold each other tight / Don't you wanna fall asleep with me tonight?"
Lyrically, the song narrates the difficulties of finding and maintaining love. Cristin Maher of Taste of Country contended that the song exemplifies the desire some people have when they want to make the move from a physical relationship to an emotional relationship, which is represented by the song lyrics "Let’s take it slow, I don’t want to move too fast / I don’t wanna just make love, I wanna make love last." Gibson, one of the writers of the song, stated that the song does not contain a lot of flowery lyrics or sentiment. He added, "It’s just straight up what somebody would say to somebody they’d want to be with."
## Critical reception
The song has received generally positive reviews from music critics. Allison Stewart of The Washington Post called the song "great and gooey", saying that it sounded like "Bryan Adams teaming with Heart in 1984 for a contribution to some alternate universe Footloose soundtrack." Blake Boldt of Engine 145 gave the song a “thumbs-up”, calling it "a dramatic affair that demonstrates how pop and country can intersect with each other and offer decent results." He concluded his review with, "'Don't You Wanna Stay' would be a suitable fit for a Foreigner or Whitesnake album, and, though nowhere near a classic, it’s an instant entrant into the 'guilty pleasure' category." Reviewing the album for Billboard, Gary Graff described the song as being part of an "array of such bittersweet, emotionally ambivalent goodbye songs". Bobby Peacock of Roughstock gave the song three-and-a-half stars out of five and praised both Aldean and Clarkson's fine voices, "making for an interesting combination: Jason's rough, slightly nasal voice against Kelly's cleaner, forceful tone." In a different perspective, Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe gave the song a "C" grade, lambasting the song for its musical element, writing "the sheer volume of noise that invades the track with the first chorus takes us straight into Monster Ballads territory." He concluded his review by emphasizing that "this isn’t country music. It just isn’t."
Gary Trust of Billboard noted that the success of "Don't You Wanna Stay" as a crossover adult-radio hit was due to several reasons; Bob Neumann of WPBB, an adult contemporary radio station, posited that "country and adult stations share listeners [...] so audience may have already been familiar with the song based on its original life at country radio." Mike Mullaney of WBMX radio station opined that the song's own merits had propelled its crossover, saying
> "Sure, it's a great country song. But, at its core, it's just a great song. It has a lot of the same qualities of Lady Antebellum's 'Need You Now': great lyrics and melody, while each of these singers has amazing emotional resonance in their voices [...] Aldean has a country delivery, but our audience likes country hits. Having Kelly on the track was a big help in initially getting our attention but, ultimately, the song is just a hit."
On March 5, 2013, Billboard ranked the song at number 40 in its list of Top 100 American Idol Hits of All Time. Additionally, it appeared at number 14 of Clarkson's Top 15 Biggest Billboard Hot 100 hits through the week ending April 29, 2017. On the other hand, Sterling Whitaker of The Boot put "Don't You Wanna Stay" at number six on his list of Top 10 Jason Aldean Songs. Laura McClellan of Taste of Country ranked the song at number three of Aldean's Top 10 songs, citing it as "the biggest reason the industry is beginning to recognize Aldean with award nominations." Chuck Dauphin of Billboard ranked the song atop his list of Jason Aldean's 10 Best Songs and described it as "a ballad that one doesn’t get tired of hearing – and that’s not something you see everyday." He also put the song at number 25 in his list of Top 50 Country Love Songs of All Time.
### Awards and nomination
At the 2011 CMT Music Awards, "Don't You Wanna Stay" was nominated for "Collaborative Video of the Year," but lost to Justin Bieber's "That Should Be Me" featuring Rascal Flatts (2010). "Don't You Wanna Stay" received nominations for two awards at the 45th Country Music Association Awards. The song received a nomination for the "Musical Event of the Year" and won the award; it was also nominated for the "Single of the Year" but lost to The Band Perry's "If I Die Young" (2010). At the 54th Grammy Awards, the song received a nomination for "Best Country Duo/Group Performance" but lost to The Civil Wars' "Barton Hollow" (2011). "Don't You Wanna Stay" won two awards of "Single by a Vocal Collaboration" and "Music Video by a Duo/Group/Collaboration" at the 2011 American Country Awards. The song won the awards of "Single of the Year" and "Vocal Event of the Year" at the 47th Academy of Country Music.
## Commercial performance
Following the album release of My Kinda Party, "Don't You Wanna Stay" debuted at number 59 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs as well as at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week ending November 20, 2010. On its second week on Billboard Hot 100, the song jumped to number 56 after the singers' performance at the Country Music Association awards. The song reached a new peak of number 31 in its 24th week on the chart after Aldean and Clarkson performed the song on American Idol, selling 59,000 paid downloads that week according to Nielsen SoundScan. "Don't You Wanna Stay" also debuted at number 17 and number 39 on Adult Contemporary and Adult Pop Songs charts respectively. In July 2011, the song leapt into the top ten positions of Adult Contemporary (11-8) and Adult Pop Songs (11-9). The ascent prompted the song to re-enter the Billboard Hot 100 at number 48 in its 27th week on the chart.
On the week ending February 27, 2011, "Don't You Wanna Stay" moved to number one on Billboard Hot Country Songs and stayed in the top position for three consecutive weeks. It became Aldean's fifth number one hit and Clarkson's first number one hit on the chart. The accomplishment also made Clarkson as the third American Idol contestant to score a number one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs. The feat was first accomplished by Josh Gracin and followed by Carrie Underwood.
The song held the record as the best-selling country collaboration single in digital history until it was overtaken by Blake Shelton and Pistol Annies' "Boys 'Round Here" in 2014. It is Aldean's second song to cross the 2 million mark, following "Dirt Road Anthem" in 2011; and Clarkson's fourth song to cross the 2 million mark following "Since U Been Gone" in 2008, "My Life Would Suck Without You" in 2009, and "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" in 2012. As of September 2017, the song has sold 2,712,000 copies in the US.
## Live performances and usage in media
On November 10, 2010, Aldean performed the song with Clarkson for the first time at the 44th annual Country Music Association Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Despite receiving a standing ovation, their performance of the song in that event was graded as a "D" in the Los Angeles Times, noting that the song is "a ballad that turned into some oddly orchestrated '80s hair metal tune. It’s an easy slam, but this is "American Idol" bombast." Aldean and Clarkson also performed the song on several other occasions. They sang the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on February 22, 2011. On April 14, 2011, they performed the song live on the tenth season of American Idol during the Top 8 results show. They later performed the song live during Country Music Association festival in Nashville, Tennessee on June 9, 2011. Aldean also performed the song on all venues of his concert tour, the My Kinda Party Tour, which started on January 21, 2011. During each performance, Clarkson is seen on a big screen behind Aldean, singing her part of the duet. He explained,
> "We decided to go in and film her doing her thing [...] so even though she wasn't at the show, she could still be a part of the show. As big as that song is getting for us right now, it was definitely a song that we thought we had to have in the show. She cut a thing for us to use, and I cut a thing for her to use in her show if she wants to do that. It's a cool way to have her be a part of the show even though she's not going to be there every night."
On February 12, 2012, both Aldean and Clarkson performed the song in front of a stage outfitted with giant clock innards at the 54th Grammy Awards. Todd Martens of Los Angeles Times thought that "the duo looked like they were on the set of "Hugo"." As their performance neared its end, Aldean's microphone suddenly went out. Sarah Wyland of Great American Country felt that Aldean was professional in handling the technical problem by continuing to sing the song with Clarkson. However, Natalie Maines, the lead vocalist of the Dixie Chicks, lambasted Aldean's performance in her Twitter account, writing "Well the good thing about his mic going out is suddenly the song got a lot more in tune." "Don't You Wanna Stay" is also performed by Clarkson in her fourth headlining tour, the Stronger Tour (2012). While Clarkson is performing the song, Aldean is seen on a big screen, singing his part of the duet. She also performed the song as a duet with Blake Shelton while touring at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, Los Angeles. The song's accompanying music video is composed of the live footage from the Country Music Association awards which was directed by Paul Miller.
"Don't You Wanna Stay" was covered by Colton Dixon and Skylar Laine in the eleventh season of American Idol. Natalie Finn of E! gave a mixed review of the pair's performance, writing "Skylar handled Kelly Clarkson better than Colton played Jason Aldean on "Don't You Wanna Stay," but she's the country girl, so it made sense." Brian Mansfield of USA Today felt that the song was out of Dixon's comfort zone and a little out of Laine's range. Gil Kaufman of MTV remarked that the chemistry between the pair was more like cold fusion. Jennifer Still of Digital Spy said the performance "isn't anything incredible". "Don't You Wanna Stay" was performed by Justin Chain and Shelbie Z in the fifth season of The Voice during the Battle Rounds which was first aired on October 14, 2013. Natasha Chandel of MTV opined that the pair struggled with their pitch and harmonies during rehearsals but successfully stepped up their game during the live performance. A similar view was shared by Ashley Lee of The Hollywood Reporter writing, "Throughout rehearsals, neither the motorcycle accident survivor nor the pageant coach could lock in their harmonies during the choruses [...] They ended up blending well onstage.
## Track listing
- Digital download
1. "Don't You Wanna Stay" (with Kelly Clarkson) – 4:16
## Charts and certifications
### Weekly charts
### Year-end charts
### Decade-end charts
### Certifications |
19,671,379 | Jewels of Elizabeth II | 1,173,089,858 | Historic collection of royal jewellery | [
"British royal attire",
"Elizabeth II",
"Jewellery in the Royal Collection of the United Kingdom"
] | Queen Elizabeth II owned a historic collection of jewels – some as monarch and others as a private individual. They are separate from the gems and jewels of the Royal Collection, and from the coronation and state regalia that make up the Crown Jewels.
The origin of a distinct royal jewel collection is vague, though it is believed the jewels have their origin somewhere in the 16th century. Many of the pieces are from overseas and were brought to the United Kingdom as a result of civil war, coups and revolutions, or acquired as gifts to the monarch. Most of the jewellery dates from the 19th and 20th centuries.
The Crown Jewels are worn only at coronations (St Edward's Crown being used to crown the monarch) and the annual State Opening of Parliament (the Imperial State Crown). At other formal occasions, such as banquets, Elizabeth II wore the jewellery in her collection. She owned more than 300 items of jewellery, including 98 brooches, 46 necklaces, 37 bracelets, 34 pairs of earrings, 20 tiaras, 15 rings, 14 watches and 5 pendants, the most notable of which are detailed in this article.
## History
### General history
Unlike the Crown Jewels—which mainly date from the accession of Charles II—the jewels are not official regalia or insignia. Much of the collection was designed for queens regnant and queens consort, though some kings have added to the collection. Most of the jewellery was purchased from other European heads of state and members of the aristocracy, or handed down by older generations of the Royal family, often as birthday and wedding presents. In recent years, Elizabeth had worn them in her capacity as Queen of Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and can be seen wearing jewels from her collection in official portraits made specially for these realms.
### The House of Hanover dispute
In 1714, with the accession of George I, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Hanover both came to be ruled in personal union by the House of Hanover. Early Hanoverian monarchs were careful to keep the heirlooms of the two realms separate. George III gave half the British heirlooms to his bride, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, as a wedding present. In her will, Charlotte left the jewels to the 'House of Hanover'. The Kingdom of Hanover followed the Salic Law, whereby the line of succession went through male heirs.
Thus, when Queen Victoria acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom, her uncle Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale became King of Hanover. King Ernest demanded a portion of the jewellery, not only as the monarch of Hanover but also as the son of Queen Charlotte. Victoria flatly declined to hand over any of the jewels, claiming they had been bought with British money. Ernest's son, George V of Hanover, continued to press the claim. Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, suggested that she make a financial settlement with the Hanoverian monarch to keep the jewels, but Parliament informed Queen Victoria they would neither purchase the jewels nor loan funds for the purpose.
A parliamentary commission was set up to investigate the matter and in 1857 they found in favour of the House of Hanover. On 28 January 1858, 10 years after Ernest's death, the jewels were handed to the Hanoverian Ambassador, Count Erich von Kielmansegg. Victoria did manage to keep one of her favourite pieces of jewellery: a fine rope of pearls.
## Ownership and value
Some pieces of jewellery made before the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 are regarded as heirlooms owned by the monarch in right of the Crown and pass from one monarch to the next in perpetuity. Objects made later, including official gifts, can also be added to that part of the Royal Collection at the sole discretion of a monarch. It is not possible to say how much the collection is worth because the jewels have a rich and unique history, and they are unlikely to be sold on the open market.
In the early 20th century, five other lists of jewellery, which have also never been published, supplemented those left to the Crown by Queen Victoria:
- Jewels left to the Crown by Queen Victoria
- Jewels left by Her Majesty to His Majesty the King (Edward VII)
- Jewels left to King Edward VII by Queen Victoria, hereinafter to be considered as belonging to the Crown and to be worn by all future queens in right of it
- Jewels the property of King George V
- Jewels given to the Crown by Queen Mary
- Jewels given to the Crown by King George V
## Tiaras
### Delhi Durbar Tiara
The Delhi Durbar Tiara was made by Garrard & Co. for Queen Mary, the wife of King George V, to wear at the Delhi Durbar in 1911. As the Crown Jewels never leave the country, George V had the Imperial Crown of India made to wear at the Durbar, and Queen Mary wore the tiara. It was part of a set of jewellery made for Queen Mary to use at the event which included a necklace, stomacher, brooch and earrings. Made of gold and platinum, the tiara is 8 cm (3 in) tall and has the form of a tall circlet of lyres and S-scrolls linked by festoons of diamonds. It was originally set with 10 of the Cambridge emeralds, acquired by Queen Mary in 1910 and first owned by her grandmother, the Duchess of Cambridge. In 1912, the tiara was altered to take one or both of the Cullinan III and IV diamonds; the pear-shaped diamond was held at the top, and the cushion-shaped stone hung in the oval aperture underneath. Mary lent the tiara to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) for the 1947 royal tour of South Africa, and it remained with her until she died in 2002, when it passed to Elizabeth II. In 2005, Elizabeth II lent the tiara to her daughter-in-law, the Duchess of Cornwall (now Queen Camilla).
### Queen Mary Fringe Tiara
This tiara, which can also be worn as a necklace, was made for Queen Mary in 1919. It is not, as has sometimes been claimed, made with diamonds that once belonged to George III, but reuses diamonds taken from a necklace/tiara purchased by Queen Victoria from Collingwood & Co. as a wedding present for Princess Mary in 1893. In August 1936, Mary gave the tiara to her daughter-in-law, Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother). When Queen Elizabeth, consort of King George VI, first wore the tiara, Sir Henry Channon called it "an ugly spiked tiara". Later, she lent the piece to her daughter, Princess Elizabeth (future Elizabeth II), as "something borrowed" for her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947. As Princess Elizabeth was getting dressed at Buckingham Palace before leaving for Westminster Abbey, the tiara snapped. Luckily, the court jeweller was standing by in case of any emergency, and was rushed to his work room by a police escort. Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) reassured her daughter that it would be fixed in time, and it was. The Queen Mother lent it to her granddaughter, Princess Anne, for her wedding to Captain Mark Phillips in 1973. It was later lent to Princess Beatrice for her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020.
It was put on show at an exhibition with a number of other royal tiaras in 2001.
### Queen Adelaide’s Fringe Necklace
The Queen Adelaide’s Fringe Necklace is a circlet incorporating brilliant diamonds that were formerly owned by George III. Originally commissioned in 1830 and made by Rundell, Bridge & Co, the necklace has been worn by many queens consort. Originally, it could be worn as a collar or necklace, Queen Victoria modified it so it could be mounted on a wire to form the tiara. Queen Victoria wore it as a tiara during a visit to the Royal Opera in 1839. In Franz Xaver Winterhalter's painting The First of May, completed in 1851, Victoria can be seen wearing it as she holds Prince Arthur, the future Duke of Connaught and Strathearn. In a veiled reference to the adoration of the Magi, the Duke of Wellington is seen presenting the young prince with a gift. It was classified as an “heirloom of the Crown” in Garrard’s 1858 inventory of Queen Victoria’s jewels.
### Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara
The Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara (Владимирская тиара), sometimes the Diamond and Pearl Tiara, was bought, along with a diamond rivière, by Queen Mary from Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, mother of the Duchess of Kent, in 1921 for a price of £28,000. The grand duchess, known after her marriage as Princess Nicholas of Greece, inherited it from her mother, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, who received it as a wedding gift from her husband in 1874. It originally had 15 large drop pearls, and was made by the jeweller Carl Edvard Bolin at a cost of 48,200 rubles.
During the Russian Revolution in 1917, the tiara was hidden with other jewels somewhere in Vladimir Palace in Petrograd, and later saved from Soviet Russia by Albert Stopford, a British art dealer and secret agent. In the years to follow, Princess Nicholas sold pieces of jewellery from her collection to support her exiled family and various charities.
Queen Mary had the tiara altered to accommodate 15 of the Cambridge cabochon emeralds. The original drop pearls can easily be replaced as an alternative to the emeralds. Elizabeth II inherited the tiara directly from her grandmother in 1953. It is almost exclusively worn together with the Cambridge and Delhi Durbar parures, also containing large emeralds. Elizabeth wore the tiara in her official portrait as Queen of Canada as none of the Commonwealth realms besides the United Kingdom have their own crown jewels.
### Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara
Elizabeth II's first tiara was a wedding present in 1947 from her grandmother, Queen Mary, who received it as a gift from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland in 1893 on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of York, later George V. Made by E. Wolfe & Co., it was purchased from Garrard & Co. by a committee organised by Lady Eva Greville. In 1914, Mary adapted the tiara to take 13 diamonds in place of the large oriental pearls surmounting the tiara. Leslie Field, author of The Queen's Jewels, described it as, "a festoon-and-scroll with nine large oriental pearls on diamond spikes and set on a base of alternate round and lozenge collets between two plain bands of diamonds". At first, Elizabeth wore the tiara without its base and pearls but the base was reattached in 1969. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara is one of Elizabeth's most recognisable pieces of jewellery due to its widespread appearance in portraits of the monarch on British banknotes and coinage.
### Burmese Ruby Tiara
Elizabeth ordered the Burmese Ruby Tiara in 1973, and it was made by Garrard & Co. It is designed in the form of a wreath of roses, with silver and diamonds making the petals, and clusters of gold and rubies forming the centre of the flowers. A total of 96 rubies are mounted on the tiara; they were originally part of a necklace given to her in 1947 as a wedding present by the people of Burma (now Myanmar), who credited them with having the ability to protect their owner from sickness and evil. The diamonds were taken from a floral tiara made by Cartier in 1935 and chosen by Elizabeth herself as her wedding present from the wealthy Nizam of Hyderabad. While this floral tiara was dismantled, rose brooches were preserved.
### Queen Alexandra's Kokoshnik Tiara
The Kokoshnik Tiara was presented to Alexandra, Princess of Wales, as a 25th wedding anniversary gift in 1888 by Lady Salisbury on behalf of 365 peeresses of the United Kingdom. She had always wanted a tiara in the style of a kokoshnik (Russian for "cock's comb"), a traditional Russian folk headdress, and knew the design well from a tiara belonging to her sister, Maria Feodorovna, the Empress of Russia. It was made by Garrard & Co. and has vertical white gold bars pavé-set with diamonds, the longest of which is 6.5 cm (2.5 in). In a letter to her aunt, the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Princess Mary wrote, "The presents are quite magnificent [...] The ladies of society gave [Alexandra] a lovely diamond spiked tiara". Upon the death of Queen Alexandra, the tiara passed to her daughter-in-law, Queen Mary, who bequeathed it to Elizabeth in 1953. The tiara is featured in a 1960 portrait of the Queen taken by Anthony Buckley, which was used as the banknote portrait of the Queen for several countries and territories. The tiara is also featured on a 1979 New Zealand coin effigy of the Queen designed by James Berry.
### Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara
In 1913, Queen Mary asked Garrard & Co. to make a copy of a tiara owned by her grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel, using Queen Mary's own diamonds and pearls. French in its neo-classical design, the tiara has 19 oriental pearls suspended from lover's knot bows each centred with a large brilliant. Originally, the tiara had 38 diamonds; 19 on the upright side and 19 hanging from the arches. The 19 upright diamonds were removed. Mary left the tiara to Elizabeth II, who later loaned it to Diana, Princess of Wales, for her wedding, but she wore her family tiara instead. She wore it often, notably with her 'Elvis dress' on a visit to Hong Kong in 1989, but on her divorce from Prince Charles it was returned to Elizabeth. Catherine, Princess of Wales has worn it to a number of state occasions since 2015, including the State Banquet held in Buckingham Palace in November 2022 in the honour of the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
### Meander Tiara
This tiara was a wedding present to Elizabeth from her mother-in-law, Princess Alice of Greece and Denmark. The Meander Tiara is in the classical Greek key pattern, with a large diamond in the centre enclosed by a laurel wreath of diamonds. It also incorporates a wreath of leaves and scrolls on either side. Elizabeth II never wore this item in public, and it was given in 1972 to her daughter, Princess Anne, who has frequently worn the tiara in public, notably during her engagement to Captain Mark Phillips and for an official portrait marking her 50th birthday. Anne lent the tiara to her daughter, Zara Philips, to use at her wedding to Mike Tindall in 2011.
### Cartier Halo Tiara
This tiara, made by Cartier in 1936, was purchased by the Duke of York (later King George VI) for his wife (later the Queen Mother) three weeks before they became king and queen. It has a rolling cascade of 16 scrolls that converge on two central scrolls topped by a diamond. Altogether, it contains 739 brilliants and 149 baton diamonds. The tiara was given to Elizabeth on her 18th birthday in 1944, and was borrowed by Princess Margaret, who used it at the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Later, Elizabeth lent the Halo Tiara to Princess Anne, before giving her the Greek Meander Tiara in 1972. The Halo Tiara was lent to the Princess of Wales to wear at her wedding to Prince William in 2011.
### Greville Honeycomb Tiara
This tiara was left to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) by Dame Margaret Greville upon Greville's death in 1942. Made by Boucheron in 1920, the tiara features a honeycomb-patterned diamond lattice and was a favorite of the Queen Mother. In 1953, the Queen Mother commissioned Cartier to modify its height by rearranging the diamonds located on the upper row. Elizabeth II inherited the tiara from her mother in 2002 and subsequently placed it under long-term loan to the then Duchess of Cornwall.
### Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau Tiara
The tiara was made in 1932 for Queen Mary. Its centre brooch had been a wedding gift from the County of Lincoln in 1893. The tiara is a platinum band, made up of eleven sections, a detachable centre brooch with interlaced opals and diamonds. The tiara was lent to the Duchess of Sussex to use at her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.
### Lotus Flower Tiara
This tiara was created by Garrard London in the 1920s. Made out of pearls and diamonds, it was made from a necklace originally given to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) as a wedding gift. It was often worn by Princess Margaret, upon whose death, the tiara was returned to Elizabeth II. The tiara has been worn at a number of state occasions by Elizabeth II's granddaughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales.
### Strathmore Rose Tiara
Given to the Queen Mother as a wedding gift by her father the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, this floral piece was worn by the Queen Mother for a few years following her marriage. It was brought from Catchpole and Williams and the flowers can be detached and used as brooches. It became a part of Elizabeth II's collection since her mother's death in 2002.
### Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara
Like the Greville Honeycomb Tiara, this tiara was also part of Dame Margaret Greville's 1942 bequest to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother). The tiara was constructed by Boucheron in 1919 and features diamonds and several large emeralds in a kokoshnik-style platinum setting. Princess Eugenie of York wore the tiara at her October 2018 wedding; this marked the first public wearing of the tiara by a member of the royal family.
### Queen Mother's Cartier Bandeau
Composed of ruby, emerald, and sapphire bracelets given to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) by King George VI, the set was worn by the Queen Mother in the form of a bandeau. It is now a part of Elizabeth II's collection; she had worn the pieces individually as bracelets over the years and had also lent them to other members of the royal family.
### Queen Victoria's Oriental Circlet Tiara
Designed by Prince Albert and made by Garrard for Queen Victoria in 1853. Originally a complete circlet set with diamonds and opals. Remodeled in 1858 to remove diamonds lost in the Hanoverian claim, leaving space open at the back of the tiara. Opals were replaced with rubies by Queen Alexandra in 1902. It is made up of 'Moghul arches and lotus flowers' in diamonds and rubies. The tiara was seen multiple times on the Queen Mother, but Elizabeth II only wore it once during the State Visit to Malta in 2005.
### Belgian Sapphire Tiara
The tiara was originally a necklace belonging to Louise of Belgium, Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1858. The Queen bought the necklace which was converted into a tiara in 1963 to add to her collection. She has paired the tiara with George VI Sapphire Parure which was seen multiple times on the state tours in the 60s and 70s.
### Brazilian Aquamarine Parure Tiara
This tiara made by Garrard in 1957 comes as part of a set of necklace and earrings gifted to the Queen for her coronation in 1953 by the President Getúlio Vargas and the people of Brazil. It is made up of emerald-cut aquamarines and diamonds. It has been redesigned in 1971 with aquamarines given by the Governor of São Paulo in 1968.
## Earrings
### Coronation Earrings
Like the Coronation Necklace, these earrings have been worn by queens regnant and consort at every coronation since 1901. Made for Queen Victoria in 1858 using the diamonds from an old Garter badge, they are of typical design: a large brilliant followed by a smaller one, with a large pear-shaped drop. The drops were originally part of the Koh-i-Noor armlet. After they had been made, Victoria wore the earrings and matching necklace in the painting Queen Victoria by the European court painter, Franz Winterhalter.
### Queen Victoria's Stud Earrings
A pair of large, perfectly matched brilliant cut diamonds set as ear studs for Queen Victoria.
### The Duchess of Gloucester's Pendant Earrings
These earrings originally had detachable pearl and diamond cluster tops. These tops were given to Princess Elizabeth by Queen Mary in 1947, and Princess Elizabeth wore them on her wedding day. The drops now have a diamond solitaire topper. The pendant earrings have been worn regularly by Queen Elizabeth including important state occasions, such as the State Opening of Parliament in Mauritius in 1972.
### Queen Mary's Floret Earrings
These earrings were made for Queen Mary by Garrards, and consist of a large central diamond surrounded by seven smaller diamonds. The two large central diamonds were a wedding present from Sir William Mackinnon.
### Queen Mary's Cluster Earrings
These earrings were made for Queen Mary by Garrards. The central stones were a wedding present from the Bombay Presidency.
### Greville Chandelier Earrings
These 7.5 cm (3 in) long chandelier earrings made by Cartier in 1929 have three large drops adorned with every modern cut of diamond. The earrings were purchased by Margaret Greville, who left them to her friend the Queen Mother in 1942, and Elizabeth's parents gave them to her in 1947 as a wedding present. However, she was not able to use them until she had her ears pierced. When the public noticed that her ears had been pierced, doctors and jewellers found themselves inundated with requests by women anxious to have their ears pierced too. Catherine, Princess of Wales wore the earrings at the state banquet held following the wedding of Hussein, Crown Prince of Jordan, and Rajwa Al Saif in 2023.
### Greville Pear-drop Earrings
As well as the chandelier earrings, and 60 other pieces of jewellery, Margaret Greville left the Queen Mother a set of pear-drop earrings that she had bought from Cartier in 1938. The pear-shaped drop diamonds each weigh about 20 carats (4 g). Diana, Princess of Wales, borrowed them in 1983 to wear on her first official visit to Australia. At a state banquet, she wore the earrings with a tiara from her family's own collection. The Greville Pear-drop Earrings passed to Elizabeth II upon her mother's death in 2002.
### Bahrain Diamond and Pearl Earrings
Made out of a "shell containing seven pearls" that were given to Elizabeth as a wedding gift by the Hakim of Bahrain, these earrings consist of a round diamond followed by a circle diamond from which three baguette diamonds are suspended. At the bottom, three smaller diamonds are attached to the round pearl. These earrings were occasionally lent by Elizabeth II to Diana, Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Princess of Wales.
## Necklaces
### Queen Anne and Queen Caroline Pearl Necklaces
Both necklaces consist of a single row of large graduated pearls with pearl clasps. The Queen Anne Necklace is said to have belonged to Queen Anne, the last British monarch of the Stuart dynasty. Horace Walpole, the English art historian, wrote in his diary, "Queen Anne had but few jewels and those indifferent, except one pearl necklace given to her by Prince George". Queen Caroline, on the other hand, had a great deal of valuable jewellery, including no fewer than four pearl necklaces. She wore all the pearl necklaces to her coronation in 1727, but afterwards had the 50 best pearls selected to make one large necklace. In 1947, both necklaces were given to Elizabeth by her father as a wedding present. On her wedding day, Elizabeth realised that she had left her pearls at St James's Palace. Her private secretary, Jock Colville, was asked to go and retrieve them. He commandeered the limousine of King Haakon VII of Norway, but traffic that morning had stopped, so even the king's car with its royal flag flying could not get anywhere. Colville completed his journey on foot, and when he arrived at St James's Palace, he had to explain the odd story to the guards who were protecting Elizabeth's 2,660 wedding presents. They let him in after finding his name on a guest list, and he was able to get the pearls to the princess in time for her portrait in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace.
### King Faisal of Saudi Arabia Necklace
A gift from King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, it is a necklace in design and set with brilliant and baguette cut diamonds. King Faisal bought the necklace, made by the American jeweller Harry Winston, and presented it to Elizabeth II while on a state visit to the United Kingdom in 1967. Before his departure, she wore it to a banquet at the Dorchester hotel. She also lent the necklace to Diana, Princess of Wales, to wear on a state visit to Australia in 1983. It was loaned to the Duchess of Edinburgh in 2012.
### Festoon Necklace
In 1947, George VI commissioned a three-strand necklace with over 150 brilliant cut diamonds from his inherited collection. It consists of three small rows of diamonds with a triangle motif. The minimum weight of this necklace is estimated to be 170 carats (34 g). The necklace was worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales at the coronation of Charles III in 2023.
### King Khalid of Saudi Arabia Necklace
This necklace was given to Elizabeth II by King Khalid of Saudi Arabia in 1979. It is of the sunray design and contains both round and pear shaped diamonds. Like the King Faisal necklace, it was made by Harry Winston, and Elizabeth often lent the necklace to Diana, Princess of Wales.
### Greville Ruby Floral Bandeau Necklace
This necklace was made in 1907 by Boucheron for Margaret Greville. It was a part of her 1942 bequest to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother), and Elizabeth's parents gave them to her in 1947 as a wedding present. She wore the necklace frequently in her younger years up until the 1980s. In 2017, it was loaned to the Duchess of Cambridge for a State Banquet for King Felipe VI of Spain. Elizabeth II wore it again for the first time in over 30 years in 2018 at a dinner as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
### Greville Festoon Necklace
Cartier had the piece designed as a 2-row necklace in 1929 but three more strands were added in 1938 at the owner's request. The piece was frequently worn by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother throughout her life. It was worn by the Duchess of Cornwall for the first time during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2007.
### Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace
A diamond necklace made by Cartier in the 1930s. It was a wedding gift to Elizabeth on her wedding to Prince Philip from the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, in 1947. The Nizam's entire gift set for the future Queen of the United Kingdom included a diamond tiara and matching necklace, whose design was based on English roses. The tiara has three floral brooches that can be detached and used separately. The Princess of Wales has also worn the necklace.
### Coronation Necklace
Made for Queen Victoria in 1858 by Garrard & Co., the Coronation Necklace is 38 cm (15 in) long and consists of 25 cushion diamonds and the 22-carat (4.4 g) Lahore Diamond as a pendant. It has been used together with the Coronation Earrings by queens regnant and consort at every coronation since 1901.
### Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Necklace
Presented to Queen Victoria by the Duchess of Buccleuch on 30 July 1888 on behalf of the “Daughters of Her Empire”. Made by Carrington & Co. in 1888.
### Queen Alexandra's Collet Necklace
This necklace and a pair of matching earrings were given to Princess Alexandra as a wedding present from the City of London.
### Queen Alexandra's Dagmar Necklace
This necklace was given to Princess Alexandra as a wedding present from King Frederick VII of Denmark. The necklace was made by the Danish Court Jeweller and modified by Garrard.
### Diamond and Pearl Choker
The four-strand piece of "layered strings of cultured pearls" was originally given to Elizabeth from Japan in the 1970s. She wore it to many occasions, including Margaret Thatcher's 70th birthday in 1995. It was loaned to Diana, Princess of Wales, for one of her first engagements as a royal, as well as a 1982 banquet at Hampton Court Palace and a trip to the Netherlands in the same year. Later, the piece was loaned to the Duchess of Cambridge, who wore it to the 70th wedding anniversary of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 2017 as well as Philip's funeral in 2021. She later wore it for Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022.
### South African Necklace
In 1947, Princess Elizabeth was presented with a necklace consisting of 21 diamonds from the South African government as a 21st birthday present. This was later shortened to 15 diamonds and the remainder was used to create a matching bracelet.
### City of London Fringe Necklace
This necklace was a gift from the City of London to Princess Elizabeth on her marriage to Philip.
### Delhi Durbar Necklace
This necklace was made by Garrards in 1911 for Queen Mary as part of a suite of jewellery made for the 1911 Delhi Durbar. The diamond pendant is the Cullinan VII, and the 9 cabochon emeralds are from a cache of 40 emeralds won by Princess Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge in a State lottery in Frankfurt.
## Bracelets
### Queen Victoria's Bracelet
This large bracelet is made of five square foliage pieces. It was worn by Queen Victoria for her official Golden Jubilee portrait photograph. It was classified as an ‘heirloom of the Crown’ in 1858.
### Queen Mary's Bangles
This pair of bangles were a wedding present from the Bombay Presidency. They were given to Princess Elizabeth by Queen Mary as a wedding present.
## Rings
### Cullinan IX Ring
This ring was thought to be made by Garrards in 1911, and is made using the smallest of the main stones cut from the Cullinan diamond (4.4 carat pear-shaped diamond.
## Brooches
### Queen Adelaide's Brooch
The brooch was made by Rundell, Bridge & Co. in 1831. It was originally commissioned by William IV for Queen Adelaide as a clasp to a necklace. Subsequent Queens have always worn it as a brooch. It is classified as an “heirloom of the Crown” and was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II in 1952.
### Prince Albert Sapphire Brooch
The Prince Albert sapphire brooch was given by Prince Albert to Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace on 9 February 1840. It was the day before their wedding, and Victoria wrote in her diary that Albert came to her sitting room and gave her "a beautiful sapphire and diamond brooch".
### Queen Victoria's Diamond Fringe Brooch
This piece is made out of "nine chains pave-set with brilliant-cut diamonds" at the bottom and larger diamonds put together at the top, which were given to Queen Victoria by the Ottoman Sultan in 1856. The piece was frequently worn by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and after her death it formed part of Elizabeth II's collection.
### Queen Victoria's Bow Brooches
These brooches were made in 1858 for Queen Victoria by R. & S. Garrard & Co. They were designated as “heirlooms of the Crown” by Queen Victoria.
### Queen Victoria's Wheat-Ear Brooches
Six wheat-ear brooches or hair ornaments were commissioned by William IV for Queen Adelaide, and made in 1830 by Rundell, Bridge & Co. Three were remade in 1858 after the successful Hanover claim. They were designated heirlooms of the crown by Queen Victoria.
### Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Brooch
Made by Garrard in 1897, and was given to her by her Household as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations. It was designated as an “heirloom of the Crown” by Queen Victoria.
### Queen Mary's Dorset Bow Brooch
Made out of gold and silver and set with pave-set brilliants and a hinged pendant loop, the brooch resembles a ribbon-tied bow. The piece was made in 1893 by Carrington & Co. as a wedding present by County of Dorset to Mary, Duchess of York (later Queen Mary). Mary gave the brooch to her granddaughter Princess Elizabeth (later Elizabeth II) in 1947 as a wedding present.
### Duchess of Cambridge's Pearl Pendant Brooch
Made by Garrard for Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge, it features a large pearl surrounded by a cluster of diamonds. Hanging from it as a pendant is a smaller pearl. It was inherited by Augusta's daughter, Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck, who passed it on to her daughter, Queen Mary. The piece had been worn occasionally by Queen Elizabeth II and appeared in the first formal joint portrait of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, with her husband Prince William.
### Richmond Brooch
The Richmond Brooch was made by Hunt and Raskell in 1893, and given to Queen Mary as a wedding present. She wore it on her honeymoon, and bequeathed it to Elizabeth after her death. It features "diamonds, set with two pearls—one large round center pearl and the detachable pearl", as well as a pear-shaped, pearl-drop component that is removable. The grand diamond piece is one of the largest within Elizabeth II's collection. Elizabeth had worn it to many evening receptions and engagements, including the 2018 Festival of Remembrance and the 2021 funeral of her husband.
### Cullinan III & IV ("Granny's Chips")
Cullinan III and IV are two of several stones cut from the Cullinan Diamond in 1905. The large diamond, found in South Africa, was presented to Edward VII on his 66th birthday. Two of the stones cut from the diamond were the 94.4-carat (18.88 g) Cullinan III, a clear pear-shaped stone, and a 63.6-carat (12.72 g) cushion-shaped stone. Queen Mary had these stones made into a brooch with the Cullinan III hanging from IV. Elizabeth II inherited the brooch in 1953 from her grandmother. On 25 March 1958, while she and Prince Philip were on a state visit to the Netherlands, she revealed that Cullinan III and IV are known in her family as "Granny's Chips". The couple visited the Asscher Diamond Company, where the Cullinan had been cut 50 years earlier. It was the first time the Queen had publicly worn the brooch. During her visit, she unpinned the brooch and offered it for examination to Louis Asscher, the brother of Joseph Asscher who had originally cut the diamond. Elderly and almost blind, Asscher was deeply moved by her bringing the diamonds, knowing how much it would mean to him seeing them again after so many years.
### Cullinan V
The smaller 18.8-carat (3.76 g) Cullinan V is a heart-shaped diamond cut from the same rough gem as III and IV. It is set in the centre of a platinum brooch that formed a part of the stomacher made for Queen Mary to wear at the Delhi Durbar in 1911. The brooch was designed to show off Cullinan V and is pavé-set with a border of smaller diamonds. It can be suspended from the VIII brooch and can be used to suspend the VII pendant. It was often worn like this by Mary who left all the brooches to Elizabeth when she died in 1953.
### Cullinan VI and VIII Brooch
The Cullinan VI stone (11.5 carats) was bought for Queen Alexandra by Edward VII in 1908. Since Queen Mary inherited it, it has been worn as a pendant to the Cullinan VIII brooch (6.8 carats).
### Diamond Maple Leaf Brooch
The piece was crafted by J. W. Histed Diamonds Ltd. in Vancouver, Canada. It holds baguette-cut diamonds mounted in platinum, formed in the shape of the sugar maple tree leaf, the national emblem of Canada. The brooch was originally presented to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) on her tour of Canada with her husband in 1939. The piece was worn by Elizabeth II, then a princess, on her 1951 trip to Canada, and multiple instances since both within the country and in Britain. It was worn by the Duchess of Cornwall (now Queen Camilla) on her trips to the nation in 2009 and 2012. The Duchess of Cambridge (now the Princess of Wales) has worn it during both her tours of Canada in 2011 and 2016.
### The Queen's Cartier Aquamarine Clips
This pair of aquamarine and diamond clips was given to Princess Elizabeth as an 18th birthday present by her parents.
### New Zealand Silver Fern Brooch
The brooch was given to Elizabeth II by Annie Allum, wife of John Allum, Mayor of Auckland, during her 1953 visit to New Zealand, as a Christmas present "from the woman of Auckland". It is "bejewelled with round brilliant and baguette shaped diamonds", having been designed to form the shape of a fern, an emblem of New Zealand. Various members of the royal family have worn the piece on visits to the country, including the Duchess of Cambridge.
### Australian Wattle Spray Brooch
The Queen owns a Wattle brooch, which was gifted to her by Prime Minister Robert Menzies on behalf of the Government and people of Australia on her first visit in 1954. Made of platinum, and set with yellow and white diamonds, the brooch is in the form of a spray of wattle, and tea tree blossoms. The Queen had worn the brooch many times on her visits to Australia, for instance, at the Randwick Racecourse in Sydney in 1970, Sydney Opera House in 2000, and during her arrival to Canberra in 2006 and 2011, or to Australia-related events in Britain.
### Sapphire Jubilee Snowflake Brooch
The Governor-General of Canada, David Johnston, presented Elizabeth II with the Sapphire Jubilee Snowflake Brooch at a celebration of Canada's sesquicentennial at Canada House on 19 July 2017 as a gift from the Government of Canada to celebrate her Sapphire Jubilee and to commemorate Canada 150. David Johnston presented her with the brooch moments before she and the Duke of Edinburgh unveiled a new Jubilee Walkway panel outside Canada House. The brooch was designed as a companion to the diamond maple leaf brooch, the piece was made by Hillberg and Berk of Saskatchewan and consists of sapphires from a cache found in 2002 on Baffin Island by brothers Seemeega and Nowdluk Aqpik.
### Infinity Isle of Man Brooch
To mark her Platinum Jubilee, the Manx government gave the Queen a brooch in the shape of the island, made there by Element Isle. The 'Infinity Isle of Man' brooch design outlines the Island with four gems (Blue Topaz, Citrine, Amethyst and Emerald) representing the towns of Ramsey, Peel, Castletown and the city of Douglas. The colours of the stones were selected to represent Manx tartan.
### Greville Scroll Brooch
Made by Cartier in 1929, the piece features "three pearls anchoring a simple diamond-flecked scroll design" and was worn by the Queen Mother who eventually passed it down to the Queen.
### Sri Lankan Trumpet Brooch
Gifted by the mayor of Colombo to the Queen during her state visit in 1981, the piece features "pink, blue and yellow sapphires, garnets, rubies and aquamarine."
## Parures
A parure is a set of matching jewellery to be used together which first became popular in 17th-century Europe.
### The Kent Demi-Parure
This set of jewellery was owned by Queen Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent. The set consists of a necklace, three brooches, a pair of earrings, and a pair of haircombs.
### Brazil Parure
The Brazil Parure is one of the newest items of jewellery in the collection. In 1953, the president and people of Brazil presented Elizabeth II with the coronation gift of a necklace and matching pendant earrings of aquamarines and diamonds. It had taken the jewellers Mappin & Webb an entire year to collect the perfectly matched stones. The necklace has nine large oblong aquamarines with an even bigger aquamarine pendant drop. Elizabeth II had the drop set in a more decorative diamond cluster and it is now detachable. She was so delighted with the gift that in 1957 she had a tiara made to match the necklace. The tiara is surmounted by three vertically set aquamarines. Seeing that she had so liked the original Coronation gift that she had a matching tiara made, the Government of Brazil decided to add to its gift, and in 1958 it presented her with a bracelet of oblong aquamarines set in a cluster of diamonds, and a square aquamarine and diamond brooch.
### George VI Victorian Suite
The George VI Victorian Suite was originally a wedding present by George VI to his daughter Elizabeth in 1947. The suite consists of a long necklace of oblong sapphires and diamonds and a pair of matching square sapphire earrings also bordered with diamonds. The suite was originally made in 1850. The stones exactly matched the colour of the robes of the Order of the Garter. Elizabeth had the necklace shortened by removing the biggest sapphire in 1952, and later had a new pendant made using the removed stone. In 1963, a new sapphire and diamond tiara and bracelet were made to match the original pieces. The tiara is made out of a necklace that had belonged to Princess Louise of Belgium, daughter of Leopold II. In 1969, Elizabeth wore the complete parure to a charity concert.
### Queen Alexandra Wedding Parure
This set, a larger diamond and pearl parure made by Garrard in 1862, was commissioned by Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) for his bride Alexandra of Denmark. It included an all-diamond tiara with knot and fleur-de-lis motifs, accompanied by a necklace, a brooch, and a pair of earrings, which feature button-style pearl and diamond clusters and pear-shaped pearl pendants. On Alexandra's death, the tiara, known as the "Rundell Tiara", passed to her daughter Princess Victoria, and was disposed of by her. The rest of the parure was passed down to Queen Mary, who wore the brooch and lent the necklace to her daughter-in-law, the Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). The necklace became a favourite of hers, and upon her death it was bequeathed to Elizabeth II, who lent it to her granddaughter-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge.
### Greville Emerald Suite
The exact origin of the suite, which consists of an emerald necklace and emerald earrings, is unknown. The necklace features square-cut emeralds set in diamond clusters, and the earrings consist of pear-shaped cabochon emeralds suspended from diamond studs. The suite was frequently worn by the Queen Mother and later passed on to the Queen.
### Dubai Sapphire Suite
In 1979, the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, gifted the Queen a suite from Asprey, which included a necklace of diamond loops, a pair of earrings and a ring, during the Queen's tour of the Gulf States. The earrings were worn by the Duchess of Cambridge at a movie screening in 2021.
### Emerald Tassel Suite
First worn by the Queen in the 1980s, the suite consists of a necklace, a pair of earrings, a bracelet, and a ring. The earrings and the bracelet were worn by the Duchess of Cambridge during a tour of Jamaica in 2022.
## 1937 coronets
For the coronation of their parents in 1937, it was decided that Elizabeth and Margaret should be given small versions of crowns to wear at the ceremony. Ornate coronets of gold lined with crimson and edged with ermine were designed by Garrard & Co. and brought to the royal couple for inspection. However, the king and queen decided they were inappropriately elaborate and too heavy for the young princesses. Queen Mary suggested the coronets be silver-gilt in a medieval style with no decorations. George VI agreed, and the coronets were designed with Maltese crosses and fleurs-de-lis. After the coronation, Mary wrote: "I sat between Maud and Lilibet (Elizabeth), and Margaret came next. They looked too sweet in their lace dresses and robes, especially when they put on their coronets". The coronation ensembles are in the Royal Collection Trust.
## See also
- Canadian royal clothing and jewellery
- Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom
- Jewels of Diana, Princess of Wales
- George IV State Diadem
- Royal Family Order
- Jewels of Mary, Queen of Scots
- Jewels of Anne of Denmark |
37,023,668 | Burn (Meek Mill song) | 1,153,450,943 | 2012 single by Meek Mill featuring Big Sean | [
"2012 singles",
"2012 songs",
"Big Sean songs",
"Maybach Music Group singles",
"Meek Mill songs",
"Song recordings produced by Jahlil Beats",
"Songs written by Big Sean",
"Songs written by Eskeerdo",
"Songs written by Jahlil Beats",
"Songs written by Meek Mill",
"Warner Records singles"
] | "Burn" (originally "Gasoline") is a song by American rapper Meek Mill from the deluxe version of his debut studio album, Dreams and Nightmares (2012). The song features a guest appearance from fellow rapper Big Sean. Jahlil Beats handled the production, and co-wrote it with the rappers and Alexander Izquierdo. The producer recorded the song after listening to an early recording, adding more musical elements. It was released for digital download and streaming, as the second single for the album, on September 11, 2012, through Maybach Music Group and Warner Bros. Records. An up-tempo number, the song features brass throughout.
In the lyrics of the song, Mill and Big Sean encourage listeners to burn. "Burn" received positive reviews from music critics, who generally highlighted the rappers' chemistry. Some singled out Big Sean's appearance, while a few critics praised the instrumentation. In the United States, the song topped Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart in 2012, alongside peaking at number 86 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It was later certified gold in the country by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). An accompanying music video was released on October 10, 2012, which shows Mill and Big Sean joined by models in a warehouse, along with crocodiles, vehicles, and exploding cars.
## Background and recording
"Burn" was solely produced by record producer Jahlil Beats, who wrote it alongside Mill, Big Sean, and Alexander Izquierdo. Mill contacted Big Sean to work together on "Burn", following several other collaborations between Maybach and GOOD rappers. He later featured him on his single "B-Boy" alongside fellow rapper ASAP Ferg, which was released in the lead-up to Mill's second studio album Dreams Worth More Than Money (2015). "Burn" leaked online on May 4, 2012, three days before it was released as part of Mill's ninth mixtape Dreamchasers 2. Jahlil Beats produced rapper Bobby Shmurda's single "Hot Nigga" in 2014, crafting it as a continuation of the song and Mill's single "I'm a Boss" (2011).
In January 2012, Mill started working on Dreams and Nightmares and recorded some of the tracks for Dreamchasers 2, including "Burn". Jahlil Beats first formed the song under the title of "Gasoline", deciding to make a part two after listening to the first recording and he added brass. This marked his first collaboration with Big Sean and Mill sent the record to the rapper, with the contributors working together from different areas of the United States. After the brass, Jahlil Beats created the breakdown that includes a snare drum and alarm, intending for the song to have an appeal to clubs and radio stations. The producer finally added a kick, using the 808 drum machine. Mill remembered spending time in the studio with Big Sean for the song and playing him his four bars, going against a typical 16-bar. The rappers then took it in turns to record contributions and became tired out, until they eventually recorded their last parts together in the studio. Mill also revealed that a beat on his 2008 mixtape Flamers is "almost the same" as "Burn", which some people may be unaware of.
## Composition and lyrics
Musically, "Burn" is an up-tempo number, which prominently features brass. The song also includes church bells, a light grand piano, and an 808 drum kick. Its breakdown utilizes a snare drum, fire alarm, and whistle. During their performance of the song, Mill and Big Sean go back and forth.
In the lyrics of "Burn", the rappers implore listeners to "let that shit burn!" Big Sean delivers simple, comedic lines, while Mill conveys grit and aggression. Such lyrics from the former include: "I'm on a yacht gettin' hella high/ Smoking good/That seaweed." He also boasts about having a woman "in her cha-cha" as he grabs "on her chi-chi's".
## Release and reception
The song was released for digital download and streaming formats in the US, as the second single for the album, by Maybach and Warner Bros. on September 11, 2012. On October 30, 2012, "Burn" was included as the 15th and penultimate track on the deluxe version of Mill's debut studio album Dreams and Nightmares. The song was well-received by music critics, with general praise for Mill and Big Sean's chemistry. Complex named the song the fifth best of 2012, with Insanul Ahmed promising that if you exercise on a treadmill while listening to it and "let that shit burn", you will quickly be in top shape. He said the instrumental's "ferocious energy" is matched by Mill and Big Sean, whose differences make them a powerful duo. Ahmed elaborated that Mill is known for "humor and flash without much muscle" and Big Sean for "grit and aggression" with a lack of wit; he concluded that their styles compliment each other. The magazine also listed Big Sean's feature as the third best guest verse of 2012; Ernest Baker and Andrew Martin wrote that it features the mixtape's best rapping with "Sean's witty rhymes", and concluded of his yacht lyrics: "Anchors aweigh!" AllHipHop's K1ng Eljay picked the song as the best track on Dreamchasers 2, assuring that Big Sean outperforms Mill and brings it "to anthem-level heights". Jordan Sargent from Pitchfork thought "Burn" may be the best track, noting Big Sean's appearance as a standout and praising Mill for this collaboration. Chris Yuscavage of Vibe stated it deserved to be first released on Dreams and Nightmares; he highlighted the blend of Mill's vocals and Jahlil Beats' "frantic, uptempo beats", and noted Big Sean "also keeps up well" as the rappers exchange lines that should create "some burn this summer". Writing for HotNewHipHop, Jon Godfrey declared that the song provides Mill's fans "a return to his relentless flow". Sargent identified the song as one of the "up-tempo bangers" that Mill had "made his name" on, believing it could have replaced one of the earlier songs on the album.
Upon release as a single, "Burn" topped the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, published by Billboard. The song earlier entered the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 86 for the issue dated August 4, 2012, only appearing for a week. On May 6, 2019, "Burn" was awarded a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for pushing 500,000 certified units in the US.
## Music video and other usage
On September 22, 2012, Mill and Big Sean filmed the music video for "Burn" at a warehouse in Miami. During Big Sean's close-up shoot with a crocodile, Mill implored, "You damn near tripped over that bitch wen u walked by...good luck!!" The music video premiered on October 10, 2012, and was directed by Dre Films. It begins by showing Mill in a warehouse, with crocodiles and a ring of rising flames surrounding him. One of the animals is next to a bottle of Patrón and the scene shortly changes to a parking lot in the warehouse, where Big Sean and female models join Mill. Motorcycles and exploding cars appear alongside the rappers, and at points, the models wear gas masks. Mill shows off his jewellery next to a crocodile and for the conclusion, he moves forward with Big Sean as a car explodes.
On July 20, 2012, rapper Diggy Simmons released a freestyle over the instrumental of "Burn". In the freestyle, he mentions the original artists and calls out criticism of his first-week sales, alongside addressing how he sorted his problems with fellow rapper J. Cole.
## Charts
## Certifications |
4,565,575 | Buxbaumia | 1,173,469,470 | Genus of mosses | [
"Buxbaumiidae",
"Moss genera"
] | Buxbaumia (bug moss, bug-on-a-stick, humpbacked elves, or elf-cap moss) is a genus of twelve species of moss (Bryophyta). It was first named in 1742 by Albrecht von Haller and later brought into modern botanical nomenclature in 1801 by Johann Hedwig to commemorate Johann Christian Buxbaum, a German physician and botanist who discovered the moss in 1712 at the mouth of the Volga River. The moss is microscopic for most of its existence, and plants are noticeable only after they begin to produce their reproductive structures. The asymmetrical spore capsule has a distinctive shape and structure, some features of which appear to be transitional from those in primitive mosses to most modern mosses.
## Description
Plants of Buxbaumia have a much reduced gametophyte, bearing a sporophyte that is enormous by comparison. In most mosses, the gametophyte stage of the life cycle is both green and leafy, and is substantially larger than the spore-producing stage. Unlike these other mosses, the gametophyte of Buxbaumia is microscopic, colorless, stemless, and nearly leafless. It consists exclusively of thread-like protonemata for most of its existence, resembling a thin green-black felt on the surface where it grows. The plants are dioicous, with separate plants producing the male and female organs. Male plants develop only one microscopic leaf around each antheridium, and female plants produce just three or four tiny colorless leaves around each archegonium.
Because of its small size, the gametophyte stage is not generally noticed until the stalked sporangium develops, and is locatable principally because the sporangium grows upon and above the tiny gametophyte. The extremely reduced state of Buxbaumia plants raises the question of how it makes or obtains sufficient nutrition for survival. In contrast to most mosses, Buxbaumia does not produce abundant chlorophyll and is saprophytic. It is possible that some of its nutritional needs are met by fungi that grow within the plant. However, a recent study of the chloroplast genome in Buxbaumia failed to find any reduction in selective pressure on photosynthetic genes, suggesting that they are fully functional in photosynthesis, and that the moss is not mycoheterotrophic. This is also consistent with a lack of association between its rhizoids and nearby hyphae of soil fungi.
The sporophyte at maturity is between 4 and 11 mm tall. The spore capsule is attached at the top of the stalk and is distinctive, being asymmetric in shape and oblique in attachment. As with most other Bryopsida, the opening through which the spores are released is surrounded by a double peristome (diplolepidious) formed from the cell walls of disintegrated cells. The exostome (outer row) consists of 16 short articulated "teeth". Unlike most other mosses, the endostome (inner row) does not divide into teeth, but rather is a continuous pleated membrane around the capsule opening. Only the genus Diphyscium has a similar peristome structure, although that genus has only 16 pleats in its endostome, in contrast to the 32 pleats in Buxbaumia. Diphyscium shares with Buxbaumia one other oddity of the sporophyte; the foot (stalk base) ramifies as a result of outgrowths, so much so that they may be mistaken for rhizoids.
## Distribution and ecology
Species of Buxbaumia may be found across much of the temperate to subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, as well as cooler regions of Australia and New Zealand.
The moss is an annual or biennial plant and grows in disturbed habitats or as a pioneer species. The plants grow on decaying wood, rock outcrops, or directly on the soil. They do not grow regularly or reliably at given locations, and frequently disappear from places where they have previously been found. Sporophyte stages begin their development in the autumn, and are green through the winter months. Spores are mature and ready for dispersal by the late spring or early summer. The spores are ejected from the capsule in puffs when raindrops fall upon the capsule's flattened top.
The asymmetric sporophytes of Buxbaumia aphylla develop so that the opening is oriented towards the strongest source of light, usually towards the south. The species often grows together with the diminutive liverwort Cephaloziella, which forms a blackish crust that is easier to spot than Buxbaumia itself.
## Classification
Buxbaumia is the only genus in the family Buxbaumiaceae, the order Buxbaumiales, and the subclass Buxbaumiidae. It is the sister group to all other members of class Bryopsida. Some older classifications included the Diphysciaceae within the Buxbaumiales (or as part of the Buxbaumiaceae) because of similarities in the peristome structure, or placed the Buxbaumiaceae in the Tetraphidales. However, recent phylogenetic studies based on genomic and transcriptomic data clearly support it as the sister group of all other Bryopsida.
The genus Buxbaumia includes twelve species:
Because of the simplicity of its structure, Goebel interpreted Buxbaumia as a primitive moss, transitional between the algae and mosses, but subsequent research suggests that it is a secondarily reduced form. The unusual peristome in Buxbaumia is now thought to be a transitional form between the nematodontous (cellular teeth) peristome of the Polytrichopsida and the arthrodontous (cell wall teeth) peristome of the Bryopsida. |
2,206,664 | Hurricane Neddy | 1,168,794,825 | null | [
"1996 American television episodes",
"Television episodes about hurricanes",
"Television episodes set in psychiatric hospitals",
"The Critic",
"The Simpsons (season 8) episodes"
] | "Hurricane Neddy" is the eighth episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 29, 1996. It was written by Steve Young, directed by Bob Anderson, and features a cameo by Jon Lovitz as Jay Sherman from The Critic. In the episode, a violent hurricane strikes Springfield and spares the Simpsons. But, by pure chance, the only house destroyed belongs to Ned Flanders. As a result, Ned begins to lose his faith in God and the townspeople around him, especially Homer leading to a nervous breakdown.
## Plot
As Hurricane Barbara approaches Springfield, panicked citizens ransack the Kwik-E-Mart. After the storm, the Simpsons leave their basement to find their home unscathed. However, their next-door neighbor, Ned Flanders, emerges from a heap of rubble to find his house destroyed, forcing the Flanders family to take shelter in the church basement. Ned's house is uninsured, as he regards insurance as a form of gambling. Ned is further discouraged after learning that his business, The Leftorium, was looted after the storm. Distraught, Ned asks Rev. Lovejoy if God is punishing him like Job, despite his strict adherence to his faith.
The next day, Marge surprises the Flanders family with a new home, which the residents of Springfield have built, though shoddily. When Homer leans on the front door, the house immediately collapses. Finally, the lens in Ned's glasses breaks and his rage boils over after he is unable to calm himself down, furiously berating all the townspeople's flaws and failures after years of politeness, including his neighbor, Homer (who believes that he has got off "pretty easy"), which shocks the townspeople of Springfield, including the rest of the Simpsons and his family.
Worried he is losing his mind and feeling terrible for his intense outburst and violent breakdown, Ned voluntarily commits himself to a mental hospital. He is visited by his childhood psychiatrist, Dr. Foster, who recalls Ned's childhood as an out-of-control brat raised by beatnik parents. Ned's treatment, the University of Minnesota Spankalogical Protocol, involved eight months of continuous spanking by Foster. The treatment worked too well and left Ned unable to express anger until the losses he suffered from the storm made him erupt in repressed violent rage.
Foster realizes that his earlier approach was flawed and enlists Homer to help Ned express his emotions. Foster thinks Homer is perfect for this treatment because of his and Ned's mutual dislike. After several scripted insults fail to rile Ned's anger, Homer disparages his apparent like of everything, to which Ned admits he hates two things: the post office and his parents. Foster declares Ned cured and releases him from the asylum.
Outside the hospital, Ned is greeted by the townsfolk of Springfield, including the rest of the Simpsons and his family. Ned promises to tell people when they offend him instead of stifling his anger, to Foster's approval, and cheerily adds he will run them down with his car if they anger him with Homer remarking that Ned is crazy.
## Production
Steve Young, a writer for the Late Show with David Letterman, was brought in as a freelance writer to write the episode. The writers wanted to explore what made Flanders tick and examine what made him act the way he does. The original idea came from George Meyer, who had also wanted an episode about Flanders' faith being tested. One of the key story points came from his friend Jack Handey, a writer for Saturday Night Live, who wanted to do a sketch about a down-on-his-luck shoemaker who is visited by elves who help him, but make very bad shoes. Likewise, it inspired the idea that the neighbors would rebuild Flanders' house, but do a bad job and provoke an outburst.
A caricature of John Swartzwelder can be seen shutting the door of a room in Calmwood Mental Hospital. Later in the episode, during the scene where the townsfolk are welcoming Ned back, someone can be seen holding a sign that says "Free John Swartzwelder". During the sequence where Flanders yells at the town, a man with a ponytail and wearing a white shirt who is a caricature of Bob Anderson can be seen.
## Cultural references
The scene at the beginning of the episode, in which the people of Springfield mob the Kwik-E-Mart, is based on the events of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Todd is wearing a Butthole Surfers T-shirt; however, the censors only allowed the letters Buttho Surfers to appear onscreen, partially obscuring the band's offensive name. The opening sequence is parodied during the storm when the word Hurricane appears onscreen, accompanied by the same chorus that sings the show's name. Jay Sherman from The Critic, who had previously appeared in "A Star Is Burns", can be seen in the mental hospital repeatedly saying his catchphrase, "It stinks"; Ms. Botz from "Some Enchanted Evening" appears as a patient in a nearby room, pacing threateningly. A small door at the end of the hallway in Flanders' rebuilt house echoes the improbably small hallway in the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Several scenes from the hospital were taken from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
## Reception
In its original broadcast, "Hurricane Neddy" finished 18th in ratings for the week of December 23–29, 1996, with a Nielsen rating of 8.7, equivalent to approximately 8.4 million viewing households. It was the second-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following The X-Files.
Marge's line, "Dear God, this is Marge Simpson. If You stop this hurricane and save our family, we will be forever grateful and recommend You to all our friends", was cited by journalist Mark Pinsky as an example of how "Simpson family members are both defined and circumscribed by religion." Journalist Ben Rayner speculated that some fans, whom he called "nerds", would want an explanation of "how Barney fit through that tiny door to the 'master bedroom' in the rebuilt Flanders family home." |
6,365,177 | Asa Lovejoy | 1,149,357,289 | American politician (1808–1882) | [
"1808 births",
"1882 deaths",
"19th-century American lawyers",
"19th-century American politicians",
"Amherst College alumni",
"Burials at Lone Fir Cemetery",
"History of Portland, Oregon",
"Lawyers from Portland, Oregon",
"Mayors of places in Oregon",
"Members of the Oregon Constitutional Convention",
"Members of the Oregon Territorial Legislature",
"Members of the Provisional Government of Oregon",
"Oregon Democrats",
"Oregon Whigs",
"Oregon pioneers"
] | Asa Lawrence Lovejoy (March 14, 1808 – September 10, 1882) was an American pioneer and politician in the region that would become the U.S. state of Oregon. He is best remembered as a founder of the city of Portland, Oregon. He was an attorney in Boston, Massachusetts before traveling by land to Oregon; he was a legislator in the Provisional Government of Oregon, mayor of Oregon City, and a general during the Cayuse War that followed the Whitman massacre in 1847. He was also a candidate for Provisional Governor in 1847, before the Oregon Territory was founded, but lost that election.
Lovejoy continued his political career during territorial period as a member of both chambers of the Oregon Territorial Legislature; he served as the first Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives in 1849. He was also a delegate to the Oregon Constitutional Convention held in 1857 that paved the way for Oregon's entry into the Union. He was part owner of the Oregon Telegraph newspaper, and worked on railroad development in the Willamette Valley after leaving politics. Lovejoy Street in Northwest Portland and the Lovejoy Fountain in Downtown Portland are named in his honor.
## Early life
Lovejoy was born in Groton, Massachusetts, on March 14, 1808. His parents were Betsy Lovejoy (née Lawrence) and Doctor Samuel Lovejoy. In the Eastern United States, he attended college at both Cambridge College and Amherst College, before studying law and passing the Maine bar to become an attorney. After leaving Boston he moved west to Missouri, but left the bottom lands of that state for the unorganized Oregon Country due to poor health.
## Oregon Country
Lovejoy first traveled to the Oregon Country in 1842 over the Oregon Trail. He was part of a wagon train led by Elijah White that arrived at the Whitman Mission in what is now eastern Washington State. During this trip he was briefly held captive with another immigrant by Native Americans before arriving at the Whitman's. At the mission, Lovejoy agreed to join Marcus Whitman on a trip to return east during the winter. Lovejoy returned to Oregon in 1843, as part of the Great Migration that helped open up the Oregon Trail to large migrations, settling in the Willamette Valley. Upon returning to the region, Lovejoy set up a law practice in Oregon City, the seat of government during the Provisional Government period.
### Portland
In 1843, Lovejoy and traveling companion William Overton split a claim to a 640 acres (2.6 km<sup>2</sup>) tract along the Willamette River. This site would later become part of downtown Portland. Overton held the land, as Lovejoy settled elsewhere. Overton soon sold his share to Francis Pettygrove and Lovejoy and Pettygrove held their famous coin toss in 1845 to decide the name of the city which was being platted on the claim. Each desired to name the area after his hometown. Pettygrove, from Portland, Maine, won the toss, and the town site became known as Portland, Oregon. The two would plat sixteen blocks of the town that year; Lovejoy later sold his stake to Benjamin Stark in 1845. Also in 1845, Lovejoy married Elizabeth McGary. They would have five children: William, Amos, Ada, Elizabeth, and Nellie. In 1846, he was the last administrator of the Ewing Young estate, whose death had precipitated the formation of the Provisional Government of Oregon.
## Political career
In 1844, Asa Lovejoy was elected to the Provisional Legislature of Oregon to represent Clackamas District. Lovejoy ran for the newly created office of governor that replaced the Executive Committee in 1845 with the adoption of the Second Organic Laws of Oregon. George Abernethy won the election after he received the most votes with 228, followed by Osbourne Russell with 130, William J. Bailey with 75, and finally Lovejoy with 71 votes. Though he lost the election for governor, he was elected as mayor of Oregon City that year.
Lovejoy returned to the legislature in 1846 and served as Speaker of the body. In 1847, Lovejoy ran against Abernethy for governor a second time. Lovejoy lost the election 536 to 520. From 1847 to 1848, he served as adjunct general during the Cayuse War, the war resulting from the Whitman Massacre.
Lovejoy was elected in 1848 to what would be the final session of the Provisional Legislature, which was held in late 1848 into early 1849. However, Lovejoy now representing Vancouver District north of the Columbia River resigned before the session started. In September 1848, he traveled with a group to California during the California Gold Rush, but returned aboard the brig Undine in January 1849 after six weeks in California. During the same session he resigned from, he was selected by the Provisional Legislature as Supreme Judge of the government on February 16, 1849, but never served and the Provisional government was dissolved the following month with the arrival of the territorial government.
Once the government of the Oregon Territory arrived in March 1849, a new legislature with two chambers was established. Lovejoy was elected to the first session of this legislature, first serving in the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives. Representing Clackamas District again, he also became the first Speaker of the Oregon Territorial Legislature. In 1851, he returned to the legislature, serving in the upper chamber Council. The following year, he remained in the Council, but now elected as a Whig Party politician. In 1854, he was back in the House of Representatives, and in 1856 he served in one final session, now as a Democratic Party member.
In 1857, Lovejoy represented Clackamas County at the Oregon Constitutional Convention in Salem. The convention created the Oregon Constitution in preparation for the territory becoming a U.S. state. Lovejoy, still a Democrat, served as the chairperson of the boundaries committee and also served on the committee responsible for matters concerning the legislature. The convention finished on September 18, 1857, and submitted the finished document to a vote of the public on November 9. This vote approved the Constitution and on February 14, 1859, Oregon entered the Union as the 33rd state.
## Later life and legacy
In his later years he was involved in a variety of business ventures in Oregon, including as a major shareholder in the Oregon Telegraph newspaper and vice-president of the Willamette Steam Navigation Company. He served on the Portland Public Schools board from 1868-1871. Lovejoy died on September 10, 1882, at the age of 74 and was buried in the Masonic section at Lone Fir Cemetery in Portland. Lovejoy Street in Portland is named after him, and the character Reverend Timothy Lovejoy in The Simpsons is named after this street. The fountain at Lovejoy Fountain Park in downtown Portland is named in his honor.
## See also
- History of Portland, Oregon |
25,845,521 | Treaty of Ciudad Juárez | 1,147,098,887 | 1911 treaty during the Mexican Revolution | [
"1911 in Mexico",
"Peace treaties of Mexico",
"Treaties concluded in 1911",
"Treaties entered into force in 1911"
] | The Treaty of Ciudad Juárez was a peace treaty signed between the President of Mexico, Porfirio Díaz, and the revolutionary Francisco Madero on May 21, 1911. The treaty put an end to the fighting between forces supporting Madero and those of Díaz and thus concluded the initial phase of the Mexican Revolution.
The treaty stipulated that Díaz, as well as his vice president Ramón Corral, were to step down by the end of May, and that he was to be replaced by Francisco León de la Barra as interim president and hold presidential elections. Those who had suffered losses due to the revolution would be indemnified, and there would be a general amnesty. Díaz resigned on May 25, and interim president Francisco León de la Barra was the new incumbent. Díaz and his family, his vice president Corral, plus José Yves Limantour and Rosendo Pineda left Mexico for exile.
Significantly, the treaty did not mention or institute any social reforms that Madero had vaguely promised on previous occasions. It also left the Porfirian state essentially intact. Additionally, Madero supported the unpopular idea that all land disputes were to be settled through the courts, staffed by the old judges, a decision that led to outbreaks of sporadic violence, particularly in rural areas.
On June 7, 1911, Madero entered Mexico City. In October 1911 he was elected president, under the banner of the Partido Constitucional Progresista, along with José María Pino Suárez, his new running mate as vice-president. Madero pushed aside Francisco Vázquez Gómez, the vice presidential candidate for the Anti-Reelectionist Party in 1910, as being too moderate.
## Military developments leading up to the treaty
The rebellion against the government of Porfirio Díaz broke out in late 1910, after Díaz had rival Francisco I. Madero imprisoned and had announced his own victory in a falsified election. Madero's earlier vague promises of agrarian reforms had attracted many supporters. He himself escaped from prison and fled to Texas, from where he issued his famous Plan of San Luis Potosí. This manifesto called for an armed uprising against the Porfiriato and establishment of free and democratic elections. As a response to Madero's proclamation, violent clashes began throughout Mexico in November 1910.
In the Guerrero district of Chihuahua, Pascual Orozco attacked federal troops and sent dead soldiers' clothing back to Díaz with the message, "Ahí te van las hojas, mándame más tamales" ("Here are the wrappers, send me more tamales.") He then began operations that threatened Ciudad Juárez. Additionally, political support for Madero's rebellion came from Gov. Abraham González, who accepted the Plan of San Luis Potosí.
At roughly the same time, agrarian unrest in the state of Morelos turned into a full-blown rebellion under the leadership of the Zapata brothers, Emiliano and Eufemio.
### Orozco and Villa take Ciudad Juárez
Encouraged by the news of the uprisings, Madero crossed the border back into Mexico in February 1911. He was joined by Pancho Villa and Orozco and in April the army began approaching Ciudad Juárez. Orozco and Villa led the way with 500 men each, while Madero followed up with 1,500 riders. The city was besieged by the end of the month, after Madero's army encountered some resistance in the Chihuahuan countryside. Madero asked the commander of the city's garrison to surrender but the latter refused, hoping that the fortifications he had constructed would allow him to defend the city until reinforcements arrived. Concerned also with the possibility that a direct attack on the town would cause artillery shells to cross the border into the United States, which could provoke an outside intervention, and faced with a series of peace proposals from Díaz, Madero hesitated in attacking the city. He in fact ordered his commanders to lift the siege. Orozco, however disregarded the order and, joined by Villa, attacked. After two days of fighting the city fell to the insurrectionists. Madero intervened personally to spare the life of the city's commander, Gen. Navarro, whom both Orozco and Villa wanted executed for his previous killing of rebel POWs. This, coupled with the fact that both leaders were ignored by Madero in his political appointments, outraged and estranged them from him.
### Zapata in south and central Mexico
At about the same time that Villa and Orozco were marching on Ciudad Juárez, the Zapatista revolt gathered strength and spread to the states of Puebla, Tlaxcala, Mexico, Michoacán and Guerrero. On April 14 Madero had Emiliano Zapata officially designated as his representative in the region. However, Zapata was worried that if he did not fully control all the major towns in Morelos by the time Madero concluded negotiations with Díaz, the demands of his agrarian movement and the issue of the autonomy of Morelos would be ignored or sidelined. Zapata's first military action was to take the town of Chinameca, where he obtained essential supplies. Subsequently, Zapata, for political and strategic reasons, decided to attack the city of Cuautla. In order to mislead his opponents, however, he initially attacked and captured the towns of Izúcar de Matamoros (which was subsequently retaken by federal forces) and Chietla. From there he made a wide circle around Cuautla and captured Yautepec and Jonacatepec, where he gathered more supplies, munitions and soldiers. By May, out of all the major urban centers in the region, only Cuautla and the capital of Morelos, Cuernavaca, remained outside his control.
Zapata began the attack on Cuautla on May 13 with 4000 troops against 400 elite soldiers of the so-called "Golden Fifth"; the Fifth Cavalry Regiment of the Federal Army. The battle took almost a week and has been described as "six of the most terrible days of battle in the whole Revolution". It consisted of house-to-house fighting, hand-to-hand combat and no quarter given by either side. Gen. Victoriano Huerta arrived in nearby Cuernavaca with 600 reinforcements but decided not to come to the relief of Cuautla, as he was afraid that the capital would revolt in his absence. On May 19 the remains of the "Golden Fifth" pulled out of the town, which was then occupied by Zapata's soldiers.
The successful capture of Cuautla made Zapata a hero to ordinary people throughout Mexico and new corridos were written about him. After Zapata's taking of Cuautla the federal government controlled only five states and some urban areas. Porfirio Díaz himself later stated that, while he felt he could defend against Villa and Orozco in Chihuahua, the fall of Cuautla was the event that persuaded him to agree to peace with Madero.
## Compromise
As early as March 1911 Madero's representatives met in New York with Díaz's finance minister, José Yves Limantour, and the Mexican ambassador to the US in order to discuss the possibility of peace between the two sides. Limantour proposed an end to hostilities and offered an amnesty for all revolutionaries, the resignation of the then-vice president Ramón Corral, the replacement of four Díaz cabinet ministers and ten state governors by ones chosen by Madero and the establishment of the principle of "no-reelection", which would prevent Díaz from seeking yet another term as president (which would have been his ninth). Madero responded positively, although he also stated that any kind of peace deal had to include an immediate resignation by Díaz.
Faced with the siege of Ciudad Juárez and the outbreak of rebellion in Morelos, Díaz and members of his cabinet became more willing to negotiate and launched a "skillful peace offensive" aimed at Madero. This was largely a result of panic among the large landowners associated with the Díaz regime (the hacendados) and the financial elite, which represented a "moderate" wing within the government. Some among the Porfiristas, in fact, expected that Zapata would soon march on Mexico City itself, unless peace was concluded with Madero.
The moderate view within the Díaz government was represented by Jorge Vera Estañol, who in a memo to the minister of foreign affairs wrote that there were two revolutions taking place in Mexico: a political revolution, based mostly in the north whose main aim was to establish free elections and remove Díaz himself from power, and a social revolution whose aim was "anarchy", which was spreading throughout the countryside. Estañol recommended coming to terms with the first group of revolutionaries by agreeing to the principle of no re-election and a general amnesty, in order to prevent the second group from succeeding. In addition to his fear of "anarchy", Estañol was also worried that the social revolution would lead to a military intervention by the United States.
Estañol's views represented those of the portion of the upper class which was willing to come to terms with at least a portion of the middle class in order to crush the peasant uprisings, as exemplified by those of Zapata, which were erupting throughout Mexico. Limantour, who broadly agreed with Estañol, had the support of the Mexican financiers, who feared the downgrading of Mexican international credit and a general economic crisis as a result of ongoing social unrest, as well as that of the large landowners who were willing to come to terms with Madero if it would put an end to the agrarian uprisings.
These social group were in turn opposed by the more reactionary elements within Díaz's government, mostly concentrated in the Federal Army, who thought that the rebels should be dealt with through brute force. This faction was represented by Gen. Victoriano Huerta, who would later carry out an attempted coup d'état against Madero. Likewise, Gen.--and potential successor to Díaz--Bernardo Reyes stated in a letter to Limantour that "the repression [against the insurrectionists] should be carried out with the greatest energy, punishing without any pity anyone participating in the armed struggle". In the end, however, Díaz dismissed the advice from his generals as "Custer-like bluster" and chose to seek peace with the moderate wing of the revolution. Limantour had finally managed to persuade him to resign.
At the same time there was also disagreement among the rebels. The "left wing" of the revolutionary movement, represented by Zapata and Orozco (Villa, for the time being, tended to support Madero), warned against any possible compromises with Díaz. In the end their suspicions proved correct, as the treaty that was eventually signed neglected issues of social and agrarian land reform that were central to their struggle.
## Treaty's terms
The most significant point of the treaty was that Porfirio Díaz, and his vice president, Ramón Corral, resign and that Francisco León de la Barra, acting as Interim President, organize free elections as soon as possible.
Additionally, the treaty stipulated that:
1. An amnesty for all revolutionaries be declared, with the option for some of them to apply for membership in the rurales.
2. The revolutionary forces were to be demobilized as soon as possible and the federal forces were to be the only army in Mexico. This was in order to appease the army, which had opposed a compromise with Madero.
3. Madero and his supporters had the right to name 14 provisional state governors and to approve De la Barra's cabinet.
4. Pensions were to be established for relatives of soldiers who had died fighting the rebels.
5. Policemen and judges, as well as state legislators, that had been appointed or "elected" under Díaz were to retain their offices.
## Implementation and results
The treaty was signed on May 21. Díaz resigned accordingly on May 25. Francisco de la Barra became the interim president. Madero entered Mexico City on June 7.
Zapata, however, refused to recognize the interim government of de la Barra, and for the time being the fighting in Morelos continued. Madero met with Zapata on several occasions during June. While initially Zapata trusted Madero, with time he became increasingly concerned that the goals of "his revolution" were not being fulfilled. He was particularly angry that Madero did not plan on carrying out any kind of agrarian reform, or the breakup of large haciendas. Additionally, the press in Mexico City--controlled by the landowners--began referring to Zapata as a bandit and federal generals, such as Huerta, continued attacking his troops under the pretext that Zapata failed to demobilize in violation of the treaty. Sporadic fighting in southern Mexico continued. In November 1911, shortly after Madero's inauguration, Zapata issued the famous Plan of Ayala, in which the Zapatistas denounced Madero and instead recognized Pascual Orozco as the rightful president and leader of the revolution.
Madero also incurred the great displeasure of other revolutionaries, including Pascual Orozco. Madero's first act after the treaty was signed was a gesture of reconciliation with the Díaz regime. As a result of the treaty he was given the right to appoint members of the la Barra cabinet. He chose mostly upper-class Maderistas, including his wife for the post in the treasury. He also maintained the existing federal system by keeping the sitting judges of the Supreme Court, the legislators in federal and state assemblies and the bureaucrats of the various federal agencies. Venustiano Carranza, who was going to become a major revolutionary in his own right and a future president of Mexico, stated that, after the treaty, Madero had "deliver[ed] to the reactionaries a dead revolution which will have to be fought over again". Díaz, after leaving for exile in France, observed that "Madero has unleashed a tiger, let us see if he can control him".
Orozco, who saw himself as being instrumental in Madero's victory over Díaz, was merely appointed a commander of the rurales in Chihuahua, which increased his resentment. When he tried to run for governor of the state, Madero supported his opponent, Abraham González, and eventually pressured Orozco to drop out of the race. When, in the aftermath of the Plan of Ayala, Madero ordered Orozco to lead federal troops to suppress Zapata, Orozco refused. In March 1912 Orozco issued his Plan of Empacadora and formally declared himself in rebellion against Madero. |
15,759,425 | Hurricane Hernan (2002) | 1,161,327,217 | Category 5 Pacific hurricane in 2002 | [
"2002 Pacific hurricane season",
"Category 5 Pacific hurricanes",
"Pacific hurricanes in Mexico",
"Tropical cyclones in 2002"
] | Hurricane Hernan was the second of three Category 5 hurricanes during the 2002 Pacific hurricane season. The twelfth tropical cyclone, tenth named storm and sixth hurricane of the season, Hernan originated from a tropical wave that formed in the Atlantic Ocean and crossed to the Pacific Ocean. The wave spawned a low-pressure area which organized into a tropical depression on August 30, a tropical storm on August 31 and a hurricane later that day. Hernan rapidly intensified and reached peak intensity as a Category 5 storm on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale. Proceeding northwest, it maintained this strength for eight hours, but on September 2 it entered cooler waters and began to weaken. By September 6 it had degenerated into a remnant area of low pressure.
Hernan was the second most intense hurricane of the season, and it maintained Category 5 status for the second-longest time of the season, behind Hurricane Kenna. Although Hernan remained far from land, swells of 15–20 feet (4–6 meters) caused minor beach erosion along the coast of Mexico. In addition, an associated remnant plume of moisture generated light shower activity in southern California as it tracked just offshore.
## Meteorological history
On August 16, a tropical wave left the coast of Africa. It traveled westward across the Atlantic Ocean, crossing over Central America and emerging in the eastern Pacific, where it merged with a pre-existing Intertropical Convergence Zone disturbance. The system gradually developed moderate convection, and on August 30 it had developed sufficient convection to be designated Tropical Depression 10-E. The depression produced persistent strong thunderstorms, primarily in two areas of deep convection located to the northeast and west of the center of circulation. Although the center was elongated, wind shear over the system remained light and outflow was good, which led forecasters to predict modest intensification. On the afternoon of August 30, banding features became evident, and the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Hernan with sustained winds of 45 mph (70 km/h). Further organization occurred, and the center of circulation became encircled by convective thunderstorms. On August 31, the storm was upgraded to Hurricane Hernan as it moved northwestward about 400 miles (640 km) southwest of Acapulco.
Light wind shear and favorable ocean temperatures led to steady intensification of the storm, and satellite images indicated that an eye had developed late on August 31. The storm quickly reached Category 3 major hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale. As it continued strengthening, its eye became ragged, while its lateral movement to the northwest rose to 17 mph around the southern periphery of a strong deep-layer ridge over the United States. By September 1, the hurricane reached its peak intensity as a Category 5 hurricane, with 1-minute sustained winds of 160 mph (255 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 921 mb (hPa).
On September 2, Hernan began weakening after its cloud tops had warmed slightly. Soon after, an eyewall replacement cycle began, causing the storm to be downgraded to Category 3 status, just before it turned slightly to the west later in the day. The storm underwent another eyewall replacement cycle as winds decreased further. As the storm entered cooler waters, it quickly weakened below major hurricane intensity. Soon Hernan was downgraded to Category 1 intensity, and its eye became cloud-filled. On September 5, Hernan was downgraded to a tropical storm as the storm rapidly decayed despite developing a new band of convection. Later in the day, the system was downgraded to a tropical depression as it began to lose its tropical characteristics. Strong wind shear developed, weakening the depression further. On September 6, the system degenerated into a remnant low-pressure system which spawned a remnant plume of moisture that meandered off the coast of California, producing light showers.
### Intensity
When Hernan intensified from a tropical storm into a Category 5 hurricane, it intensified at a rate of 1.73 mbar (hPa) per hour, just under the threshold for "rapid intensification". However, for a 12-hour period from August 31 to September 1, it deepened at 2.58 mbar (hPa) per hour, within the range of "explosive deepening" due to favorable conditions including light wind shear and warm water.
## Impact
Hurricane Hernan remained far from shore and caused little damage to land. It brought light wind to Socorro Island off the coast of Mexico. Rough surf caused minor impact; in the open waters near the center of Hernan, waves generated by the storm were unofficially estimated to exceed 70 feet (21 meters). However, official buoys reported swells of 57 feet (17 meters). Along the coast of Mexico, waves reached 15–20 feet (4.6–6.1 meters), causing minor beach erosion. A portion of Hernan's remnant moisture off the southern California coast produced light rainfall and slippery roads.
## See also
- Other tropical cyclones named Hernan
- List of Category 5 Pacific hurricanes
- List of California hurricanes |
24,003,596 | Primary line constants | 1,093,272,286 | Parameters of transmission lines | [
"Cables",
"Distributed element circuits",
"Electronic design",
"Telecommunications engineering"
] | The primary line constants are parameters that describe the characteristics of conductive transmission lines, such as pairs of copper wires, in terms of the physical electrical properties of the line. The primary line constants are only relevant to transmission lines and are to be contrasted with the secondary line constants, which can be derived from them, and are more generally applicable. The secondary line constants can be used, for instance, to compare the characteristics of a waveguide to a copper line, whereas the primary constants have no meaning for a waveguide.
The constants are conductor resistance and inductance, and insulator capacitance and conductance, which are by convention given the symbols R, L, C, and G respectively. The constants are enumerated in terms of per unit length. The circuit representation of these elements requires a distributed-element model and consequently calculus must be used to analyse the circuit. The analysis yields a system of two first order, simultaneous linear partial differential equations which may be combined to derive the secondary constants of characteristic impedance and propagation constant.
A number of special cases have particularly simple solutions and important practical applications. Low loss cable requires only L and C to be included in the analysis, useful for short lengths of cable. Low frequency applications, such as twisted pair telephone lines, are dominated by R and C only. High frequency applications, such as RF co-axial cable, are dominated by L and C. Lines loaded to prevent distortion need all four elements in the analysis, but have a simple, elegant solution.
## The constants
There are four primary line constants, but in some circumstances some of them are small enough to be ignored and the analysis can be simplified. These four, and their symbols and units are as follows:
R and L are elements in series with the line (because they are properties of the conductor) and C and G are elements shunting the line (because they are properties of the dielectric material between the conductors). G represents leakage current through the dielectric and in most cables is very small. The word loop is used to emphasise that the resistance and inductance of both conductors must be taken into account. For instance, if a line consists of two identical wires that have a resistance of 25 mΩ/m each, the loop resistance is double that, 50 mΩ/m. Because the values of the constants are quite small, it is common for manufacturers to quote them per kilometre rather than per metre; in the English-speaking world "per mile" can also be used.
The word "constant" can be misleading. It means that they are material constants; but they may vary with frequency. In particular, R is heavily influenced by the skin effect. Furthermore, while G has virtually no effect at audio frequency, it can cause noticeable losses at high frequency with many of the dielectric materials used in cables due to a high loss tangent. Avoiding the losses caused by G is the reason many cables designed for use at UHF are air-insulated or foam-insulated (which makes them virtually air-insulated). The actual meaning of constant in this context is that the parameter is constant with distance. That is the line is assumed to be homogenous lengthwise. This condition is true for the vast majority of transmission lines in use today.
## Typical values for some common cables
† Manufacturers commonly omit a value for inductance in their data sheets. Some of these values are estimated from the figures for capacitance and characteristic impedance by $\scriptstyle {Z_0}^2=L/C$.
## Circuit representation
The line constants cannot be simply represented as lumped elements in a circuit; they must be described as distributed elements. For instance "pieces" of the capacitance are in between "pieces" of the resistance. However many pieces the R and C are broken into, it can always be argued they should be broken apart further to properly represent the circuit, and after each division the number of meshes in the circuit is increased. This is shown diagramtically in figure 1. To give a true representation of the circuit, the elements must be made infinitesimally small so that each element is distributed along the line. The infinitesimal elements in an infinitesimal distance $\scriptstyle dx$ are given by;
$dL=\lim_{\delta x \to 0}(L\delta x)=Ldx$
$dR=\lim_{\delta x \to 0}(R\delta x)=Rdx$
$dC=\lim_{\delta x \to 0}(C\delta x)=Cdx$
$dG=\lim_{\delta x \to 0}(G\delta x)=Gdx$
It is convenient for the purposes of analysis to roll up these elements into general series impedance, Z, and shunt admittance, Y elements such that;
$dZ=(R+i \omega L)dx=Zdx\, ,$ and,
$dY=(G+i \omega C)dx=Ydx\, .$
Analysis of this network (figure 2) will yield the secondary line constants: the propagation constant, $\scriptstyle \gamma$, (whose real and imaginary parts are the attenuation constant, $\scriptstyle \alpha$, and phase change constant, $\scriptstyle \beta$, respectively) and the characteristic impedance, $\scriptstyle Z_0$, which also, in general, will have real, $\scriptstyle R_0$, and imaginary, $\scriptstyle X_0$, parts, making a total of four secondary constants to be derived from the four primary constants. The term constant is even more misleading for the secondary constants as they usually vary quite strongly with frequency, even in an ideal situation where the primary constants do not. This is because the reactances in the circuit ($\scriptstyle \omega L$ and $\scriptstyle 1/(\omega C)$) introduce a dependence on $\scriptstyle \omega$. It is possible to choose specific values of the primary constants that result in $\scriptstyle \alpha$ and $\scriptstyle Z_0$ being independent of $\omega$ (the Heaviside condition) but even in this case, there is still $\scriptstyle \beta$ which is directly proportional to $\scriptstyle \omega$. As with the primary constants, the meaning of "constant" is that the secondary constants do not vary with distance along the line, not that they are independent of frequency.
## Characteristic impedance
The characteristic impedance of a transmission line, $\scriptstyle Z_0$, is defined as the impedance looking into an infinitely long line. Such a line will never return a reflection since the incident wave will never reach the end to be reflected. When considering a finite length of the line, the remainder of the line can be replaced by $\scriptstyle Z_0$ as its equivalent circuit. This is so because the remainder of the line is still infinitely long and therefore equivalent to the original line. If the finite segment is very short, then in the equivalent circuit it will be modelled by an L-network consisting of one element of $\scriptstyle dZ$ and one of $\scriptstyle dY$; the remainder is given by $\scriptstyle Z_0$. This results in the network shown in figure 3, which can be analysed for $\scriptstyle Z_0$ using the usual network analysis theorems,
$Z_0 = \delta Z + \frac {Z_0}{1+Z_0 \delta Y}$
which re-arranges to,
${Z_0}^2 - Z_0 \delta Z = \frac {\delta Z}{\delta Y}$
Taking limits of both sides
$\lim_{\delta x \to 0}({Z_0}^2 - Z_0 \delta Z) = {Z_0}^2 = \frac {dZ}{dY}$
and since the line was assumed to be homogenous lengthwise,
${Z_0}^2 = \frac {Z}{Y}$
## Propagation constant
The ratio of the line input voltage to the voltage a distance $\scriptstyle \delta x$ further down the line (that is, after one section of the equivalent circuit) is given by a standard voltage divider calculation. The remainder of the line to the right, as in the characteristic impedance calculation, is replaced with $\scriptstyle Z_0$,
<math>\frac {V\_\mathrm i}{V\_{x1}} = \frac{\delta Z+\frac{Z_0 /\delta Y}{Z_0+1/\delta Y}}{\frac{Z_0 /\delta Y}{Z_0+1/\delta Y}}
= 1 + \frac {\delta Z}{Z_0} + \delta Z \delta Y</math>
Each infinitesimal section will multiply the voltage drop by the same factor. After $\scriptstyle n$ sections the voltage ratio will be,
$\frac {V_\mathrm i}{V_{xn}} = \left ( 1 + \frac {\delta Z}{Z_0} + \delta Z \delta Y \right)^n$
At a distance $\scriptstyle x$ along the line, the number of sections is $\scriptstyle x/\delta x$ so that,
$\frac {V_\mathrm i}{V_{xn}} = \left ( 1 + \frac {\delta Z}{Z_0} + \delta Z \delta Y \right)^{\frac{x}{\delta x}}$
In the limit as $\scriptstyle \delta x \to 0$,
$\frac {V_\mathrm i}{V_x} = \lim_{\delta x \to 0} \frac {V_\mathrm i}{V_{xn}} = \lim_{\delta x \to 0} \left ( 1 + \frac {\delta Z}{Z_0} + \delta Z \delta Y \right)^{\frac{x}{\delta x}}$
The second order term $\scriptstyle \delta Z \delta Y$ will disappear in the limit, so we can write without loss of accuracy,
$\frac {V_\mathrm i}{V_x} = \lim_{\delta x \to 0} \left ( 1 + \frac {\delta Z}{Z_0} \right)^{\frac{x}{\delta x}}$
and comparing with the mathematical identity,
$e^x \equiv \lim_{p \to \infin} (1+1/p)^{px}$
yields,
$V_\mathrm i = V_x e^{\frac{Z}{Z_0}x}$
From the definition of propagation constant,
$V_\mathrm i = V_x e^{\gamma x}\,\!$
Hence,
$\gamma = \frac{Z}{Z_0} = \sqrt {ZY}$
## Special cases
### Ideal transmission line
An ideal transmission line will have no loss, which implies that the resistive elements are zero. It also results in a purely real (resistive) characteristic impedance. The ideal line cannot be realised in practice, but it is a useful approximation in many circumstances. This is especially true, for instance, when short pieces of line are being used as circuit components such as stubs. A short line has very little loss and this can then be ignored and treated as an ideal line. The secondary constants in these circumstances are;
$\gamma = i \omega \sqrt {LC}$
$\alpha = 0\,$
$\beta = \omega \sqrt {LC}$
$Z_0 = \sqrt \frac{L}{C}$
### Twisted pair
Typically, twisted pair cable used for audio frequencies or low data rates has line constants dominated by R and C. The dielectric loss is usually negligible at these frequencies and G is close to zero. It is also the case that, at a low enough frequency, $\scriptstyle R \gg \omega L$ which means that L can also be ignored. In those circumstances the secondary constants become,
$\gamma \approx \sqrt {i\omega CR}$
$\alpha \approx \sqrt \frac{\omega CR}{2}$
$\beta \approx \sqrt \frac{\omega CR}{2}$
$Z_0 \approx \sqrt \frac{R}{i\omega C} = \sqrt \frac{R}{2\omega C} - i \sqrt \frac{R}{2\omega C}$
The attenuation of this cable type increases with frequency, causing distortion of waveforms. Not so obviously, the variation of $\scriptstyle \beta$ with frequency also causes a distortion of a type called dispersion. To avoid dispersion the requirement is that $\scriptstyle \beta$ is directly proportional to $\scriptstyle \omega$. However, it is actually proportional to $\scriptstyle \sqrt \omega$ and dispersion results. $\scriptstyle Z_0$ also varies with frequency and is also partly reactive; both these features will be the cause of reflections from a resistive line termination. This is another undesirable effect. The nominal impedance quoted for this type of cable is, in this case, very nominal, being valid at only one spot frequency, usually quoted at 800 Hz or 1 kHz.
### Co-axial cable
Cable operated at a high enough frequency (medium wave radio frequency or high data rates) will meet the conditions $\scriptstyle R \ll \omega L$ and $\scriptstyle G \ll \omega C$. This must eventually be the case as the frequency is increased for any cable. Under those conditions R and G can both be ignored (except for the purpose of calculating the cable loss) and the secondary constants become;
$\gamma \approx i \omega \sqrt {LC}$
$\alpha \approx \frac{LG+RC}{2\sqrt{LC}} = \tfrac{1}{2}\left(Z_0 G + \frac{R}{Z_0}\right) \approx \frac{R}{2Z_0}$
$\beta \approx \omega \sqrt {LC}$
$Z_0 \approx \sqrt \frac{L}{C}$
### Loaded line
Loaded lines are lines designed with deliberately increased inductance. This is done by adding iron or some other magnetic metal to the cable or adding coils. The purpose is to ensure that the line meets the Heaviside condition, which eliminates distortion caused by frequency-dependent attenuation and dispersion, and ensures that $\scriptstyle Z_0$ is constant and resistive. The secondary constants are here related to the primary constants by;
$\gamma = \sqrt {RG} + i \omega \sqrt {LC}$
$\alpha = \sqrt {RG}$
$\beta = \omega \sqrt {LC}$
$Z_0 = \sqrt \frac{L}{C} = \sqrt \frac{R}{G}$
## Velocity
The velocity of propagation is given by,
$v = \lambda f .$
Since,
$\omega = 2 \pi f$ and $\beta = \frac {2 \pi}{\lambda}$
then,
$v = \frac {\omega}{\beta} .$
In cases where β can be taken as,
$\beta = \omega \sqrt {LC}$
the velocity of propagation is given by,
$v = {1 \over \sqrt {LC}} .$
The lower the capacitance the higher the velocity. With an air dielectric cable, which is approximated to with low-loss cable, the velocity of propagation is very close to c, the speed of light in vacuo. |
47,526,092 | Andrew Knapp | 1,170,715,896 | American baseball player (born 1991) | [
"1991 births",
"American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic",
"Baseball players from Placer County, California",
"California Golden Bears baseball players",
"Chatham Anglers players",
"Clearwater Threshers players",
"Glendale Desert Dogs players",
"Lakewood BlueClaws players",
"Lehigh Valley IronPigs players",
"Living people",
"Major League Baseball catchers",
"Philadelphia Phillies players",
"Pittsburgh Pirates players",
"Reading Fightin Phils players",
"Sacramento River Cats players",
"San Francisco Giants players",
"Seattle Mariners players",
"Sportspeople from Roseville, California",
"Tacoma Rainiers players",
"Toledo Mud Hens players",
"Williamsport Crosscutters players",
"Águilas Cibaeñas players"
] | Andrew Michael Knapp (born November 9, 1991) is an American professional baseball catcher in the Houston Astros organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants. He played college baseball for the University of California, Berkeley. He was drafted by the Phillies in the second round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft and ascended through the Phillies' minor league system in four seasons, winning the organization's award for best minor league player in 2015.
A switch hitter, Knapp made his big league debut in 2017 and served as the team's primary backup catcher for five seasons. Known for his defensive skills and ability to handle the pitching staff, he has been called one of the best backup catchers in baseball.
## Early life
Knapp was born in Roseville, California, and attended Granite Bay High School in Granite Bay, California. During his childhood, he followed his father Mike, a minor league catcher, across the country, visiting 38 states by the time he was five years old and living in at least six of them. Though Mike never pushed his sons towards baseball, both played and excelled. Mike, who never made the major leagues, was a right-handed hitter, which he attributes as part of the reason he never broke in at the big-league level. Andrew started hitting left-handed—and eventually as a switch hitter—at the suggestion of his mother, who wanted her son to avoid her husband's fate.
After a successful high school career, Knapp was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 41st round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft, but he did not sign. Instead, he attended the University of California, Berkeley, to play college baseball in the Pac-12 Conference. After struggling throughout his first two seasons, Knapp began to break through during his junior year, when he became a full-time catcher. That season, Knapp was third in the conference with a .350 batting average, tied for third with a .544 slugging percentage, ranked fourth with a .434 on-base percentage, and hit eight home runs.
Over three seasons, he hit .294, with 14 home runs, and 82 runs batted in (RBIs) for the California Golden Bears baseball team. In 2012, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star. Entering the 2013 MLB Draft, Knapp was viewed as "headlin[ing] the second tier of catchers in this year's class", with scout Mike Rosenbaum projecting that he could be a slightly above-average hitter and defender with average power and an above-average throwing arm.
## Professional career
### Minor leagues
Knapp was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the second round of the 2013 MLB draft and signed with the Phillies for a \$1,033,100 signing bonus. He made his professional debut with the Williamsport Crosscutters where he posted a .253 batting average with 20 doubles (tied for the league lead), four home runs, and 23 RBIs in 62 games. He spent 2014 with both the Lakewood BlueClaws and Clearwater Threshers, hitting a combined .260/.324/.385 with six home runs and 32 RBIs in 98 games and was named an MiLB.com Organization All Star.
Knapp started 2015 with Clearwater where he was a mid-season FSL All Star, and was promoted to the Reading Fightin Phils during the season. He hit a combined .308/.385/.491 with 13 home runs and 84 RBIs in 118 total games between the two teams. For his performance in 2015, he won the Paul Owens Award, which the Phillies' organization awards to its best minor league player each season.
Knapp spent 2016 with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, and his offensive performance "tapered off". Knapp did, however, take strides defensively, which at the time was viewed as an area of relative weakness that he would need to improve to have a chance at the major league level. He ended the season with a .266 batting average, eight home runs, and 46 RBIs in 107 games. He was named an International League mid-season All Star. After the season, he played in the Dominican Winter League.
### Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies added Knapp to their 40-man roster after the 2016 season, and he ultimately made the Phillies' 2017 Opening Day roster, spending the whole season at the major league level as a backup catcher to Cameron Rupp as the Phillies awaited the arrival of higher-regarded prospect Jorge Alfaro. As the year went on, his playing time increased and his role evolved into more of a timeshare with Rupp. For the season, he batted .257/.368/.368 with three home runs and 13 RBIs in 56 games (171 at bats). He threw out 20 percent of attempted base stealers. During the offseason, after the death of former Phillies Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Roy Halladay, Knapp changed his number from Halladay's former 34 to 15, the number Knapp had worn in college, to honor Halladay.
Knapp again battled for the backup catcher position entering 2018 and, again, made the opening day roster, this time as a backup to Alfaro. Knapp did, however, make his first career opening day start. On July 1, 2018, Knapp hit the team’s first walk-off home run since 2016, a 13th inning blast against the Washington Nationals. Despite his paltry overall hitting performance—a .198 batting average with four home runs and 15 RBIs in 187 at bats—the team began to value Knapp's defensive and game management skills along with his ability to get on base.
During the offseason prior to the Phillies' 2019 campaign, they acquired J. T. Realmuto in exchange for a package of prospects that included Alfaro, again opening a clear path for Knapp to start the season as the team's backup catcher. He did, once again spending the season as the team's primary backup catcher. Although he continued to struggle offensively, Phillies' management expressed comfort with keeping Knapp as Realmuto's backup moving forward. Overall in 2019, he batted .213/.318/.324 with two home runs and eight RBIs in 136 at bats, but he closed the season on a high note, hitting .290 during the last nine games of the season. He also threw out a career-best 29 percent of attempted base stealers.
The Phillies' catching situation remained unchanged entering spring training in 2020, with Knapp projected to serve as Realmuto's backup, and that eventually was the case once the season began in July after a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the shortened season, all teams used a designated hitter (DH), which allowed Knapp to have expanded playing time as Realmuto could occasionally serve as DH while reducing the strain on him to catch every day. Knapp ultimately played 33 of 60 games during the shortened season, hitting a career-best .278 with two home runs and 15 RBIs. His performance led Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bob Brookover to suggest he was the best backup catcher in baseball (a corollary to the Phillies' mantra that Realmuto is the "best catcher in baseball"). In August, when the Phillies retired the number of Dick Allen, Knapp again switched his number, this time from Allen's 15 to 7.
Knapp entered 2021 poised to continue his role as Realmuto's backup, though with uncertainty throughout the offseason about whether Realmuto would re-sign with the team or would be ready for opening day after suffering a thumb injury, Knapp prepared to play an expanded role. In his first at-bat of the season, on April 4, Knapp hit the Phillies' first home run of the season.
In the 2021 season he batted a career-low .152. His .429 OPS was the second-lowest OPS among catchers who had at least 50 plate appearances. He struck 38% of the time, a career worst, and threw out only 2 of 22 attempted base stealers. On November 5, 2021 the Phillies outrighted Knapp off of the 40-man roster and he became a free agent.
### Cincinnati Reds
On December 1, 2021, Knapp signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds. Knapp was released by the Reds organization on April 5, 2022.
### Pittsburgh Pirates
On April 5, 2022, the same day as his release from the Reds, Knapp signed a major league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates to serve as the team's backup catcher. Knapp appeared in 11 games for the Pirates, slashing .129/.229/.161 with no home runs and 2 RBI. Knapp was designated by assignment by the Pirates on May 16 following the acquisition of Tyler Heineman. He cleared outright waivers and elected free agency on May 19, 2022.
### Seattle Mariners
On May 21, 2022, Knapp signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners and was assigned to the Tacoma Rainiers of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. On June 27, Knapp was selected by the Mariners to be the backup catcher to Cal Raleigh.
On July 9, 2022, Knapp was designated for assignment. He was released on July 13.
### San Francisco Giants
On July 22, 2022, Knapp signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants. On August 31, Knapp's contract was selected from the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, after batting .312/.373/.634 with the club in 102 plate appearances. Knapp was designated for assignment on September 6. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Sacramento on September 8. He elected free agency following the season on October 6.
### Detroit Tigers
On December 23, 2022, Knapp signed a minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers. In 70 games for the Triple–A Toledo Mud Hens, he batted .253/.337/.397 with 6 home runs and 25 RBI. On August 9, 2023, Knapp was released by the Tigers organization.
### Houston Astros
On August 16, 2023, Knapp signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros organization.
## Player profile
Despite posting outstanding statistics at the minor league level and initially being viewed as an offense-first prospect, Knapp has always been seen primarily as a backup or situational catcher at the major league level, primarily due to his struggles as a hitter. But Knapp quickly asserted himself as a defender and game caller, earning the trust of the pitching staff, who often posted better numbers when Knapp was catching. In time, Knapp has improved in terms of his ability to get on base, particularly through walks and limiting strikeouts, until 2021.
Over the course of his first several seasons at the major league level, Knapp often started on days when Zach Eflin pitched. Knapp and Eflin had worked together since the Double-A level and developed a strong rapport—Eflin's performance as a pitcher was appreciably stronger with Knapp behind the plate. Knapp was viewed as a leader in the Phillies' clubhouse and has the respect of teammates including Bryce Harper, who said during spring training in 2021, "I know everybody talks about Knapp and the way he hits or whatever, but that guy – to have a backup catcher like Knapp, he’s so good with the pitchers. The way he calls games, the way he frames – so much goes into it. He's so good back there."
## Personal life
Knapp married Hannah Hughes in November 2018. His father, Mike Knapp, played 11 years of minor league baseball, and his brother and former teammate at UC Berkeley, Aaron Knapp, was an eighth-round draft pick of the Miami Marlins in 2016. Aaron reached the Triple-A level of the Seattle Mariners organization and is currently a minor league free agent. |
10,601,621 | Liubi, Liubi, I Love You | 1,171,472,487 | 2007 song performed by Todomondo | [
"2007 singles",
"2007 songs",
"Eurovision songs of 2007",
"Eurovision songs of Romania",
"Macaronic songs"
] | "Liubi, Liubi, I Love You" (English: "Love, Love, I Love You") is a song recorded by Romanian group Todomondo, consisting of Andrei Ștefănescu [ro], Ciro de Luca [Wikidata], Kamara Ghedi, Bogdan Tașcău [Wikidata], Valeriu Răileanu and Vlad Crețu [Wikidata]. It was released as a CD single in 2007 by the Romanian Television (TVR) in Romania. The track is multilingual and is performed in six languages: English, Romanian, Spanish, Italian, French and Russian. Tașcău produced the song and co-wrote it with Crețu and Ghedi. Its lyrics deal with the theme of love and European clichés.
"Liubi, Liubi, I Love You" represented in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007, held in Helsinki, Finland after winning the pre-selection show Selecția Națională. In Helsinki, Romania automatically qualified to the final due to their top ten placement in and finished in 13th place with 84 points. "Liubi, Liubi, I Love You" was promoted through performances in Belarus and a music video shot in Romania by Dan Manoliu. It charted at number 82 on the Romanian Top 100.
## Background and release
Todomondo, initially named Locomondo, was a Romanian group consisting of Andrei Ștefănescu, Ciro de Luca, Kamara Ghedi, Bogdan Tașcău, Valeriu Răileanu and Vlad Crețu. The band was formed in 2007, with each of its members having had notable success in the Romanian music industry beforehand. Their song "Liubi, Liubi, I Love You" was written by Tașcău, Crețu and Ghedi, and was solely produced by Tașcău. It emerged from the idea of Răileanu, and was originally intended for Ștefănescu and Ghedi's band Alb Negru. The track was concepted in August 2007 and finalised months later in the span of two days. "Liubi, Liubi, I Love You" is a multilingual song performed in six languages: English, Romanian, Spanish, Italian, French and Russian. During an interview with website Eurovision Belarus, one member of Todomondo jokingly stated: "We wanted to add even more languages to the song: we wanted to sing in German, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi... But unfortunately, we couldn't put it in the three-minute limit allowed by Eurovision."
The lyrics of "Liubi, Liubi, I Love You" deal with the theme of love and discuss European clichés. Todomondo further elaborated on the track's message: "The feeling of love is the same in all countries, and it is not important what language you speak, what nationality you are, we all understand the same feeling under the word 'love'." During the song, each of the members represent one country and sing in one of the aforementioned languages: Tașcău stands for Spain, Crețu for the United Kingdom, Ghedi for France, Ștefănescu for Romania, de Luca for Italy and Răileanu for Russia. "Liubi, Liubi, I Love You" was released as a CD single in Romania in 2007 by the Romanian Television (TVR), followed by a promotional tour in Belarus. The CD's cover artwork was photographed by Zoltan Lorencz. Also aided by a music video shot in Romania by Dan Manoliu, "Liubi, Liubi, I Love You" charted at number 82 on the Romanian Top 100.
## At Eurovision
The Selecția Națională was held in order to select the Romanian entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2007, consisting of two semi-finals on 27 January and 3 February, respectively, and the final on 10 February 2007. Todomondo qualified in first place from the first semi-final after the votes of an expert jury panel and the televoting were combined, resulting in 24 points. Subsequently, "Liubi, Liubi, I Love You" was chosen to represent in Romania in the contest by the same voting system, gathering 22 points in the final.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2007 took place at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland and consisted of one semi-final on 10 May and the final on 12 May 2007. According to the then-Eurovision rules, selected countries, except the host country and the "Big Four" (France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom), were required to qualify from the semi-final to compete for the final; the top ten countries from the semi-final progressed to the final. Automatically qualified for the final due to Romania's top ten placement , Todomondo performed 20th on the occasion, preceded by the and followed by . Romania eventually came in 13th position with 84 points, consisting of 12 awarded by both and , 10 by and eight by .
## Track listing
- Romanian CD single
1. "Liubi, Liubi, I Love You" – 3:02
## Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of the CD single.
- Vlad Crețu – lead vocals, songwriter
- Kamara Ghedi – lead vocals, songwriter
- Bogdan Tașcău – lead vocals, songwriter, producer
- Zoltan Lorencz – photography
- Ciro de Luca – lead vocals
- Valeriu Răileanu – lead vocals
- Andrei Ștefănescu – lead vocals
## Release history |
12,181,672 | Lānaʻi hookbill | 1,123,741,692 | Extinct species of bird | [
"Biota of Lanai",
"Bird extinctions since 1500",
"Birds described in 1919",
"Carduelinae",
"Endemic birds of Hawaii",
"Extinct birds of Hawaii",
"Hawaiian honeycreepers",
"Taxa named by Robert Cyril Layton Perkins",
"Taxonomy articles created by Polbot"
] | The Lānaʻi hookbill (Dysmorodrepanis munroi) is an extinct species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. It was endemic to the island of Lānaʻi in Hawaiʻi, and was last seen in the southwestern part of the island. George C. Munro collected the only known specimen of this species in 1913, which is housed in the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in Honolulu, and saw the species only twice more, once in 1916 and for a final time in 1918. No other sightings have been reported. They inhabited montane dry forests dominated by ʻakoko (Euphorbia species) and ōpuhe (Urera glabra). The Lānaʻi hookbill was monotypic within the genus Dysmorodrepanis and had no known subspecies. Its closest relative is believed to be the ʻōʻū, and some early authors suggested that the Lānaʻi hookbill was merely a deformed ʻōʻū. The Lānaʻi hookbill was a plump, medium-sized bird with greenish olive upperparts and pale whitish yellow underparts. It also had a yellow or white superciliary line and a white chin and throat. The wings also had a distinctive and conspicuous white wing patch. The hookbill's distinguishing characteristic was its heavy, parrotlike bill, which had the mandibles hooking sharply towards each other, leaving a gap between them when the beak was closed.
As the bird became extinct before significant field observations could be made, not much is known about its behavior. The Lānaʻi hookbill is only known to have eaten the fruit of the ōpuhe; however, it is unlikely that its unique bill would have developed to eat fruit, and it may have been a snail specialist. The hookbill has not been seen since 1918, and by 1940 nearly all of Lānaʻi's forests were converted into pineapple fields, destroying the bird's habitat. The combination of habitat destruction and the introduction of feral cats and rats are thought to have led to the Lānaʻi hookbill's extinction.
## Taxonomy
The Lānaʻi hookbill was first collected by the New Zealand ornithologist George C. Munro from Lānaʻi's Kaiholena Valley on February 22, 1913. In 1919 Robert Cyril Layton Perkins described the species as Dysmorodrepanis munroi based upon this specimen, placing the hookbill in a new, monotypic genus. The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek words dusmoros "ill-fated," and drepanis to identify the species as a Hawaiian honeycreeper. Drepanis comes from the Ancient Greek word drepane "sickle," in reference to most Hawaiian honeycreeper's bills. The specific name munroi recognizes the collector of the specimen, Munro. The common name came from the species' limited range and distinctive bill shape.
However, other taxonomists challenged the validity of the species as early as 1939, noting that the Lānaʻi hookbill was only known from one specimen and arguing that it was merely an aberrant and partially albino female ʻōʻū. The hookbill's validity was not confirmed until 1989 when the specimen's skull was removed and examined. The bird's cranial osteology, myology, plumage, and bill morphology confirmed the distinctness of the species.
The hookbill was a member of the Hawaiian honeycreeper subfamily Drepanididae and the tribe Psittirostrini, which it shared with seven historically recorded species and about ten species known only from fossils. It is believed that the Lānaʻi hookbill was most closely related to the ʻōʻū . No fossil specimens of the Lānaʻi hookbill have been found.
## Description
The Lānaʻi hookbill was a plump, medium-sized bird. It was about 6 inches (15 cm) in length, and the weight is unknown. It had greenish olive upperparts and pale whitish yellow underparts, as well as a yellow or white superciliary line. The chin and throat were white. The wings' secondaries had a distinctive and conspicuous white wing patch. Due to the subdued colors of the sole specimen, it is believed that it was a female, suggesting that the male would have had a brighter plumage, especially in the superciliary line. The eyes, which were large for a bird of the hookbill's size, were dark brown and the muscular legs were gray with yellow toepads.
The hookbill's distinguishing characteristic was a heavy, parrotlike bill. The upper mandible hooked sharply downwards, while the heavy lower mandible hooked sharply upwards towards the middle of the upper mandible. This structure left a gap between the two mandibles when the bird held its beak closed. It is believed that the bill was pale pink in coloration. The jaw muscles were particularly well developed around the bill. The hookbill's tongue was primitive and nontubular.
Like other Hawaiian honeycreepers, the hookbill possessed a distinctive musty odor. The bird's only known vocalization was an inconspicuous chirp; however, all other Hawaiian honeycreepers are excellent vocalists that demonstrate an array of sounds, and therefore the hookbill likely had a broader, unrecorded repertoire.
## Distribution and habitat
The Lānaʻi hookbill was endemic to the island of Lānaʻi in Hawaii. All recorded sightings of the species were made from the southwestern end of Lānaʻi's forests, which included the Kaiholena Valley and Waiakeakua. These sightings were between 2,000 and 2,600 feet (610 and 790 m) in elevation. However, the species' habitat once covered thousands of acres on Lānaʻi, and it is possible that the species once had a broader range on the island. The species was non-migratory.
It is believed that the Lānaʻi hookbill inhabited montane dry forests on Lānaʻi dominated by ʻakoko (Euphorbia species) and ōpuhe (Urera glabra). The unique shape of the hookbill's bill, particularly when compared with the ʻōʻū's bill, and its apparent rarity suggested that the species was an extreme specialist and was therefore restricted to this habitat.
## Ecology and behavior
The Lānaʻi hookbill is only known to have eaten the fruit of the ōpuhe. The type specimen was caught while feeding on the plant, and its berries were subsequently discovered in its stomach. It is considered likely that the hookbill additionally ate ʻakoko fruits due to their similarity in size and shape to those of the ōpuhe. However, the hookbill's unique bill is considered unlikely to have evolved if the species was purely frugivorous, and it has been suggested that the hookbill specialized in eating snails. The species was very active while searching for food, constantly flying from tree to tree. While perched it shifted restlessly.
Based upon the structure of the bill, it has been suggested that this unique bill was used as a pincer, with the tips of both mandibles touching. The hookbill could have used this movement to pluck fruits or flowers for consumption, or it may have been used to extract snails from their shells. It is also possible that the bird could have crushed a snail shell between its mandibles and then used its tongue to ingest the meat and expel the shell out of the open sides of the beak.
There is no recorded information on the Lānaʻi hookbill's breeding behavior. However, the other Hawaiian honeycreepers are remarkably uniform in their breeding behavior, and it is therefore likely that the hookbills also bred from early winter through the end of summer in August, with pair bonding being completed by January or February. The males likely defended a territory that moved along with his bonded female and became a centered around the nest after the female constructed it. It is hypothesized that the hookbill laid two to three eggs and that its young were altricial.
## Extinction
Historically, the hookbill was only recorded three times. All three sightings were made by Munro; the first was when he collected a single bird on February 22, 1913, and the other two sightings came on March 16, 1916 and August 12, 1918. The only existing specimen is in the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in Honolulu. The species was not recorded by the native Hawaiians.
The fact that Munro, an excellent observer who spent years on Lānaʻi, only saw the bird three times implies that it was already very rare by the 1910s. From 1900 to 1940 nearly all of Lānaʻi's forests were converted into pineapple fields. This conversion reduced the area of the hookbill's potential habitat, and is believed to be the biggest contributor to the species' extinction. It has also been suggested that avian malaria, which began affecting Lānaʻi's birds in the 1920s, may have contributed to the species' decline. Likewise, the introduction of feral cats and rats to Lānaʻi may have led to a decline in the hookbill's population. The extinction of local snails through human intervention could also have led to the Lānaʻi hookbill's extinction. |
28,348,811 | B. J. Prager | 1,161,546,659 | Lacrosse player | [
"Garden City High School (New York) alumni",
"Lacrosse forwards",
"Lacrosse players from New York (state)",
"Living people",
"Major League Lacrosse players",
"People from Garden City, New York",
"Philadelphia Barrage players",
"Princeton Tigers men's lacrosse players",
"Sportspeople from Hempstead, New York",
"Year of birth missing (living people)"
] | William J. "B. J." Prager is a retired professional lacrosse attackman who played professional field lacrosse in the Major League Lacrosse (MLL). He starred as a member of the Princeton Tigers men's lacrosse team from 1999 through 2002, where he was Ivy League rookie of the year, a three-time United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-American (twice third-team, once honorable mention), a four-time All-Ivy League selection (three-time first team), a team captain and an NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player of a national champion team. For over a decade, he held the freshman goal scoring record at Princeton.
During his time at Princeton, the team qualified for the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship all four years, reached the championship game three times, won the championship game once and won four Ivy League championships. In his career, he has scored game-winning overtime goals in both state high school and national collegiate championship games as well as participated on two championship MLL teams.
## Background
Prager is from Garden City, New York on Long Island. He began playing lacrosse in fifth grade and continued through to high school. He led Garden City High School to an undefeated 21–0 season culminating on his overtime game-winning goal in the 1997 New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class B Lacrosse Championship. In 1996, the team had a 13–0–1 streak that included the Nassau County and Long Island Championships. During his high school career, he scored 154 goals.
## College career
Prager attended Princeton where he earned the 1999 Men's Ivy League Rookie of the Year and the 2001 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament Most Outstanding Player. His 25 goals as a freshman in 1999 was a Princeton freshman record. In 2010, Ivy League Rookie of the Year Mike Chanenchuk totaled 28 as a Princeton freshman to surpass Prager's record. He served as co-captain of the 2002 team.
During his four years at university, Princeton won the Ivy League Conference outright each year, achieving undefeated 6–0 records in 1999–2001 and having a 5–1 record in 2002. In both 2000 and 2002, he was a third team USILA All-American Team selection, while he was an honorable mention in 2001. He was a first team All-Ivy League selection in 1999, 2000 & 2002 and a second team selection in 2001. He was a 2002 USILA Scholar All-American.
In 2000, Prager tore his anterior cruciate ligament while he was the leading scorer with 23 goals in his first 8+ games and was lost for the remainder of the season. In the 2001 NCAA championship semifinals, Prager scored three goals against Towson State in a 12–11 victory. In the finals, he scored a total of four goals, including the game-winning goal in overtime with an assist from Ryan Boyle as well as the ninth goal in the 10–9 victory over Syracuse. In the 2002 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship semifinals, he scored five goals in an 11–9 victory over Johns Hopkins, but in the 13–12 finals loss, Syracuse defenseman Solomon Bliss held him to one goal.
## Professional career
After graduating, Prager worked for Lehman Brothers in an analyst training program. He played with the Bridgeport Barrage during the 2002 and 2003 MLL seasons and then the Philadelphia Barrage from 2004 to 2006. On July 19, 2003, Prager scored five goals in a 22–17 victory against the Baltimore Bayhawks. The Barrage won the Steinfeld Cup in both 2004 and 2006. In 2006, he scored the goal that ended the Denver Outlaws' last lead possession of the game. He was second in the league in power play goals in 2004 and led both the 2004 and 2006 teams in shooting percentage. After retiring from professional play, Prager represented the New York Athletic Club.
## Personal
His father is Bill Prager. Prager is from a family of competitive lacrosse players: His younger brother, Matt, who was in the class of 2005, played at Princeton. The 2002 season was the first time the two of them played on the same organized team. Another brother, Pat, played lacrosse at C.W. Post.
## Statistics
### Princeton University
### MLL
The following are his MLL career stats: |
13,039,825 | Bartholomew of Exeter | 1,093,819,602 | 12th-century Bishop of Exeter | [
"1184 deaths",
"12th-century English Roman Catholic bishops",
"Anglo-Normans",
"Bishops of Exeter",
"Burials at Exeter Cathedral",
"Year of birth unknown"
] | Bartholomew of Exeter (died 1184) was a medieval Bishop of Exeter. He came from Normandy and after being a clerk of the Archbishop of Canterbury, was made Archdeacon of Exeter in 1155. He became Bishop of Exeter in 1161. Known for his knowledge of canon law, he was involved in the Becket controversy after the appointment of Thomas Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury. After Becket's death, although he was frequently at the royal court, he mainly attended to his diocese. A number of works by him survive, including sermons and treatises on law and theology.
## Early life
Bartholomew was a native of Normandy, and was probably born in Millières, a village in the Cotentin near Lessay and Périers. He was a clerk of Theobald of Bec, Archbishop of Canterbury before becoming Archdeacon of Exeter in 1155. He was a correspondent of John of Salisbury, as he and John had been clerks for Theobald along with Thomas Becket. Contemporaries considered Bartholomew an excellent theologian and canon lawyer. In 1159, Bartholomew took part in a synod held at London to decide between the rival claims of Popes Alexander III and Victor IV. At some point in his career, he taught at the law school at Paris.
## Election to Exeter
After the death of Robert of Chichester, the see of Exeter was vacant for a year before a local Gloucestershire family urged King Henry II of England to put forward one of their members as a candidate for the see. Henry did suggest the family member, Henry FitzHarding, to the cathedral chapter, but Archbishop Theobald objected that FitzHarding was unqualified. Instead, Theobald suggested Bartholomew, and eventually the king was persuaded and Bartholomew was elected. He was consecrated bishop after 18 April 1161, at Canterbury Cathedral by Walter, the Bishop of Rochester. Theobald had wished to consecrate Bartholomew himself before Theobald died, but could not because the king was abroad in Normandy and the bishop-elect had to swear fealty to the king before he could be consecrated. After his consecration, Bartholomew gave the archdeaconry of Exeter to the disappointed royal candidate.
## Time as bishop
During the Becket controversy between King Henry and Thomas Becket, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Bartholomew refused to cooperate with either side, which caused the archbishop to scold him as a bad friend. At the start of the dispute, Bartholomew was sent with a royal deputation to Sens to ask the pope to send papal legates to England to settle the quarrel. Thereafter, he avoided being drawn into the controversy, until 1170. When Roger of York crowned Henry the Young King later that year, Bartholomew was said to be present. In September 1170, Pope Alexander III suspended Bartholomew from office for attending the coronation, along with a number of other bishops. After Becket's murder in late 1170, John of Salisbury took refuge with Bartholomew until John was elected Bishop of Chartres in 1176. Shortly after a settlement of the dispute was reached in 1172, Henry wrote to Bartholomew saying that "I shall abolish all new customs introduced in my reign against the churches of my land (which I consider to be few or none)", which signaled Henry's intentions of mostly ignoring the settlement. Bartholomew was restored to his office before 21 December 1171, when he helped restore Canterbury Cathedral to use for religious ceremonies.
Early in his episcopate, Bartholomew attended Alexander III's council at Tours in 1163, along with a number of other English bishops. Bartholomew often acted as a judge-delegate for the papacy in cases that had been appealed to Rome. Alexander described Bartholomew, in company with Richard of Dover, another leading papal judge, as the "twin lights illuminating the English Church". In his diocese, Bartholomew is known to have visited the parishes, conducting a visitation to inquire into the management or mismanagement of church affairs. He also gave vestments and decorative objects to his cathedral church. After Becket's death, Bartholomew attended the royal court regularly between 1171 and 1179, but most of his efforts went towards administering his bishopric.
## Death and legacy
Bartholomew died on 15 December 1184, and was probably buried in Exeter Cathedral. A relief in Exeter has been identified as possibly Bartholomew's effigy for his tomb. A contemporary writer, Gerald of Wales, said that Bartholomew was better educated in Roman law than in canon law. The historian Austin Lane Poole said of him that he "kept out as much as possible out of secular politics, and used [his] learning and practical abilities whole-heartedly for the welfare of the church." During his bishopric, he advanced the career of Baldwin of Forde, as it was Bartholomew who made Baldwin archdeacon. He had two nephews, Jordan and Harold, who were part of his household while he was at Exeter.
At some point in his career, he wrote a Penitentiale, or penitential, which true to his canon lawyer training, quotes canon law extensively. This was based on the works of Ivo of Chartres, Burchard of Worms, Gratian, and Peter Lombard, among other authors. Besides his penitential, Bartholomew also wrote works on the doctrines of free will and predestination, entitled either De libero arbitrio or De fatalitate et fato, a collection of over a hundred sermons, and a work against Jews, entitled Dialogus contra Judaeos. So far, only the penitential has been printed. A sermon on the death of Becket by Bartholomew was seen by John Bale in the 16th century at Oxford, but it has not survived to the present. |
3,320,880 | Bosa of York | 1,173,828,463 | 7th and 8th-century Archbishop of York and saint | [
"7th-century Christian saints",
"7th-century English bishops",
"8th-century Christian saints",
"Bishops of York",
"Burials at York Minster",
"Northumbrian saints",
"People from Whitby",
"Yorkshire saints"
] | Bosa (died c. 705) was an Anglo-Saxon Bishop of York during the 7th and early 8th centuries. He was educated at Whitby Abbey, where he became a monk. Following Wilfrid's removal from York in 678 the diocese was divided into three, leaving a greatly reduced see of York, to which Bosa was appointed bishop. He was himself removed in 687 and replaced by Wilfrid, but in 691 Wilfrid was once more ejected and Bosa returned to the see. He died in about 705, and subsequently appears as a saint in an 8th-century liturgical calendar.
## Life
Bosa was a Northumbrian, educated at Whitby Abbey under the abbess Hilda. He subsequently joined the monastery as a monk, and became one of five men educated at Whitby who went on to become bishops.
In 678, after Wilfrid was removed from the bishopric of York and banished from Northumbria, the diocese of York was divided into three. Bosa was appointed to the now greatly reduced diocese of York, which included the sub-kingdom of Deira, thanks to the support of King Ecgfrith of Northumbria and Theodore of Tarsus, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Bosa was consecrated in his cathedral at York in 678 by Theodore, but Wilfrid declared that he was unable to work with Bosa because he did not consider him to be a member of the Catholic Church. Bosa's episcopate lasted nine years, but with Wilfrid back in favour, in 687 Bosa was removed just as his predecessor had been. He returned to York in 691, after Wilfrid was once again expelled. While bishop, Bosa introduced a communal life for the clergy of the cathedral, and set up a continuous liturgy in the cathedral.
## Death and legacy
The date of Bosa's death is unknown; he was still alive in 704 but must have died before 706, when his successor was named. His successor at York was John of Beverley, the Bishop of Hexham. A contemporary writer, Bede, praised Bosa as a man of "singular merit and sanctity". Bede also praised Bosa's humility. Bosa was also responsible for the early education of Acca, later Bishop of Hexham, who grew up in his household.
Bosa appears as a saint in an 8th-century liturgical calendar from York, the only sign that he was venerated as a saint before the Norman Conquest of England. The 16th-century English antiquary John Leland included Bosa in his list of saint's resting places in England, giving it as York. Bosa's feast day is 9 March. |
18,012,738 | Doctor Who (series 1) | 1,168,908,696 | 2005 series of Doctor Who | [
"2005 British television seasons",
"Doctor Who lists",
"Doctor Who series",
"Ninth Doctor episodes"
] | The first series of the 2005 revival of the British science fiction programme Doctor Who began on 26 March 2005 with the episode "Rose". This marked the end of the programme's 16-year absence from episodic television following its cancellation in 1989, and was the first new televised Doctor Who story since the broadcast of the television movie starring Paul McGann in 1996. The finale episode, "The Parting of the Ways", was broadcast on 18 June 2005. The show was revived by longtime Doctor Who fan Russell T Davies, who had been lobbying the BBC since the late 1990s to bring the show back. The first series comprised 13 episodes, eight of which Davies wrote. Davies, Julie Gardner and Mal Young served as executive producers, Phil Collinson as producer.
The show depicts the adventures of a mysterious and eccentric Time Lord known as the Doctor, who travels through time and space in his time machine, the TARDIS, which normally appears from the exterior to be a blue 1950s British police box. With his companions, he explores time and space, faces a variety of foes and saves civilizations, helping people and righting wrongs.
The first series features Christopher Eccleston as the ninth incarnation of the Doctor, his only series in the role, accompanied by Billie Piper, as his first and main companion Rose Tyler, whom he plucks from obscurity on planet Earth, and to whom he grows increasingly attached. He also travels briefly with unruly boy-genius Adam Mitchell, played by Bruno Langley, and with 51st-century con man and former "Time Agent" Captain Jack Harkness, portrayed by John Barrowman. Episodes in the series form a loose story arc, based upon the recurring phrase "Bad Wolf", the significance of which goes unexplained until the two-part series finale. Alongside the "Bad Wolf" arc, the revived era re-introduces the Doctor as the sole survivor of an event known as the Time War, which the Doctor claims wiped out all of the Time Lords and the Daleks.
The series premiere was watched by 10.81 million viewers, and four days after the premiere episode was broadcast, Doctor Who was renewed for a Christmas special as well as a second series. The series was well received by both critics and fans, winning a BAFTA Award for the first time in Doctor Who's history. The approval from Michael Grade, who had previously forced an 18-month hiatus on the show in 1985, and had postponed Doctor Who out of personal dislike on several occasions, was cited as a factor in the show's resurgence. The show's popularity ultimately led to a resurgence in family-orientated Saturday night drama.
## Episodes
Unlike the classic era of the series that ended in 1989, the plan with the new series was to have each episode as a standalone story, with no serials. Of the thirteen episodes in the series, seven of them followed this format; the remaining six were grouped together into three two-part stories. Also, for the first time since The Gunfighters in the third season, each episode was given an individual title, which was the case with the standalone and two-part stories.
## Cast
### Main cast
The production team was tasked with finding a suitable actor for the role of the Doctor. Most notably, they approached film stars Hugh Grant and Rowan Atkinson for the role. By the time Mal Young had suggested actor Christopher Eccleston to Davies, Eccleston was one of only three left in the running for the role: the other two candidates are rumoured in the industry to have been Alan Davies and Bill Nighy. His involvement in the programme was announced on 20 March 2004 following months of speculation. In the April 2004 issue of Doctor Who Magazine, Davies announced that Eccleston's Doctor would indeed be the Ninth Doctor, relegating Richard E. Grant's Shalka Doctor to non-official status. Russell T Davies revealed that Eccleston asked for the role in an e-mail.
After the announcement that the show would be returning, Davies revealed that the new companion would "probably" be called Rose Tyler in an edition of Doctor Who Magazine published in November 2003. This name was confirmed in March 2004, and it was announced at the same time that former pop star Billie Piper was being considered for the role. Piper was announced as portraying Rose Tyler on 24 May, a character which fulfilled the role of permanent companion during the series, and was welcomed by fans of the show. Actress Georgia Moffett, daughter of Fifth Doctor actor Peter Davison and who would later appear as the title role in the fourth series episode "The Doctor's Daughter", also auditioned for the role. The original conception of Tyler was slightly different. Paul Abbott was scheduled to write an episode for the series which would have revealed that Rose's entire life had been manipulated by the Doctor in order to mould her into an ideal companion. Davies eventually wrote "Boom Town" to replace it when Abbott, after months of development, realised he was too busy to work on the script.
The first series was Christopher Eccleston's only series in the role of the Doctor. Eccleston's contract was for a single year because at the time it was uncertain whether the show would continue beyond a single revival series. Eccleston's intent to leave was revealed on 30 March 2005, shortly after the broadcast of the first episode. The BBC released a statement, attributed to Eccleston, saying that he had decided to leave because he feared becoming typecast. On 4 April, the BBC revealed that Eccleston's "statement" was falsely attributed and released without his consent. The BBC admitted that they had broken an agreement made in January not to disclose publicly that he only intended to do one season. In a 2010 interview, Eccleston revealed that he left the show because he "didn't enjoy the environment and the culture that [they], the cast and crew, had to work in", but that he was proud of having played the role.
### Recurring and guest cast
The character of Adam Mitchell was first conceived, along with Henry van Statten, during Davies' pitch to the BBC, in a story heavily based on Robert Shearman's audio play Jubilee called "Return of the Daleks". The production team had always intended for Adam to join the TARDIS after Rose developed a liking for him. To play this role, Bruno Langley was chosen, previously known for his role on Coronation Street as Todd Grimshaw. It was never intended for Adam to be a long-term companion, Davies wanted to show that not everyone is suitable to join the TARDIS crew and dubbed him "The Companion That Couldn't", he "always wanted to do a show with someone who was a rubbish companion".
John Barrowman appears as Captain Jack Harkness, a character introduced in "The Empty Child", where he joined the TARDIS crew for the final five episodes of the series. In naming the character, Davies drew inspiration from the Marvel Comics character Agatha Harkness. Jack's appearances were conceived with the intention of forming a character arc in which Jack is transformed from a coward to a hero, and Barrowman consciously minded this in his portrayal of the character. Following on that arc, the character's debut episode would leave his morality as ambiguous, publicity materials asking, "is he a force for good or ill?" Barrowman himself was a key factor in the conception of Captain Jack. Barrowman says that at the time of his initial casting, Davies and co-executive producer, Julie Gardner had explained to him that they "basically wrote the character around [John]". On meeting him, Barrowman tried out the character using his native Scottish accent, his normal American accent, and an English accent; Davies decided it "made it bigger if it was an American accent". Barrowman recounts Davies as having been searching for an actor with a "matinée idol quality", telling him that "the only one in the whole of Britain who could do it was you".
David Tennant had been offered the role of the Doctor when he was watching a pre-transmission copy of Casanova with Davies and Gardner. Tennant initially believed the offer was a joke, but after he realised they were serious, he accepted the role and first appeared in the series finale "The Parting of the Ways". Tennant was announced as Eccleston's replacement on 16 April 2005. Other recurring characters for the series included Camille Coduri as Rose's mother Jackie Tyler, and Noel Clarke as Rose's boyfriend Mickey Smith. Other actors and television presenters who appeared in the series included Mark Benton, Zoë Wanamaker, Simon Callow, Eve Myles, Penelope Wilton, Annette Badland, David Verrey, Matt Baker, Andrew Marr, Corey Johnson, Simon Pegg, Anna Maxwell-Martin, Tamsin Greig, Shaun Dingwall, Florence Hoath, Richard Wilson, Jo Joyner, Davina McCall, Paterson Joseph, Anne Robinson, Trinny Woodall, and Susannah Constantine.
## Production
### Development
During the late-90s, Davies, a lifelong Doctor Who fan, lobbied the BBC to revive the show from its hiatus and reached the discussion stages in late 1998 and early 2002. His proposals would update the show to be better suited for a 21st-century audience, including the transition from videotape to film, doubling the length of each episode from twenty-five minutes to fifty, keeping the Doctor primarily on Earth in the style of the Third Doctor UNIT episodes, and removing "excess baggage" such as Gallifrey and the Time Lords. His pitch competed against three others: Dan Freedman's fantasy retelling, Matthew Graham's Gothic-styled pitch, and Mark Gatiss, Clayton Hickman and Gareth Roberts' reboot, which would make the Doctor the audience surrogate character, instead of his companions.
In August 2003, the BBC had resolved the issues regarding production rights that had surfaced as a result of the jointly produced Universal Studios–BBC–Fox 1996 Doctor Who film, leading the Controller of BBC One Lorraine Heggessey and Controller of Drama Commissioning Jane Tranter to approach Gardner and Davies to create a revival of the series to air in a primetime slot on Saturday nights, as part of the BBC's plan to devolve production to its regional bases. By mid-September, they accepted the deal to produce the series alongside Casanova.
Following Scream of the Shalka, an animated episode which was shown on the Doctor Who website, the 'real' return of Doctor Who was announced on 26 September 2003 in a press release from the BBC.
Davies voluntarily wrote a pitch for the series, the first time he had done so; he previously chose to jump straight to writing pilot episodes because he felt that a pitch would "feel like [he's] killing the work". The fifteen-page pitch outlined a Doctor who was "your best friend; someone you want to be with all the time"; the eighteen-year-old Rose Tyler as a "perfect match" for the new Doctor; avoidance of the forty-year back story "except for the good bits"; the retention of the TARDIS, sonic screwdriver, and Daleks; removal of the Time Lords; and also a greater focus on humanity. His pitch was submitted for the first production meeting in December 2003, with a series of thirteen episodes obtained by pressure from BBC Worldwide and a workable budget from Julie Gardner.
By early 2004, the show had settled into a regular production cycle. Davies, Gardner, and BBC Controller of Drama Mal Young took posts as executive producers, although Young vacated the role at the end of the series. Phil Collinson, an old colleague from Granada, took the role of producer. Keith Boak, Euros Lyn, Joe Ahearne, Brian Grant and James Hawes directed the series. Davies' official role as head writer and executive producer, or "showrunner", consisted of laying a skeletal plot for the entire series, holding "tone meetings" to correctly identify the tone of an episode, often being described in one word—for example, the "tone word" for Moffat's "The Empty Child" was "romantic"—and overseeing all aspects of production. During early production the word "Torchwood", an anagram of "Doctor Who", was used as a title ruse for the series while filming its first few episodes and on the daily rushes to ensure they were not intercepted. The word "Torchwood" was later seeded in Doctor Who and became the name of the spin-off series Torchwood.
Davies was interested in making an episode that would serve as a crossover with Star Trek: Enterprise, and involve the TARDIS landing on board the NX-01. The idea was officially discussed, but the plans were abandoned following the cancellation of Enterprise in February 2005.
### Writing
The first series of Doctor Who featured eight scripts by Davies, the remainder being allocated to experienced drama writers and previous writers for the show's ancillary releases: Steven Moffat penned a two-episode story, while Mark Gatiss, Robert Shearman, and Paul Cornell each wrote one script. Davies also approached his friend Paul Abbott and Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling to write for the series, but both declined due to existing commitments. Shortly after securing writers for the show, Davies stated that he had no intention to approach writers for the old series; the only writer he would have wished to work with was Robert Holmes, who died in May 1986, halfway through writing his contribution to The Trial of a Time Lord.
Elwen Rowlands and Helen Raynor served as script editors for the series. They were hired simultaneous, marking the first time Doctor Who had female script editors. Rowlands left after the first series for Life on Mars. Compared to the original series the role of the script editors was significantly diminished, with the head writer taking most of those responsibilities. Unlike the original series they do not have the power to commission scripts. Instead, they act as liaisons between the production staff and the screenwriter, before passing their joint work to the head writer for a "final polish". Raynor said that the job is not a creative one, "you are a part of it, but you aren't driving it."
Under producer Davies, the new series had a faster pace than those of the classic series. Rather than four to six-part serials of 25-minute episodes, most of the Ninth Doctor's stories consisted of individual 45-minute episodes, with only three stories out of ten being two-parters. The thirteen episodes were, however, loosely connected in a series-long story arc which brought their disparate threads together in the series finale. Davies took cues from American fantasy television series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Smallville, most notably Buffy's concepts of series-long story arcs and the "Big Bad". Also, like the original series, stories often flowed directly into one another or were linked together in some way. Notably, in common only with the seventh and twenty-sixth seasons of the original series, every story of the season takes place on or near Earth. This fact is directly addressed in the original novel The Monsters Inside, in which Rose and the Doctor joke about the fact that all their adventures to date have taken place on Earth or on neighbouring space stations.
The stories of the series varied quite significantly in tone, with the production team showcasing the various genres inhabited by Doctor Who over the years. Examples include the "pseudo-historical" story "The Unquiet Dead"; the far-future whodunnit of "The End of the World"; Earthbound alien invasion stories in "Rose" and "Aliens of London"/"World War Three"; "base under siege" in "Dalek"; and horror in "The Empty Child". Even the spin-off media were represented, with "Dalek" taking elements from writer Rob Shearman's own audio play Jubilee and the emotional content of Paul Cornell's "Father's Day" drawing on the tone of Cornell's novels in the Virgin New Adventures line. Davies had asked both Shearman and Cornell to write their scripts with those respective styles in mind. The episode "Boom Town" included a reference to the novel The Monsters Inside, becoming the first episode to acknowledge (albeit in a subtle way) spin-off fiction.
### Music
Murray Gold composed the music for this series, which was entirely synthesised.
### Filming
Principal photography for the series began on 18 July 2004 on location in Cardiff for "Rose". The series was filmed across South East Wales, mostly in or around Cardiff. Each episode took about two weeks to film. The start of filming created stress among the production team because of unseen circumstances: several scenes from the first block had to be re-shot because the original footage was unusable; the Slitheen prosthetics for "Aliens of London", "World War Three", and "Boom Town" were noticeably different from their computer-generated counterparts; and, most notably, the BBC came to a gridlock with the Terry Nation estate to secure the Daleks for the sixth episode of the series, to be written by Rob Shearman. After the first production block, which Davies described as "hitting a brick wall", the show's production was markedly eased as the crew familiarised themselves. Filming concluded on 23 March 2005. David Tennant, who was cast as Eccleston's replacement, recorded his appearance at the end of "The Parting of the Ways" on 21 April 2005 with a skeleton crew. Production blocks were arranged as follows:
## Release
### Promotion
The new logo was revealed on the BBC website on 18 October 2004. The first official trailer was released as part of BBC One's Winter Highlights presentation on 2 December 2004 and subsequently posted on the Internet by the BBC. A media blitz including billboards and posters across the UK started early March 2005. Television trailers started showing up on 5 March and radio advertisements started two weeks before the series premiere and ran till the second episode aired. The official Doctor Who website was launched with exclusive content such as games and new Ninth Doctor information.
### Leak
An early edit of the premiere was leaked onto the Internet three weeks before the scheduled series premiere. This attracted much media attention and discussion amongst fans, and caused interest in the show to skyrocket. The BBC released a statement that the source of the leak appeared to be connected to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which responded by stating that they "are looking into it. That's all I can say at this point because we don't know exactly what happened. It certainly wasn't done intentionally." Asa Bailey, founder of the Viral Advertising Association, said that the BBC hired them for viral marketing strategies, and that he told them "they should release things before their time", to create a "cool factor". Both the BBC and CBC denied any involvement, but Bailey believes that to be disingenuous, saying that it is "the best viral advert they could have done". The leak was ultimately traced to a third-party company in Canada which had a legitimate preview copy. The employee responsible was fired by the company.
### Broadcast
"Rose" finally saw transmission on schedule on 26 March 2005 at 7 pm on BBC One, the first regular episode of Doctor Who since Part Three of Survival on 6 December 1989. To complement the series, BBC Wales also produced Doctor Who Confidential, a 13-part documentary series with each episode broadcast on BBC Three immediately after the end of the weekly instalment on BBC One. Both the series and documentary aired for 13 consecutive weeks, with the finale episode, "The Parting of the Ways", airing on 18 June 2005 along with its documentary counterpart. Davies had requested that the two first episodes be broadcast back-to-back, but the request was given to the BBC just two weeks before transmission, at which point everything was already set. In some regions, the first few minutes of the original BBC broadcast of "Rose" on 26 March were marred by the accidental mixing of a few seconds of sound from Graham Norton hosting Strictly Dance Fever.
In the United States, the Sci Fi Channel originally passed on the new series as it found it lacking and believed it did not fit in its schedule, but the network later changed its mind. After it was announced that the first series would start in March 2006, Sci Fi Channel Executive Vice President Thomas Vitale called Doctor Who "a true sci-fi classic", with creative storytelling and colorful history, and was excited to add it to its line up. The network also took an option on the second series. Candace Carlisle from BBC Worldwide found The Sci Fi Channel the perfect home for Doctor Who. Doctor Who finally debuted in the U.S. on the Sci Fi Channel on 17 March 2006 with the first two episodes airing back-to-back, one year after the Canadian and UK showings. The series concluded its initial U.S. broadcast on 9 June 2006.
### Home media
#### DVD and Blu-ray releases
The series was first released in volumes; the first volume, containing the first three episodes, was released in Region 2 on 16 May 2005. The second, with "Aliens of London", "World War Three", and "Dalek", followed on 13 June 2005. "The Long Game", "Father's Day", "The Empty Child", and "The Doctor Dances" were released in the third volume on 1 August 2005 and the final three episodes were released in the fourth volume on 5 September 2005.
The entire series was then released in a boxset on 21 November 2005 in Region 2. Aside from the 13 episodes it included commentaries on every episode, a video diary from Davies during the first week of filming, as well as other featurettes. The boxset was released in Region 1 on 4 July 2006.
#### UMD releases
## In print
## Reception
### Ratings
"Rose" received average overnight ratings of 9.9 million viewers, peaking at 10.5 million, respectively 43.2% and 44.3% of all viewers at that time. The final figure for the episode, including video recordings watched within a week of transmission, was 10.81 million, making it the third highest for BBC One that week and seventh across all channels. The opening episode was the highest rated episode of the first series. The penultimate episode, "Bad Wolf", received the lowest viewers of the series with just 6.81 million viewers. The series also garnered the highest audience Appreciation Index of any non-soap drama on television. Besides the second episode, "The End of the World", which garnered a 79% rating, the lowest of the series, all episodes received an AI above 80%. The series finale "The Parting of the Ways" was the highest rated episode with an AI of 89%. The success of the launch saw the BBC's Head of Drama Jane Tranter confirming on 30 March that the series would return both for a Christmas Special in December 2005 and a full second series in 2006.
The initial Sci Fi Channel broadcasts of the series attained an average Nielsen Rating of 1.3, representing 1.5 million viewers in total. Although these ratings were less than those reached by Sci Fi's original series Battlestar Galactica, Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, they reflect a 44% increase in ratings and a 56% increase in viewership over the same timeslot in the second quarter of 2005, as well as increases of 56% and 57% in two key demographics.
### Critical reception
Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes offers an 83% approval from 12 critic reviews, and an average rating of 8.6/10.
In April 2004, Michael Grade returned to the BBC, this time as the Chairman of the Board of Governors, although this position does not involve any commissioning or editorial responsibilities. Although he had previously disliked the show and imposed an eighteen-month hiatus on it during the Sixth Doctor era, he eventually wrote an e-mail to the Director-General of the BBC Mark Thompson in June 2005, after the successful new first series, voicing approval for its popularity. He also declared, "[I] never dreamed I would ever write this. I must be going soft!" The revival also impressed former Doctor Sylvester McCoy, who praised Eccleston and Piper as well as their characters, and the pacing of the first episode. His only criticism was about the new TARDIS interior, though he did comment that he was "also a bit dismayed that more wasn't made of the show's incidental music, which seemed fairly anonymous in the background".
Robin Oliver of The Sydney Morning Herald praised Davies for taking "an adult approach to one of television's most famous characters" that children would appreciate, and that he reinvented it in a way that would be "competitive in a high-tech market". Oliver also wrote that older viewers would find Eccleston "easily the best time lord since Tom Baker". Reviewing the first episode, The Stage's Harry Venning hailed it as a "fabulous, imaginative, funny and sometimes frightening reinvention" and particularly praised Rose for being an improvement upon previous female companions who were "fit only to scream or be captured". However, he found Eccleston to be "the show's biggest disappointment" as he looked "uncomfortable playing fantasy". Digital Spy's Dek Hogan found the final episode anticlimactic, but overall said that the series was "excellent Saturday night telly of the kind that many of us thought the BBC had forgotten how to make". He praised Eccleston's performance and named "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances" as the best episodes. Arnold T Blumburg of Now Playing gave the series a grade of A−, praising its variety. However, he was critical of Davies' "annoying tendency to play to the lowest common denominator with toilet humor", but felt that from "Dalek" on the series was more dramatic and sophisticated.
DVD Talk's John Sinnott rated the first series four and a half out of five stars, writing that it "keeps a lot of the charm and excitement of the original (as well as the premise), while making the series easily accessible for new viewers". Sinnott praised the faster pace and the design changes that made it feel "fresh", as well as Eccleston's Doctor. However, he felt that Piper only did a "credible" job as Eccleston eclipsed her, and said that the writing was "uneven" with many of the episodes "just slightly flawed". Looking back on the series in 2011, Stephen Kelly of The Guardian wrote, "Eccleston's Doctor may have had many faults – looking like an EastEnders extra and bellowing "FANTASTIC!" at every opportunity being two of them – but he was merely a reflection of a show that, at the time, still didn't know what it wanted to be. The first series of the revived Doctor Who – which featured farting aliens – was a world away from the intelligent, populist science-fiction we know it as now. But then, it is thanks to Eccleston that it got this far at all – a big, respectable name who laid the foundations for Tennant to swag away with the show."
However, not everyone was pleased with the new production. Some fans criticised the new logo and perceived changes to the TARDIS model. According to various news sources, members of the production team even received hate mail and death threats. "The Unquiet Dead" was criticised by parents, who felt that the episode was "too scary" for their young children; the BBC dismissed the complaints, saying that it had never been intended for the youngest of children.
### Awards and nominations
## Soundtrack
Selected pieces of score from the , and "The Runaway Bride", as composed by Murray Gold, were released on 4 December 2006 by Silva Screen Records. On 19 August 2013, the soundtrack was released on 12" Vinyl as a limited edition with only 500 copies. The cues from the first series were re-recorded by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the original music having been created using orchestral samples.
Murray Gold's arrangement of the main theme featured samples from the 1963 original with further elements added: an orchestral sound of low horns, strings and percussion and part of the Dalek ray-gun and TARDIS materialisation sound effects. Included on the album are two versions of the theme: the 44-second opening version, as arranged by Gold, and a longer arrangement that includes the middle eight, after Gold omitted the "middle eight" from both the opening and closing credits. Gold has said that his interpretation was driven by the title visual sequence he was given to work around. Often erroneously cited as being the same as the end credits version, this second version is in fact a new arrangement and recording. |
4,385,446 | Oops!... I Did It Again Tour | 1,173,888,561 | 2000 concert tour by Britney Spears | [
"2000 concert tours",
"Britney Spears concert tours",
"Concert tours of Belgium",
"Concert tours of Denmark",
"Concert tours of France",
"Concert tours of Germany",
"Concert tours of Italy",
"Concert tours of Norway",
"Concert tours of Spain",
"Concert tours of Sweden",
"Concert tours of the United Kingdom",
"Concert tours of the United States"
] | The Oops!... I Did It Again Tour (billed as Oops!... I Did It Again Tour 2000) was the third concert tour by American entertainer Britney Spears. It supported her second studio album, Oops!... I Did It Again (2000), and visited North America and Europe. The tour was announced in February 2000, while Spears was in the midst of the Crazy 2k Tour. The stage was much more elaborative than her previous tours and featured video screens, fireworks and moving platforms. The setlist was composed by songs from her first two studio albums, ...Baby One More Time and Oops!... I Did It Again as well as a few covers. Showco was the sound company, who used the PRISM system to adapt the show to each venue. Spears used a handheld microphone and a headset during the shows, while an ADAT was used to replace her voice during energetic dance routines.
The show consisted of four segments with each segment being followed by an interval to the next segment, and it ended with an encore. The show began with Spears descending from a giant orb. Most of the songs displayed energetic dance routines with the exception of the second segment, which featured mostly ballads. The encore consisted of a performance with fireworks. The Oops!... I Did It Again Tour received positive reviews from critics, who praised Spears's energy onstage as well as the band. It was also a commercial success, the reported dates by Billboard averaged \$507,786 in grosses and nearly 15,841 in attendance, bringing a total of \$43.6 million and more than 1.4 million of tickets and became one of the highest-grossing tours of 2000. The Oops!... I Did It Again Tour was broadcast by many channels around the world. Former Wishbone star Mikaila was one of the opening acts for the tour.
## Background
On February 22, 2000, Spears announced a summer tour in support of her second studio album, Oops!... I Did It Again (2000). The tour marked the first time Spears toured Europe. She commented, "I'm going to go to Europe, and just basically go everywhere for six months, [...] I've never toured outside of the U.S. I've never experienced other fans in other places, and performing in front of them is going to be so exciting." Before the tour began, Forbes reported that concert promoter SFX Entertainment guaranteed her a minimum of \$200,000 per show. Tour sponsors from the 2000 leg of the ...Baby One More Time Tour, Got Milk?, and Polaroid, remained. Clairol's Herbal Essences was also added as a sponsor. Spears recorded a song for the latter called "I've Got the Urge to Herbal" to be used on their radio campaign, though she chose to not attend a photoshoot for the product when she decided to support an 86-day strike by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). She later donated \$1 from each ticket sold from her Inglewood, California show on July 28, 2000 to the union. For the European Leg of the Tour, Spears originally was going to do a co-headlining tour with NSYNC following the group’s No Strings Attached Tour. Spears ended up touring the region solo.
## Development
Jamie King was chosen as tour director. Tim Miller and Kevin Antunes served as director of production and musical director, respectively. Mark Foffano was chosen as the lightning director. Spears described the tour as "like a Broadway show". The setlist included material from her first studio album ...Baby One More Time (1999) as well as seven songs from Oops!... I Did It Again. Spears explained, "I've been singing the same material for so long now. It'll be nice to change it up a little bit." She also talked about her expectations for the tour, saying, "I can't wait. I'll have a world tour. I'm going to have more dancers, a bigger stage, more pyro... just a lot bigger". The proscenium stage was much more elaborate than the stage of her previous tour and included video screens, movable platforms and different props. It cost \$2.2 million to build. The tone of the show varied from the beginning: for the performance of "Born to Make You Happy", Spears sang in a set resembling a children's bedroom, complete with large toys and a pillow fight routine. On the contrary, she unveiled a more sophisticated image for "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know", and followed it with raunchy performances for "...Baby One More Time" and "Oops!... I Did It Again".
The sound equipment was provided by Showco who used the PRISM system, which adapted the show for each venue according to its height, width and the coverage required. The sound was mixed by Front of house engineer Monty Lee Wilkes on a combination of Yamaha PM4000 and PM3000 consoles, an unusual choice for Spears's shows. He used dbx 903 compressors for kick and snare drums. The compressors were also used on Spears's microphones, a Shure Beta 58A handheld and a Crown CM-311AE headset-mounted capsule. Spears's vocals were mostly live—pre-recorded vocals ran in parallel on an ADAT machine during the shows, and were used to replace her live microphone when the dance routines became too energetic for good voice control. Spears's band, backline technicians and monitor engineer Raza Sufi were all fitted with in-ear monitors and headset mics, enabling rapid and clear communications around the stage area. Spears did not use them, preferring the ambient sound of a battery of eight Showco SRM wedges spread across the downstage area. These were augmented by Showco SS full-range sidefills and a pair of one-by-18-inch subs on each side of the stage. Sufi also used a dbx 160A to limit Spears's louder moments, while backing vocalists were controlled by a duo of BSS DPR901 dynamic equalizers. Effects were limited to vocal and drum reverbs. Amplification for the wedges and the FOH system were all Crown-based, with a pair of drum stool shakers completing the line-up. All the cables used during the tour were brought from the US, even in Europe, something unusual in audio production.
## Concert synopsis
The show began with the video introduction "The Britney Spears Experience", in which three images of Spears welcomed spectators to the show. Then, a giant metal orb was lowered onstage and lifted again to reveal Spears standing behind it, wearing a pink halter top (some shows It was orange), a side silver jacket, and glittery jeans. Spears started with two dance-oriented performances of "(You Drive Me) Crazy" and "Stronger". This was followed by "What U See (Is What U Get)" in which she removed her silver side jacket and she danced on a stripper pole wearing a pink cowboy hat. The act ended with Spears talking to the audience and sitting on a stool to perform "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart" with her guitarist Skip.
After she left the stage, there was a video interlude hosted by NSYNC (via screen) and Spears' two background singers (two female background dancers in Europe) in which contestants did different games in order to meet Spears. She appeared onstage to meet the chosen fan and then welcomed the audience into her bedroom. Wearing white pajamas and slippers, she performed "Born to Make You Happy", which included a dance segment near the end. She then continued with "Lucky" featuring her two background singers (two female background dancers during all the European show) helping Spears getting ready for a typical day. Halfway through the song during the dance break, her male dancers all dressed in navy sailor costumes do a routine before Spears continues the remainder of the song dressed as a ship captain. "Sometimes", in which changed back into her white pajamas and slippers (coincidentally an outfit similar to the one she wore in the music video of the song) and featured Spears' and her dancers throwing teddy bears, beach balls, and squirting the audience with water guns. At the end, she climbed the staircase and briefly spoke to the audience before moving into a performance of "Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know", for which she wore a long white dress trimmed with boa feathers (dressed up much like in the music video as Lucky).
A band interlude showcasing a mix of funk and progressive rock from her band followed, and Spears reappeared to perform her cover of Sonny & Cher's "The Beat Goes On." During the performance, she was lifted into the air wearing a kimono that covered most of the stage. She continued with "Don't Go Knockin' on My Door" (loosing the kimono wearing a full purple jumpsuit) and her cover of The Rolling Stones's "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", which ended with a dance sequence set to the original version.
Next, there was a dance interval in which the dancers showed their individual moves while their names appeared on the screens. Spears took the stage again in a conservative schoolgirl outfit to perform "...Baby One More Time." She ripped it off halfway through the song to reveal a cheerleader ensemble. Spears then thanked the audience, took a bow and left the stage. She returned shortly after (wearing a black two-piece jumpsuit imprinted with orange flames) to perform "Oops!... I Did It Again", that included an extended dance break after the second chorus, pyrotechnics and other special effects. She ended the performance disappearing through a tunnel of fire.
## Reception
The show received positive reviews from critics. Andrew Miller of The Pitch stated "[the concert] at Sandstone proved that many [of Spears's] criticisms are off-base observations from people who have never actually attended one of these stars' shows. The music came from a talented band, not a DAT, and the bass lines to such songs as "... Baby One More Time" and "The Beat Goes On" rose to a funky growl in the live setting. For another, Spears' vocals were the real thing, as she sang in an alluringly low tone [...] but capably hit the high notes [...], however, she left the upper-octave duties to her background singers [...] during Spears' most strenuous dance routines". Richard Leiby of The Washington Post believed that the show "[was] great". Letta Tayler of Newsday said "For half the show, she remained the old Britney, the budding teen who dreamed of romance. But the rest of the time, she was a full-throttle tease, with sprayed- on clothes, a hard-edged attitude and a harder edge to her techno and hip-hop- coated pop to match".
Jon Pareles of The New York Times stated "What you get from this 18-year-old singer is a big smile, a little voice, gushes of sincerity, hardworking dance routines, shameless advertising and a determination to play both sides of pubescence for all they're worth". Jim Farber of New York Daily News commented that "Despite such spicy bits, the core of Britney's concert suffered from the familiarity and cheesiness of all teen road shows these days. The sparklers, explosions and mandatory flying dancers conformed to the corniness of theme park entertainment". The ticket prices were set at \$32 in North America. The reported dates averaged \$507,786 in grosses and 15,841 in attendance. Susanne Ault of Billboard also reported that many of the shows sold out in one day. The tour had a total gross of \$40.5 million. It became the tenth highest-grossing tour of the year in North America, as well as the second highest-grossing tour by a solo artist, only behind Tina Turner's Twenty Four Seven Tour. Roger Moore of the Orlando Sentinel analyzed Spears to emulate "a lot of Janet Jackson's old concert act and cleaned it up for a younger audience", also noting choreography resembling "Rhythm Nation" precision."
## Broadcasts
On November 30, 2000, the September 20 concert at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans aired on Fox. The special was titled Britney Spears: There's No Place Like Home. One of the shows performed at London Arena was filmed and broadcast by Sky1.
## Set list
1. "(You Drive Me) Crazy"
2. "Stronger"
3. "What U See (Is What U Get)"
4. "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart"
5. "Born to Make You Happy"
6. "Lucky"
7. "Sometimes"
8. "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know"
9. "The Beat Goes On"
10. "Don't Go Knockin' on My Door"
11. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"
12. "...Baby One More Time"
Encore
1. <li value=13>
"Oops!... I Did It Again"
Source:
## Shows
## Box office score data
## Cancelled shows |
30,839,744 | 2004–05 S.L. Benfica season | 1,164,748,286 | null | [
"Portuguese football championship-winning seasons",
"Portuguese football clubs 2004–05 season",
"S.L. Benfica seasons"
] | The 2004–05 European football season was the 101st season of Sport Lisboa e Benfica's existence and the club's 71st consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football. The season ran from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005; Benfica competed domestically in the Primeira Liga and the Taça de Portugal. The club also participated in the UEFA Champions League as a result of finishing second in the Primeira Liga in the previous season.
José Antonio Camacho led Benfica to another second-place finish and broke an eight-year title drought; he attracted interest from Real Madrid, who signed him in late May. As a replacement, Benfica unsuccessfully inquired after Luiz Felipe Scolari for the position. After much speculation, Benfica announced they had recruited Giovanni Trapattoni, the Italian national team's former manager. Benfica signed more players than the year before, but only Quim, Manuel dos Santos and Azar Karadas became regular first-team fixtures. The most significant departure was that of Tiago, who had been a regular for the past two seasons. Because their second-place finish only granted a place in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, Benfica had to play Anderlecht for a place in the group stage. A 3–1 loss on aggregate led to relegation to the 2004–05 UEFA Cup. Between both legs, Benfica contested and lost the 2004 Supercup with Porto.
Domestically, Benfica started the season with consecutive wins, rising to the top of the table by early October. After a home loss in the Clássico, the team's results became poorer, with three draws and two losses that caused the team to drop to third place by New Year. Benfica continued to slip in January, losing the Lisbon derby and twice dropping to fifth place. A home win against Sporting CP for the Portuguese Cup had an apparent positive effect on the players; their best period all season came as they regained first place and opened a six-point lead over the team in second place.
The league was unusually competitive; a mistake in early April caused Benfica to lose much of their lead. Qualifying for the Portuguese Cup final did not help them to gather momentum. In early May, Benfica suffered a major blow, losing away to Penafiel and dropping to second. A crucial win against Sporting brought back their title hope, and a week later Benfica won their first league title in ten seasons. The season ended with a loss against Vitória de Setúbal in the Taça de Portugal final, preventing Benfica from winning their first double since 1987.
## Season summary
### Pre-season
After ending an eight-season drought and ensuring qualification to the UEFA Champions League for a second year, José Antonio Camacho was linked to the open position at Real Madrid before the end of the season. On 25 May 2004, his move there was made official. Benfica looked for replacements with the same profile as Camacho; they offered the position to Luiz Felipe Scolari, according to his agent. On 9 June, Scolari said, "When people say I signed a contract with Benfica, they're lying! It's shameless and is bad will with the national team. To Benfica I won't go."
In mid-June, Benfica restricted their choices to former Espanyol manager Luis Fernández and Italian national team manager Giovanni Trapattoni. Negotiations with Fernández failed, but on 17 June, club president Luís Filipe Vieira announced that Benfica had signed a new manager but did not name him. On 5 July, a day after the end of the UEFA Euro 2004, Benfica announced Trapattoni as manager. The 65-year-old Italian started his managerial career in 1974 and came to recognition at Juventus, where he became one of Italy's greatest managers, the only one to have won all UEFA club competitions and the Intercontinental Cup. To assist him, he brought fitness coach Fausto Rossi and goalkeeping coach Adriano Barbin, while Álvaro Magalhães remained as assistant manager.
In the transfer market, the most significant signings were of 28-year-old Quim, Portugal's second-choice goalkeeper, to compete with incumbent starter José Moreira. Defender Takis Fyssas also saw the arrival of a competitor, former Marseille player Manuel dos Santos. Benfica also signed Norwegian striker Azar Karadas after his compelling performance against them in the previous season's UEFA Cup with Rosenborg. The most significant departure was Tiago, who moved to Chelsea for a fee that Record announced was around €12 million. Other than him, only Armando Sá and Hélder Cristóvão were regularly used, and both continued their careers abroad, with Villarreal and Paris Saint-Germain respectively.
The pre-season started on 5 July with four days of medical tests on Estádio da Luz. On 9 July, Benfica travelled to Nyon, Switzerland, for a two-week tour, where they played their first pre-season matches, with wins against Real Zaragoza and Marseille. On 22 July, Benfica returned to Portugal and continued their pre-season with a presentation match against Real Madrid on 25 July, and the Guadiana Trophy with Real Betis on 28 July. Due to league ranking in 2004, Benfica had to play in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, where they were drawn with Anderlecht on 30 July. The pre-season ended with matches against Braga on 1 August and Estoril on August 14.
### August–September
Benfica started their season with the third qualifying round of the Champions League, attempting to make their first presence in the group stage since 1998–99. On 10 August, Benfica beat Anderlecht 1–0 after Zlatko Zahovič scored in the 13th minute. When asked why Anderlecht had more goal opportunities than Benfica, Trapattoni said, "Do you know international football? It is very balanced nowadays. I wish we had more chances but our opponent was stronger." Following the win, Benfica were due to meet Porto in the Supercup on 20 August. Ricardo Quaresma of Porto scored the only goal of the game in an individual effort. It was Benfica's tenth consecutive loss in the competition; the previous win occurred in 1989. Four days later, Benfica travelled to Belgium to play Anderlecht. The home team scored first by Aruna Dindane, who scored another on the hour-mark. Nenad Jestrović scored the last goal. Trapattoni blamed fatigue and anxiety for the defeat, saying, "I said we would try to score, but lacked composure to do so. In the first half he spent a lot of energy. On the second, we tried to fight back, until he conceded a second goal, which killed us." The fans insulted the team on their arrival in Lisbon. On 29 August, Benfica made their debut in the Primeira Liga by visiting Beira-Mar. Two goals in the first half and another within five minutes of the second, gave Benfica a lead that help them beat the locals.
On 11 September, after the international matches Benfica returned with a home match against Moreirense. Petit opened the game with a free kick, while Simão set the final score in the 83rd minute. The following Thursday, Benfica played the first round of the UEFA Cup against Slovak team Banská Bystrica. Benfica dominated the match, winning 3–0 with a double from Simão and one from João Pereira. On 19 September, Benfica travelled to Coimbra to face Académica, beating them 1–0 with a goal from Simão to reach the top of the league table. Trapattoni praised his team and said leading is important to their mentality: "I am happy with the win, but also with the character they have shown. I had the opportunity to lead in Italy and Germany and it is very important. The team starts to believe in themselves more and more." A week later, Benfica hosted Braga. Despite playing with two players upfront, Benfica was unable to score, splitting points with them. After the game, Trapattoni acknowledged the difficult game his team had played, saying, "The final score could disappoint the fans, but let's not forget we are still leaders. Our opponent was a very dangerous team. We had three good chances in the first half, but could not score." On 30 September, Benfica closed the month by hosting Banská Bystrica. Benfica wasted opportunities to build up their score, only beating the Slovaks by 2–0.
### October–November
October began with an away match away in Guimarães against Vitória de Guimarães. Benfica played against ten men throughout the second half, securing a win in the 91st minute when Geovanni converted a free kick. Following a two-week international break, Benfica received Porto on 17 October. The match was notable for the controversy regarding Olegário Benquerença refereeing, with Porto winning 1–0 with a goal from Benni McCarthy. Trapattoni criticized the referee, saying, "I have witness things I had never witnessed before in all of my career." The following Thursday, Benfica opened their UEFA Cup group stage campaign with a home win against Heerenveen. Dos Santos scored the opening goal and Nuno Gomes increased the lead to 2–0. Heerenven levelled the score with a penalty in the 53rd minute, but Benfica fought back and scored twice to win the first points. On 24 October, Benfica played at home against Nacional. The opening goal was scored in the second-half by Azar Karadas, with Tomo Šokota bringing the score to 2–0 minutes later; Nacional evened it to 2–1, but Benfica held on and won the game. Three days later, Benfica started their Portuguese Cup campaign against the third tier club Oriental de Lisboa. Two goals from Šokota and another from Geovanni helped the club progress into the next round. On 31 October, Benfica visited the Estádio Cidade de Barcelos to play Gil Vicente. Benfica were surprised by the home team and conceded first with a goal from Nandinho. In the last minute of the match, Simão equalized, allowing Benfica to gain a point. Trapattoni blamed the team's naïvety for the goal conceded, but praised their character for not giving up.
Benfica opened November with a UEFA Cup match away against German side VfB Stuttgart. They conceded the first goal by Cacau in the first half and let in two more—both headers—in the second. Trapattoni attributed the defeat to the superior physical ability of the Germans. On 7 November, Benfica hosted Vitória de Setúbal and defeated them 4–0, retaining first place in the league. Six days later, Benfica dropped two points after a 1–0 loss at the Estádio dos Barreiros to Marítimo. On 21 November, Benfica hosted Rio Ave and had a chance to regain the top spot. After building a 3–1 lead at half-time, Benfica allowed the visitors to equalize the game, costing them two more points. Trapattoni criticized his team for the way it conceded the 3–3 draw after a free-kick for Benfica turned into a deadly counter-attack against them. On the following Thursday, Benfica received Dinamo Zagreb for the UEFA Cup. Two first-half goals secured the second win in the group stage for Benfica. On the last match of November, Benfica visited the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, home of União de Leiria, where they conceded a goal in a counter-attack and were unable to equalize in over 70 minutes, losing the match. The loss was their first as visitors; the club slid to fourth place, having lost 12 points since the Clássico. Trapattoni said Benfica lacked composure in the conceded goal, a problem he had previously addressed but still occurred. He remained confident because the league was long and very balanced.
### December–January
December started with the last group stage match of the UEFA Cup. Benfica visited Beveren and won 3–0 with a double from Zlatko Zahovič, ensuring qualification for the round of 32 behind Stuttgart. On 6 December, Benfica received Estoril. The visitors scored first, but Benfica responded through Simão with a double inside ten minutes, giving them the first league win in a month and returning them to first place. On 12 December, Benfica played away to Belenenses. Trapattoni's team did not perform to expectations and lost 4–1, the largest defeat there since 1947–48. Trapattoni remained optimistic, saying, "Losing a game like this is not catastrophic. Give up? No, that is not my vocabulary." In the aftermath of the defeat, José Moreira lost his starting goalkeeping place to Quim. Trapattoni, in the preview for the upcoming match with Penafiel, said, "Benfica needs to forget this humiliating defeat quickly. Four goals ... three goals in eight minutes, it is true we are in a state of emergency. We have the mentality to react and will do so." On the same day, Benfica discovered their next opponent in the UEFA Cup would be CSKA Moscow. On 18 December, Benfica beat Penafiel 1–0 with a goal from Argel. On 21 December, Benfica played the last game of the year, hosting third-tier team AD Oliveirense for the Portuguese Cup. Benfica won 4–1 but required extra time to beat the visitors after a 1–1 draw in regular time. Throughout the game, Benfica fans whistled the team for the poor game. Later, Trapattoni acknowledged the performance, saying, "For the first time, I am with the fans since the team deserved the whistles."
In January, Benfica opened the month with a visit to the Estádio José Alvalade to face Sporting CP in the Lisbon derby. Sporting's Liédson scored first in the 22nd minute and Nuno Gomes equalized four minutes later. In the second half, Liedson finalized the score at 2–1 to Sporting. Benfica dropped to fifth place, their worst league position all season. After the game, Trapattoni said he was slow to make substitutions in the second half, but acknowledged that Sporting performed better. On 16 January, Benfica received Boavista with the chance to become joint leaders. Benfica opened the game with a penalty in the 40th minute by Simão, with Nuno Gomes and Mantorras also scoring in a 4–0 win. Trapattoni praised his team, saying, "This is their best performance so far". On 22 January, Benfica played Beira-Mar at the Estádio da Luz. The Aveiro-based side gave a strong performance; Santiago Silva scored a double, beating Benfica 2–0. Trapattoni was disappointed with his players, saying he had expectations after the win with Boavista but with this performance, he needed to start again. Four days later, Benfica met Sporting at home for the sixth round of the Portuguese Cup. Benfica's Geovanni scored first but Sporting responded with two goals in three minutes and Geovanni equalized five minutes later. As the game went into extra time, Paíto and Simão both scored in individual efforts, bringing the final scoreline to 3–3. From the penalty spot, Benfica converted all of their goals, while Miguel Garcia missed one for Sporting. On 29 January, Benfica visited the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques to play Moreirense. An opening goal by Nuno Gomes was followed by a second by Nuno Assis and Benfica won the match 2–1; it was their first away win in five matches.
### February–March
February began with a home game against Académica. Benfica's Geovanni scored the first goal in the 32nd minute and Simão later scored twice to win the match 3–0. Benfica returned to joint-first and won their second consecutive league game for the first time in four months. On 12 February, Benfica played away at the Estádio Municipal de Braga against Braga. The match ended in draw and a sharing of points. Trapattoni was happy with the draw, saying Benfica entered a little nervously and were lucky not to lose in some random event, like in past games. On the following Thursday, Benfica travelled to Russia to play in the Kuban Stadium against CKSA Moscow. With the Russians just recently coming out of their pre-season, Benfica dominated possession but failed to score, losing 2–0. Trapattoni blamed the pitch, saying he was confident Benfica could win in Lisbon. On 21 February, Benfica received Vitória de Guimarães; Benfica's Geovanni scored in the first half and Nuno Gomes assisted Nuno Assis to make the score 2–0. César Peixoto of Guimarães scored in the second half. Benfica held the advantage and remained joint-first with Porto. Three days later, Benfica played the second leg of the UEFA Cup. They drew 1–1 and were eliminated from the competition. After the game, Trapattoni refuted any lack of attitude from Benfica, saying, "We played well. I could not ask them anything." On 28 February, Benfica visited the Estádio do Dragão for the second Classico of the season. Porto's Benni McCarthy scored first but Geovanni equalized in the 75th minute, setting the final score at 1–1. It was the first time since 1993–94 that Benfica did not lose away to Porto.
Benfica opened March with the quarter-finals of the Portuguese Cup. They played Beira-Mar at home and won 1–0 with a goal from João Pereira in the 25th minute. Trapattoni analysed the game, saying, "Everybody knew this match was a revenge for the league defeat. In the first half we dominated, in the second we were dominated. Beira-Mar was fresher – it is not easy to play every three days. Still, we deserved to win." Three days later, on 6 March, Benfica played at Estádio da Madeira against Nacional and won 1–0 with a goal from Nuno Gomes. Near the end, Quim brought down Wendel Geraldo inside the box but failed to convert the penalty, hitting the woodwork. Trapattoni praised his team's commitment saying their victory was deserved and they were lucky with the missed penalty. On 12 March, Benfica played at home against Gil Vicente. With the chance to open a three-point lead over Porto, Benfica won 2–0 with an opening goal from Mantorras and a second from Miguel. After the game, Trapattoni argued with a fan after the second goal; he said, "I argued with a fan, not fans. I was not nice to him, but since the first game, he has not been nice to me." He added that the win was very important and that Benfica had not won anything yet. Benfica closed March with an away game against Vitória de Setúbal. Benfica's Manuel Fernandes scored first, with Geovanni doubling the lead in the second half in a 2–0 win.
### April–May
On 3 April, Benfica hosted Marítimo at home. It was a high-scoring match; the teams scored five goals within the first 30 minutes, with a 3–2 score at half-time. In the second half, Mitchell van der Gaag of Marítimo equalized the game in the 48th minute. With three minutes to extra-time, Mantorras scored the fourth goal for Benfica, securing them a 4–3 win. Trapattoni said, "In the 30 years of my career, I had never had such exciting game as this one." A week later, Benfica visited the Estádio dos Arcos to play Rio Ave. Despite overwhelming support from their fans, Benfica were surprised by the home team and lost 1–0 after a 91st-minute goal.
Trapattoni still believed Benifca could win the title, saying, "What matters is to remain confident." On 16 April, Benfica suffered another setback, nearly losing at home against União de Leiria. A goal scored by João Paulo gave the visitors the lead for over 70 minutes until Mantorras scored the equalizer in the 93rd minute. Four days later, Benfica met Estrela da Amadora for the Portuguese Cup semi-final. Benfica dominated the second tier-side and won 3–0, qualifying for the tournament's final. Trapattoni said Benfica had achieved half of their objective in the competition; the other half was winning it. On 24 April, Benfica played away to Estoril. The Estoril team played at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota, but decided to move the game to Estádio do Algarve for financial reasons. Estoril scored the opening goal in the 12th minute and Benfica's Luisão equalized 64 minutes later. With Estoril reduced to nine players after two ejections, Mantorras scored the winning goal for Benfica in the 82nd minute. Benfica finished April by hosting Belenenses on April 30, beating them 1–0. Simão scored the only goal of the match.
Approaching the end of the season, Benfica had a three-point lead over Sporting in the league table. Their next opponent was Penafiel, whom they played at their home ground. With the stadium packed with Benfica fans, Penafiel surprised Benfica and beat them 1–0, costing them first place. After the game, Trappattoni said, "It was good game but I did not expect this outcome. We have to keep morale because Saturday we have an important game. There we will decide who is stronger."
On 14 May, with Estádio da Luz nearly sold-out, Benfica received Sporting for a title-deciding Lisbon Derby. The high-pressure match was unlocked in the 83rd minute when Luisão jumped higher than Ricardo and headed in the winning goal. Trapattoni tried to calm excess confidence by saying Benfica still had not won the league title. Two days after the game, in an interview to Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport, Trapattoni announced his intention to leave Benfica at the end of the season and return to Italy. On 22 May, Benfica visited the Estádio do Bessa to face Boavista, needing just one point to win the title. Benfica scored the opening goal with a penalty from Simão. Boavista equalized minutes later but the score remained drawn, ensuring the title for Benfica, their first in ten years and 31st overall. Trapattoni said, "Winning is always hard. This title was amazing and one of the most important of my career. It was won in a new culture for me and that makes it even better." In the last game of the season, the 2005 Taça de Portugal final, Benfica's Simão opened the scoring but allowed Vitória de Setúbal to score twice, losing Benfica their ninth tournament final. The loss also prevented a double for Benfica; it would have been their first since 1987. Two days after the defeat, Trapattoni confirmed he was leaving Benfica for personal reasons, ending his one-year tenure in Portugal.
## Competitions
### Overall record
### Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
### Primeira Liga
#### League table
#### Results by round
#### Matches
### Taça de Portugal
### UEFA Champions League
#### Third qualifying round
### UEFA Cup
#### First round
#### Group G
#### Round of 32
### Friendlies
## Player statistics
The squad for the season consisted of the players listed in the tables below. Staff members included manager Trapattoni, Alvaro Magalhães (assistant manager), Fausto Rossi (fitness coach), and Adriano Barbin (goalkeeping coach).
Note 1: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note 2: Players with squad numbers marked ‡ joined the club during the 2004–05 season via transfer, with more details in the following section.
## Transfers
### In
### In by loan
### Out
### Out by loan
## See also
- 2004–05 in Portuguese football |
1,785,360 | Crybaby (Mariah Carey song) | 1,166,062,283 | 2000 single by Mariah Carey | [
"1999 songs",
"2000 singles",
"Columbia Records singles",
"Mariah Carey songs",
"Music videos directed by Sanaa Hamri",
"Snoop Dogg songs",
"Songs about heartache",
"Songs written by Aaron Hall (singer)",
"Songs written by Mariah Carey",
"Songs written by Snoop Dogg",
"Songs written by Teddy Riley",
"Songs written by Timmy Gatling",
"Sony Music singles"
] | "Crybaby" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey featuring American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on April 17, 2000 by Columbia Records as a double A-side with "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)". It was written by Carey and Snoop Dogg, and produced by the former and Damizza for Carey's seventh studio album, Rainbow (1999). It serves as the album's fourth single. It features Snoop Dogg throughout the song's bridge and is built around a sample of the 1988 song "Piece of My Love," originally performed by Guy and written by Teddy Riley, Aaron Hall, Timmy Gatling and Gene Griffin. Throughout the song, the protagonist reveals the struggles of dealing with insomnia and thoughts of a past relationship during the night, as she spirals out of control and declares "I gotta get me some sleep."
The song was the center of a very public controversy between Carey and her label Sony Music Entertainment, due to their lack of promotion of it as a commercial single. It, alongside its A-side "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" were not eligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, due to the charts rules at the time of their release. Eventually, the song was able to attain a peak of twenty eight, Carey's first single to miss the top twenty. The song's music video features Carey spending a restless night in her apartment, throwing wine and cereal while trying to "get some sleep." Snoop Dogg makes an appearance in the video through a television monitor. Carey performed the song live during her Rainbow World Tour, in support of the album and its singles.
## Background and composition
"Crybaby" was recorded during the summer of 1999 in Capri, Italy. The song is composed in common time in the key of D minor and features instrumentation from the guitar and piano. The song moves at a tempo of 79 beats per minute. Carey's vocal range throughout the song ranges from the low note of B<sub>2</sub> to the high note of F<sub>5</sub>. "Crybaby" features a rap verse from Snoop Dogg, and incorporates heavy usage of background vocals. The song's lyrics find the protagonist struggling with insomnia due to thoughts of a past lover throughout the night, not allowing her to sleep. According to Carey, the song also has a more personal message, relating to the difficulty of getting rest with such a work-filled schedule. She claimed that through writing, recording, and producing her music, as well as all the promotional appearances, it became increasingly difficult for her to unwind and sleep at night. At one point in the song, Carey sings "I gotta get me some sleep," before finishing the final chorus.
The song was recorded very quickly in late June due to contractual obligations
In her 2020 memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey, Carey revealed that the song's lyrics were inspired by the angst she felt after her 1997 romance with baseball star Derek Jeter abruptly ended.
### Label dispute
## Reception
### Critical reception
Critical reviews for "Crybaby" were positive. Danyel Smith from Entertainment Weekly called the song "sexy" and wrote "[Snoop Dogg]'s words tumble like dice across her velvety vocals." Editor from Rolling Stone, Arion Berger, also complimented "Crybaby," especially the way Snoop Dogg's verses blended with Carey's vocals. Berger called his rap verses "fittingly careless." Robert Christgau, an editor from The Village Voice, commented that the song was "not real R&B thrush," but wrote "its good enough to fake it." While reviewing Rainbow, Dara Cook from MTV wrote that "Mariah amazes," on the song also calling the collaboration "Snoop Dogg enhanced." Cook wrote further "Perhaps culled from remnant Derek Jeter-directed rage, a frenzied and fed-up Mariah aggravates herself into a soulful, improvisational tizzy."
### Commercial performance
"Crybaby" was released as the third single from Rainbow in 2000, as a double A-side with "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)". "Can't Take That Away" was emphasized at Top 40 Mainstream radio stations and "Crybaby" at mainstream urban stations. It was intended that the former would chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the latter would focus on the R&B charts. The songs had very limited airplay, and because Billboard magazine rules at that time stipulated that the song from a double A-side with the most airplay (in this case, "Crybaby") would be credited only, "Crybaby" was eligible to chart. Double A-sided singles were credited together on the charts until 1998, when the Hot 100 changed from a "singles" chart to a "songs" chart, and consequently every song was credited individually. "Crybaby" did not appear on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. It debuted on the Hot 100 at number 28 following its release as a commercial single, but its minimal airplay prevented it from climbing higher. It remained in the top forty for two weeks and on the chart for seven weeks, becoming Carey's first single to miss the US top twenty.
## Music video
The song's music video was directed by Sanaa Hamri, who also directed the video for "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)." Both videos were shot back to back, and were released simultaneously to music programs and channels for immediate circulation. The video begins with Carey lying in her bed, as she receives a text message from Snoop Dogg reading "Yo what's happening? What you crying for? Now you know you look 2 damn good 2 be crying... Come here... Holla at a playa DPG style... Ya know," to which Carey responds "I can't sleep." As the video progresses as the lyrics continue, it appears to be 5 AM, and Carey is still unable to sleep. She lies in bed with the lamp on, pondering on thoughts of a past lover until she takes a bath. Afterwards, she makes her way to the kitchen, and begins pouring an abundant amount of cereal and milk into a bowl, spilling it over the counter in a restless rage. As the scene finishes, Snoop's face is seen on a small monitor, directing his verse to Carey in the video. As the last chorus plays, Carey becomes restless and tosses a champagne glass and bottle at a large window, shattering it and sending glass around the living room. The video ends with Carey lying down on the couch one more, attempting to sleep once more.
## Live performances
Carey performed "Crybaby" live during every show on the Rainbow World Tour. For the song's performances, the stage was set with a large bed, pillows and comforters, as well as a small desk and homely props. Carey, dressed in pajamas, sang while re-enacting segments of the video. During her performance at Madison Square Garden on April 11, 2000, she threw the audience small stuffed bears and completed the song while lying in the bed on stage. After the song's bridge, Snoop's pre-recorded verse was played over the background vocals. The song was also performed on select nights of The Elusive Chanteuse Show tour in 2014. The most recent performance of the song however, was on Carey Vegas residency, The Butterfly Returns.
## Track listing and formats
- US CD Single
1. "Crybaby" (Radio Edit) – 4:31
2. "Crybaby" (Album Version) – 5:19
## Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the Rainbow liner notes.
- Mariah Carey – songwriting, co-producer, vocals
- Snoop Dogg – songwriting, vocals
- Damizza – co-production
- Teddy Riley – songwriting
- Aaron Hall – songwriting
- Timmy Gatling – songwriting
- Gene Griffin – songwriting
- Nicki Richards – backing vocals
- Ronnie King – Moog
- Michael Scheshingen – mixer
- Ashburn Bernie Miller – engineer
- Brian Nolen – MIDI editor
- Jeff Burns – assistant engineer
- Pete Karem – assistant engineer
- Bod Ludwig – mastering
## Charts
## Release history |
23,624,157 | Let Me In (film) | 1,168,877,592 | 2010 romantic horror film | [
"2010 drama films",
"2010 films",
"2010 horror films",
"2010s American films",
"2010s British films",
"2010s English-language films",
"2010s coming-of-age drama films",
"2010s horror drama films",
"American coming-of-age drama films",
"American horror drama films",
"American remakes of Swedish films",
"American romantic horror films",
"American vampire films",
"British coming-of-age drama films",
"British horror drama films",
"British romantic horror films",
"British vampire films",
"Films about friendship",
"Films about school bullying",
"Films based on Swedish novels",
"Films based on adaptations",
"Films based on horror novels",
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"Films scored by Michael Giacchino",
"Films set in 1983",
"Films set in New Mexico",
"Films set in apartment buildings",
"Films shot in New Mexico",
"Films with screenplays by Matt Reeves",
"Hammer Film Productions horror films",
"Horror film remakes"
] | Let Me In is a 2010 romantic horror film written and directed by Matt Reeves and starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloë Grace Moretz, Elias Koteas, and Richard Jenkins. It is a remake of the 2008 Swedish film Let the Right One In. The film tells the story of a bullied 12-year-old boy who befriends and develops a romantic relationship with a female child vampire in Los Alamos, New Mexico, during the early 1980s.
Interest in producing an English-language version of Let the Right One In began in 2007 shortly before it was released to audiences. In 2008, Hammer Films acquired the rights for the English adaptation and initially offered Tomas Alfredson, the director of the Swedish film, the opportunity to direct, which he declined. Reeves was then signed to direct and write the screenplay. Reeves made several changes for the English version such as altering the setting from Stockholm to New Mexico and renaming the lead characters. The film's producers stated that their intent was to keep the plot similar to the original, yet make it more accessible to a wider audience. Principal photography began in early November 2009, and concluded in January 2010. The film's budget was estimated to be \$20 million.
Let Me In premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2010, and was released in North America on October 1, 2010. The film was placed on several critics' top ten list. Many critics noted it as a rare Hollywood remake which stayed true to the original, while others criticized it for being too derivative of the Swedish film. The film earned \$24 million in box office revenue worldwide, of which \$12 million was earned in the United States and Canada. Moretz won several awards for her performance with critics praising the on-screen chemistry with her co-star, Smit-McPhee. The comic book Let Me In: Crossroads was released after the film which establishes the back-story of Abby and ends where the film begins.
## Plot
In March 1983, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, a disfigured man is taken to the hospital. An unnamed police detective tries to question him about a recent murder. While the detective answers a call outside the room, the disfigured man jumps out of the window, leaving behind a note that reads: "I'M SORY ABBY".
Two weeks earlier, Owen, an unhappy and lonely 12-year-old boy who is neglected by his divorcing parents, sees a barefoot little girl named Abby and an older man moving in next door. At school, a teenage bully named Kenny and two of his friends constantly terrorize Owen, who lies to his mother about it but tells Abby the truth. Abby encourages him to retaliate, and pledges to protect him. Owen and Abby become close friends and start communicating by Morse code through the walls of their apartments. Abby's companion Thomas abducts a local teenager and drains the boy's blood into a jug, only to accidentally spill all of its contents. Starving, Abby attacks a neighbor and drinks his blood, killing him and forcing Thomas to dispose of the body.
On a later night, Thomas hides in the back of another car, but is discovered. In the ensuing struggle, the car falls into a ditch and flips over. Trapped, Thomas pours concentrated sulfuric acid on his face, rendering himself unrecognizable and hospitalizing himself. Abby learns what happened and visits Thomas in the hospital, who lets her drink his blood before falling to his death. That night, Owen is awakened by Abby, who insists he verbally invite her in. She spends the night in his bed and agrees to be his girlfriend. The next day, Owen's class goes ice skating on a river. Cornered by the bullies, Owen smashes the side of Kenny’s head with a metal pole, splitting his left ear. At the same moment, the students discover the neighbor's body encased in the ice.
Later, Owen tries to make a blood pact with Abby. Seeing blood, Abby reveals her vampire form and flees, feeding on another neighbor. The next night, Abby admits to Owen that she is a vampire and that Thomas was not her father. Owen discovers an aged photo of her with Thomas as a young boy. Scared, Owen wants to leave, but he is stopped by Abby who will not answer his demands on letting him out. Owen finally leaves after asking Abby what she will do to him.
Owen sneaks out to spend the night at Abby's apartment. In the morning, the detective forces his way into Abby's apartment and finds her asleep, only to be distracted by Owen. Abby wakes and attacks the detective, killing him. Horrified at her actions, Abby decides to leave town and kisses a heartbroken Owen goodbye. During swim class, Kenny, Jimmy, and their friends ambush Owen and begin to drown him, only to be dismembered by Abby, who returned to rescue Owen.
The next day, Owen leaves town on a train, concealing Abby in a large trunk.
## Cast
## Production
### Development
According to Hammer Films executive producer Nigel Sinclair, interest in the project initially began in the middle of 2007, before the original Let the Right One In had screened for audiences.
The rights for the English-language film were later acquired by Hammer Films at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival, where Let the Right One In won the "Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature," and Matt Reeves was quickly introduced as the director. John Nordling and Carl Molinder, the Swedish producers of the original film, were both involved as producers for the adaptation. Tomas Alfredson, the director of the Swedish film, was initially asked to direct the remake, but he turned it down stating that "I am too old to make the same film twice and I have other stories that I want to tell." Hammer Films producer Simon Oakes initially referred to the film with "If you call it a faithful remake, I think that's true to say that's what it is. It's not a reimagining; the same beats [are there], maybe the scares are a little bit more scary." He later said, "I call it his [Reeves'] version. I don't call it his remake or his re-imagining of it." The decision to make a new film adaptation has been criticized by Tomas Alfredson. He has stated on numerous occasions that he is not in favor of remaking his film. "If one should remake a film, it's because the original is bad. And I don't think mine is," he said. Producer Donna Gigliotti said, "We're incredibly admiring of the original, but to be honest with you, that picture grossed \$2 million. It's not like we're remaking Lawrence of Arabia." Producer Simon Oakes made it clear that the plot of Let Me In would closely resemble that of the original film, except that it will be made "very accessible to a wider audience."
Writer John Ajvide Lindqvist, on the other hand, says that Reeves told him that he "will make a new film based on the book, and not remake the Swedish film" and so "it'll be something completely different, but it's going to be really interesting to see." Reeves expressed his intent to retain the book's early 1980s setting and his admiration for the book and Alfredson's adaptation. "It's a terrific movie and a fantastic book. I think it could be a really touching, haunting and terrifying film. I'm really excited about what it could be", he said. In response to the criticism he said, "I can understand because of people's love of the [original] film that there's this cynicism that I'll come in and trash it, when in fact I have nothing but respect for the film. I'm so drawn to it for personal and not mercenary reasons ... I hope people give us a chance." When Reeves was initially approached, he at first was against the idea but after reading the novel gained a better appreciation for the story, stating,
> I said ... that we shouldn't remake it. I read the book too and was completely taken with it and I was really intrigued how personal the story felt. I thought John Lindqvist had written this terrific story, and he also adapted it for the film ... I wrote Lindqvist and told him that it wasn't just that I was drawn to the story because it was a brilliant genre story—which it is—but also because of the personal aspect of it. It really reminds me of my childhood.
### Adapting and writing
In adapting the film, a few adjustments were made, such as changing the names of the protagonists to Owen and Abby, and moving the setting from the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg to "a small New Mexico town." Reeves was also asked to change the ages of the main characters, but he refused, saying that "would ruin the essence of the story and change everything completely ... we need that childlike innocence." He also told his actors to not watch the original film beforehand so "we could make our own version but stay very true to the essence of the story." The filmmakers have noted that "they intend to forge a unique identity for Let Me In, placing it firmly in an American context", while at the same time paying respect to the original. In comparing his adaptation to the Swedish one, Reeves admitted to not adding many different details from the book that weren't in the original film, stating that "the story was so big that you couldn't really add a lot of stuff in without taking away the focus of the coming of age story so I tried to have allusions and references to stuff in the book." Reeves also admitted to borrowing elements from the Swedish film, stating "There are things that [Lindqvist] adapted brilliantly in the movie and I borrowed from that because I thought he did a great adaptation. But there are some things that hopefully don't detract and fit into the context of the story. It's a mixture of details from the book, the original film and things that grew out of adapting it." In adapting the story for American audiences, Reeves stated that keeping the 1980s time period within the film was critical in exploring the theme of good and evil. He used Ronald Reagan's "evil empire speech" as an example of American thought during that period. Reeves stated, "The idea of Reagan's 'evil empire' speech and that whole sort of school of thought was that evil was something that was outside of us. Evil was 'Other,' it was over there, it was the Soviets". Reeves felt that this idea was central to the main character Owen, as he "would be grappling with these very, very dark feelings but being in a kind of American town where there was that sort of [Reagan era] mindset and religiousness. How would you fit in? How would you feel about yourself being confused and being 12 or 13 years old and not knowing what it means that you wish you could kill those kids who were terrorizing you every day? The humanity of that."
### Casting
In July 2009, audition tapes were leaked to the Internet, showing Chloë Grace Moretz, Mary Mouser, and Ariel Winter auditioning for the role of the vampire, Abby. Smit-McPhee, in an interview with The Herald Sun, hinted that he may have landed the role as Owen. The casting of Moretz and Smit-McPhee in the leading roles was confirmed on October 1, 2009, along with the addition of Richard Jenkins as Abby's adult companion.
In a press release, director Matt Reeves described Smit-McPhee, Moretz and Jenkins as his "absolute dream cast", and added that he "couldn't be more excited to be working with them." Both Smit-McPhee and Moretz were cast before the release of The Road or Kick-Ass, and the films' directors John Hillcoat and Matthew Vaughn, respectively, each praised the young actors and recommended them to Reeves.
Chloe's older brother, Colin Moretz was also cast in a minor role as the cashier at the convenience store.
### Filming
Principal photography began in Albuquerque, New Mexico on November 2, 2009. Filming took place in several different New Mexico locations, before concluding in Albuquerque in January 2010. A large section of the film was filmed at Los Alamos High School in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Los Alamos County granted a special request from the film's director and producer to name the town in the movie "Los Alamos, New Mexico." The local police department lent the film crew 1980s style uniforms and patrol cars to use for the film and over 100 local teenagers were cast as extras.
Reeves felt that Lindqvist's story was very naturalistic and wanted the film to be shot the same way. After viewing Bright Star, he hired Greig Fraser as his cinematographer because he admired Fraser's work with natural light on the film. Shortly before filming, Reeves sought advice from Steven Spielberg for directing child actors. Spielberg instructed Reeves to have the two leads each keep a diary in character with the intention of sharing with Reeves what they wrote in it. Reeves stated, "It was all a process of trying to, not only guide them, but in places, trying to let them guide me toward their perspective. That was important."
### Visual effects
Method Studios was contracted to handle the film's visual effects work. The studio's supervisor Sean Faden, worked alongside the film's visual effects supervisor, Brad Parker throughout the production.
Several of the film's scenes proved to be a challenge for the team. Director Reeves wanted the "car-crash" sequence to appear as if it were filmed uncut in first-person. Several plates were shot, with the first plate involving actor Jenkins backing the car out of the gas station and swerving, and the second plate shot had a model of the car capable of being spun mechanically on a "rotisserie" in front of a blue screen which could simulate the car's roll down the hill. Jenkins' stunt double and a dummy were placed in the car as the rotisserie spun with additional effects work used to animate the dummy as the car rolled. The two shots were then combined to deceive the viewer into believing that it was one complete shot.
Houdini software was used for much of the film's shots which involved Abby in her vampiric form. Faden noted the techniques used in another challenging shot important to Abby's character in which she begins bleeding when she enters Owen's apartment without invitation. Faden stated, "Normally in such a scene, the character would be shot on set, dressed in blood. But in this case, the timing of the bleeding was so dependent on the emotional beats of the scene that this technique wouldn't have allowed us enough control." Actress Chloë Grace Moretz was first shot with minimal prosthetic blood applied to her face for reference. Then using techniques utilized in a prior Method Studios film, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Faden had the Houdini software track Moretz's shaking movements and render the gradual release of blood from her face.
### Music and soundtrack
Let Me In: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the film's soundtrack album. It was released by Varèse Sarabande on October 12, 2010. The score was composed by Michael Giacchino. Giacchino stated that scoring the film was a difficult "balancing act" for some scenes. He mentioned, "I was always trying to say, 'let's take music out!' and Matt [Reeves] was like, 'no, put it in!'" In composing the score, he stated that he also applied certain musical themes to each character for which the audience could respond to as the story progressed. Composing the score to convey the correct emotion was also a challenge for Giacchino who said, "... it was tricky finding the right balance of, well, should this be scary? Or should this be sentimental? Or should it be emotional? Or should it be this? It was a weird balance because you're dealing with a dynamic that is quite questionable as far as what everyone's intentions are in the film.
## Release
It was announced on August 17, 2010, that Let Me In would have its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2010, and its U.S. premiere on the opening night of Fantastic Fest on September 23, 2010. Overture Films released promotional items placed in small plastic evidence bags.
## Reception
With a budget estimated to be \$20 million, the film was released on October 1, 2010, in North America opening at \#8 on its debut weekend with an estimated \$5.1 million in 2,020 theaters. The film's international release began on October 6 in European markets with other markets following thereafter. During the film's ten-week theatrical run, Let Me In grossed over \$24 million worldwide, \$12.1 million of which was from the United States and Canada. The film was \#5 among the ten lowest-grossing releases of 2010 from major studios (movies released in over 1,500 theaters).
### Critical response
Let Me In received critical acclaim upon release. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 88% based on reviews from 220 critics, with an average score of 7.6/10. The consensus is that "similar to the original in all the right ways—but with enough changes to stand on its own—Let Me In is the rare Hollywood remake that doesn't add insult to inspiration." Let Me In was included on Rotten Tomatoes list of the ten best reviewed wide-release films of 2010 in addition to being the best reviewed horror film of 2010. Metacritic gave the film an average score of 79/100 based on 35 reviews, judged to be "generally favorable reviews". According to Metacritic, Let Me In was one of the ten best-reviewed wide-release films of 2010 and the best reviewed film of the year in the horror category.
Particular praise was given to the film's two leads, Smit-McPhee and Moretz, for their chemistry and maturity on-screen.
Acclaimed horror author Stephen King wrote "Let Me In is a genre-busting triumph. Not just a horror film, but the best American horror film in the last 20 years." Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal wrote that the film "is more than a respectful remake; Let Me In is quietly stylish and thoroughly chilling in its own right."
Lou Lumenick of The New York Post called Let Me In "the scariest, creepiest and most elegantly filmed horror movie I've seen in years—it positively drives a stake through the competition." A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote "what makes Let Me In so eerily fascinating is the mood it creates. It is at once artful and unpretentious, more interested in intimacy and implication than in easy scares or slick effects". Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times praised the film while comparing it to the original. He stated, "Reeves understands what made the first film so eerie and effective, and here the same things work again." Rolling Stone film critic Peter Travers, who was initially skeptical, gave the film a positive review while writing, "I thought for sure that any Hollywood remake of Tomas Alfredson's artful Swedish vampire film, Let the Right One In, would be a crass desecration. Well, color me blushing... Prepare to be wowed. It's a spellbinder." Roger Moore of the Orlando Sentinel gave the film 3.5 out of 4 stars, stating, "Reeves has Americanized a very good foreign film without defanging it."
Let Me In was not well received by all critics. Some disputed Reeves' claims that he was not remaking the film but re-adapting the book, criticizing it for being too similar to the Swedish film. Josh Tyler of CinemaBlend wrote, "The movie he's made is absolutely a direct remake of the 2008 film, the two are so similar that it's almost impossible to differentiate between them." In a similar vein, Jamie S. Rich of DVD Talk noted that while there was plenty of content in the original novel that the Swedish film omitted, "Reeves hasn't really ferreted out anything new; on the contrary, there is actually less plot in Let Me In than in the Alfredson version." Beth Accomando wrote, "How Reeves can take the credit 'written and directed by Matt Reeves' seems almost laughable when you note how similar the script and the direction are to the original." In comparing the two films, she opined that the remake "makes obvious all that the original film made subtle and does so with less complexity". Mark Kermode called it "the most utterly redundant remake of the year".
According to Sukhdev Sandhu of The Daily Telegraph, "Let Me In doesn't need to exist unless, that is, the very notion of Swedish cinema is strange and unpalatable to you ... What's missing is the alluring otherness of Let the Right One In. That film's brittle textures and haunted ambiance seemed in some strange way to have sprung organically from the nation in which it was set. This remake, by contrast, smells of boardrooms and calculating machines."
Let Me In was a critics' pick as one of the Top 10 Best Films of 2010 at CNN and at MSN Entertainment for the 2010 Year in Review Special Features.
### Accolades
### Author's response
John Ajvide Lindqvist, author of the book and screenwriter of the original Swedish film, was pleased with Let Me In. He said:
> I might just be the luckiest writer alive. To have not only one, but two excellent versions of my debut novel done for the screen feels unreal. Let the Right One In is a great Swedish movie. Let Me In is a great American movie. There are notable similarities and the spirit of Tomas Alfredson is present. But Let Me In puts the emotional pressure in different places and stands firmly on its own legs. Like the Swedish movie it made me cry, but not at the same points. Let Me In is a dark and violent love story, a beautiful piece of cinema and a respectful rendering of my novel for which I am grateful. Again.
## Home media
Let Me In was released on DVD and Blu-ray in North America on February 1, 2011, and in the UK on March 14, 2011. The disc includes an audio commentary with director Reeves, a 17-minute featurette on the making of the film, a short that focuses on the art of the special effects, an in-depth video about the process of making the film's unique car crash scene, three deleted scenes, trailer and poster galleries, and a digital copy of the film. The Blu-ray contains an exclusive featurette titled "Dissecting Let Me In". Both the DVD and Blu-ray come with a copy of the limited-edition Let Me In: Crossroads comic book. As of April 2011, DVD sales (not including Blu-ray) totaled over 457,000 units sold with over \$6.2 million in revenue.
## Other media
In April 2010, it was announced that Hammer Films and Dark Horse Comics were producing a four-issue comic book limited series based on the film. Marc Andreyko wrote the comic. The series, titled Let Me In: Crossroads, is a prequel to the film. The first issue has Abby and her "guardian" facing a ruthless real-estate tycoon who wants to steal their home and was released in December 2010. John Ajvide Lindqvist, who wrote the original novel that both the Swedish and American films are based upon, said "Nobody has asked me about [doing a comic] and I think that the project stinks. I am looking into this matter and hope that they have no right to do this." Later, he informed fans that he had in fact unwittingly sold the rights for the comic to be made, stating that the producers had misinformed him as to the nature of the contract he had signed.
## See also
- Vampire film |
43,239,753 | Hedonic hunger | 1,170,942,930 | The drive to eat for pleasure rather than sustenance | [
"Hedonism",
"Hunger",
"Limbic system",
"Motivation",
"Neuropsychology"
] | Hedonic hunger or hedonic hyperphagia is "the drive to eat to obtain pleasure in the absence of an energy deficit." Particular foods may have a high "hedonic rating" or individuals may have increased susceptibility to environmental food cues. Weight loss programs may aim to control or to compensate for hedonic hunger. Therapeutic interventions may influence hedonic eating behavior.
## Background
Although hunger may arise from energy or nutrient deficits, as would be expected in the set-point theories of hunger and eating, hunger may arise more commonly from anticipated pleasure of eating, consistent with the positive-incentive perspective. Gramlich distinguished the overeating responses to these stimuli as homeostatic hyperphagia and hedonic hyperphagia respectively. Accordingly, hunger and eating are subject to feedback control from homeostatic, hedonic, and cognitive processes. Although these mechanisms interplay and overlap to some extent, they can nonetheless be individually separated. Thus, the positive-incentive perspective suggests that eating is similar to sexual behavior: humans engage in sexual behavior, not because of an internal deficit, but because they have evolved in a way that makes them crave it. High calorie foods have had intrinsic reward value throughout evolution. The presence of desirable (or "hedonic") food, or the mere anticipation of it, makes one hungry. The psychological effects of hedonic hunger may be the appetitive equivalent of hedonically driven activities such as recreational drug use and compulsive gambling. Susceptibility to food cues can lead to overeating in a society of readily available calorie dense, inexpensive foods. Such hedonistic eating overrides the body's ability to regulate consumption with satiety. While there is a breadth of evidence for hedonic hunger, this topic is not without controversy. For example, recent evidence suggests that there is no relationship between milkshake liking and body mass index (BMI).
A related phenomenon, specific appetite, also known as specific hunger, is conceptually related to, but distinct from, hedonic hunger. Specific appetite is a drive to eat foods with specific flavors or other characteristics: in usage, specific appetite has put greater emphasis on an individual who adaptationally learns a particular appetite behavior rather than an evolutionarily innate, hedonic appetite preference.
## Food variability
A "hedonic rating" of foods reflects those individuals are more likely to eat even though they aren't hungry. For example, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning suggests that fed rats show a high preference for a mixture of fat and carbohydrate in the form of potato chips compared to their standard chow or single macronutrient foods. When binge eating occurs without the presence of energy deprivation, researchers think it is due to frequent exposure to palatable food. Another study evaluated how hedonic ratings of individual foods aggregate into the food components of particular types of meals, and related preferences to overall dietary intake.
## Interpersonal variability
Individuals may have increased hedonic hunger susceptibility to environmental food cues. Genetic variability may influence hedonic hyperphagia. Variation in hedonic hunger levels from person to person may be key in determining success in weight loss tactics and a person's ability to cope with tempting foods that are readily available. To assess this, a Power of Food Scale (PFS) has been developed that quantifies a person's appetitive anticipation (not consumption). Binge-eaters, obese individuals and those with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa scored higher than restrictive type and normal weight college students. A decrease in PFS score leads to better success in weight loss.
## Food reinforcement
The reinforcing value of food refers to how hard someone is willing to work to obtain food. Food reinforcement is influenced by several factors including food palatability, food deprivation, and food variety. It is also motivated by concerns about fullness (expected satiation) and the hunger that might be experienced in the intervening period between meals (expected satiety). The effector mechanisms of food reinforcement depend on dopaminergic activity in the brain.
## Treatment
Conceptually, weight loss programs might target control of hedonic hunger. Specific research to determine what diet techniques would be most beneficial for those with an increased hedonic hunger would help people modify their immediate availability of food or its palatability. For example, whole grain popcorn may be a better choice than potato chips due to a lower calorie load and an increased sense of satiety. Adding dietary fiber to foods and beverages increases satiety and reduces energy intake at the next meal. Low-energy-density foods with high satiating power may be useful tools for weight management. Satiety has been found to be greater with yogurt beverages than fruit juice, and was equal with low-energy-density yogurt with inulin and high-energy-density yogurt. People with high PFS scores may do better with meal replacement products.
Medications may affect hedonic eating behavior. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1) agonists, such as exenatide and liraglutide, which are used for diabetes, may help suppress food reward behavior. Inhibition of dopamine transport within the brain increases dopamine concentrations, which can reduce energy intake. Despite theoretical underpinnings, opiate antagonists as single agents have generally not shown substantial clinical benefit. However, preliminary data has suggested synergistic effects with concurrent targeted therapy of opiate receptors and either dopamine or cannabinoid receptors.
Bariatric surgery of various types may influence hedonic hunger particularly if accompanied by counseling interventions that reduce automatic hedonic impulses. These surgeries may work in part by modifying the production of gastrointestinal hormones, particularly by increasing glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide YY (PYY); reduction of ghrelin has been inconsistent.
## The physiological mechanisms
Hedonic hunger show a positive correlation between plasma of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) and ghrelin during hedonic, but not nonhedonic, eating and the consumption of food for pleasure is characterized by increased peripheral levels of both peptides. And this two endogenous rewarding chemical signals influences food intake and, ultimately, body mass.
## See also
- Eating disorder
- Emotional eating
- Ghrelin
- Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist
- Melanin-concentrating hormone
- Peptide YY
- Specific appetite |
40,439,442 | Molecular diagnostics | 1,170,002,572 | Collection of techniques used to analyze biological markers in the genome and proteome | [
"Biotechnology",
"Medical genetics",
"Medical tests",
"Pathogen genomics"
] | Molecular diagnostics is a collection of techniques used to analyze biological markers in the genome and proteome, and how their cells express their genes as proteins, applying molecular biology to medical testing. In medicine the technique is used to diagnose and monitor disease, detect risk, and decide which therapies will work best for individual patients, and in agricultural biosecurity similarly to monitor crop- and livestock disease, estimate risk, and decide what quarantine measures must be taken.
By analysing the specifics of the patient and their disease, molecular diagnostics offers the prospect of personalised medicine. These tests are useful in a range of medical specialties, including infectious disease, oncology, human leucocyte antigen typing (which investigates and predicts immune function), coagulation, and pharmacogenomics—the genetic prediction of which drugs will work best. They overlap with clinical chemistry (medical tests on bodily fluids).
## History
The field of molecular biology grew in the late twentieth century, as did its clinical application. In 1980, Yuet Wai Kan et al. suggested a prenatal genetic test for Thalassemia that did not rely upon DNA sequencing—then in its infancy—but on restriction enzymes that cut DNA where they recognised specific short sequences, creating different lengths of DNA strand depending on which allele (genetic variation) the fetus possessed. In the 1980s, the phrase was used in the names of companies such as Molecular Diagnostics Incorporated and Bethseda Research Laboraties Molecular Diagnostics.
During the 1990s, the identification of newly discovered genes and new techniques for DNA sequencing led to the appearance of a distinct field of molecular and genomic laboratory medicine; in 1995, the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) was formed to give it structure. In 1999, the AMP co-founded The Journal of Medical Diagnostics. Informa Healthcare launched Expert Reviews in Medical Diagnostics in 2001. From 2002 onwards, the HapMap Project aggregated information on the one-letter genetic differences that recur in the human population—the single nucleotide polymorphisms—and their relationship with disease. In 2012, molecular diagnostic techniques for Thalassemia use genetic hybridization tests to identify the specific single nucleotide polymorphism causing an individual's disease.
As the commercial application of molecular diagnostics has become more important, so has the debate about patenting of the genetic discoveries at its heart. In 1998, the European Union's Directive 98/44/ECclarified that patents on DNA sequences were allowable. In 2010 in the US, AMP sued Myriad Genetics to challenge the latter's patents regarding two genes, BRCA1, BRCA2, which are associated with breast cancer. In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court partially agreed, ruling that a naturally occurring gene sequence could not be patented.
## Techniques
### Development from research tools
The industrialisation of molecular biology assay tools has made it practical to use them in clinics. Miniaturisation into a single handheld device can bring medical diagnostics into the clinic and into the office or home. The clinical laboratory requires high standards of reliability; diagnostics may require accreditation or fall under medical device regulations. As of 2011, some US clinical laboratories nevertheless used assays sold for "research use only".
Laboratory processes need to adhere to regulations, such as the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Good Laboratory Practice, and Food and Drug Administration specifications in the United States. Laboratory Information Management Systems help by tracking these processes. Regulation applies to both staff and supplies. As of 2012, twelve US states require molecular pathologists to be licensed; several boards such as the American Board of Medical Genetics and the American Board of Pathology certify technologists, supervisors, and laboratory directors.
Automation and sample barcoding maximise throughput and reduce the possibility of error or contamination during manual handling and results reporting. Single devices to do the assay from beginning to end are now available.
### Assays
Molecular diagnostics uses in vitro biological assays such as PCR-ELISA or Fluorescence in situ hybridization. The assay detects a molecule, often in low concentrations, that is a marker of disease or risk in a sample taken from a patient. Preservation of the sample before analysis is critical. Manual handling should be minimised. The fragile RNA molecule poses certain challenges. As part of the cellular process of expressing genes as proteins, it offers a measure of gene expression but it is vulnerable to hydrolysis and breakdown by ever-present RNAse enzymes. Samples can be snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen or incubated in preservation agents.
Because molecular diagnostics methods can detect sensitive markers, these tests are less intrusive than a traditional biopsy. For example, because cell-free nucleic acids exist in human plasma, a simple blood sample can be enough to sample genetic information from tumours, transplants or an unborn fetus. Many, but not all, molecular diagnostics methods based on nucleic acids detection use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to vastly increase the number of nucleic acid molecules, thereby amplifying the target sequence(s) in the patient sample. PCR is a method that a template DNA is amplified using synthetic primers, a DNA polymerase, and dNTPs. The mixture is cycled between at least 2 temperatures: a high temperature for denaturing double-stranded DNA into single-stranded molecules and a low temperature for the primer to hybridize to the template and for the polymerase to extend the primer. Each temperature cycle theoretically doubles the quantity of target sequence. Detection of sequence variations using PCR typically involves the design and use oligonucleotide reagents that amplify the variant of interest more efficiently than wildtype sequence. PCR is currently the most widely used method for detection of DNA sequences. The detection of the marker might use real time PCR, direct sequencing, microarray chips—prefabricated chips that test many markers at once, or MALDI-TOF The same principle applies to the proteome and the genome. High-throughput protein arrays can use complementary DNA or antibodies to bind and hence can detect many different proteins in parallel. Molecular diagnostic tests vary widely in sensitivity, turn around time, cost, coverage and regulatory approval. They also vary in the level of validation applied in the laboratories using them. Hence, robust local validation in accordance with the regulatory requirements and use of appropriate controls is required especially where the result may be used to inform a patient treatment decision.
Benefits
### Prenatal
Conventional prenatal tests for chromosomal abnormalities such as Down Syndrome rely on analysing the number and appearance of the chromosomes—the karyotype. Molecular diagnostics tests such as microarray comparative genomic hybridisation test a sample of DNA instead, and because of cell-free DNA in plasma, could be less invasive, but as of 2013 it is still an adjunct to the conventional tests.
### Treatment
Some of a patient's single nucleotide polymorphisms—slight differences in their DNA—can help predict how quickly they will metabolise particular drugs; this is called pharmacogenomics. For example, the enzyme CYP2C19 metabolises several drugs, such as the anti-clotting agent Clopidogrel, into their active forms. Some patients possess polymorphisms in specific places on the 2C19 gene that make poor metabolisers of those drugs; physicians can test for these polymorphisms and find out whether the drugs will be fully effective for that patient. Advances in molecular biology have helped show that some syndromes that were previously classed as a single disease are actually multiple subtypes with entirely different causes and treatments. Molecular diagnostics can help diagnose the subtype—for example of infections and cancers—or the genetic analysis of a disease with an inherited component, such as Silver-Russell syndrome.
### Infectious disease
Molecular diagnostics are used to identify infectious diseases such as chlamydia, influenza virus and tuberculosis; or specific strains such as H1N1 virus or SARS-CoV-2. Genetic identification can be swift; for example a loop-mediated isothermal amplification test diagnoses the malaria parasite and is rugged enough for developing countries. But despite these advances in genome analysis, in 2013 infections are still more often identified by other means—their proteome, bacteriophage, or chromatographic profile. Molecular diagnostics are also used to understand the specific strain of the pathogen—for example by detecting which drug resistance genes it possesses—and hence which therapies to avoid. In addition, assays based on metagenomic next generation sequencing can be implemented to identify pathogenic organisms without bias.
### Disease risk management
A patient's genome may include an inherited or random mutation which affects the probability of developing a disease in the future. For example, Lynch syndrome is a genetic disease that predisposes patients to colorectal and other cancers; early detection can lead to close monitoring that improves the patient's chances of a good outcome. Cardiovascular risk is indicated by biological markers and screening can measure the risk that a child will be born with a genetic disease such as Cystic fibrosis. Genetic testing is ethically complex: patients may not want the stress of knowing their risk. In countries without universal healthcare, a known risk may raise insurance premiums.
### Cancer
Cancer is a change in the cellular processes that cause a tumour to grow out of control. Cancerous cells sometimes have mutations in oncogenes, such as KRAS and CTNNB1 (β-catenin). Analysing the molecular signature of cancerous cells—the DNA and its levels of expression via messenger RNA—enables physicians to characterise the cancer and to choose the best therapy for their patients. As of 2010, assays that incorporate an array of antibodies against specific protein marker molecules are an emerging technology; there are hopes for these multiplex assays that could measure many markers at once. Other potential future biomarkers include micro RNA molecules, which cancerous cells express more of than healthy ones.
Cancer is a disease with excessive molecular causes and constant evolution. There's also heterogeneity of disease even in an individual. Molecular studies of cancer have proved the significance of driver mutations in the growth and metastasis of tumors. Many technologies for detection of sequence variations have been developed for cancer research. These technologies generally can be grouped into three approaches: polymerase chain reaction (PCR), hybridization, and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Currently, a lot of PCR and hybridization assays have been approved by FDA as in vitro diagnostics. NGS assays, however, are still at an early stage in clinical diagnostics.
To do the molecular diagnostic test for cancer, one of the significant issue is the DNA sequence variation detection. Tumor biopsy samples used for diagnostics always contain as little as 5% of the target variant as compared to wildtype sequence. Also, for noninvasive applications from peripheral blood or urine, the DNA test must be specific enough to detect mutations at variant allele frequencies of less than 0.1%.
Currently, by optimizing the traditional PCR, there's a new invention, amplification-refractory mutation system (ARMS) is a method for detecting DNA sequence variants in cancer. The principle behind ARMS is that the enzymatic extension activity of DNA polymerases is highly sensitive to mismatches near the 3' end of primer. Many different companies have developed diagnostics tests based on ARMS PCR primers. For instance, Qiagen therascreen, Roche cobas and Biomerieux THxID have developed FDA approved PCR tests for detecting lung, colon cancer and metastatic melanoma mutations in the KRAS, EGFR and BRAF genes. Their IVD kits were basically validated on genomic DNA extracted from FFPE tissue.
There are also microarrays that utilize hybridization mechanism to diagnose cancer. More than a million of different probes can be synthesized on an array with Affymetrix's Genechip technology with a detection limit of one to ten copies of mRNA per well. Optimized microarrays are typically considered to produce repeatable relative quantitation of different targets. Currently, FDA have already approved a number of diagnostics assays utilizing microarrays: Agendia's MammaPrint assays can inform the breast cancer recurrence risk by profiling the expression of 70 genes related to breast cancer; Autogenomics INFNITI CYP2C19 assay can profile genetic polymorphisms, whose impacts on therapeutic response to antidepressants are great; and Affymetrix's CytoScan Dx can evaluate intellectual disabilities and congenital disorders by analyzing chromosomal mutation.
In the future, the diagnostic tools for cancer will likely to focus on the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). By utilizing DNA and RNA sequencing to do cancer diagnostics, technology in the field of molecular diagnostics tools will develop better. Although NGS throughput and price have dramatically been reduced over the past 10 years by roughly 100-fold, we remain at least 6 orders of magnitude away from performing deep sequencing at a whole genome level. Currently, Ion Torrent developed some NGS panels based on translational AmpliSeq, for example, the Oncomine Comprehensive Assay. They are focusing on utilizing deep sequencing of cancer-related genes to detect rare sequence variants.
Molecular diagnostics tool can be used for cancer risk assessment. For example, the BRCA1/2 test by Myriad Genetics assesses women for lifetime risk of breast cancer. Also, some cancers are not always employed with clear symptoms. It is useful to analyze people when they do not show obvious symptoms and thus can detect cancer at early stages. For example, the ColoGuard test may be used to screen people over 55 years old for colorectal cancer. Cancer is a longtime-scale disease with various progression steps, molecular diagnostics tools can be used for prognosis of cancer progression. For example, the OncoType Dx test by Genomic Health can estimate risk of breast cancer. Their technology can inform patients to seek chemotherapy when necessary by examining the RNA expression levels in breast cancer biopsy tissue.
With rising government support in DNA molecular diagnostics, it is expected that an increasing number of clinical DNA detection assays for cancers will become available soon. Currently, research in cancer diagnostics are developing fast with goals for lower cost, less time consumption and simpler methods for doctors and patients.
## See also
- Molecular medicine (the broader field of the molecular understanding of disease)
- Molecular pathology
- Laboratory Developed Test
- Pathogenesis
- Pathogenomics
- Pathology
- Precision medicine
- Personalized medicine |
154,490 | Battle of Brunanburh | 1,170,377,510 | Part of the Viking invasions of England | [
"10th century in England",
"10th century in Scotland",
"930s conflicts",
"937",
"Battles involving Scotland",
"Battles involving the Anglo-Saxons",
"Battles involving the Vikings",
"Scandinavian Scotland"
] | The Battle of Brunanburh was fought in 937 between Æthelstan, King of England, and an alliance of Olaf Guthfrithson, King of Dublin; Constantine II, King of Scotland; and Owain, King of Strathclyde. The battle is sometimes cited as the point of origin for English national identity: historians such as Michael Livingston argue that "the men who fought and died on that field forged a political map of the future that remains, arguably making the Battle of Brunanburh one of the most significant battles in the long history not just of England, but of the whole of the British Isles."
Following an unchallenged invasion of Scotland by Æthelstan in 934, possibly launched because Constantine had violated a peace treaty, it became apparent that Æthelstan could be defeated only by an alliance of his enemies. Olaf led Constantine and Owen in the alliance. In August 937 Olaf and his army sailed from Dublin to join forces with Constantine and Owen, but the invaders were routed in the battle against Æthelstan. The poem Battle of Brunanburh in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle recounts that there were "never yet as many people killed before this with sword's edge ... since the east Angles and Saxons came up over the broad sea".
Æthelstan's victory preserved the unity of England. The historian Æthelweard wrote around 975 that "[t]he fields of Britain were consolidated into one, there was peace everywhere, and abundance of all things". Alfred Smyth has called the battle "the greatest single battle in Anglo-Saxon history before Hastings". The site of the battle is unknown; many possible locations have been proposed by scholars.
## Background
After Æthelstan defeated the Vikings at York in 927, King Constantine of Scotland, King Hywel Dda of Deheubarth, Ealdred I of Bamburgh, and King Owen I of Strathclyde (or Morgan ap Owain of Gwent) accepted Æthelstan's overlordship at Eamont, near Penrith. Æthelstan became King of England and there was peace until 934.
Æthelstan invaded Scotland with a large military and naval force in 934. Although the reason for this invasion is uncertain, John of Worcester stated that the cause was Constantine's violation of the peace treaty made in 927. Æthelstan evidently travelled through Beverley, Ripon, and Chester-le-Street. The army harassed the Scots up to Kincardineshire and the navy up to Caithness, but Æthelstan's force was never engaged.
Following the invasion of Scotland, it became apparent that Æthelstan could only be defeated by an allied force of his enemies. The leader of the alliance was Olaf Guthfrithson, King of Dublin, joined by Constantine II, King of Scotland and Owen, King of Strathclyde. (According to John of Worcester, Constantine was Olaf's father-in-law.) Though they had all been enemies in living memory, historian Michael Livingston points out that "they had agreed to set aside whatever political, cultural, historical, and even religious differences they might have had in order to achieve one common purpose: to destroy Æthelstan".
In August 937, Olaf sailed from Dublin with his army to join forces with Constantine and Owen and in Livingston's opinion this suggests that the battle of Brunanburh occurred in early October of that year. According to Paul Cavill, the invading armies raided Mercia, from which Æthelstan obtained Saxon troops as he travelled north to meet them. Michael Wood wrote that no source mentions any intrusion into Mercia.
Livingston thinks that the invading armies entered England in two waves, Constantine and Owen coming from the north, possibly engaging in some skirmishes with Æthelstan's forces as they followed the Roman road across the Lancashire plains between Carlisle and Manchester, with Olaf's forces joining them on the way. Deakin argues against a western passage for the coalition army by demonstrating that on the few occasions Scottish armies had crossed into England, they had used the Stainmore Pass or Dere Street and were engaged in battle to the east of the Pennines. Livingston speculates that the battle site at Brunanburh was chosen in agreement with Æthelstan, on which "there would be one fight, and to the victor went England".
## Battle
The battle resulted in an overwhelming victory for Æthelstan's army. The main source of information is the poem Battle of Brunanburh in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. After travelling north through Mercia, Æthelstan's army met the invading forces at Brunanburh. In a battle that lasted all day, the English finally forced them to break up and flee. There was probably a prolonged period of hard fighting before the invaders were finally defeated. According to the poem, the English "clove the shield-wall, hacked the war-lime, with hammers's leavings". "There lay many a soldier of the men of the north, shot over shield, taken by spears, likewise Scottish also, sated, weary of war". Wood states that all large battles were described in this manner, so the description in the poem is not unique to Brunanburh.
Æthelstan and his army pursued the invaders until the end of the day, slaying great numbers of enemy troops. Olaf fled and sailed back to Dublin with the remnants of his army and Constantine escaped to Scotland; Owain's fate is not mentioned. According to the poem: "Then the Northmen, bloody survivors of darts, disgraced in spirit, departed on Ding's Mere, in nailed boats over deep water, to seek out Dublin, and their [own] land again." Never has there been greater slaughter "since the Angles and Saxons came here from the east...seized the country".
The Annals of Ulster describe the battle as "great, lamentable and horrible" and record that "several thousands of Norsemen ... fell". Among the casualties were five kings and seven earls from Olaf's army. The poem records that Constantine lost several friends and family members in the battle, including his son. The largest list of those killed in the battle is contained in the Annals of Clonmacnoise, which names several kings and princes. A large number of English also died in the battle, including two of Æthelstan's cousins, Ælfwine and Æthelwine.
## Medieval sources
The battle of Brunanburh is mentioned or alluded to in over forty Anglo-Saxon, Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Norman and Norse medieval texts.
One of the earliest and most informative sources is the Old English poem Battle of Brunanburh in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (version A), which was written within two decades of the battle. The poem relates that Æthelstan and Edmund's army of West Saxons and Mercians fought at Brunanburh against the Vikings under Anlaf (i.e. Olaf Guthfrithson) and the Scots under Constantine. After a fierce battle lasting all day, five young kings, seven of Anlaf's earls, and countless others were killed in the greatest slaughter since the Anglo-Saxon invasions. Anlaf and a small band of men escaped by ship over Dingesmere (or Ding's Mere) to Dublin. Constantine's son was killed, and Constantine fled home.
Another very early source, the Irish Annals of Ulster, calls the battle "a huge war, lamentable and horrible". It notes Anlaf's return to Dublin with a few men the following year, associated with an event in the spring.
In its only entry for 937, the mid/late 10th-century Welsh chronicle Annales Cambriae laconically states "war at Brune".
Æthelweard's Chronicon (ca. 980) says that the battle at "Brunandune" was still known as "the great war" to that day, and no enemy fleet had attacked the country since.
Eadmer of Canterbury's Vita Odonis (very late 11th century) is one of at least six medieval sources to recount Oda of Canterbury's involvement in a miraculous restitution of Æthelstan's sword at the height of the battle.
William Ketel's De Miraculis Sancti Joannis Beverlacensis (early 12th century) relates how, in 937, Æthelstan left his army on his way north to fight the Scots at Brunanburh, and went to visit the tomb of Bishop John at Beverley to ask for his prayers in the forthcoming battle. In thanksgiving for his victory Æthelstan gave certain privileges and rights to the church at Beverley.
According to Symeon of Durham's Libellus de exordio (1104–15):
: : ...in the year 937 of the Lord ́s Nativity, at Wendune which is called by another name Et Brunnanwerc or Brunnanbyrig, he [Æthelstan] fought against Anlaf, son of former king Guthfrith, who came with 615 ships and had with him the help of the Scots and the Cumbrians.
John of Worcester's Chronicon ex chronicis (early 12th century) was an influential source for later authors and compilers. It corresponds closely to the description of the battle in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, but adds that:
: : Anlaf, the pagan king of the Irish and many other islands, incited by his father-in-law Constantine, king of the Scots, entered the mouth of the River Humber with a strong fleet.
Another influential work, Gesta regum Anglorum by William of Malmesbury (1127) adds the detail that Æthelstan "purposely held back", letting Anlaf advance "far into England". Michael Wood argues that, in a twelfth-century context, "far into England" could mean anywhere in southern Northumbria or the North Midlands. William of Malmesbury further states that Æthelstan raised 100,000 soldiers. He is at variance with Symeon of Durham in calling Anlaf "son of Sihtric” and asserting that Constantine himself had been slain.
Henry of Huntingdon's Historia Anglorum (1133) adds the detail that Danes living in England had joined Anlaf's army. Michael Wood argues that this, together with a similar remark in the Annals of Clonmacnoise, suggests that Anlaf and his allies had established themselves in a centre of Anglo-Scandinavian power prior to the battle.
The mid-12th century text Estoire des Engleis, by the Anglo-Norman chronicler Geoffrey Gaimar, says that Æthelstan defeated the Scots, men of Cumberland, Welsh and Picts at "Bruneswerce".
The Chronica de Mailros (1173–4) repeats Symeon of Durham's information that Anlaf arrived with 615 ships, but adds that he entered the mouth of the river Humber.
Egil's Saga is an Icelandic saga written in Old Norse in 1220–40, which recounts a battle at "Vínheidi" (Vin-heath) by "Vínuskóga" (Vin-wood); it is generally accepted that this refers to the Battle of Brunanburh. Egil's Saga contains information not found in other sources, such as military engagements prior to the battle, Æthelstan's use of Viking mercenaries, the topology of the battlefield, the position of Anlaf's and Æthelstan's headquarters, and the tactics and unfolding of events during the battle. Historians such as Sarah Foot argue that Egil's Saga may contain elements of truth but is not a historically reliable narrative.
Pseudo-Ingulf's Ingulfi Croylandensis Historia (ca. 1400) recounts that:
> the Danes of Northumbria and Norfolk entered into a confederacy [against Æthelstan], which was joined by Constantine, king of the Scots, and many others; on which [Æthelstan] levied an army and led it into Northumbria. On his way, he was met by many pilgrims returning homeward from Beverley... [Æthelstan] offered his poniard upon the holy altar [at Beverley], and made a promise that, if the lord would grant him victory over his enemies, he would redeem the said poniard at a suitable price, which he accordingly did.... In the battle which was fought on this occasion there fell Constantine, king of Scots, and five other kings, twelve earls, and an infinite number of the lower classes, on the side of the barbarians.
The Annals of Clonmacnoise (an early medieval Irish chronicle of unknown date that survives only in an English translation from 1627) states that:
: : Awley [i.e. Anlaf], with all the Danes of Dublin and north part of Ireland, departed and went over seas. The Danes that departed from Dublin arrived in England, & by the help of the Danes of that kingdom, they gave battle to the Saxons on the plaines of othlyn, where there was a great slaughter of Normans and Danes.
The Annals of Clonmacnoise records 34,800 Viking and Scottish casualties, including Ceallagh the prince of Scotland (Constantine's son) and nine other named men.
## Aftermath
Æthelstan's victory prevented the dissolution of England, but it failed to unite the island: Scotland and Strathclyde remained independent. Foot writes that "[e]xaggerating the importance of this victory is difficult". Livingston writes that the battle was "the moment when Englishness came of age" and "one of the most significant battles in the long history not just of England but of the whole of the British isles". The battle was called "the greatest single battle in Anglo-Saxon history before the Hastings" by Alfred Smyth, who nonetheless says its consequences beyond Æthelstan's reign have been overstated.
Alex Woolf describes it as a pyrrhic victory for Æthelstan: the campaign against the northern alliance ended in a stalemate, his control of the north declined, and after he died Olaf acceded to the Kingdom of Northumbria without resistance. In 954 however the Norse lost their territory in York and Northumbria, with the death of Eric Bloodaxe.
Æthelstan's ambition to unite the island had failed; the Kingdoms of Scotland and Strathclyde regained their independence, and Great Britain remained divided for centuries to come, Celtic north from Anglo-Saxon south. Æthelweard, writing in the late 900s, said that the battle was "still called the 'great battle' by the common people" and that "[t]he fields of Britain were consolidated into one, there was peace everywhere, and abundance of all things".
## Location
The location of the battlefield is unknown and has been the subject of lively debate among historians since at least the 17th century. Over forty locations have been proposed, from the southwest of England to Scotland, although most historians agree that a location in northern England is the most plausible.
Wirral Archaeology, a local volunteer group, believes that it may have identified the site of the battle near Bromborough on the Wirral. They found a field with a heavy concentration of artifacts which may be a result of metal working in a tenth-century army camp. The location of the field is being kept secret to protect it from nighthawks. As of 2020, they are seeking funds to pursue their research further. The military historian Michael Livingston argues in his 2021 book Never Greater Slaughter that Wirral Archaeology's case for Bromborough is conclusive, but this claim is criticised in a review of the book by Thomas Williams. He accepts that Bromborough is the only surviving place name which originates in Old English Brunanburh, but says that there could have been others. He comments that evidence of military metal working is unsurprising in an area of Viking activity: it is not evidence for a battle, let alone any particular battle. In an article in Notes and Queries in 2022, Michael Deakin questions the philological case for Bromborough as Brunanburh, suggesting that the first element in the name is 'brown' and not 'Bruna'. Bromborough would therefore be 'the brown [stone-built] manor or fort'. The corollary of this argument being the early names of Bromborough cannot be derived from Old English Brunanburh. Michael Wood (historian), in an article in Notes and Queries in 2017, discusses the alternative spelling Brunnanburh 'the burh at the spring or stream', found in several Anglo-Saxon Chronicle manuscripts.
The medieval texts employ a plethora of alternative names for the site of the battle, which historians have attempted to link to known places. The earliest relevant document is the “Battle of Brunanburh” poem in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (version A), written within two decades of the battle, which names the battlefield location as “ymbe Brunanburh” (around Brunanburh). Many other medieval sources contain variations on the name Brunanburh, such as Brune, Brunandune, Et Brunnanwerc, Bruneford, Cad Dybrunawc Duinbrunde and Brounnyngfelde.
It is thought that the recurring element Brun- could be a personal name, a river name, or the Old English or Old Norse word for a spring or stream. Less mystery surrounds the suffixes –burh/–werc, -dun, -ford and –feld, which are the Old English words for a fortification, low hill, ford, and open land respectively.
Not all the place-names contain the Brun- element, however. Symeon of Durham (early 12th C) gives the alternative name Weondune (or Wendune) for the battle site, while the Annals of Clonmacnoise say the battle took place on the “plaines of othlyn” Egil's Saga names the locations Vínheiðr and Vínuskóga.
Few medieval texts refer to a known place, although the Humber estuary is mentioned by several sources. John of Worcester's Chronicon (early 12th C), Symeon of Durham's Historia Regum (mid-12th C), the Chronicle of Melrose (late 12th C) and Robert Mannyng of Brunne's Chronicle (1338) all state that Olaf's fleet entered the mouth of the Humber, while Robert of Gloucester's Metrical Chronicle (late 13th C) says the invading army arrived "south of the Humber". Peter of Langtoft's Chronique (ca. 1300) states the armies met at “Bruneburgh on the Humber”, while Robert Mannyng of Brunne's Chronicle (1338) claims the battle was fought at “Brunesburgh on Humber”. Pseudo-Ingulf (ca. 1400) says that as Æthelstan led his army into Northumbria (i.e. north of the Humber) he met on his way many pilgrims coming home from Beverley. Hector Boece's Historia (1527) claims that the battle was fought by the River Ouse, which flows into the Humber estuary.
Few other geographical hints are contained in the medieval sources. The poem in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says that the invaders fled over deep water on Dingesmere, perhaps meaning an area of the Irish Sea or an unidentified lake or river. Deakin noted that the term ding had been used in the Old English Andreas (poem) where it is suggested to have been used metaphorically for a grave and/or Hell. His analysis of the context of lines 53–56 of the Brunanburh poem suggest to him that dingesmere is a poetic and figurative term for the sea.
Egil's Saga contains more detailed topographical information than any of the other medieval texts, although its usefulness as historical evidence is disputed. According to this account, Olaf's army occupied an unnamed fortified town north of a heath, with large inhabited areas nearby. Æthelstan's camp was pitched to the south of Olaf, between a river on one side and a forest on raised ground on the other, to the north of another unnamed town at several hours' ride from Olaf's camp.
Many sites have been suggested, including:
- Bromborough on the Wirral
- Barnsdale, South Yorkshire
- Brinsworth, South Yorkshire
- Bromswold
- Burnley
- Burnswark, situated near Lockerbie in southern Scotland
- Lanchester, County Durham
- Hunwick in County Durham
- Londesborough and Nunburnholme, East Riding of Yorkshire
- Heysham, Lancashire
- Barton-upon-Humber in North Lincolnshire
- Little Weighton, East Riding of Yorkshire. |
2,437,500 | Starved | 1,167,468,098 | 2005 American television sitcom | [
"2000s American single-camera sitcoms",
"2005 American television series debuts",
"2005 American television series endings",
"American LGBT-related sitcoms",
"FX Networks original programming",
"Television shows about eating disorders",
"Television shows set in New York City"
] | Starved is an American television sitcom that aired for one season on FX for seven episodes in 2005. The series was about four friends who each suffer from eating disorders, who met at a "shame-based" support group called Belt Tighteners. Its characters included those with bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating disorder. Eric Schaeffer created the show as well as writing, starring in and directing it, based upon his own struggle with eating disorders. In addition to his own life experiences, Schaeffer also drew upon the experiences of the other members of the principal cast, each of whom coincidentally had struggled with food issues of their own.
Starved was the lead-in of FX's hour-long "Other Side of Comedy" block with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. FX executives wanted to use the two series to begin building comedy programming and broaden the network's demographic. The series debuted on August 4, 2005 to poor critical reviews and was cancelled in October 2005, when FX picked Sunny over Starved for renewal.
## Characters
- Sam (Eric Schaeffer) is a commodities trader who suffers from anorexia and compulsive overeating. His interests quickly turn into obsessions. Despite being with several different women during the series, he is secretly in love with Billie.
- Billie Frasier (Laura Benanti) is an anorexic and bulimic who also has issues with alcohol abuse. Billie is bisexual and was raised by two gay fathers. Formerly a ballerina, the original impetus for her eating disorders, she is now a moderately well-known singer-songwriter.
- Dan Roundtree (Del Pentecost) is a novelist and compulsive overeater. The only married person among the main characters, he worries that his weight will lead his wife to leave him. He continually schedules and then cancels gastric bypass surgery.
- Adam Williams (Sterling K. Brown) is a police officer with bulimia. He abuses his authority to extort food from restaurants and delivery people, which eventually costs him his job.
- Belt Tighteners Group Leader (Jackie Hoffman) leads the support group that the friends attend. Sarcastic and abrasive, she constantly berates the four friends for their failed attempts at dealing with their food issues. Following her tirades, she leads the group in a chant of the support group's slogan, "It's not OK!"
## Production
Series star Eric Schaeffer created Starved. Schaeffer, who is in recovery for alcohol and drug addiction and describes himself as having "anorexic thinking," drew on his own experiences with eating disorders and the experiences of other people he knew in creating scenarios for the series. Other cast members also struggled with food issues. Benanti spent three years fighting anorexia while she danced on Broadway. Pentecost, who weighed 310 pounds at the time of filming, contributed stories from his own life to the series, including a scene in which his character weighs himself on a postal scale because he is too heavy for a conventional bathroom scale. Brown was fat as a child and describes himself as being "haunted by the 'fat kid mentality'." Producers only discovered that each of the principal cast members had food issues after the casting process was completed.
Starved and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia were developed for FX under the auspices of FX president John Landgraf, who sought to expand the network's viewership by providing a wider variety of programming. The shows were the network's first attempts at sitcoms following the short-lived 2003 series Lucky. FX at the time was known primarily for its edgy dramatic series. Bruce Lefkowitz, then executive vice president of Fox Cable Entertainment, outlined the strategy: "We kind of staked out a unique space in dramas that are very different from everybody else’s, so the next natural evolution is to do something in the comedy space." The network ordered seven episodes of each series.
Starved was shot in the spring of 2005 in New York City using a single-camera setup and without a laugh track. It and Sunny were the first shows that FX produced inhouse.
## Episodes
## Reception
Starved generated controversy even before its premiere. A number of specialists in the treatment of eating disorders expressed concern that the program would either make light of or glamorize eating disorders. Others, however, felt that Starved might focus attention on eating disorders as a serious medical condition. The National Eating Disorders Association called for a boycott of the show and claimed that Diageo (makers of Tanqueray) and Nautilus agreed to pull their advertising. Schaeffer responded to the controversy, saying "there is some difficult stuff to watch. But I know my spirit and intention are good."
Starved premiered to an audience of 1.54 million viewers, scoring a Neilsen rating of 0.8 and a 2 share among adults 18–49, the network's target demographic. Reviews were unfavorable. Variety echoed the slogan of Belt Tighteners in dismissing the series as "not OK." Noting the series' edgy content, Variety allows that "Pushing the envelope in terms of standards is all well and good, assuming that series earn the right to do so." Starved, it says, did not earn that right. The series' "stabs at poignancy feel unconvincing and forced" and "from an emotional standpoint there's seldom a truthful note."
The Washington Post concurred in this assessment, describing the premise of the show as "Hey, what happens if you take the characters from Seinfeld and give them eating disorders?" While crediting Starved for "a few inventive laughs," the language and sexuality of the show are described as "exceptionally coarse" and "outrageous for cable television, even later at night." Worse than these issues, the Post felt that Schaeffer neglected to develop the characters in favor of coming up with contrived situations for them. "[T]his failure to build understanding into the show dooms it to emptiness, with a sour aftertaste. As if you had just, you know, hurled."
The New York Times credited the series for its bold premise and noted that the show provided some insight into eating disorders while offering "a few flashes of clever dialogue and satire." Ultimately, however, the Times found that "Starved relies too heavily on sight gags and gross-out farce." The Los Angeles Times found the show "vexing" for being "at once assured and shallow, accomplished and unconvincing, well-acted and empty." The review singles out Schaeffer's character Sam as "especially unappealing" and points to Schaeffer's roles as creator, producer, writer and director as "an object lesson in the wisdom of a system of checks and balances." Perhaps most damningly, in noting Schaeffer's experiences with addiction, the reviewer writes that "just because you’ve had an experience doesn’t mean you have anything interesting to say about it or are able to articulate whatever interesting thing you have to say."
New York called it the Best Show You Probably Never Watched. NBC used a clip from the second episode in "The Most Outrageous TV Moments".
FX canceled Starved in October 2005. FX president John Landgraf told Variety, "The show had a lot of fans, so it was tough to choose [between it and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia]. Ultimately, we felt that we're just not in a position to spread our resources. We launched our dramas one at a time, and launching two [comedies] like we did this summer just didn't work out as well." As of 2023, Sunny is in its sixteenth season on sister network FXX. |
21,525,238 | SM UB-44 | 1,172,007,891 | German Type UB II submarine | [
"1916 ships",
"German Type UB II submarines",
"Maritime incidents in 1916",
"Missing U-boats of World War I",
"U-boats commissioned in 1916",
"U-boats sunk in 1916",
"World War I submarines of Germany"
] | SM UB-44 was a Type UB II submarine or U-boat for the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. UB-44 operated in the Mediterranean and disappeared in August 1916.
UB-44 was ordered in July 1915 and was laid down at the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen in September. UB-44 was about 37 metres (121 ft 5 in) in length and displaced between 270 and 305 tonnes (266 and 300 long tons), depending on whether surfaced or submerged. She was equipped to carry a complement of four torpedoes for her two bow torpedo tubes and had an 5-centimeter (2.0 in) deck gun. As part of a group of six submarines selected for Mediterranean service, UB-44 was broken into railcar sized components and shipped to Pola where she was assembled and launched in April 1916 and commissioned in May.
In two patrols in her three-month career, UB-44 sank one ship of 3,409 gross register tons (GRT). In early August 1916, UB-44 departed from Cattaro for Hersingstand and never arrived. Her fate is officially unknown, but she may have been sunk by a torpedo boat near the island of Paxoi on 8 August.
## Design and construction
The German UB II design improved upon the design of the UB I boats, which had been ordered in September 1914. In service, the UB I boats were found to be too small and too slow. A major problem was that, because they had a single propeller shaft/engine combo, if either component failed, the U-boat became almost totally disabled. To rectify this flaw, the UB II boats featured twin propeller shafts and twin engines (one shaft for each engine), which also increased the U-boat's top speed. The new design also included more powerful batteries, larger torpedo tubes, and a deck gun. As a UB II boat, U-47 could also carry twice the torpedo load of her UB I counterparts, and nearly ten times as much fuel. To contain all of these changes the hull was larger, and the surface and submerged displacement was more than double that of the UB I boats.
The Imperial German Navy ordered UB-44 from AG Weser on 31 July 1915 as one of a series of six UB II boats (numbered from UB-42 to UB-47). UB-44 was 36.90 metres (121 ft 1 in) long and 4.37 metres (14 ft 4 in) abeam. She had a single hull with saddle tanks and had a draught of 3.68 metres (12 ft 1 in) when surfaced. She displaced 305 tonnes (300 long tons) while submerged but only 272 tonnes (268 long tons) on the surface.
The submarine was equipped with twin Daimler diesel engines and twin Siemens-Schuckert electric motors—for surfaced and submerged running, respectively—that drove one propeller shaft. UB-44 had a surface speed of up to 8.82 knots (16.33 km/h; 10.15 mph) and could go as fast as 6.22 knots (11.52 km/h; 7.16 mph) while underwater. The U-boat could carry up to 27 tonnes (27 long tons) of diesel fuel, giving her a range of 6,940 nautical miles (12,850 km; 7,990 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). Her electric motors and batteries provided a range of 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) while submerged.
UB-44 was equipped with two 50-centimeter (19.7 in) bow torpedo tubes and could carry four torpedoes. The U-boat was also armed with one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun.
UB-44 was laid down by AG Weser at its Bremen shipyard on 3 September 1915. As one of six U-boats selected for service in the Mediterranean while under construction, UB-44 was broken into railcar-sized components and shipped overland to the Austro-Hungarian port of Pola. Shipyard workers from Weser assembled the boat and her five sisters at Pola, where she was launched on 20 April 1916.
## Service career
SM UB-44 was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 11 May 1916 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Franz Wäger. UB-44, Wäger's fourth U-boat command, was assigned to the Navy's Pola Flotilla (German: Deutsche U-Halbflotille Pola). Although the flotilla was based in Pola, the site of the main Austro-Hungarian Navy base, boats of the flotilla operated out of the Austro-Hungarian base at Cattaro which was located farther south and closer to the Mediterranean. German U-boats typically returned to Pola only for repairs.
On 30 June, Wäger and UB-44 achieved their only success when they sank the steamer Moeris 46 nautical miles (85 km; 53 mi) southeast of Cape Sidero, Crete. The 3,409-gross register ton British steamer was carrying a general cargo from Glasgow for Alexandria when she went down with the loss of three men.
After Germany's conquest of Romania (see Romania during World War I), the German Imperial Navy had sufficient fuel oil for submarines located in the Black Sea. UB-44 and three of her sister ships in the Pola Flotilla were ordered to Constantinople and, en route, had to navigate through the Dardanelles, which had been heavily mined by the Allies in the middle of 1916. UB-44 departed from Cattaro on 8 August for Hersingstand (located on the Gallipoli peninsula) to pick up a pilot for the trip through the Dardanelles, but never arrived.
UB-44's fate is unknown. Two British post-war reports list UB-44 as falling victim to the Otranto Barrage on 30 July but, as author Dwight Messimer points out, German records record UB-44's departure from Cattaro nine days after that. Messimer reports that it is possible that UB-44 was sunk by the torpedo boat HMS 368 (probably the French TB368, based at Brindisi), which was reported by an Athenian newspaper as sinking a U-boat 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) on 8 August off Paxoi with a lance bomb.
## Summary of raiding history |
27,825,847 | Harry Kim (Star Trek) | 1,168,513,746 | Character from Star Trek: Voyager | [
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"Fictional musicians",
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"Starfleet ensigns",
"Starfleet officers",
"Television characters introduced in 1995"
] | Ensign Harry S. L. Kim is a fictional character who appeared in each of the seven seasons of the American television series Star Trek: Voyager. Portrayed by Garrett Wang, he is the Operations Officer aboard the Starfleet starship USS Voyager.
The character first appeared in the pilot episode of the series, "Caretaker". The character continued to appear throughout the series in a main cast role, with his final appearance in the finale, "Endgame". In that episode, an alternative future version of the character is seen as a Starfleet Captain. He is typically shown as being naive, especially in romantic situations, but gifted. The character finds the ship's first possible route home, and in one alternative future, he manages to develop a transwarp drive which allows him and Chakotay to travel home in a matter of hours but kills the rest of the crew. The producers had considered whether or not to kill off Kim during the third season. Wang subsequently reprised the role of Harry Kim for the fan-made Star Trek: Renegades.
## Concept and development
The character went through more than one name prior to casting, with it being called Jay Osaka at one point. The series bible for Star Trek: Voyager described Kim as being a sheltered individual who had sought to repay the love of his parents through fulfilling their expectations for him at Starfleet Academy. Winrich Kolbe, the director of the Voyager pilot "Caretaker", was involved in the casting process and found Kim difficult as there was not a great number of young Asian actors to choose from. He said that the role was an "inexperienced, naive character", and that the actor cast as Kim would need to fight to stay in the forefront of episodes.
At the time of the casting, Garrett Wang had only been acting for about a year and a half, and after he was cast in the role he was described by Kolbe as a "young, up-and-coming actor, but he needs to learn, and that's going to take some time. He's one of the actors who has to really work hard on his craft in order to keep up with the others." The naivety of the character was emphasized in the media reports, with TV Guide describing the character prior to the launch of the series as "green-around-the-gills".
Wang was enthusiastic about his new role, describing Kim's background by saying that "I had a stellar Starfleet Academy career and am basically the rookie on the bridge. I'm an Asian-American. There's the professional competence, but also the inner fear, 'Oh my God, are these britches too big for me?' His heritage is one of focus, of Zen and martial arts". Of the casting, he said that "My goal now is to do the best job possible playing Harry Kim and to begin repaying my parents for the unaccountable financial support they have given me throughout the years." The pilot of Voyager was broadcast on January 16, 1995.
Wang had initially gone along with the writing on the show until towards the end of the second season when he asked the production writers if he could have some action scenes and perhaps a romance. He had realised at the time that he was the only member of the main cast without a stunt double as he had never had an action scene that required one. This resulted in the Brannon Braga penned "Non Sequitur", to which Wang said to Rick Berman that there was not a need to give him all his requests in a single episode. Following that, he became more involved in suggestions for character direction, but the writers avoided giving Kim more of a comedic element similar to The Doctor (Robert Picardo) and Neelix (Ethan Phillips). Wang described himself as someone who tells jokes and makes impersonations on sets and was disappointed at not being able to utilise this nature. The producers at one point had planned to permanently kill off Harry Kim during season three, but after Wang was included in the People list of sexiest people alive 1997, the plan was abandoned.
By season five of Voyager, certain characters were seen by the production staff as being under-utilised, Kim amongst them. This led to episodes placing Kim, Chakotay and Tuvok in central positions, including the episode "Timeless" for the character of Kim. Wang was pleased with the episode, and felt that being able to act as the two different versions of Kim showed "a great dichotomy". Following the end of the show in 2001, Wang had felt that the character should have been promoted during the course of the series, but was told by producers that "someone's got to be the ensign".
## Appearances
Kim was born in 2349. After graduating from Starfleet Academy in 2370, his first assignment was as the Operations Officer aboard USS Voyager as seen in "Caretaker". Kim immediately became friends with Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) after he was assigned to the vessel for the mission which saw Voyager sent to track down a Maquis vessel in the Badlands. During this mission, the ship is sent some 70,000 light years into the Delta Quadrant, where Kim and B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) are abducted to an Ocampan medical facility. Both infected by an unknown ailment, they are rescued by and cured on Voyager on their escape from the underground city; they are cured on board . At the time of the stranding of the ship, Kim was engaged to be married, but Kim was encouraged to date other crew members by Paris.
In "Eye of the Needle", Kim found the ship's first contact back with the Alpha Quadrant when he discovered a micro-wormhole. It was discovered that it linked through to Romulan space some twenty years in the past. Kim twice travels through long-range transportation systems. In "Emanations", he is accidentally transported to the Vhnori homeworld by the effects of an alien burial system. He escapes the Vhnori and manages to go through the funeral system, terminating his life functions but returning him to Voyager in time to be revived. When the crew meet the Sikaris in "Prime Factors", Kim is the first crewman to be transported through their spatial trajector over a distance of some 40,000 light years. Ultimately the technology proves incompatible with Voyager's systems. On stardate 48693.2 (the episode "Heroes and Demons"), Kim is the first crewmember to be converted into energy by an alien creature appearing in a Beowulf holodeck programme. After the Doctor resolves the situation, Kim and two other crewmembers are restored.
Following a transporter accident, Kim awakes in San Francisco next to his fiancée, Libby (Jennifer Gatti) in the episode "Non Sequitur". He finds that he never travelled on board Voyager, and nor did Paris. After being contacted by an alien, he discovers that the transporter interacted with an alien "time-stream" and sent him into an alternative reality. After he receives assistance from Paris and the alien, he manages to restore the timeline and return to Voyager. During the episode "Persistence of Vision", Kim hallucinates Libby after Voyager attempts to enter Bothan space. On stardate 49548.7, Voyager enters a plasma cloud to avoid Vidiian vessels in "Deadlock". It is damaged, and Kim is sucked out through a hull breach into space and killed, while Naomi Wildman dies shortly after being born. The crew then find a duplicate Voyager in better condition occupying the same space but slightly out of phase. When the Vidiians attack the other Voyager, the alternative Kim is sent to the damaged version of the ship carrying the living Naomi Wildman shortly before the alternative Voyager self-destructs. This destroys the two Vidiian vessels, and the damaged version of Voyager continues on its way, carrying a different version of Kim and Wildman.
Whilst on shore leave on Akritiri, Kim and Paris are falsely accused of a terrorist bombing. They are imprisoned on a space station, while the Voyager crew track down the real offenders, who help them rescue their crewmen (episode "The Chute".) Whilst the crew are studying a nebula ("Alter Ego"), Kim and Tuvok both become romantically attached to a holodeck character; she is revealed to be controlled by an alien on a nearby space station. Kim becomes infected with Taresian DNA leading him to suspect that he may be a member of their species in "Favorite Son". But after discovering that it is all a ploy to extract his genetic material, he is saved by Voyager. In an alternative future seen in "Before and After", Tom Paris and Kes (Jennifer Lien) marry, and give birth to a daughter Linnis (Jessica Collins). Linnis and Kim marry, beget a child, Andrew Kim.
Kim becomes infected after being attacked by a member of Species 8472 whilst as a member of an away team aboard a Borg Cube in "Scorpion". He is cured by the Doctor after the hologram develops a process utilising Borg nano-probes. He is initially apprehensive working with the former Borg Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) but soon forms a new friendship. Following the events of "Demon", Kim is one of the first crewmembers to be duplicated by an alien entity on a class-Y planet. The duplicate crew are later killed after they leave the planet, and forget that they are duplicates. The duplicate version of Kim is the last captain of the ship, before deciding to drop out of warp by ejecting the warp core, destroying it. Kim develops a transwarp drive in "Timeless", which should allow Voyager to return to the Alpha Quadrant in hours. During the trip home, the ship is destroyed but Kim and Chakotay make it through on a shuttle. Years later, an older Kim and Chakotay find the destroyed Voyager and Kim manages to send a message back in time to Seven of Nine, averting the disaster and resetting the timeline.
Kim becomes infected with a bio-chemical bond after having sex with a Varro named Tal (Musetta Vander) in "The Disease" and chooses to go through the withdrawals without treatment. Alongside Tom Paris, Kim creates an Irish village holodeck program in "Fair Haven". This later causes problems when the holodeck characters begin to recognise changes made to the program and that the Starfleet crew are not from their "world". Kim is once again imprisoned by an alien race in "Body and Soul when he is part of the crew on the Delta Flyer which is captured by the Lokirrim for transporting a hologram through their space. Whilst on another mission in the Delta Flyer in "Nightingale", Kim takes command of an Kraylor vessel, wanting to show that he can command after spending the past seven years as an Ensign on board Voyager. He manages to return the ship to its homeworld, evading an Annari fleet en route. In "Prophecy", Kim is sexually pursued by the Klingon Ch'Rega (Peggy Jo Jacobs); she later chooses Neelix instead. In the alternative future seen at the start of the series finale, "Endgame", Kim has been promoted to the rank of Captain aboard the USS Rhode Island. He attempts to convince Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) out of her plan to travel back in time to help Voyager return home, but instead helps her when a Klingon vessel attacks her shuttle.
### Voyager relaunch novels
A series of non-canon novels were launched in 2003 by Pocket Books set after the return of Voyager to the Alpha Quadrant. In these novels, Harry Kim is promoted to Lieutenant and assigned as Security Chief onboard Voyager under Captain Chakotay. In the Star Trek: Online spin-off novel The Needs of the Many, published in 2010, Harry Kim is the commanding officer of Starbase 11 in the year 2400.
### Mentions in other media
When discussing a new Star Trek series with his father, Hal, Harry is referred to as Admiral Kim, by Packard Campbell, the main protagonist of Rod R Garcia's 2022 novel, 'indGame'.
## Reception
The mothering nature of Janeway on Kim has been described by reviewers, with the crew forming a type of family network which has Kim as a surrogate son. His separation from his nuclear family at a young age is described as cruel, and Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok are highlighted as his de facto parents in the series. This motherly position was described by Michelle Erica Green in her review of the episode "The Disease" for TrekNation, who described certain scenes as Kim needing to request permission from "Mommy" in order to have a relationship with an alien. She felt that the disease itself caused the character to grow a "backbone" as he had rarely asserted himself previously to the Captain.
Kim has been used to show the multiculturalism of Star Trek: Voyager. One scene, described by Elisabeth Anne Leonard, in the episode "Faces," featured a sweeping shot around the command table of Janeway, Chakotay, Tuvok, and Kim, showing a Caucasian race woman, a Native American, a man of Asian descent and a black Vulcan in a single shot. Kim's persistent optimism has been highlighted, with him being one of the few characters in the series who by the seventh series still believed that they would return home in their lifetime. Kim seemed to be frequently captured by alien species during the course of the series to the extent that it was described as one of the typical storylines seen in Voyager during an overview by The A.V. Club.
The authors of the book Deep Space and Sacred Time: Star Trek in the American Mythos state that the episode "Deadlock," which featured the death of Kim, was one of several examples in the Star Trek franchise where the death of a major character is reversed by a parallel existence. Other examples included in The Next Generation with the return of Tasha Yar in "Yesterday's Enterprise" and the death of Miles O'Brien in the Deep Space Nine episode "Visionary". They felt that Kim also shared another similarity with "Yesterday's Enterprise" in that in the episode "Non Sequitur", he feels that reality has been changed – which was similar to the experience that Guinan felt in The Next Generation episode.
Amongst Kim's relationships included the relationship with a character on the ship's holodeck in the episode "Alter Ego", but after building a rivalry for the character's affections with Tuvok, he becomes disinterested after finding out that the character was being played by a real person. This relationship was highlighted as an example of how Star Trek describes the ideal woman as an "objectified embodiment of male desire with no inner self to complicate the so-called relationship that a man may have with her".
Juliette Harrisson for the website Den of Geek described "Timeless" as the best Harry Kim episode, and was the third best episode of Voyager overall. She said that "Wang’s bitter, emotionally scarred performance holds together an hour which also features some lovely imagery". Episodes centering on Kim were included in io9's list of the worst holodeck related episodes in Star Trek. These included "The Thaw", with the worst moment described as "the Harry Kim baby thing". Other episodes highlighted as bad included "Fair Haven" while it stated that it skipped the first season "Heroes and Demons". Wang later returned to Star Trek in fan-made productions and to the role of Harry Kim in Star Trek: Renegades, alongside Manu Intiraymi and Tim Russ from Voyager.
In 2017, Screen Rant ranked the Harry the 11th most attractive person in the Star Trek universe. In 2018, CBR ranked Harry Kim the 24th best Starfleet character of Star Trek. |
8,239,125 | Mercedes McQueen | 1,173,772,959 | Fictional character from Hollyoaks | [
"British female characters in television",
"Female villains",
"Fictional bartenders",
"Fictional blackmailers",
"Fictional characters incorrectly presumed dead",
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"Fictional fraudsters",
"Fictional hostages and kidnapped people",
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"Hollyoaks characters",
"McQueen family",
"Television characters introduced in 2006"
] | Mercedes McQueen (also Owen, Fisher and Browning) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jennifer Metcalfe. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 19 June 2006 as the first character to be introduced to the series by series producer, Bryan Kirkwood. In 2008 Metcalfe feared that the character was to be axed but was later reassured by the series producer that she would not be. Metcalfe later stated her intention to stay with the series. Mercedes is part of the McQueen family and is the longest serving McQueen on the series. On 26 August 2014, it was revealed that Metcalfe had decided to quit the soap. On 20 November 2014, Mercedes was presumably stabbed to death, with her body discarded. However, Metcalfe returned to screens on 17 February 2015 in a surprise, unannounced twist which saw Mercedes revealed as alive and well, living in Nice, France. It was announced that Mercedes would make a full-time return to the show in May 2015, after brief appearances on 18 February, 9 March, and 6 April. Metcalfe announced her pregnancy in 2017 and revealed that she would be taking a year's break from the show. Mercedes was last seen on screen leaving with Goldie McQueen (Chelsee Healey) on 4 July 2017, although she briefly appeared on 7 September 2017 in a fake flashback scene involving her and Amy Barnes (Ashley Slanina-Davies) surmised by James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan). Mercedes returned on 9 July 2018, and then made several other appearances before returning permanently on 13 August.
Mercedes is described as a "savvy, ballsy girl that can't say no and is unapologetic about it". She is played as having moments of happiness which she ruins for herself and as managing to justify "whatever she does that's bad". Throughout her time on the series, Mercedes' storylines have centered on her relationships. These include her marriages to Russ Owen (Stuart Manning), Malachy Fisher (Glen Wallace) and Dr. Paul Browning (Joseph Thompson), with her second marriage involving her in an HIV storyline, an engagement to Riley Costello (Rob Norbury) and a committed relationship with Joe Roscoe (Ayden Callaghan). She has also been central to several affairs which included Calvin Valentine (Ricky Whittle), her sister's husband, and Riley's father Carl (Paul Opacic). Following the revelation of her affair with Carl on her wedding day to Riley, Mercedes was at the centre of a kidnapping storyline when she was held against her will by Riley's serial killer grandfather, Silas Blissett (Jeff Rawle), before going into labour, giving birth to a boy as a result of the stress. Following her ordeal Mercedes briefly turned to prostitution. When Mitzeee (Rachel Shenton) grows close to Riley, Mercedes begins to stalk her. During the culmination of the plot, in "pure desperation" Mercedes stabs herself and Mitzeee is blamed. Mercedes' friend, Lynsey Nolan (Karen Hassan), discovers Mercedes' stalking of Mitzeee and stabbing of herself. Lynsey is later murdered in a "whodunit" storyline with Mercedes becoming a suspect in her murder. It is later revealed Mercedes' partner Doctor Browning killed Lynsey to protect Mercedes and in October 2013, Mercedes, Cindy Cunningham (Stephanie Waring) and Lindsey Butterfield (Sophie Austin) attacked, murdered and covered up the murder of Doctor Browning. In the run-up to her 2014 departure, Mercedes was involved in feuds with Freddie Roscoe (Charlie Clapham) and Grace Black (Tamara Wall) and mourning for her sister Carmel (Gemma Merna) following a train crash, which Mercedes was also involved in. Since her return in February 2015, her storylines have included reuniting with her family, her relationship with Joe and delivering a stillborn son named Gabriel, exposing Lindsey as the Gloved Hand Killer, Silas returning and targeting her again, and her feud with Joanne Cardsley (Rachel Leskovac) over Joe, who later dies during the show's "Halloween Spooktacular" episodes. In late 2019, the character finds herself at the centre of another "whodunit" storyline, "Who Shot Mercedes?", where she is shot having angered numerous residents.
Metcalfe has received numerous awards and nominations for her portrayal of Mercedes. Metcalfe has been praised by the British press for her performance in the role. The character has also been praised and criticised by the British press, for her numerous relationships and affairs, her appearance, her status as a "slapper" and her penchant for finding herself in "terrifying situations."
## Character creation and casting
Mercedes was created by producer Bryan Kirkwood, as part of his rejuvenation of Hollyoaks in 2006, which included the creation of his "brainchild" the McQueen family. She was the first character created by Kirkwood during his tenure as executive producer. Jennifer Metcalfe, who had previously been considered for the role of Clare Devine (Gemma Bissix) before Mercedes was created, successfully auditioned for the role. Kirkwood credited Metcalfe with making the character her own and with bringing Mercedes to life.
Metcalfe reported that she was "put forward for Hollyoaks" but had to audition eight times before she was offered the role. She later revealed that when creating the part she took "inspiration" from several places, most prominently from Eva Longoria's role in Desperate Housewives as Gabrielle Solis. In 2008, due to her character's HIV scare, Metcalfe feared she was to going to be fired from the serial and had to seek reassurance from the producer that her fears were unfounded. In 2011 Metcalfe stated her plans to stay with the serial indefinitely, saying, "I never get bored or lose interest" with her storylines and scripts. In 2012, Kirkwood said that due to Metcalfe being the first actress he cast in Hollyoaks he was "so chuffed that she's becoming a real star". He added that "telling stories for Mercedes is as exciting now as it was on day one". In 2013, Metcalfe revealed to The Mirror that she was proud of portraying the character "everyone loves to hate". In May 2013, Metcalfe signed a new contract keeping her on the soap for at least another year. In 2020, Metcalfe signed a new contract that would keep her in the soap until at least September 2021.
## Development
### Characterisation
Kirkwood branded Mercedes "a savvy, ballsy girl that can't say no and is unapologetic about it". Metcalfe has described Mercedes as someone who "hates every woman in Hollyoaks" except her own sisters, and as someone who talks too much and has a "mouth like a foghorn". She went on to say that Mercedes "always looks after her family and would never do anything to deliberately hurt them. Mercedes' heart is definitely in the right place". Metcalfe observed that Mercedes is "completely mad" and she "just does whatever she feels like doing at the time. She doesn't exactly think things through". Metcalfe further explained that Mercedes did not "consider consequences", which led her to unintentionally "destroy everything". She elaborated on this, saying that Mercedes never has a happy ending "because she can't. I don't think with Mercedes there is ever a happy ending. Just when something might go her way or something's going to go right for her, she destroys it". She said that her character is "used to getting her own way" so she thought that despite her actions, "everything will turn out right in the end". She opined that Mercedes was at her best in this state, being "minxy and destructive". Metcalfe described Mercedes in this way: "Whatever she does that's bad, she manages to justify in her head. She doesn't have much self-worth and she knows what she's like". Metcalfe also expressed the hope that Mercedes could be happy "free and single". She explained that Mercedes was unable to remain happy, saying: "she has moments of happiness but ruins them herself". She went on to explain that due to Mercedes' first love having "messed her up", Mercedes behaved "the way she is where men are concerned". She further explained that Mercedes believed she could change but was disappointed when she could not. Metcalfe said, "When she says that she's going to change, she actually means it; she just can't sustain it."
A reporter for E4's official website described Mercedes saying "She's no angel but the Village would be far less entertaining without our Mercedes. This glamorous McQueen can't seem to keep herself out of trouble – more often than not due to her tendency to hop into bed with those she shouldn't!" They later said Mercedes is invincible, as "no matter evils she perpetrates, somehow she still manages to come out smelling of roses". Hollyoaks international broadcaster BBC America has described Mercedes stating: "Cocky, confident, and mean with a right hook, Mercedes McQueen isn't afraid of anyone, especially not a man. She knows what effects her assets have on the opposite sex, and she always gets what she wants". What's on TV described her as the "man-eater of the McQueen clan" who will not "take any nonsense" and is not "shy when it comes to a scrap!" Digital Spy described Mercedes as "known for her fiery temper and sharp tongue". Mercedes has also been described as "mouthy", a "bitchy maneater", "feisty", "troubled", "gorgeous", a "sultry siren" and "spirited" by various media sources.
### Relationships
#### Russ Owen
Despite Mercedes' relationship with Russ Owen (Stuart Manning), she had sex with Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas) and feeling guilty, proposed to Russ which he accepted. Metcalfe felt Mercedes might again stray with "Warren hanging around on the sidelines" although she hoped Mercedes would remain faithful to Russ. Mercedes and Russ marry despite the ceremony being interrupted by Louise Summers (Roxanne McKee). Looking back at the wedding, Metcalfe commented that the wedding "didn't go smoothly". Warren was accused of attempting to murder Clare Devine (Gemma Bissix), but his innocence and her infidelity was established when it was revealed that they were together the night Clare was attacked. Metcalfe said that "although Mercedes knew she was taking a risk by sleeping with Warren, she genuinely thought she'd get away with it". She opined that after her and Russ' "honeymoon period" ended, Mercedes felt guilty and considered "spilling the beans", although Metcalfe was not sure she would tell the truth about her affair with Russ.
During Russ' trial, Mercedes decided to go to the court to testify for him due to Nancy Hayton (Jessica Fox), who explained to Mercedes that her sister died because Justin Burton (Chris Fountain) was "too gutless to come forward and tell the truth". This encouraged Mercedes to "take a long, hard look at herself", and she realized that she was doing the same thing in the situation with Warren. On her way to the court, however, Mercedes was "all over the place". According to Metcalfe, everyone was shocked when Mercedes walked into the courtroom. She said that Mercedes was unsure of what she was going to tell the court, "but her alibi is vital to Warren's case – his fate lies in her hands". Metcalfe said that even if Mercedes and Russ ended their relationship, which they did shortly after she confessed the truth, would not matter because she believed that it would not take Mercedes "long before she goes back to her old ways" because "that's just the type of person she is – Mercedes likes playing the field and having fun, and no man's going to change her"
#### Tony Hutchinson
Although Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) was in a relationship with Mercedes' sister, Jacqui (Claire Cooper), he and Mercedes had sex. Metcalfe explained this was because Mercedes was intoxicated and unaware of her actions, "but she was also furious at Jacqui for giving her a slap". Metcalfe explained that when Mercedes woke up, she was in disbelief about the events of the previous night and felt "appalled". She added that Mercedes did not fancy Tony and that they did not even like each other, which was why "neither of them can understand what happened between them". Regarding Mercedes' feelings about hurting Jacqui, Metcalfe stated: "Mercedes hates herself for it. She feels incredibly guilty and ashamed of what she's done. It's surprising Jacqui doesn't guess something is wrong because Mercedes can't look her in the eye".
Mercedes discovered she has fallen pregnant, which left her "totally devastated". Metcalfe expressed that Mercedes "felt bad enough about sleeping with Tony. Finding out she's pregnant is a nightmare". Mercedes informed Tony about the pregnancy, despite their dislike for each other, because she felt he had the right to know. According to Metcalfe, Mercedes considered giving her baby to her sister, since Jacqui was unable to have children but wanted to become a mother, but did not tell Jacqui the baby's paternity. Metcalfe also felt that Mercedes decided against giving Jacqui the baby because Mercedes was unable to "cope" with the baby's paternity, and would be more willing to give Jacqui the baby if Tony was not the father. When asked if Mercedes would keep the baby herself, Metcalfe said, "She would if it was Russ' or maybe even the product of a one-night stand. But Tony's baby and all the baggage that comes with that? No thanks!" Mercedes decided to terminate the pregnancy. When asked how she thought Jacqui would react if she found out that Tony was the father, Metcalfe said Jacqui would "go a bit psycho". She also said that it would take a long time for Jacqui to forgive Mercedes if she discovered the truth.
#### Malachy Fisher
Mercedes began a relationship with Malachy Fisher (Glen Wallace). He proposed marriage to her, but she refused. Mercedes has sex with a stranger; Metcalfe remarked, "Sex usually makes her forget about everything else that's going on. But afterwards she still can't stop thinking about Malachy, so she decides to go and see him to work out how she feels". Mercedes subsequently accepted Malachy's proposal and they marry. Mercedes found that she did not contract HIV from Malachy.
Complications in Mercedes' relationship with Malachy occurred when she begins an affair with Calvin Valentine (Ricky Whittle) while working with him at The Loft. Metcalfe expressed that she had initial "reservations" about the storyline which she felt was "far-fetched", adding that once she had begun filming the scenes she thought the plot was "brilliant" even though she felt Mercedes would be perceived as a "bitch". Whittle expressed similar doubts, saying he felt it was "a bit out of character" for Calvin, although he felt the plot was "exciting". At first the pair did not like each other, but after spending time together, they realized that there was more to their personalities than they initially thought. Whittle explained that the attraction between Mercedes and Calvin began "building", to the point that she and Malachy have "a massive row" and Calvin comforts her; Whittle stated that "the next thing you know they’re tearing each other’s clothes off".
According to Metcalfe, Mercedes did not want to have an affair and was not "looking for someone else", stating, "Malachy's been working hard to provide for them and he hasn’t had a lot of time for her". Turning to Calvin, she confided in him and they kiss. Whittle added that the affair had become more serious and their chemistry was "more than just physical". Also according to Metcalfe, "Every three months Mercedes has to have an HIV test and, yes, it is making her resent Malachy a bit. She can’t help wondering what it would be like to be with someone like Calvin who isn't HIV positive", even though she felt "guilty". When Mercedes learned that she has to be retested for HIV, she feared that the test would be positive. Initially, she did not tell Malachy about it, but eventually "snaps" at him, telling him she "won't forgive him" if she has contracted HIV. The test was negative which was a "huge relief" for them.
Malachy later witnessed Mercedes and Calvin kissing but did not interrupt them. Wallace felt this was because he truly loved Mercedes and had accepted that "his life is much better with Mercedes in it". Whittle explained that Malachy tested Mercedes and Calvin because he wanted to discover if "what he saw was a one-off or more serious". The pair failed the test and Mercedes, fearing that Malachy knew the truth, told Calvin that they had to end their affair, "but they simply can't stay away from each other". He added that the relationship could become more serious for Calvin as "he's in danger of really falling for her". Mercedes began to develop feelings for Calvin who did not expect Mercedes to develop "such deep feelings" for him. When Calvin rejected Mercedes she informed Calvin's sister Sasha Valentine (Nathalie Emmanuel) that Calvin left Sasha's then-boyfriend Warren to die in a fire; Sasha responded to the revelation by throwing Calvin out of their home. Not being able to "get past what happened with Warren", Calvin and Carmel decide to end their relationship. Calvin confronted Mercedes, who "tells him that he's ruined her life and warns that she's going to do the same to him".
Calvin and Carmel become reunited and plan to remarry. Metcalfe told a What's on TV reporter that Mercedes was unable to accept Calvin loved Carmel more than her because "in her head, he doesn't. She can't think rationally about this. Her thing for Calvin is an obsession now". Mercedes tried to prevent the wedding going forward, including by anonymously threatening Calvin and by canceling the wedding plans. Calvin discovered that Mercedes was behind the threats, and the pair go on to have a "day of passion"; Metcalfe explained that their relationship is "all about the sex". Mercedes tried everything to convince Calvin not to go through with the wedding. As Metcalfe stated, "They talk, shout and cry and she tells him she loves him". Mercedes told Calvin, who "just sat there like a puppy, being manipulated by her", that he should marry her instead, and he agreed and promised to tell Carmel. Mercedes later discovered that he has not told Carmel and she can not "believe he's chosen Carmel over her". Calvin was killed on his wedding day; Metcalfe revealed to What's on TV that Mercedes has "got it in her" to kill Calvin. She added that her character still loves Malachy, but Malachy and Mercedes end their relationship. Mercedes' cousin Theresa (Jorgie Porter) was later found to have shot Calvin.
Mercedes lied that she has contracted HIV from Malachy who ends his relationship with Lynsey Nolan (Karen Hassan) to reunite with Mercedes. When Malachy discovered her lies, he hit Mercedes, who felt, according to Metcalfe, that she "deserved it" because she was "awful" and "the lies she told were just disgusting. She doesn't resent Malachy for hitting her at all". Mercedes reconciled with Malachy; Metcalfe explained that Mercedes still loved Malachy but was unable to stay away from other men. She added that seeing Malachy with Lynsey helped Mercedes "realize" how much she loved him. After Malachy is injured in an explosion, Metcalfe explained that Mercedes regretted her affair with Calvin and she "desperately" wanted the chance to "make things work" with Malachy. She added that if he died, Mercedes would find it difficult to live with her guilt. If Malachy were to die Mercedes would be "devastated" as he was "the only positive thing in her life. [...] She thinks that she's nothing without him". Malachy died. Metcalfe felt that when Malachy shielded Mercedes from the explosion by throwing himself over her it "proves to her how much he loves her. She knows that's special and regrets she ever took him and his love granted". Metcalfe felt that she and Wallace "had amazing storylines", opining that Malachy's death was the most emotional scene she had filmed while with the serial.
#### Riley and Carl Costello
Mercedes' next relationship was with Riley Costello (Rob Norbury); their first romantic encounter occurred in the episodes following Malachy's death. Metcalfe believed that this behavior was typical of Mercedes. Malachy had died and rather than "moping" about she chooses to get on with her life. Riley filled the role of giving Mercedes some attention "when she needs it most". The serial introduced complications with Riley and Mercedes' relationship with the introduction of Riley's father Carl Costello (Paul Opacic). Carl's disapproval of Mercedes created tension between them and she "hits a nerve" by jibing Carl. Metcalfe explained that Mercedes asked Carl what he would do if she stayed with Riley. In an effort to "wind him up", Mercedes suggested that she and Carl sleep together; Metcalfe stated that it was "obvious he's tempted", and Mercedes and Carl start an affair. Opacic told a reporter from Inside Soap that Mercedes and Carl felt guilty about their tryst, but suggested that viewers keep watching to see if the two could "stay away from each other". He added that while Riley believed Mercedes was "the girl of his dreams", Carl believed that Mercedes was not "good enough" for his son.
Mercedes and Riley become engaged. Riley's brother Seth Costello (Miles Higson) discovered that she and his father had an affair, so she lied about falling pregnant to prevent the truth from coming out. On the advice from her mother Myra McQueen (Nicole Barber-Lane), Mercedes planned to fake a miscarriage, but Mercedes' sister Jacqui discovered the affair and Mercedes' intention to fake a miscarriage. Jacqui was "disgusted" and threatened to expose the affair; Metcalfe commented that this left Mercedes feeling like her "world could collapse around her at any moment". "On eggshells" after Jacqui's discovery, Mercedes believed Jacqui would expose the affair. Metcalfe described Jacqui's attitude towards Mercedes, stating, "Jacqui knows what Mercedes is, she knows what she's like – but she resorts to judging her because she's just trying to support her". Metcalfe explained that if Jacqui kept the affair secret Mercedes would be "relieved" that she still has Riley, and although she would not immediately think of Carl, Mercedes was worried that "they could end up in bed together again". Metcalfe went on to say that Mercedes "loves Riley" but "can't help fancying Carl", adding that for Mercedes "there's a difference between love and lust".
The Daily Star announced that after lying about being pregnant for several weeks, Mercedes was to launch a "vicious" attack on Mitzeee (Rachel Shenton), saying she tried to make up for her "mistake" by "turning on the tears and apologising". Metcalfe felt that Riley and Mercedes would "fall out big time" because of Mercedes' attack on Mitzeee. Mercedes discovered she had actually become pregnant but was unsure of the child's paternity. Metcalfe commented that the storyline had "got interesting" due to Mercedes' pregnancy. During the storyline Metcalfe wore a prosthetic baby bump which she found "uncomfortable".
During the fourth series of the late-night spin-off show, Hollyoaks Later, Mercedes' past was explored when she goes to Ibiza to celebrate her hen night. While there, she was reunited with Johnny (Chris Coghill), her first love. Metcalfe said this caused a "real mix of emotions for Mercedes". She went on to elaborate that there was a lot her character wanted to say to Johnny but "at the same time she doesn't see the point. There's a lot of anger there. But there's also a lot of excitement for Mercedes as she sees him again because he was the guy who won her heart for the first time. The storyline also explains why Mercedes is the way she is now". Mercedes and Johnny kissed, which Metcalfe said was them just "getting lost in the moment" and was partly due to Mercedes having doubts about Riley's fidelity. She added that Mercedes and Johnny spend time "just talking and reliving the old times, especially how he won her over in the past".
The storyline was concluded with a week's worth of episodes focusing on the pair's wedding and fallout. A trailer, which took over 15 hours to film, was produced to promote the episodes and featured several characters dressed in black and who could expose her affair with Carl, watching Mercedes go down the aisle. During the trailer Mercedes cried a black tear, done by the show's make-up artists putting black paint in Metcalfe's eye. Norbury opined that Riley was caught up in planning the wedding and that his feelings for Mercedes were "very strong", adding that Riley "loves her to bits and he thinks that she's everything". In the lead up to the wedding it was shown that potential guests who could reveal the affair included Jacqui, Seth, Carl, Mercedes, Warren, Mitzeee and Doug Carter (PJ Brennan).
On her wedding day to Riley, Mercedes was the one who exposes the affair. Metcalfe said this was because when Mercedes looked into Riley's eyes she "couldn't help it" because of her love for him, and because Jacqui's entrance "just tipped her over the edge". Metcalfe went on to say that she did not think Mercedes "thought about it" when revealing the affair, but if she had thought it through she would not have revealed the secret. Metcalfe postulated that there would be "huge repercussions" from the events, explaining that her following storylines "all stem from the wedding". Metcalfe added that she did not "fancy" the chances of a reunion for Mercedes and Riley although the actress would have liked one. Metcalfe commented that she "loved" the storyline and with working with Norbury.
#### Doctor Browning
Lynsey is found dead by Brendan Brady (Emmett J. Scanlan) in June 2012. Her death sparked a "whodunit storyline" with Mercedes in the frame for her murder. Digital Spy explained her motives stating, "Mercedes has also become increasingly deranged in recent weeks and wanted to keep Lynsey quiet after she discovered the truth about her stalking of Mitzeee". A promotional image featuring Mercedes was later released by Hollyoaks which confirmed Mercedes as an official suspect in the mystery. Mercedes entered a relationship with Doctor Browning, who had previously paid her for sex, in an attempt to make Riley jealous. Smithwick told Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy that she "was nervous about the union of the dark soul mates, Mercy and Browning, but their chemistry is so watchable – that story is pretty dark". Mercedes began to "fall for the charms" of Doctor Browning, believing she had "landed on her feet" when he invited her to a charity ball. Metcalfe commented that Mercedes began to think he could provide her with the WAG life style that she had always wanted. She added that Mercedes still had feelings for Riley and was "being very sneaky" in her attempts to win him back. She explained that Mercedes "still wants Riley back but, as we know, when she has everything she desires, she still craves a bit of danger". Thompson elaborated on this, saying Mercedes "thinks she wants the quiet life with Riley, but Dr Browning offers an exciting alternative for her, he knows what makes her tick, and the two of them are excited by how dangerous the other is". On Doctor Browning's feelings for Mercedes, Thompson said: "he's fallen for her and will do whatever it takes to be with her. He thinks if he spends enough time with Mercy, he'll win her around". When Doctor Browning witnessed Riley kiss Mercedes "it becomes a question of how much he can take" and he decided he must "make a quick move" to prevent them reuniting. To do this he takes Mercedes to a shooting range, Thompson explained that there she "realises there's an undeniable connection between them". He added that the couple are "kindred spirits" and Mercedes spending time with him made her rethink their relationship. Thompson said "it seemed to be written in the stars that Mercedes and Riley will get back together – but Dr Browning won't let that happen" and to do this he threatened Riley. Thompson claimed that due to Doctor Browning having incriminating evidence showing that Mercedes discharged herself at the time Lynsey was murdered it gives him "real power, she thinks she's in control, but she might just be underestimating Dr Browning..." Metcalfe said that she feels Doctor Browning is Mercedes soul mate, explaining that "he gives as good as he gets and I think that's really good for my character". On who Mercedes loves more out of Doctor Browning and Riley, Metcalfe said "it's Doctor Browning all the way for her, i think he really took her by storm and she absolutely adores him". On 17 August 2012 during E4's first look episode it was revealed Doctor Browning had killed Lynsey. Hollyoaks' official website said Doctor Browning's motives in killing Lynsey were "presumably to protect Mercedes".
Mercedes and Riley reunite but when she discovers Riley does not love her she kidnaps Bobby in revenge and blames it on a Mitzeee, who has recently escaped from prison. Metcalfe said Mercedes does not have "any regrets whatsoever. I think she does what she does at the time for a reason and she'll deal with the consequences later". Mercedes is arrested when Myra reports her to the police. Riley is shortly after shot dead. Mercedes is put on trial for two counts of perverting the course of justice, one for the kidnap and one for stabbing herself. Digital Spy's Kilkelly reported that Mercedes' lawyer, Jim McGinn (Dan Tetsell), would advise Mercedes to blame Riley for the crimes as he can not defend himself. Mercedes reluctantly agrees and tells the courtroom that Riley stabbed her and was abusive towards her. Metcalfe felt the scenes were "great to film", adding that "the writers came up with some brilliant material". However, she felt the scenes were "challenging" to film as Mercedes "completely breaks down and says how bad Riley was. From the audience's point of view, it's really going to be quite shocking". The actress added that Mercedes "does feel guilty about it, but only as guilty as Mercedes can ever feel. So she gets over it very quickly!" During the trial Jim suggests that Riley killed Lynsey and that Doctor Browning is innocent. Doctor Browning appears at the trial to give evidence, which Metcalfe revealed is "a total surprise. I don't think she knows how she'll react until she actually sees him, and when she does they're back in that moment when he was dragged away from her. She really did fall for him hook, line and sinker".
### Kidnap by Silas Blissett and prostitution
On 16 October 2011, it was revealed that Mercedes' next storyline, following straight on from her wedding to Riley, would focus on her kidnapping by Riley's serial killing grandfather, Silas Blissett (Jeff Rawle). On Mercedes' wedding day to Riley, Silas kidnapped her in a "shock storyline twist" after Mercedes revealed her affair with Carl. This storyline was for Rawle who had announced his story climax and departure from the series in August 2011. Metcalfe had previously teased that Mercedes might have to watch her back around Silas in the future. Silas planned to hold Mercedes until after she gave birth. According to Metcalfe in a Digital Spy interview, Mercedes felt "pure fear" throughout her ordeal and that she "thinks that she's going to die and she fears that her baby will die too". Metcalfe opined that viewers would see Mercedes "go through different emotions" during her ordeal, explaining that she went from "begging", to "breaking down crying", to exhaustion. She added that the storyline was "a little bit" dark, but did not reveal whether or not Mercedes would survive her kidnapping. Metcalfe also stated that a special set was built in which the kidnapping scenes were filmed over five days.
On 19 December 2011, it was announced by Digital Spy that Mercedes would put her difficult year behind her and Lynsey would become a source of support for Mercedes. It was revealed that Mercedes would be tempted when a "charming doctor arrives on the scene and shows her the benefits of 'selling her services'". Mercedes began working as an escort; Metcalfe explaining, "Mercedes signs up with an escort agency to try to earn some quick cash. She reckons it's the only thing she'll ever be good at, but it's clear that she hasn't stopped to think it all through".
While Mercedes is on an escorting job, Lynsey confronted her and tried to convince Mercedes not to go through with it. Metcalfe told an Inside Soap reporter that this left Mercedes "devastated" as she has "built up the courage to go through with it". Metcalfe went onto tease that things will get "darker" for her character. Mercedes became depressed and her sister Jacqui decided to help her. Mercedes attempted to seduce Jacqui's husband Rhys Ashworth (Andrew Moss), who told Jacqui. Cooper said Jacqui "knows what state of mind" Mercedes was in and "lays into" Mercedes, who revealed she has been working as a prostitute. Cooper explained Jacqui's reaction is "pretty harsh" and that she thought Mercedes was a "promiscuous tart and a pathetic excuse for a woman" with "no morals". Cooper said Jacqui had "given Mercedes chance after chance, and feels that she doesn't deserve anything more".
In another twist Mercedes discovered that Silas would not be put on trial and would instead be put in an institute for the insane. Metcalfe said this left her alter ego feeling "very let down" as a trial would be the opportunity for Mercedes to "tell the world about the terrible things Silas did and make sure that he got punished". She went on to say that Mercedes felt like Silas was "getting away with it". Metcalfe explained that Mercedes feared that Silas would escape and explained that Mercedes never recovered from her ordeal but did what she usually did: "put it in a box and tried to forget about it. If Mercedes dwelt on all the bad things she's been through, she'd go crazy. That box must be full now".
Metcalfe told Katy Moon from Inside Soap that to forget about the situation Mercedes "wants to feel numb" and as a means of "escape" she called Doctor Browning, which left her feeling "awful". Metcalfe explained that Mercedes was in "self destruct mode" and she "hates herself" for having sex with Doctor Browning, although she does not take money this time. Metcalfe justified Mercedes' actions by saying Mercedes was "looking for any distraction, any way to escape her demons". Mercedes took a business man back to her hotel room where "things end badly"; she locked herself in the bathroom and refused to come out. As Metcalfe explained, Lynsey soon arrived to comfort her, and came to her "rescue when she's at her lowest point. Lynsey can see how broken Mercedes is". On the friendship, Metcalfe said that the "characters are like chalk and cheese, which I think works well", while Hassan said the characters "have this kind of prickly friendship". She added that they have "a lot of things in common, but they’re very different people. It’s almost like they shouldn’t be friends, but opposites attract. Lynsey sees qualities in Mercy that she kind of wishes she had herself. Mercy’s very straight-talking, she’s quite ballsy and calls a spade a spade, and sometimes Lynsey wishes she had a bit of that gusto. So I think that’s what attracts her to Mercy". Both Metcalfe and Hassan praised the friendship between Mercedes and Lynsey, with Metcalfe saying she "loved" the friendship and enjoyed seeing her persona "form a good bond with Lynsey" while Hassan praised the chemistry between herself and Metcalfe.
Riley was "furious" when he discovered Mercedes' escorting, and told her he did not want her around their son Bobby. Regarding Mercedes' maternal feelings for Bobby, she stated, "Mercedes feels that when she's getting closer to Riley, she can bond a bit more with Bobby as well. But when Riley forgets her, she finds it a lot more difficult to cope with Bobby". Mercedes explained that she did not sleep with Doctor Browning for money this time, which calmed Riley down. Metcalfe said that Mercedes was "very honest and open" with Riley and that they were "very natural together". The actress said Riley had begun to "see that she's really damaged and has been affected by what's happened a lot more than she's letting on". Metcalfe added that Riley felt sorry for Mercedes after seeing the "vulnerable Mercedes, the one who doesn't hurt people". Metcalfe said that Mercedes wanted Riley back, but if she could not, she wanted to prevent anyone else from getting the life Mercedes would have had if she had married Riley. She added that although Mercedes wanted Riley back she loved Malachy more, and believed that Malachy was the love of Mercedes' life.
The actress said that if Mercedes discovered Riley's relationship with Lynsey she would "feel utterly betrayed". To cause tension between the friends Mercedes discovered Riley's relationship with Lynsey. Metcalfe said that her character gets "such a shock" but because of Mercedes' close friendship with Lynsey she "might not react the way people expect". Metcalfe went on to say that she felt her character's feelings for Riley have "gone beyond love... it's an obsession now". She explained that Mercedes' plan was "more destructive than winning him back", and that she was "playing a game. The old Mercedes will be back shortly".
### Stalking Mitzeee
Mitzeee begins being stalked. Her portrayer Shenton said Mitzeee was unaware of who the stalker was and that "Mercedes hasn't even crossed her mind. She thinks it's a crazed fan". The viewers learn that it was Mercedes. The stalking stopped but later was resumed when Mitzeee and Riley begin a relationship. Shenton explained that the stalker had a key to Mitzeee's flat and had been watching her every move, and said that "not only has the stalker come back, but they've come back on a whole new level". Shenton added that at this point "Mitzeee definitely has no idea that it's Mercedes – in fact, Mercedes is probably the last person that she'd suspect. She actually thinks that it's Lynsey and accuses her, because it seems to make sense".
When Mitzeee realised Mercedes was her stalker, Mercedes knocked Mitzeee out after Mitzeee tries to stab her. Mercedes realised that she will be blamed for stalking Mitzeee so she stabbed herself to convince people Mitzeee was mad. Metcalfe said the situation was born through "pure desperation". She said that "the thought of Mitzeee, Riley and Bobby as a family together was too much for her to take, and she just saw red. I don't think it's something that Mercedes thought about or planned – she wouldn't have even dreamed of doing it to herself. But at the time, she saw it as the only way out of the situation". Shenton explained that Mitzeee was worried due to the stalker so she decided to take some antidepressants and drink wine, which as she states "isn't a great combination." Shenton revealed that Mercedes arrived to see Mitzeee who "still has no idea who the stalker really is, but as they're talking, Mercedes says something that makes Mitzeee discover the truth – and she's totally shocked. Mitzeee is petrified and picks up a knife in the kitchen. The next thing you know, Mitzeee wakes up after being unconscious [...] The first thing she sees is Mercedes with a stab wound and there is blood everywhere. Mitzeee doesn't have a clue whether she could have stabbed Mercedes, or if someone else came into the flat and did it".
According to Metcalfe, during Mercedes' hospitalisation and recuperation she "starts putting it on to get sympathy. She's determined to get what she wants". Metcalfe explained that Mercedes did not "feel guilt at all – she just wants Riley back and she'll do whatever it takes to get him". Metcalfe believed that it was easy for Mercedes to lie; "hence why she does it so much and so well!" Mercedes felt that she had to lie, and found it easy to cry if she needed to, "especially if it will benefit her". Metcalfe was unsure whether the audience would start to hate her character because she believed that Mercedes was not hateful. She stated, "I hope I've done a good job and people still feel sorry for her". She said that "the viewers have still been feeling some sympathy for Mercedes. I was getting lots of tweets saying, 'I feel so sorry for Mercedes, she needs to get back with Riley' and 'Mitzeee is being a bitch'". Metcalfe said that she was surprised by the fans' strong reaction. Hollyoaks executive producer Emma Smithwick also said that Mercedes "gets away with blue murder [...] and yet there's so much love for that character". Smithwick told Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy that Mercedes would get her comeuppance for framing Mitzeee, saying: "there most definitely will be a comeuppance. With the stabbing, she did it so coolly and lied about it so easily – that can't last forever". Smithwick explained that Mercedes is "driven by her insecurities. She thinks she loves Riley and will do what it takes to win him. That's what it's about...winning. Mitzeee crossed her – she is dispensable but Riley...well, Riley is the prize. Mercedes Fisher usually gets what she wants and men usually fall in line with her. I want to see what happens when they don't..."
### Stillbirth
Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy exclusively reported a new storyline for Hollyoaks as Mercedes and Joe Roscoe's (Ayden Callaghan) unborn baby would die before birth in scenes to air in early November 2015. It was revealed the show had been working with stillbirth charities, Count the Kicks and Sands to produce various ways mothers can monitor their unborn baby's progress. Rival soap opera, EastEnders, had produced a similar storyline when Shabnam Masood and Kush Kazemi (Rakhee Thakrar and Davood Ghadami) lost their son Zaair before he was born, but fans were reassured the storyline had been planned months prior to the announcement of EastEnders's storyline. It was revealed Mercedes would first admit her fears to John Paul and they visited the hospital where a doctor would inform them that their son had died. Kilkelly teased that the storyline would see how Mercedes coped with the situation, how it affects Mercedes and Joe's relationship, as well as seeing the permanent return of Myra.
Metcalfe spoke of the new storyline, saying how "honoured" she was to take part in the storyline as well as praising the writer, Anna Clements: "I'm honoured to have been given this storyline to raise awareness of such an important cause. Count the Kicks is a fantastic charity, which aims to teach expectant mothers about noticing changes in their pregnancy to reduce the risk of stillbirth. And working with Sands has helped me understand how Mercedes would cope with life after her baby has died. Mercedes has already been through so much tragedy in her life, but the death of her son will show a much more fragile side to her character. The scripts are brilliantly written by Anna Clements and with the help of the two charities, I was able to really understand what Mercedes is going through." Erica Stewart, the bereavement support services manager at Sands, said: "We're pleased to have been approached by the researchers and writers at Hollyoaks for advice and help to ensure that this heartbreaking storyline is portrayed truthfully and sensitively. Stillbirth is not rare and it's a tragedy that can happen to anyone. Sadly thousands of babies die each year in the UK. In 2013, over 100 babies every week were stillborn or died soon after birth. For a show like Hollyoaks with a youth focus to be covering this devastating experience is a brilliant way of raising awareness of the issues surrounding baby death among a younger audience who may have not otherwise come across them." Metcalfe later further discussed the storyline, revealing that when she read the scripts she had "a lump in my throat", which made cry and when she had finished reading the scripts, she was "sat their sobbing". She continued to say: "When it came to playing it on set I did minimal rehearsals because I didn't want to wear out the true meaning of the words." before praising the script writing, calling them "brilliant" and stating she did not have to work hard to find the "level of emotion", "The words were all there on the page. I broke down every time."
The week prior to the scenes airing, it was revealed that Mercedes' relationship to Joe would run into trouble when her former fling Lockie Campbell (Nick Rhys) tells Joe that they had kissed the previous day. Mercedes then tells Joe he is not the baby's father during an argument and unbeknown to Mercedes, he leaves for Canada. When Mercedes discovers their son has died, she realises she needs Joe more than anything and regrets her actions. It was revealed that Mercedes would rely on John Paul, Nana and Theresa to comfort her through the birth of her son, whom she names Gabriel. Mercedes would later be left delighted when her mother, Myra returned to support her through Gabriel's funeral before choosing to stay in Hollyoaks.
Following the E4 airing of the episodes, Metcalfe received positive feedback from various fans on social network, Twitter. Fans commented such comments such as, "heartbreaking", "well written and acted", "amazing performance" and "it's good to see soaps raising awareness on such a taboo subject". Metcalfe responded to the comments, by tweeting she was "overwhelmed reading all the comments about tonight's @Hollyoaks and the stillbirth storyline. ❤️" The charity that worked with Hollyoaks, Count the Kicks also praised the show and Metcalfe, tweeting: "Brilliant portrayal from the doctor and Mercedes on @Hollyoaks, genuine and accurate.@missjenjomet." The charity also reminded parents to report any non-movements in a bid to save lives. The show received 866k viewers on Channel 4 on 3 November, with 504k viewing the E4 airing following afterwards. The following day, on 4 November, the Channel 4 airing received 740k viewers and the E4 airing received 623k viewers.
### 2018 return
The permanent reintroduction storyline was revealed on 2 July 2018, one week before her return. The Metro's Duncan Lindsay reported that Mercedes would arrive in the village with her son Bobby and place him in the care of Cleo before quickly leaving once again. When Bobby becomes thirsty and goes to fetch a drink, Myra catches him and Mercedes' scheme is discovered. Myra then watches a television appeal of Carl appealing for the safe return home of Bobby, whilst Mercedes goes to a party in Spain. Her return aired on 9 July 2018.
### Who Shot Mercedes?
On 20 September 2019, it was announced that a new whodunit storyline for Mercedes. Producer Kirkwood reported that the character will be shot after having angered numerous residents. It was confirmed via social media and that the storyline would air in the coming weeks. A week before the storyline aired, Channel 4 released a trailer teasing the events to unfold in the storyline. The trailer also clarifies each suspect's motive to shoot Mercedes. By 10 October 2019, Hollyoaks confirmed the first three suspects for the storyline; Sylver McQueen (David Tag), James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan) and Liam Donovan (Jude Monk McGowan). On 15 October, another four suspects were revealed; Diane Hutchinson (Alex Fletcher), Joel Dexter (Rory Douglas-Speed), Grace Black (Tamara Wall) and Breda McQueen (Moya Brady), bringing the line up to seven suspects. Goldie McQueen (Chelsee Healey) is included in the official photo for the storyline, but is not a suspect. Goldie will be taking on the role of investigator to figure out who shot Mercedes.
The storyline commences officially on 6 November 2019 where Grace discovers that Mercedes is the responsible for the hit-and-run that left her paralysed, and the village begin to believe that Mercedes is responsible for the murder of Harry Thompson (Parry Glasspool), unaware that Breda is the real killer. The mystery comes to a conclusion on the Channel 4 episode broadcast on 18 December 2019 when it is revealed that both Grace and James are the culprits.
## Reception
### Critical response
> Is this woman superhuman, or what? [...] the woman is in on a hubby hat-trick – all in the space of about four years! That’s nearly one man a year, but don't forget all the conquests she’s had in between weddings. [...] the list goes on! They say variety is the spice of life, though I can't help but wonder if Mercedes possesses secret superpowers that enable her to move from one man to the next, without feeling any emotion for the one she’s just parted company with. Take her first true love, Russ Owen. [...] The ink had barely touched the decree nisi before she fell into bed with sister Jacqui’s man, Tony Hutchinson! [...] enter spouse number two, Malachy Fisher. It seemed as if these two said ‘I do’ rather too quickly, but it looked like they’d actually go the distance in spite of the Irishman’s HIV status. But throw in an illicit affair with sibling Carmel’s hubby Calvin (notice a pattern here?) and explosion, and it was literally death us do part for poor Malachy. [...] Mercy is engaged to new love Riley. I doubt that she has any real feeling for the lad, given that she has more chemistry with his dad, Carl! I can only assume that their wedding will be the event in which Carl’s hateful wife, Heidi, and Riley learn of their betrayal, setting the stage for some major fireworks. I know it might seem like I’m having a real dig at Mercedes, but I actually wouldn't have her any other way. I just wish she could find it within herself to really, really love someone – and hold onto that notion for more than five minutes!
Mercedes was selected as one of the "top 100 British soap characters" by industry experts for a poll run by What's on TV entitled "Who is Soap's Greatest Legend?", in which readers regularly vote for their favourite character. In her book Soap Stars, Debbie Foy featured Metcalfe and described Mercedes as "having a dangerous streak and is always causing trouble or has a scam on the go, she enjoys taking risks and usually seems to get what she wants". Virgin Media listed Mercedes' wedding to Russ amongst their list of "Soap's biggest wedding day disasters" before adding that "McQueen weddings are full of drama, and Russ and Mercedes' big day was no exception". Virgin Media later profiled some of Hollyoaks' "hottest females" in their opinion, and stated about Mercedes, "As one of the hottest ladies in Hollyoaks, with curves to die for, Mercedes has had more men than hot dinners. And now Malachy's met his maker, we're sure it won't be long till Mercedes earns yet another notch on her bedpost". The Liverpool Echo described Mercedes' desire to marry saying, "Mercedes has finally got what she's wanted for so long – a great big gleaming rock on her finger. Not that it matters who gave it to her, of course". Anthony D. Langford from AfterElton praised Mercedes, saying he loved the character and had these affections "Because frankly, she scares the bejeezus out of me. This is one tough chick [...] As hard edged as she is, it's obvious she loves her brother dearly, and heaven help anyone who hurts a member of her family".
Inside Soap's Sarah praised Metcalfe's performances as "love cheat Mercedes", calling them "stellar". On the character, a journalist from the Liverpool Echo said that "she's got herself in to some ridiculous situations in the past, but mark Mercedes' words, she will not be pushed around". A writer for the Liverpool Daily Post commented that "say what you like about Mercedes, but she's good at getting what she wants". The Wirral News's Laura Cox called Mercedes' pairing with Riley "Hollyoaks' favourite on-off couple" before dubbing the storyline "dramatic". She added that the storyline "kept viewers on tenterhooks".
Regarding the feud between Mercedes and Mitzeee, All About Soap columnist Laura Morgan commented that it was shocking that she felt sorry for Mercedes. She explained that even though Mercedes was "a nasty cow" because of the feud she was a "woman teetering on the verge of a massive meltdown". Upon Mercedes telling Riley she has no need to be angry with Silas not sitting trial Morgan said she could tell Mercedes had been "knocked her for six", adding that Mercedes could not "hide anything from us". The journalist added that "Mercedes did what Mercedes does best and decided a randy hook-up [...] was just what she needed to get her mind off Silas. After slapping on the war paint and selecting her sluttiest outfit, minxy Merc headed to a grotty hotel". She went on to explain that "Mercedes knows she’s sinking. She pretty much admitted it when the doc asked her if she hated him and she replied, “I guess I hate myself a little more...” So why doesn't she get some help before she totally and utterly loses the plot? [...] we’re missing our tart-with-a-heart Mercedes. We want to see her flirting her way around the village again, but without her finger firmly on the self-destruct button..."
After her stalking of Mitzeee, Mercedes went on to stab herself, on this Carena Crawford of All About Soap said the episode itself was a "huge shocker" due to Mercedes' actions. Crawford added that when Mercedes realises she will be blamed for knocking Mitzeee unconscious she sees the knife and "mad Mercedes came up with the perfect plan and we winced as she plunged the blade into her own stomach, knowing everyone would think Mitzeee did it! So now manipulative Mercedes has the upper hand over her rival [...] After all, who’d suspect anyone of stabbing themselves – very few people are warped enough to do that".
Langford from AfterElton praised Mercedes' part in Lynsey's murder storyline, saying he was "loving" Metcalfe as "scheming Mercedes". He commented that he did not believe Mercedes killed Lynsey because "as crazy as Mercedes is, I don’t think she’s a killer, but watching her benefit from Lynsey’s murder by worming her way back into Riley’s life has been delicious to watch". Langford said that he was "loving the dysfunctional affair between Mercedes and the bad Dr. Browning. Their scenes are hot and they are so suited for each other. The games they play with each other are a hoot". He later added that Mercedes and Doctor Browning have "blistering" chemistry, saying that he is perfect for a "twisted girl like Mercedes. I loved their scenes — they were hot, hot, hot. I really thought they made a delicious and fun couple. But now it’s all ruined with Browning being a killer". Morgan of All About Soap felt that Doctor Browning's act of killing of Lynsey "was a crime of passion, but there’s no way Mercy is worth killing for". Morgan later questioned why Mitzeee did not "just finish the job?!" when she threatened Mercedes with a knife.
After Riley proposed to Mercedes, Crawford commented that she does not "believe she really loves him. We still think this was all about winning for her". Crawford added that she is "really hoping Mercedes is found out soon before Riley says his vows. Little Bobby needs a stable mother, not mental Mercy". Morgan of All About Soap said that "the end of tonight’s episode was the moment fans had been patiently waited for – evil Mercedes was being carted off down the cop shop". She added that Riley "come perilously close to pushing Mercedes over that rooftop, but that wouldn’t have been a bad thing, right?" Following Mercedes' trial, Crawford opined that she could not "quite believe she managed it, but she was cleared of all charges – will the mixed-up McQueen ever get her comeuppance? We’ll give Mercy her dues: she gave an outstanding performance in court – even we were left wondering if Riley had actually abused her – so a non-the-wiser jury had no chance against the wily woman". She added that "someone needs to stand up to merciless Mercy".
Many fans of the show were outraged when Mercedes was supposedly murdered by Freddie Roscoe in November 2014, just a week after her sister Carmel died in a train crash. However, Jennifer Metcalfe stated that: 'Mercedes's departure is totally shrouded in mystery. Running up to the week where she exits, she has really annoyed pretty much everyone in the village, so it's 'who's done it?'. The story line was billed as a complete mystery, as the viewers don't completely know what happened between Mercedes and her killer on the night at the McQueen house, or whether or not she was actually dead.
### Accolades
During her time on the serial Metcalfe has been nominated for a variety of awards for her portrayal of Mercedes. Metcalfe was nominated for "Sexiest Female" at the 2007 British Soap Awards. She was soon after nominated for "Best Bitch" and "Sexiest Female" at the 2007 Inside Soap Awards. In 2008, at the British Soap Awards and the Digital Spy Soap Awards Metcalfe was nominated in the "Sexiest Female" category. Later that year, at the Inside Soap Awards, she was nominated for "Best Bitch" and "Sexiest Female", the same year Niall terrorising the McQueen family was nominated for "Best Storyline". At the 2009 British Soap Awards Metcalfe was nominated for "Best Actress" and "Sexiest Female" at the same time that Niall's revenge on the McQueens was nominated for "Best Storyline" and the church explosion in which Mercedes was involved was nominated for "Spectacular Scene". At the 2009 Inside Soap Awards Metcalfe was nominated for "Sexiest Female" and the conclusion to Niall's revenge was nominated for "Best Storyline"; the McQueen family also won the award for "Best Family" that year. At the 2010 All About Soap Bubble Awards Mercedes and Calvin were nominated for the "Fatal Attraction" award in the category of "Most sizzling couple". At the 2010 Inside Soap Awards Metcalfe was again nominated for the "Sexiest Female" award; she was also nominated for "Sexiest Female" and "Best Actress" at the British Soap Awards ceremony. In 2011 Metcalfe was nominated in the category of "Sexiest Female" at the British Soap Awards and for "Best Actress" and "Sexiest Female" at the Inside Soap Awards. At the 2011 TRIC Awards Metcalfe was nominated for "TV Soap Personality" for her portrayal of Mercedes. In 2012 Metcalfe was nominated for "Best Actress" at the TV Choice Awards, "Sexiest Female" and "Best Actress" at the British Soap Awards, and "Best Actress", "Best Bitch" and "Sexiest Female" at the Inside Soap Awards. In August 2017, Metcalfe was longlisted for Sexiest Female at the Inside Soap Awards. She progressed to the shortlist, but lost out to Natalie J. Robb, who portrays Moira Dingle in Emmerdale.
## See also
- List of soap opera villains |
32,431 | Vanadium | 1,169,586,548 | null | [
"Chemical elements",
"Chemical elements with body-centered cubic structure",
"Dietary minerals",
"Native element minerals",
"Restorative dentistry",
"Transition metals",
"Vanadium"
] | Vanadium is a chemical element with the symbol V and atomic number 23. It is a hard, silvery-grey, malleable transition metal. The elemental metal is rarely found in nature, but once isolated artificially, the formation of an oxide layer (passivation) somewhat stabilizes the free metal against further oxidation.
Spanish-Mexican scientist Andrés Manuel del Río discovered compounds of vanadium in 1801 by analyzing a new lead-bearing mineral he called "brown lead". Though he initially presumed its qualities were due to the presence of a new element, he was later erroneously convinced by French chemist Hippolyte Victor Collet-Descotils that the element was just chromium. Then in 1830, Nils Gabriel Sefström generated chlorides of vanadium, thus proving there was a new element, and named it "vanadium" after the Scandinavian goddess of beauty and fertility, Vanadís (Freyja). The name was based on the wide range of colors found in vanadium compounds. Del Rio's lead mineral was ultimately named vanadinite for its vanadium content. In 1867 Henry Enfield Roscoe obtained the pure element.
Vanadium occurs naturally in about 65 minerals and fossil fuel deposits. It is produced in China and Russia from steel smelter slag. Other countries produce it either from magnetite directly, flue dust of heavy oil, or as a byproduct of uranium mining. It is mainly used to produce specialty steel alloys such as high-speed tool steels, and some aluminium alloys. The most important industrial vanadium compound, vanadium pentoxide, is used as a catalyst for the production of sulfuric acid. The vanadium redox battery for energy storage may be an important application in the future.
Large amounts of vanadium ions are found in a few organisms, possibly as a toxin. The oxide and some other salts of vanadium have moderate toxicity. Particularly in the ocean, vanadium is used by some life forms as an active center of enzymes, such as the vanadium bromoperoxidase of some ocean algae.
## History
Vanadium was discovered in Mexico in 1801 by the Spanish mineralogist Andrés Manuel del Río. Del Río extracted the element from a sample of Mexican "brown lead" ore, later named vanadinite. He found that its salts exhibit a wide variety of colors, and as a result, he named the element panchromium (Greek: παγχρώμιο "all colors"). Later, del Río renamed the element erythronium (Greek: ερυθρός "red") because most of the salts turned red upon heating. In 1805, French chemist Hippolyte Victor Collet-Descotils, backed by del Río's friend Baron Alexander von Humboldt, incorrectly declared that del Río's new element was an impure sample of chromium. Del Río accepted Collet-Descotils' statement and retracted his claim.
In 1831 Swedish chemist Nils Gabriel Sefström rediscovered the element in a new oxide he found while working with iron ores. Later that year, Friedrich Wöhler confirmed that this element was identical to that found by del Río and hence confirmed del Río's earlier work. Sefström chose a name beginning with V, which had not yet been assigned to any element. He called the element vanadium after Old Norse Vanadís (another name for the Norse Vanir goddess Freyja, whose attributes include beauty and fertility), because of the many beautifully colored chemical compounds it produces. On learning of Wöhler's findings, del Río began to passionately argue that his old claim be recognized, but the element kept the name vanadium. In 1831, the geologist George William Featherstonhaugh suggested that vanadium should be renamed "rionium" after del Río, but this suggestion was not followed.
As vanadium is usually found combined with other elements, the isolation of vanadium metal was difficult. In 1831, Berzelius reported the production of the metal, but Henry Enfield Roscoe showed that Berzelius had produced the nitride, vanadium nitride (VN). Roscoe eventually produced the metal in 1867 by reduction of vanadium(II) chloride, VCl<sub>2</sub>, with hydrogen. In 1927, pure vanadium was produced by reducing vanadium pentoxide with calcium.
The first large-scale industrial use of vanadium was in the steel alloy chassis of the Ford Model T, inspired by French race cars. Vanadium steel allowed reduced weight while increasing tensile strength (ca. 1905). For the first decade of the 20th century, most vanadium ore were mined by the American Vanadium Company from the Minas Ragra in Peru. Later, the demand for uranium rose, leading to increased mining of that metal's ores. One major uranium ore was carnotite, which also contains vanadium. Thus, vanadium became available as a by-product of uranium production. Eventually, uranium mining began to supply a large share of the demand for vanadium.
In 1911, German chemist Martin Henze discovered vanadium in the hemovanadin proteins found in blood cells (or coelomic cells) of Ascidiacea (sea squirts).
## Characteristics
Vanadium is an average-hard, ductile, steel-blue metal. It is electrically conductive and thermally insulating. Vanadium is usually described as "soft", because it is ductile, malleable, and not brittle. Vanadium is harder than most metals and steels (see Hardnesses of the elements (data page) and iron). It has good resistance to corrosion and it is stable against alkalis and sulfuric and hydrochloric acids. It is oxidized in air at about 933 K (660 °C, 1220 °F), although an oxide passivation layer forms even at room temperature.
### Isotopes
Naturally occurring vanadium is composed of one stable isotope, <sup>51</sup>V, and one radioactive isotope, <sup>50</sup>V. The latter has a half-life of 1.5×10<sup>17</sup> years and a natural abundance of 0.25%. <sup>51</sup>V has a nuclear spin of 7⁄2, which is useful for NMR spectroscopy. Twenty-four artificial radioisotopes have been characterized, ranging in mass number from 40 to 65. The most stable of these isotopes are <sup>49</sup>V with a half-life of 330 days, and <sup>48</sup>V with a half-life of 16.0 days. The remaining radioactive isotopes have half-lives shorter than an hour, most below 10 seconds. At least four isotopes have metastable excited states. Electron capture is the main decay mode for isotopes lighter than <sup>51</sup>V. For the heavier ones, the most common mode is beta decay. The electron capture reactions lead to the formation of element 22 (titanium) isotopes, while beta decay leads to element 24 (chromium) isotopes.
## Compounds
The chemistry of vanadium is noteworthy for the accessibility of the four adjacent oxidation states 2–5. In an aqueous solution, vanadium forms metal aquo complexes of which the colors are lilac [V(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>6</sub>]<sup>2+</sup>, green [V(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>6</sub>]<sup>3+</sup>, blue [VO(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>5</sub>]<sup>2+</sup>, yellow-orange oxides [VO(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>5</sub>]<sup>3+</sup>, the formula for which depends on pH. Vanadium(II) compounds are reducing agents, and vanadium(V) compounds are oxidizing agents. Vanadium(IV) compounds often exist as vanadyl derivatives, which contain the VO<sup>2+</sup> center.
Ammonium vanadate(V) (NH<sub>4</sub>VO<sub>3</sub>) can be successively reduced with elemental zinc to obtain the different colors of vanadium in these four oxidation states. Lower oxidation states occur in compounds such as V(CO)<sub>6</sub>, [V(CO)
<sub>6</sub>]<sup>−</sup>
and substituted derivatives.
Vanadium pentoxide is a commercially important catalyst for the production of sulfuric acid, a reaction that exploits the ability of vanadium oxides to undergo redox reactions.
The vanadium redox battery utilizes all four oxidation states: one electrode uses the +5/+4 couple and the other uses the +3/+2 couple. Conversion of these oxidation states is illustrated by the reduction of a strongly acidic solution of a vanadium(V) compound with zinc dust or amalgam. The initial yellow color characteristic of the pervanadyl ion [VO<sub>2</sub>(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>4</sub>]<sup>+</sup> is replaced by the blue color of [VO(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>5</sub>]<sup>2+</sup>, followed by the green color of [V(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>6</sub>]<sup>3+</sup> and then the violet color of [V(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>6</sub>]<sup>2+</sup>.
### Oxyanions
In an aqueous solution, vanadium(V) forms an extensive family of oxyanions as established by <sup>51</sup>V NMR spectroscopy. The interrelationships in this family are described by the predominance diagram, which shows at least 11 species, depending on pH and concentration. The tetrahedral orthovanadate ion, VO<sup>3−</sup>
<sub>4</sub>, is the principal species present at pH 12–14. Similar in size and charge to phosphorus(V), vanadium(V) also parallels its chemistry and crystallography. Orthovanadate VO<sup>3−</sup>
<sub>4</sub> is used in protein crystallography to study the biochemistry of phosphate. Besides that, this anion also has been shown to interact with the activity of some specific enzymes. The tetrathiovanadate [VS<sub>4</sub>]<sup>3−</sup> is analogous to the orthovanadate ion.
At lower pH values, the monomer [HVO<sub>4</sub>]<sup>2−</sup> and dimer [V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub>]<sup>4−</sup> are formed, with the monomer predominant at a vanadium concentration of less than c. 10<sup>−2</sup>M (pV \> 2, where pV is equal to the minus value of the logarithm of the total vanadium concentration/M). The formation of the divanadate ion is analogous to the formation of the dichromate ion. As the pH is reduced, further protonation and condensation to polyvanadates occur: at pH 4–6 [H<sub>2</sub>VO<sub>4</sub>]<sup>−</sup> is predominant at pV greater than ca. 4, while at higher concentrations trimers and tetramers are formed. Between pH 2–4 decavanadate predominates, its formation from orthovanadate is represented by this condensation reaction:
10 [VO<sub>4</sub>]<sup>3−</sup> + 24 H<sup>+</sup> → [V<sub>10</sub>O<sub>28</sub>]<sup>6−</sup> + 12 H<sub>2</sub>O
In decavanadate, each V(V) center is surrounded by six oxide ligands. Vanadic acid, H<sub>3</sub>VO<sub>4</sub>, exists only at very low concentrations because protonation of the tetrahedral species [H<sub>2</sub>VO<sub>4</sub>]<sup>−</sup> results in the preferential formation of the octahedral [VO<sub>2</sub>(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>4</sub>]<sup>+</sup> species. In strongly acidic solutions, pH \< 2, [VO<sub>2</sub>(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>4</sub>]<sup>+</sup> is the predominant species, while the oxide V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> precipitates from solution at high concentrations. The oxide is formally the acid anhydride of vanadic acid. The structures of many vanadate compounds have been determined by X-ray crystallography.
Vanadium(V) forms various peroxo complexes, most notably in the active site of the vanadium-containing bromoperoxidase enzymes. The species VO(O<sub>2</sub>)(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> is stable in acidic solutions. In alkaline solutions, species with 2, 3 and 4 peroxide groups are known; the last forms violet salts with the formula M<sub>3</sub>V(O<sub>2</sub>)<sub>4</sub> nH<sub>2</sub>O (M= Li, Na, etc.), in which the vanadium has an 8-coordinate dodecahedral structure.
### Halide derivatives
Twelve binary halides, compounds with the formula VX<sub>n</sub> (n=2..5), are known. VI<sub>4</sub>, VCl<sub>5</sub>, VBr<sub>5</sub>, and VI<sub>5</sub> do not exist or are extremely unstable. In combination with other reagents, VCl<sub>4</sub> is used as a catalyst for the polymerization of dienes. Like all binary halides, those of vanadium are Lewis acidic, especially those of V(IV) and V(V). Many of the halides form octahedral complexes with the formula VX<sub>n</sub>L<sub>6−n</sub> (X= halide; L= other ligand).
Many vanadium oxyhalides (formula VO<sub>m</sub>X<sub>n</sub>) are known. The oxytrichloride and oxytrifluoride (VOCl<sub>3</sub> and VOF<sub>3</sub>) are the most widely studied. Akin to POCl<sub>3</sub>, they are volatile, adopt tetrahedral structures in the gas phase, and are Lewis acidic.
### Coordination compounds
Complexes of vanadium(II) and (III) are relatively exchange inert and reducing. Those of V(IV) and V(V) are oxidants. The vanadium ion is rather large and some complexes achieve coordination numbers greater than 6, as is the case in [V(CN)<sub>7</sub>]<sup>4−</sup>. Oxovanadium(V) also forms 7 coordinate coordination complexes with tetradentate ligands and peroxides and these complexes are used for oxidative brominations and thioether oxidations. The coordination chemistry of V<sup>4+</sup> is dominated by the vanadyl center, VO<sup>2+</sup>, which binds four other ligands strongly and one weakly (the one trans to the vanadyl center). An example is vanadyl acetylacetonate (V(O)(O<sub>2</sub>C<sub>5</sub>H<sub>7</sub>)<sub>2</sub>). In this complex, the vanadium is 5-coordinate, distorted square pyramidal, meaning that a sixth ligand, such as pyridine, may be attached, though the association constant of this process is small. Many 5-coordinate vanadyl complexes have a trigonal bipyramidal geometry, such as VOCl<sub>2</sub>(NMe<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>. The coordination chemistry of V<sup>5+</sup> is dominated by the relatively stable dioxovanadium coordination complexes which are often formed by aerial oxidation of the vanadium(IV) precursors indicating the stability of the +5 oxidation state and ease of interconversion between the +4 and +5 states.
### Organometallic compounds
The organometallic chemistry of vanadium is well–developed. Vanadocene dichloride is a versatile starting reagent and has applications in organic chemistry. Vanadium carbonyl, V(CO)<sub>6</sub>, is a rare example of a paramagnetic metal carbonyl. Reduction yields V(CO)<sup>−</sup>
<sub>6</sub> (isoelectronic with Cr(CO)<sub>6</sub>), which may be further reduced with sodium in liquid ammonia to yield V(CO)<sup>3−</sup>
<sub>5</sub> (isoelectronic with Fe(CO)<sub>5</sub>).
## Occurrence
Vanadium is the 20th most abundant element in the earth's crust; metallic vanadium is rare in nature (known as native vanadium), but vanadium compounds occur naturally in about 65 different minerals.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a large deposit of vanadium ore was discovered in the Minas Ragra vanadium mine near Junín, Cerro de Pasco, Peru. For several years this patrónite (VS<sub>4</sub>) deposit was an economically significant source for vanadium ore. In 1920 roughly two-thirds of the worldwide production was supplied by the mine in Peru. With the production of uranium in the 1910s and 1920s from carnotite (K<sub>2</sub>(UO<sub>2</sub>)<sub>2</sub>(VO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>·3H<sub>2</sub>O) vanadium became available as a side product of uranium production. Vanadinite (Pb<sub>5</sub>(VO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub>Cl) and other vanadium bearing minerals are only mined in exceptional cases. With the rising demand, much of the world's vanadium production is now sourced from vanadium-bearing magnetite found in ultramafic gabbro bodies. If this titanomagnetite is used to produce iron, most of the vanadium goes to the slag and is extracted from it.
Vanadium is mined mostly in China, South Africa and eastern Russia. In 2022 these three countries mined more than 96% of the 100,000 tons of produced vanadium, with China providing 70%.
Vanadium is also present in bauxite and deposits of crude oil, coal, oil shale, and tar sands. In crude oil, concentrations up to 1200 ppm have been reported. When such oil products are burned, traces of vanadium may cause corrosion in engines and boilers. An estimated 110,000 tons of vanadium per year are released into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. Black shales are also a potential source of vanadium. During WW II some vanadium was extracted from alum shales in the south of Sweden.
In the universe, the cosmic abundance of vanadium is 0.0001%, making the element nearly as common as copper or zinc. Vanadium is detected spectroscopically in light from the Sun and sometimes in the light from other stars. The vanadyl ion is also abundant in seawater, having an average concentration of 30 nM (1.5 mg/m<sup>3</sup>). Some mineral water springs also contain the ion in high concentrations. For example, springs near Mount Fuji contain as much as 54 μg per liter.
## Production
Vanadium metal is obtained by a multistep process that begins with roasting crushed ore with NaCl or Na<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> at about 850 °C to give sodium metavanadate (NaVO<sub>3</sub>). An aqueous extract of this solid is acidified to produce "red cake", a polyvanadate salt, which is reduced with calcium metal. As an alternative for small-scale production, vanadium pentoxide is reduced with hydrogen or magnesium. Many other methods are also used, in all of which vanadium is produced as a byproduct of other processes. Purification of vanadium is possible by the crystal bar process developed by Anton Eduard van Arkel and Jan Hendrik de Boer in 1925. It involves the formation of the metal iodide, in this example vanadium(III) iodide, and the subsequent decomposition to yield pure metal:
2 V + 3 I<sub>2</sub> 2 VI<sub>3</sub>
Most vanadium is used as a steel alloy called ferrovanadium. Ferrovanadium is produced directly by reducing a mixture of vanadium oxide, iron oxides and iron in an electric furnace. The vanadium ends up in pig iron produced from vanadium-bearing magnetite. Depending on the ore used, the slag contains up to 25% of vanadium.
## Applications
### Alloys
Approximately 85% of the vanadium produced is used as ferrovanadium or as a steel additive. The considerable increase of strength in steel containing small amounts of vanadium was discovered in the early 20th century. Vanadium forms stable nitrides and carbides, resulting in a significant increase in the strength of steel. From that time on, vanadium steel was used for applications in axles, bicycle frames, crankshafts, gears, and other critical components. There are two groups of vanadium steel alloys. Vanadium high-carbon steel alloys contain 0.15–0.25% vanadium, and high-speed tool steels (HSS) have a vanadium content of 1–5%. For high-speed tool steels, a hardness above HRC 60 can be achieved. HSS steel is used in surgical instruments and tools. Powder-metallurgic alloys contain up to 18% percent vanadium. The high content of vanadium carbides in those alloys increases wear resistance significantly. One application for those alloys is tools and knives.
Vanadium stabilizes the beta form of titanium and increases the strength and temperature stability of titanium. Mixed with aluminium in titanium alloys, it is used in jet engines, high-speed airframes and dental implants. The most common alloy for seamless tubing is Titanium 3/2.5 containing 2.5% vanadium, the titanium alloy of choice in the aerospace, defense, and bicycle industries. Another common alloy, primarily produced in sheets, is Titanium 6AL-4V, a titanium alloy with 6% aluminium and 4% vanadium.
Several vanadium alloys show superconducting behavior. The first A15 phase superconductor was a vanadium compound, V<sub>3</sub>Si, which was discovered in 1952. Vanadium-gallium tape is used in superconducting magnets (17.5 teslas or 175,000 gauss). The structure of the superconducting A15 phase of V<sub>3</sub>Ga is similar to that of the more common Nb<sub>3</sub>Sn and Nb<sub>3</sub>Ti.
It has been found that a small amount, 40 to 270 ppm, of vanadium in Wootz steel significantly improved the strength of the product, and gave it the distinctive patterning. The source of the vanadium in the original Wootz steel ingots remains unknown.
Vanadium can be used as a substitute for molybdenum in armor steel, though the alloy produced is far more brittle and prone to spalling on non-penetrating impacts. The Third Reich was one of the most prominent users of such alloys, in armored vehicles like Tiger II or Jagdtiger.
### Catalysts
Vanadium compounds are used extensively as catalysts; Vanadium pentoxide V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>, is used as a catalyst in manufacturing sulfuric acid by the contact process In this process sulfur dioxide (SO
<sub>2</sub>) is oxidized to the trioxide (SO
<sub>3</sub>): In this redox reaction, sulfur is oxidized from +4 to +6, and vanadium is reduced from +5 to +4:
V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> + SO<sub>2</sub> → 2 VO<sub>2</sub> + SO<sub>3</sub>
The catalyst is regenerated by oxidation with air:
4 VO<sub>2</sub> + O<sub>2</sub> → 2 V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>
Similar oxidations are used in the production of maleic anhydride:
C<sub>4</sub>H<sub>10</sub> + 3.5 O<sub>2</sub> → C<sub>4</sub>H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> + 4 H<sub>2</sub>O
Phthalic anhydride and several other bulk organic compounds are produced similarly. These green chemistry processes convert inexpensive feedstocks to highly functionalized, versatile intermediates.
Vanadium is an important component of mixed metal oxide catalysts used in the oxidation of propane and propylene to acrolein, acrylic acid or the ammoxidation of propylene to acrylonitrile.
### Other uses
The vanadium redox battery, a type of flow battery, is an electrochemical cell consisting of aqueous vanadium ions in different oxidation states. Batteries of this type were first proposed in the 1930s and developed commercially from the 1980s onwards. Cells use +5 and +2 formal oxidization state ions. Vanadium redox batteries are used commercially for grid energy storage.
Vanadate can be used for protecting steel against rust and corrosion by conversion coating. Vanadium foil is used in cladding titanium to steel because it is compatible with both iron and titanium. The moderate thermal neutron-capture cross-section and the short half-life of the isotopes produced by neutron capture makes vanadium a suitable material for the inner structure of a fusion reactor.
Vanadium can be added in small quantities \< 5% to LFP battery cathodes to increase ionic conductivity.
#### Proposed
Lithium vanadium oxide has been proposed for use as a high energy density anode for lithium-ion batteries, at 745 Wh/L when paired with a lithium cobalt oxide cathode. Vanadium phosphates have been proposed as the cathode in the lithium vanadium phosphate battery, another type of lithium-ion battery.
## Biological role
Vanadium has a more significant role in marine environments than terrestrial ones.
### Vanadoenzymes
Several species of marine algae produce vanadium bromoperoxidase as well as the closely related chloroperoxidase (which may use a heme or vanadium cofactor) and iodoperoxidases. The bromoperoxidase produces an estimated 1–2 million tons of bromoform and 56,000 tons of bromomethane annually. Most naturally occurring organobromine compounds are produced by this enzyme, catalyzing the following reaction (R-H is hydrocarbon substrate):
A vanadium nitrogenase is used by some nitrogen-fixing micro-organisms, such as Azotobacter. In this role, vanadium serves in place of the more common molybdenum or iron, and gives the nitrogenase slightly different properties.
### Vanadium accumulation in tunicates
Vanadium is essential to tunicates, where it is stored in the highly acidified vacuoles of certain blood cell types, designated vanadocytes. Vanabins (vanadium-binding proteins) have been identified in the cytoplasm of such cells. The concentration of vanadium in the blood of ascidian tunicates is as much as ten million times higher than the surrounding seawater, which normally contains 1 to 2 μg/L. The function of this vanadium concentration system and these vanadium-bearing proteins is still unknown, but the vanadocytes are later deposited just under the outer surface of the tunic, where they may deter predation.
### Fungi
Amanita muscaria and related species of macrofungi accumulate vanadium (up to 500 mg/kg in dry weight). Vanadium is present in the coordination complex amavadin in fungal fruit-bodies. The biological importance of the accumulation is unknown. Toxic or peroxidase enzyme functions have been suggested.
### Mammals
Deficiencies in vanadium result in reduced growth in rats. The U.S. Institute of Medicine has not confirmed that vanadium is an essential nutrient for humans, so neither a Recommended Dietary Intake nor an Adequate Intake have been established. Dietary intake is estimated at 6 to 18 μg/day, with less than 5% absorbed. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) of dietary vanadium, beyond which adverse effects may occur, is set at 1.8 mg/day.
### Research
Vanadyl sulfate as a dietary supplement has been researched as a means of increasing insulin sensitivity or otherwise improving glycemic control in people who are diabetic. Some of the trials had significant treatment effects but were deemed as being of poor study quality. The amounts of vanadium used in these trials (30 to 150 mg) far exceeded the safe upper limit. The conclusion of the systemic review was "There is no rigorous evidence that oral vanadium supplementation improves glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes. The routine use of vanadium for this purpose cannot be recommended."
In astrobiology, it has been suggested that discrete vanadium accumulations on Mars could be a potential microbial biosignature when used in conjunction with Raman spectroscopy and morphology.
## Safety
All vanadium compounds should be considered toxic. Tetravalent VOSO<sub>4</sub> has been reported to be at least 5 times more toxic than trivalent V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set an exposure limit of 0.05 mg/m<sup>3</sup> for vanadium pentoxide dust and 0.1 mg/m<sup>3</sup> for vanadium pentoxide fumes in workplace air for an 8-hour workday, 40-hour work week. The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recommended that 35 mg/m<sup>3</sup> of vanadium be considered immediately dangerous to life and health, that is, likely to cause permanent health problems or death.
Vanadium compounds are poorly absorbed through the gastrointestinal system. Inhalation of vanadium and vanadium compounds results primarily in adverse effects on the respiratory system. Quantitative data are, however, insufficient to derive a subchronic or chronic inhalation reference dose. Other effects have been reported after oral or inhalation exposures on blood parameters, liver, neurological development, and other organs in rats.
There is little evidence that vanadium or vanadium compounds are reproductive toxins or teratogens. Vanadium pentoxide was reported to be carcinogenic in male rats and in male and female mice by inhalation in an NTP study, although the interpretation of the results has been disputed a few years after the report. The carcinogenicity of vanadium has not been determined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Vanadium traces in diesel fuels are the main fuel component in high temperature corrosion. During combustion, vanadium oxidizes and reacts with sodium and sulfur, yielding vanadate compounds with melting points as low as 530 °C (986 °F), which attack the passivation layer on steel and render it susceptible to corrosion. The solid vanadium compounds also abrade engine components.
## See also |
2,336,222 | Delphine LaLaurie | 1,172,432,823 | American serial killer (1787–1849) | [
"1787 births",
"1831 murders in the United States",
"1833 murders in the United States",
"1834 murders in the United States",
"1849 deaths",
"19th century in New Orleans",
"American expatriates in France",
"American female serial killers",
"American people of Irish descent",
"American serial killers",
"American slave owners",
"American socialites",
"American women slave owners",
"Anti-black racism in the United States",
"Culture of New Orleans",
"History of Louisiana",
"Louisiana Creole people",
"Macarty family",
"People from New Orleans",
"People in 19th-century Louisiana",
"People of Colonial Spanish Louisiana",
"Sport deaths in France",
"Torture in the United States",
"Torturers"
] | Marie Delphine Macarty or MacCarthy (March 19, 1787 – December 7, 1849), more commonly known as Madame Blanque or, after her third marriage, as Madame LaLaurie, was a New Orleans socialite and serial killer who tortured and murdered slaves in her household.
Born during the Spanish colonial period, LaLaurie married three times in Louisiana and was twice widowed. She maintained her position in New Orleans society until April 10, 1834, when rescuers responded to a fire at her Royal Street mansion. They discovered bound slaves in her attic who showed evidence of cruel, violent abuse over a long period. LaLaurie's house was subsequently sacked by an outraged mob of New Orleans citizens. She escaped to France with her family.
The mansion traditionally held to be LaLaurie's is a landmark in the French Quarter, in part because of its history and for its architectural significance. However, her house was burned by the mob, and the "LaLaurie Mansion" at 1140 Royal Street was in fact rebuilt after her departure from New Orleans.
## Early life and family history
Marie Delphine Macarty was born in New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, on March 19, 1787, as one of five children. Her father was Louis Barthélemy de McCarty (originally Chevalier de MacCarthy), whose father Barthelemy (de) MacCarthy brought the family to New Orleans from Ireland around 1730, during the French colonial period. (The Irish surname MacCarthy was shortened to Macarty or de Macarty.) Her mother was Marie Jeanne L'Érable, also known as "the widow Le Comte", as her marriage to Louis B. Macarty was her second.
Both of Delphine's parents were prominent in the town's European Creole community. Her uncle by marriage, Esteban Rodríguez Miró, was governor of the Spanish American provinces of Louisiana and Florida during 1785–1791, and her cousin, Augustin de Macarty, was mayor of New Orleans from 1815 to 1820.
Delphine was only four years of age when the Haitian Revolution erupted in 1791, something that made slaveholders in the Southern United States and the Caribbean very afraid of resistance and rebellion among slaves; Delphine's uncle had been murdered in 1771 by his slaves and the revolution had inspired the local Mina Conspiracy in 1791, the Pointe Coupée Conspiracy in 1794, and the 1811 German Coast uprising, all of which caused many slaveholders to abuse slaves even more harshly out of fear of insurrection.
## First marriage
On June 11, 1800, at age 13, Delphine married Don Ramón de Lopez y Angulo, a Caballero de la Royal de Carlos, a high-ranking Spanish royal officer, at the Saint Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. Luisiana, as it was spelled in Spanish, had become a Spanish colony in the 1760s after France was defeated in the Seven Years' War.
In 1804, after the American acquisition of what was then again a French territory, Don Ramón had been appointed to the position of consul general for Spain in the Territory of Orleans, and was called to appear at the court of Spain. While en route to Madrid with Delphine, who was then pregnant, Don Ramón suddenly died in Havana. A few days after his death, Delphine gave birth to his daughter Marie-Borja/Borgia Delphine Lopez y Angulo de la Candelaria, nicknamed "Borquita". The widowed Delphine and her child returned to New Orleans.
## Second marriage and death of husband
In June 1808, aged around 21, Delphine married Jean Blanque, a prominent banker, merchant, lawyer, and legislator. At the time of the marriage, Blanque purchased a house at 409 Royal Street in New Orleans for the family, which became known later as the Villa Blanque. Delphine had four children by Blanque, named Marie Louise Pauline, Louise Marie Laure, Marie Louise Jeanne, and Jean Pierre Paulin Blanque. Blanque died in 1816.
## Third marriage
On June 25, 1825, Delphine married her third husband, physician Leonard Louis Nicolas LaLaurie, who was 15 years her junior. In 1831, she bought property at 1140 Royal Street, which she managed in her own name with little involvement of her husband. In 1832, she had a two-story mansion built there, complete with attached slave quarters. She lived there with her third husband and two of her daughters, and maintained a central position in New Orleans society.
The marriage soon showed signs of strain, however; on November 16, 1832, Delphine petitioned the First Judicial District Court for a separation from bed and board of her husband, in which Delphine claimed that LaLaurie had "treated her in such a manner as to render their living together unsupportable", claims which her son and two of her daughters by Jean Blanque confirmed. The separation does not seem to have been permanent, as Dr. LaLaurie was present at the Royal Street house April 10, 1834, the day of the fire.
## Torture and murder of slaves and 1834 LaLaurie mansion fire
Accounts of Delphine LaLaurie's treatment of her slaves between 1831 and 1834 vary. Harriet Martineau, writing in 1838 and recounting tales told to her by New Orleans residents during her 1836 visit, claimed that slaves of LaLaurie were observed to be "singularly haggard and wretched"; however, in public appearances LaLaurie was seen to be generally polite to Black people and solicitous of the health of those enslaved.
Funeral registers between 1830 and 1834 document the deaths of twelve slaves at the Royal Street mansion, although the causes of death are not mentioned and infectious diseases could easily have been the cause. These 12 deaths include Bonne, a cook and laundress, and her four children, Juliette (c. 1820–February 21, 1833, died age 13), Florence (c. 1821–February 16, 1831, died age 10), Jules (c. 1827–May 29, 1833, died age six), and Leontine (c. 1829–August 26, 1831, died age four). Bonne (c. 1803–February 7, 1833) had previously been enslaved by a refugee from Saint Domingue and was described in her sale as "a chronic runaway"; with an influx of white and free Saint Dominguen refugees of color and those whom they had enslaved, the fear of slaves from Saint Domingue still lingered in Louisiana.
Court records of the time showed that LaLaurie freed two slaves (Jean Louis in 1819 and Devince in 1832). Martineau wrote that public rumors about LaLaurie's mistreatment of slaves on her property were sufficiently widespread that a local lawyer was dispatched to Royal Street to remind LaLaurie of the laws for the upkeep of slaves. During this visit, the lawyer found no evidence of wrongdoing or mistreatment of slaves by LaLaurie.
Martineau also recounted other tales of LaLaurie's cruelty that were current among New Orleans residents in about 1836. She said that, subsequent to the visit of the lawyer, one of LaLaurie's neighbors saw an eight-year-old slave girl fall to her death from the roof of the Royal Street mansion while trying to avoid punishment from a whip-wielding LaLaurie. The body was subsequently buried on the mansion grounds. Jeanne DeLavigne, in her 1945 account, gave the child's age as 12 years and gave her a name, Lia (or Leah). Later writers elaborated on the case, saying that Lia had been brushing Delphine's hair when she hit a snag, causing LaLaurie to grab a whip and chase her.
According to Martineau, this incident led to an investigation of the LaLauries, in which they were found guilty of illegal cruelty and forced to forfeit nine slaves of their household. These nine enslaved people were bought back by the LaLauries through an intermediary relative, and returned to the Royal Street residence. Similarly, Martineau recounted stories that LaLaurie kept her cook chained to the kitchen stove, and beat her daughters when they attempted to feed the slaves of Royal Street residence.
On April 10, 1834, a fire broke out in the LaLaurie residence on Royal Street starting in the kitchen. When the police and fire marshals got there, they found the cook, a 70-year-old woman, chained to the stove by her ankle. She later said that she had set the fire as a suicide attempt because she feared being punished. She said that slaves taken to the uppermost room never came back.
As reported in the New Orleans Bee of April 11, 1834, bystanders responding to the fire attempted to enter the quarters of those enslaved to ensure that everyone had been evacuated. Upon being refused the keys by the LaLauries, the bystanders broke down the doors to the quarters and found "seven slaves, more or less horribly mutilated ... suspended by the neck, with their limbs apparently stretched and torn from one extremity to the other", who claimed to have been imprisoned there for some months.
One of those who entered the premises was Judge Jean François (J.F.) Canonge, who subsequently deposed to having found in the LaLaurie mansion, among others, a "negress ... wearing an iron collar" and "an old negro woman who had received a very deep wound on her head [who was] too weak to be able to walk." Canonge said that when he questioned LaLaurie's husband about those enslaved on the property, he was told in an insolent manner that "some people had better stay at home rather than come to others' houses to dictate laws and meddle with other people's business." A version of this story circulating in 1836, recounted by Martineau, added that the slaves were emaciated, showed signs of being flayed with a whip, were bound in restrictive postures, and wore spiked iron collars which kept their heads in static positions.
When the discovery of the abused slaves became widely known, a mob of local citizens attacked the LaLaurie residence and "demolished and destroyed everything upon which they could lay their hands". A sheriff and his officers were called upon to disperse the crowd, but by the time the mob left, the property had sustained major damage, with "scarcely any thing [remaining] but the walls." The slaves were taken to a local jail, where they were available for public viewing. The Bee reported that by April 12 up to 4,000 people had attended to view the slaves "to convince themselves of their sufferings."
The Pittsfield Sun, citing the New Orleans Advertiser and writing several weeks after the evacuation of LaLaurie's quarters of slaves, claimed that two of the slaves found in the mansion had died since their rescue. It added, "We understand ... that in digging the yard, bodies have been disinterred, and the condemned well [in the grounds of the mansion] having been uncovered, others, particularly that of a child, were found." These claims were repeated by Martineau in her 1838 book Retrospect of Western Travel, where she placed the number of unearthed bodies at two, including the child Lia.
## Escape from justice and self-imposed exile in France
LaLaurie's life after the 1834 fire is not well documented. Martineau wrote in 1838 that LaLaurie fled New Orleans during the mob violence that followed the fire, taking a coach to the waterfront and traveling, by schooner, to Mobile, Alabama and then to Paris. By the time Martineau personally visited the Royal Street mansion in 1836, it was still unoccupied and badly damaged, with "gaping windows and empty walls".
## Later life and death
Living in exile in Paris with his mother and two sisters, Pauline and Laure, Delphine's son Paulin Blanque wrote on August 15, 1842, to his brother-in-law, Auguste DeLassus, stating that Delphine was serious about returning to New Orleans and had thought about doing so for a long time. Blanque wrote in the same letter that he believed that his mother never had any idea about the reason for her departure from New Orleans. Despite Delphine's "bad mood" and her determination to return to New Orleans, the disapproval of her children and other relatives had apparently been enough for her to cancel her plan.
The circumstances of LaLaurie's death are also unclear. In 1888, George Washington Cable recounted a popular but unsubstantiated story that LaLaurie had died in France in a boar-hunting accident. In the late 1930s, Eugene Backes, who served as sexton to St. Louis Cemetery \#1 until 1924, discovered an old, cracked copper plate in Alley 4 of the cemetery. The inscription on the plate read "Madame Lalaurie, née Marie Delphine Maccarthy, décédée à Paris, le 7 Décembre, 1842, à l'âge de 6–." The English translation of the inscription reads: "Madame Lalaurie, born Marie Delphine Mccarthy, died in Paris, December 7, 1842, at the age of 6–." According to the French archives of Paris, however, LaLaurie died on December 7, 1849, at the age of 62.
## LaLaurie mansion
The original New Orleans mansion occupied by LaLaurie did not survive. The impressive mansion at 1140 Royal Street, on the corner of Governor Nicholls Street (formerly known as Hospital Street), commonly referred to as the LaLaurie or Haunted House, is not the same building inhabited by LaLaurie. When she acquired the property in 1831 from Edmond Soniat du Fossat, a house was already under construction and finished for LaLaurie.
This house was burned by the mob in 1834 and remained in a ruined state for at least another four years. It was then rebuilt by Pierre Trastour after 1838 and assumed the appearance that it has today. Over the following decades, it was used as a public high school, a conservatory of music, an apartment building, a refuge for young delinquents, a bar, a furniture store, and a luxury apartment building.
The dwelling had a third floor and rear building added later in the 19th century, and the rear building on Governor Nicholls Street, which had only one floor until a second one was added in the 20th century, was remodeled in the 1970s when the second floor interior of the building was done over by Koch and Wilson, architects. At three stories high, it was described in 1928 as "the highest building for squares around", with the result that "from the cupola on the roof one may look out over the Vieux Carré and see the Mississippi in its crescent before Jackson Square".
The entrance to the building bears iron grillwork, and the door is carved with an image of "Phoebus in his chariot, and with wreaths of flowers and depending garlands in bas-relief". Inside, the vestibule is floored in black and white marble, and a curved mahogany-railed staircase runs the full three stories of the building. The second floor holds three large drawing rooms connected by ornamented sliding doors, whose walls are decorated with plaster rosettes, carved woodwork, black marble mantle pieces and fluted pilasters.
In April 2007, actor Nicolas Cage bought the house for a sum of \$3.45 million. To protect the actor's privacy, the mortgage documents were arranged in such a way that Cage's name did not appear on them. On November 13, 2009, the property, then valued at \$3.5 million, was listed for auction as a result of foreclosure and purchased by Regions Financial Corporation for \$2.3 million. The property last changed hands in 2010 when it was purchased by current owner Michael Whalen for \$2.1 million.
## LaLaurie in folklore
Folk histories of LaLaurie's abuse and murder of those enslaved on the property circulated in Louisiana during the 19th century, and were reprinted in collections of stories by Henry Castellanos and George Washington Cable. Cable's account (not to be confused with his unrelated 1881 novel Madame Delphine) was based on contemporary reports in newspapers such as the New Orleans Bee and the Advertiser, and upon Martineau's 1838 account, Retrospect of Western Travel. He added some of his own synthesis, dialogue, and speculation.
After 1945, accounts of those enslaved by the LaLaurie's became more explicit. Jeanne deLavigne, writing in Ghost Stories of Old New Orleans (1946), alleged that LaLaurie had a "sadistic appetite [that] seemed never appeased until she had inflicted on one or more of her black servitors some hideous form of torture" and claimed that those who responded to the 1834 fire had found "male slaves, stark naked, chained to the wall, their eyes gouged out, their fingernails pulled off by the roots; others had their joints skinned and festering, great holes in their buttocks where the flesh had been sliced away, their ears hanging by shreds, their lips sewn together ... Intestines were pulled out and knotted around naked waists. There were holes in skulls, where a rough stick had been inserted to stir the brains." DeLavigne did not cite any sources for these claims, and they were not supported by the primary sources.
The story was further embellished in Journey Into Darkness: Ghosts and Vampires of New Orleans (1998) by Kalila Katherina Smith, the operator of a New Orleans ghost tour business. Smith's book added several more explicit details to the discoveries allegedly made by rescuers during the 1834 fire, including a "victim [who] obviously had her arms amputated and her skin peeled off in a circular pattern, making her look like a human caterpillar," and another who had had her limbs broken and reset "at odd angles so she resembled a human crab". Many of the new details in Smith's book were unsourced, while others were not supported by the sources given.
Today, modern re-tellings of the LaLaurie legend often use DeLavigne and Smith's versions of the tale as the basis for claims of explicit tortures, and number enslaved people living on the property who died under LaLaurie's care at as many as 100.
## In popular culture
Kathy Bates portrayed a heavily fictionalized version of the character in the third season of the anthology television series American Horror Story to widespread critical acclaim and earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her performance.
In her 1999 novel Fever Season, mystery writer Barbara Hambly incorporated the events of the 1834 fire and discovery of the brutal treatment of the slaves into her narrative.
In the 2015–2017 serialized science fiction novel Unsong by writer Scott Alexander, LaLaurie is mentioned as being in the nicest part of hell, reserved for the worst sinners, along with Hitler and Beria.
## See also
- Augustin de Macarty, Mayor of New Orleans, cousin of Delphine
- John Crenshaw, 19th century Illinois human trafficker
- History of slavery in Louisiana
- List of serial killers in the United States
### Similar cases
- Elizabeth Báthory (16th century Hungary)
- Elizabeth Branch (17th century England)
- Elizabeth Brownrigg (18th century England)
- La Quintrala (colonial Chile)
- Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova (18th century Russia)
- Mariam Soulakiotis (20th century Greece) |
63,548,774 | French cruiser Coëtlogon | 1,134,762,308 | Protected cruiser of the French Navy | [
"1888 ships",
"Forbin-class cruisers",
"Ships built in France"
] | Coëtlogon was a protected cruiser of the Forbin class built in the late 1880s and early 1890s for the French Navy; she was the last member of her class to be built. The Forbin-class cruisers were built as part of a construction program intended to provide scouts for the main battle fleet. They were based on the earlier unprotected cruiser Milan, with the addition of an armor deck to improve their usefulness in battle. They had a high top speed for the time, at around 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph), and they carried a main battery of four 138 mm (5.4 in) guns.
Coëtlogon saw little activity, in part because problems with her propulsion system delayed her completion by three years; after a serious breakdown while on sea trials in 1891, the entire system had to be replaced. Even then, her propulsion system proved to be problematic, including excessive vibration. She was finally completed in 1894 and was assigned to the Northern Squadron, though she only served in the unit for two years. She saw no further active service, and she was struck from the naval register in 1905, briefly used as a munitions storage hulk, before being broken up in 1906.
## Design
Beginning in 1879, the French Navy's Conseil des Travaux (Council of Works) had requested designs for small but fast cruisers of about 2,000 long tons (2,032 t) displacement that could be used as scouts for the main battle fleet. The unprotected cruiser Milan was the first of the type, which was developed into the Forbin-type of protected cruisers after the Conseil requested light armor protection for the ships. The three Forbins, along with the three very similar Troude-class cruisers, were ordered by Admiral Théophile Aube, then the French Minister of Marine and an ardent supporter of the Jeune École doctrine. Aube intended to use the new cruisers as commerce raiders, rather than fleet scouts.
Coëtlogon was 95 m (311 ft 8 in) long at the waterline and 96.1 m (315 ft 3 in) long overall, with a beam of 9.33 m (30 ft 7 in) and an average draft of 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in). She displaced 1,857 t (1,828 long tons; 2,047 short tons). Her crew amounted to 209 officers and enlisted men. The ship's propulsion system consisted of a pair of compound steam engines driving two screw propellers. Steam was provided by six coal-burning fire-tube boilers that were ducted into two funnels. Her machinery was rated to produce 6,200 indicated horsepower (4,600 kW) for a top speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). She had a cruising radius of 2,395 nautical miles (4,436 km; 2,756 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).
The ship was armed with a main battery of four 138.6 mm (5.46 in) 30-caliber guns in individual pivot mounts, all in sponsons with two guns per broadside. For close-range defense against torpedo boats, she carried three 47 mm (1.9 in) 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns and four 37 mm (1.5 in) 1-pounder Hotchkiss revolver cannon. She was also armed with four 356 mm (14 in) torpedo tubes in her hull above the waterline, two forward and two further aft. She had provisions to carry up to 150 naval mines. Armor protection consisted of an armor deck that was 40 mm (1.6 in) thick and sloped downward at the sides to provide a measure of vertical protection. Above the deck, a highly subdivided layer of watertight compartments was intended to control flooding. A thin anti-splinter deck below the armor deck covered the machinery spaces.
### Modifications
The initial design for the Forbin class called for a four-masted sailing rig and a main battery of just two 138.6 mm guns, but during construction their specifications were revised; a second pair of guns was added to strengthen their combat power relative to foreign counterparts. And during trials with Forbin, the original rigging proved to be of little use and the navy decided to replace it with the schooner rig. The armament changes were carried out for Coëtlogon between September 1889 and February 1890, before she began her initial testing, but the rigging was not altered until October 1892, when her propulsion system was being replaced. In 1892–1893, the ship underwent a refit. Her rigging was further reduced by the removal of her main mast and the bowsprit, though the fore and mizzenmasts were moved closer together. The main battery was converted to quick firing, and the light armament now consisted of five 47 mm guns, three 37 mm guns, and four 37 mm revolver cannon.
## Service history
The third member of the Forbin class was ordered on 23 May 1887. Work began on Coëtlogon with her keel laying at the Ateliers et Chantiers de Saint-Nazaire Penhoët shipyard on four days later. She was launched on 3 December 1888 and was commissioned for sea trials on 20 March 1890, which were conducted off Brest. Her propulsion system failed and had to be completely replaced. On 18 January 1892, the ship was placed in the 3rd category of reserve, and on 5 March, she was towed back to Saint-Nazaire to have the new engines installed. The work was completed by mid-1893, and she began another round of trials on 17 August 1893. Trials conducted in March 1894 had to be stopped due to excessive friction in the engines, which caused so much vibration in the hull that the ship's compasses were not usable. She ran acceptable trials in June, where she reached a top speed of 20.4 knots (37.8 km/h; 23.5 mph) using forced draft, though was not ready for service until August. She completed her initial sea trials in 1894; during the testing, she reached a maximum average speed of 20.6 knots (38.2 km/h; 23.7 mph). She was accepted by the navy on 31 August and was placed in full commission on 20 September.
The same day she was placed in active service, Coëtlogon was assigned to the Northern Squadron. The unit was kept in commission for only four months per year. The unit at that time consisted of the coastal defense ship Furieux, the ironclads Requin, Victorieuse, and Suffren, the armored cruiser Latouche-Tréville, and the protected cruisers Jean Bart and Surcouf. Coëtlogon took part in the annual fleet maneuvers that began on 1 July 1895. The exercises took place in two phases, the first being a simulated amphibious assault in Quiberon Bay, and the second revolving around a blockade of Rochefort and Cherbourg. The maneuvers concluded on the afternoon of 23 July.
She remained in the unit in 1896. She took part in the maneuvers that year, which were conducted from 6 to 26 July in conjunction with the local defense forces of Brest, Rochefort, Cherbourg, and Lorient. The squadron was divided into three divisions for the maneuvers, and Coëtlogon was assigned to the 3rd Division along with the coastal defense ship Bouvines and the armored cruiser Dupuy de Lôme, which represented the enemy squadron. She was taken out of service on 20 August and placed in reserve at Lorient, but remained in commission. The ship had proved to be problematic in service, and the new propulsion system still had not corrected her deficiencies; the maritime prefect that oversaw the reserve ships at Lorient stated in a message to the naval minister on 15 January 1905 that "this cruiser has always given rise to problems and it would be imprudent to rely on her now." As a result, she was decommissioned on 1 June and struck from the naval register on 26 August. The ship was thereafter employed as an ammunition storage hulk at Lorient until being placed for sale on 9 April 1906. She was purchased on 11 August by M. Guilhaumon and thereafter scrapped. |
7,519,853 | Devil's Trap | 1,168,144,791 | null | [
"2006 American television episodes",
"Supernatural (season 1) episodes",
"Television episodes directed by Kim Manners",
"Television episodes set in Iowa",
"Television episodes set in Missouri",
"Television episodes set in Nebraska",
"Television episodes set in South Dakota",
"Television episodes written by Eric Kripke"
] | "Devil's Trap" is the twenty-second episode of the paranormal drama television series Supernatural's first season. It is the season finale, and was first broadcast on The WB on May 4, 2006. The narrative follows series protagonists Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) as they search for their missing father (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who has been kidnapped by demons.
Written by series creator Eric Kripke and directed by Kim Manners, the episode featured Nicki Aycox's final portrayal of recurring villain Meg Masters, and also introduced Jim Beaver as hunter and Winchester-ally Bobby Singer. Morgan's busy schedule affected the episode's storyline, and the final scene involved one of the toughest special effects sequences of the series.
The season finale was met with generally positive reviews, with critics praising the actors' performances and the twist ending.
## Plot
Trying to locate his father, Dean calls John Winchester's phone. The demonically-possessed Meg Masters (Aycox) answers it instead, and taunts him that his father has been captured. To determine a plan of action, Dean and his brother Sam (Padalecki) go to family friend and fellow hunter Bobby Singer (Beaver) for help. However, Meg tracks them down and attacks, but is quickly caught underneath a mystical symbol known as a "devil's trap" that the Winchesters and Bobby had painted on the ceiling; it renders demons immobile and powerless. Bobby informs the Winchesters that Meg is actually an innocent girl being possessed by a demon, so they begin to perform an exorcism. Dean promises to stop if she reveals the location of their father, and she relents, claiming he is being held in Jefferson City. Despite Bobby's warning that Meg will die from previously sustained injuries if the demon is exorcised, Dean insists that they go through with it, as it would be better than allowing the demon to continue to use her as a host. After the demon is sent to Hell, a dying Meg thanks them for freeing her. With her remaining strength, she warns them that the demons are setting a trap for them, and says, "By the river. Sunrise," before she dies.
This leads the brothers to the riverside Sunrise Apartments in Jefferson City, Missouri. The boys manage to overpower the demons guarding John, and rescue him. However, they are attacked by Meg's demonic brother Tom, and Dean is forced to kill him with one of the three remaining bullets of the Colt—a mystical gun capable of killing anything. When the Winchesters later find refuge in a secluded cabin, Azazel reveals himself to be possessing John. Dean, while being tortured by the demon, begs his father to break free and save him. John is able to temporarily gain control, and then begs Sam to use the Colt to kill Azazel. Unable to bring himself to kill his father, Sam instead shoots him in the leg, causing Azazel to flee to safety. The Winchesters rush towards the hospital, but their car is rammed into by a semi-trailer truck being driven by a demonically-possessed truck driver.
## Production
### Guest stars
Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan portrayed dual roles for the episode. He returned as Winchester patriarch John, and was also the first to play the on-screen physical manifestation of the demon Azazel—the character had been only depicted in silhouette. Morgan was given free rein over the latter's traits, only being directed to "be different from John". He changed his voice and modeled Azazel's speech pattern after Jack Nicholson's scenes in The Shining in which he "gets all freaky". This "Nicholson-esque quality" continues in later depictions of the demon.
Hunter and Winchester-ally Bobby Singer makes his debut, and is played by Jim Beaver. Beaver had worked with executive producer Robert Singer on the television series Reasonable Doubts, and Singer gave him the part without viewing his audition tape. The episode also features the final appearance of the demonically-possessed Meg Masters as played by Nicki Aycox. Director Kim Manners was sorry to see her go, as he felt Meg had the potential to become a "great nemesis" for the Winchesters.
### Writing
The staff struggled throughout the writing process to decide which Winchester would be kidnapped and possessed, and were forced to revise the script multiple times to reflect the latest choice. Because of Jeffrey Dean Morgan's recurring role on Grey's Anatomy, however, the writers realized that he would not be available long enough to be a main focus of the episode. They thus decided late into production for John to be the one who is captured. With this finalized, Kripke found it rather easy to write the episode; he already knew that the key elements of the episode would be the exorcism of the demon possessing Meg, the death of the real Meg, and the apparent rescue of John Winchester. Kripke felt that it had to be John who was possessed by Azazel, as it united and completed the two main storylines of the season—finding their father and tracking down the demon—and it did so by finding both characters in one body. He found it a "happy accident" to be able to present the brothers with the opportunity to finally kill the demon, but at the cost of their father's life.
The writers believed John's separation from his sons throughout the season "split the show" by having him away "doing more interesting things than the boys are doing", with Kripke likewise feeling that John was keeping Sam and Dean away from the "front lines". His death would allow the brothers to "explore, investigate and confront the yellow-eyed demon directly". The writers originally intended for John to die at the episode's end, with Sam and Dean surviving the crash but John dying in their arms. His death, however, was pushed back into the second-season premiere because the writers deemed it too dark to kill John after everything else the brothers had gone through in "Devil's Trap".
### Filming
Principal filming took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, with the crash scene being filmed on an old airport space with flat roads. However, other key sequences occurred in the studio. Because the fight scene between the Winchesters and Azazel at the climax was meant to take place in a secluded, forest-enclosed cabin, production built the set on a sound stage. Production designer Jerry Wanek felt the set was extremely important, as viewers would become uninterested if the forest looked fake. With Morgan rendered blind by the yellow contact lenses required to depict his character's demonic possession, the production crew placed sandbags on the floor to help the actor locate his marks.
According to Aycox, the exorcism of the demon from Meg Masters took two days to shoot; the first day of filming lasted 13 hours, while the second lasted for "about a half a day". Director Kim Manners used 360-degree shots and close-ups to make the sequence exciting. In the scene following the exorcism, in which Bobby is bent over a dying Meg, Aycox and Ackles read their lines off-screen so that Beaver's reaction could be shot. However, the two were "so slap-happy" to be almost done that they could not stop laughing; to everyone's surprise, Beaver was able to keep a straight face. The set—Bobby Singer's home—was filled with waist-high stacks of six thousand books.
### Effects
The semi-trailer truck crashing into the Impala at the episode's end was deemed by special effects supervisor Randy Shymkiw to be, as of the third season's production, "probably the toughest 'gag' [he has] done". Many aspects went into creating the crash scene, with filming taking place both in the studio and on location.
For the interior scenes used to depict the first moments of the Impala being hit, the actors were required to sit in the car in front of a blue screen; this allowed for the truck's headlights to later be added in with visual effects. The car itself was attached to a separate rig that was built to replicate the impact of the crash. As the scene was shot, the rig flipped the car onto its side. The passenger-side window was then shattered, though the actors were protected by a sheet of Lexan that had been placed very close to the window; at the same time, cannons beneath the frame blew out pieces of rubber glass to give the appearance that the window had exploded onto them.
For the filming of the actual crash, the car and truck were cabled together by a winch and driven toward one another. The intention was for a cannon to launch the Impala into the air at the collision point, causing the car to barrel roll as the truck drives away. However, the car became stuck in the truck's bumper, forcing the cannon to fail and the truck to go out of control. The truck began to jackknife, but the stuntman driving it saved it from flipping. The mistake ended up being beneficial for the scene, as Kripke and director Manners found it to look "pretty real".
## Reception
On its initial broadcast, the episode was watched by 3.99 million viewers. It received generally positive reviews from critics. Karla Peterson of The San Diego Union-Tribune gave the episode an "A", deeming it "everything the season-closer needed to be". She noted that episode reveals why Azazel killed Jessica and Mary Winchester, and enjoyed the "creative way" Meg Masters was killed off, feeling the exorcism to be "amazing". Peterson also praised the cliffhanger ending, believing it to be "capable of pulling your eyeballs right out of your head". The acting was also praised, with Jensen Ackles being able to "wring every ounce of blood, sweat and torment out of Dean's photogenically haunted psyche", Jared Padalecki making Sam "real and conflicted", and Jeffrey Dean Morgan giving "his best and most believable performance of the season". Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune collectively referred to "Devil's Trap" and its two preceding episodes as a "really strong trilogy" of "must-see episodes". She found the possessed John to be "Morgan's finest work on the show to date", believing that he "was really on fire in that scene" and "brought a whole new intensity to his performance". She also thought that Bobby Singer's introduction and Meg Masters' exorcism were "well done".
Diana Steenbergen of IGN also praised "Devil's Trap", deeming it to be the episode that "moved Supernatural from the list of television shows that [she] liked to the 'must-see' list". Like Peterson, she cheered the twist ending, and was "completely taken by surprise". Steenbergen also felt that Jim Beaver as hunter Bobby Singer was "an excellent addition to the cast", and applauded Ackles, Padalecki, and Morgan for their performances in the episode's climactic confrontation between Azazel and the brothers. She found the possessed Morgan to be "menacing", and enjoyed his sadistic sense of humor; Padalecki to have done a "good job embodying the newfound strength" Sam develops in defying his father's order to kill him in order to stop the demon; and Ackles' defenselessness to be "affecting". However, she believed that Azazel's reference to having a family "[didn't] quite make sense", and noted that it seemed implausible for Sam and Dean—having been raised as hunters—to not have known that Meg was a demonically-possessed girl. Brian Tallerico of UGO also had issues with the plot, though mainly with the episode's outcome. He felt that the writers should have followed Buffy the Vampire Slayer's pattern of killing off the season's foe, as "fans don't like villains to be strung out for too long". He also would have liked for John Winchester to have died in order to "free the brothers up for a little second season revenge and a little less family angst". |
26,062,746 | HMS Whelp (R37) | 1,158,805,981 | W-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War | [
"1943 ships",
"Cold War destroyers of the United Kingdom",
"Ships built on the River Tyne",
"Type 15 frigates of the South African Navy",
"W and Z-class destroyers",
"W-class destroyers of the South African Navy",
"World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom"
] | HMS Whelp was one of eight W-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Completed in 1944, the ship spent most of the war assigned to the Eastern and Pacific Fleets. She screened British aircraft carriers as their aircraft attacked targets in the Japanese-occupied Nicobar Islands, the Dutch East Indies, Formosa and near Okinawa. Whelp was present at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay in 1945 and later in Hong Kong. She was paid off in January 1946 and went into reserve.
Whelp was sold to the South African Navy (SAN) in 1952 and renamed Simon van der Stel. She was subsequently converted into a fast anti-submarine frigate in the early 1960s and served as a training ship from 1968 until 1972 when she went back into reserve. Simon van der Stel was recommissioned in 1975 for a refit, but that proved to be uneconomical and she was scrapped the following year.
## Description
The W-class ships displaced 1,710 long tons (1,740 t) at standard load and 2,530 long tons (2,570 t) at deep load. They had an overall length of 362 feet 9 inches (110.6 m), a beam of 35 feet 8 inches (10.9 m) and a mean deep draught of 14 feet 6 inches (4.4 m). The ships were powered by a pair of Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 40,000 shaft horsepower (30,000 kW) which gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). They carried 615 long tons (625 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 4,675 nautical miles (8,658 km; 5,380 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). Their crew numbered 179 officers and ratings.
The W-class destroyers were armed with four single 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark IX guns, one quadruple mount for 2-pounder (40 mm) Mk II "pom-pom" anti-aircraft (AA) guns and eight Oerlikon 20 mm (0.8 in) light AA guns on twin mounts. They also were equipped with two quadruple mounts for 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes. For anti-submarine work, the ships were fitted with ASDIC and two rails and four throwers for 70 depth charges. They were equipped with a Type 272 surface-search radar, Type 282 and 285 gunnery radars and a Type 291 early-warning radar.
To better defend the ship against Japanese kamikaze suicide aircraft, Whelp had her searchlight replaced by a 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors AA gun in mid-1944. As part of her 1962–64 refit, the ship's aft torpedo tubes were removed to make room for a small flight deck and hangar for two Westland Wasp helicopters. A pair of Bofors guns were added, one on each side of the hangar, but these were later replaced by the originally intended pair of American 12.75-inch (324 mm) Mk 32 triple-barrelled anti-submarine torpedo tubes. The main guns were replaced by two twin-gun turrets fitted with 4-inch (102 mm) Mk XVI guns, one forward of the bridge and the other aft of the hangar. Her electronics were modernized as well although she retained the existing search radar. The changes increased her crew to 186–210 officers and ratings.
## Construction and career
### British service
The W-class destroyers were ordered on 3 December 1941 and Whelp was laid down by Hawthorn Leslie and Company at their shipyard in Hebburn on 1 May 1942. The ship was launched on 3 June 1943 and completed on 14 July 1944. Whelp was adopted by the London Borough of Wembley, using funds they had raised in Warship Week in 1942.
She was initially assigned to the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla (DF) of the Home Fleet and was based in Scapa Flow. During her active service, her captain and first lieutenant were Commander G. A. F. Norfolk and Lieutenant His Royal Highness Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, the future Duke of Edinburgh. In mid-June, Whelp sailed to Spitsbergen to resupply the small Allied garrison there. Whelp was then assigned to the 27th Destroyer Flotilla which left for the Far East on 2 August and arrived in Trincomalee, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), on 12 September. En route, the ship covered the Allied invasion of Southern France (Operation Dragoon) in mid-August.
By October, the 27th DF was assigned to the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean and Whelp escorted the aircraft carriers Indomitable and Victorious while their aircraft attacked Nancowry harbour and other targets in the Nicobar Islands as part of Operation Millet. When the Eastern Fleet attempted to attack the oil refinery complex at Pangkalan Brandan, Sumatra, in mid-November, Whelp and her sister ship Wager escorted the oiler RFA Wave King. The British Pacific Fleet (BPF) was formed a few days afterwards and attacked the refinery at Belawan Deli during Operation Robson a month later, as the ship escorted the main body of the fleet. She did much the same during Operation Lentil, another attack on the refinery at Pangkalan Brandan at the beginning of January 1945. Whelp was then detached to tow the damaged submarine HMS Shakespeare to Trincomalee, arriving on 8 January. The BPF departed from the port eight days later, bound for Sydney, Australia. En route its aircraft attacked the refineries in Plaju and Sungai Gerong, Sumatra, on 24 and 29 January (Operation Meridian I & II) before arriving on 10 February. Whelp rescued the crew of a crashed Grumman TBF Avenger, Sub-Lieutenant Roy Halliday and his gunner, Norman Richardson, during the second attack.
On 28 February, the BPF sailed for their forward base at Manus Island and arrived on 7 March and exercised together before sailing for Ulithi on 18 March. The BPF joined the American Fifth Fleet there two days later to participate in the preliminary operations for the invasion of Okinawa. The British role during the operation was to neutralise airfields on the Sakishima Islands, between Okinawa and Formosa, beginning on 26 March. They later attacked airfields in Formosa before returning to the Sakishima Islands. The BPF retired to Leyte Gulf to rest and resupply on 17 April and Whelp, together with Wager, was tasked to escort the badly damaged carrier Illustrious to Sydney on 3 May. They arrived on 14 May and Whelp continued on to Melbourne to begin a refit that lasted until July.
She rejoined the BPF at Sydney (now attached to the United States 3rd Fleet) and on 31 July escorted the battleship Duke of York to Guam, together with Wager, where they arrived on 9 August. Admiral Bruce Fraser, Commander-in-chief of the BPF, conferred with U.S. Admiral Chester Nimitz, the Commander-in-Chief Pacific Fleet Headquarters. The ships then proceeded to rendezvous with the main body of the fleet off the coast of Japan on the 16th. Whelp was the first Allied ship to enter Sagami Bay on 27 August, leading the way for Duke of York and the American battleships Iowa and Missouri. She was present at Tokyo for the formal surrender of the Japanese on 2 September. She left Tokyo on 9 September and, following an overnight stop at Okinawa on 11/12 September, arrived at Hong Kong with Admiral Fraser aboard. He accepted the surrender of the Japanese forces in Hong Kong on 16 September.
Whelp was remained in Hong Kong and conducted anti-piracy patrols along the Chinese coast. On 12 November, the ship departed Hong Kong for Sydney, via Darwin, and arrived there on the 24th to begin a brief refit. She sailed for Britain on 7 December and arrived at Portsmouth on 17 January 1946. Whelp was paid off and was in Category B reserve by 30 May. She was recommissioned on 9 August 1947 and refitted at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard in September–October preparation for the voyage to South Africa in company with her sisters, Kempenfelt, Wessex and Wrangler to form the South Atlantic Reserve Force in Simon's Town. Whelp was damaged while in dock on 8 September 1949. She was scheduled to be converted into a Type 62 air defence frigate, but this was cancelled when that programme was abandoned.
### South African service
Whelp was offered to South Africa in 1950, together with Wessex, but she was not purchased until 25 April 1952 for £420,000. The ship was commissioned on 23 February 1953 and was renamed Simon van der Stel, after the first governor of Cape Colony. Much of the ship's service was as a "grey ambassador", on goodwill visits to Europe and the European colonies in Africa, including a 147-day cruise to Europe in 1954. This began on 14 July, when she departed Durban on what was the longest flag-showing cruise ever by an SAN warship. En route to Portsmouth, Simon van der Stel stopped in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and Dakar, French West Africa and arrived there on 31 July. Then she became the first SAN ship to visit, when the warship berthed in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Derry, Northern Ireland, and Glasgow, Scotland. On 21 October, the ship escorted (the former HMS Brayford, a new Ford-class seaward defence boat back home. On their way to Durban, the ships visited France, Portugal, the Canary Islands, Dakar, French West Africa, and French Equatorial Africa before arriving at their destination on 8 December, Simon van der Stel having steamed some 17,200 nautical miles (31,900 km; 19,800 mi). This role, however, declined as South Africa became increasingly isolated during the apartheid years.
The ship was placed in reserve from 1957, but was modernised at Simon's Town Naval Dockyard from 1962 to 1964, and re-commissioned on 27 February 1964. She was modernised according to a modified Type 16 frigate standard, her main armament became four 4-inch guns Mk XVI in two twin positions and she was able to carry two Westland Wasp helicopters. Simon van der Stel remained in commission for just over a year as manpower shortages mandated that she be reduced back to reserve in March 1965. The ship was recommissioned on 17 June 1968 and was briefly assigned to the 10th Frigate Squadron until she was redesignated as a training ship on 1 October. Simon van der Stel visited Portuguese Mozambique later that month. In June 1969, she was ordered to proceed to Gough Island to search for two missing members (Jan Seyffert and Fanie Grobler) of the weather station there, but only found their bodies. The ship was replaced in her training role by her sister in 1972 and she was paid off on 27 March. Simon van der Stel was reactivated with a skeleton crew in early 1975 for a refit at Durban, but she was deemed too expensive to repair and was scrapped there by Sandock-Austral in late 1976.
## Publications
- Short, Victoria L. (2020). The Forgotten British Pacific Fleet: A Stoker's Log. (the log book of Leslie Wilfred Dodge,1925-1993, a stoker on HMS Whelp). |
29,279,140 | Micro Star v. FormGen Inc. | 1,160,979,548 | 1998 American court case on copyright | [
"1999 in United States case law",
"Duke Nukem",
"United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit cases",
"United States copyright case law",
"Video game copyright case law"
] | Micro Star v. FormGen Inc. 154 F.3d 1107 (9th Cir. 1998) is a legal case applying copyright law to video games, stopping the sales of a compilation of user-generated levels that infringed the copyright of Duke Nukem 3D. Micro Star downloaded the Duke Nukem 3D levels and re-packaged them as Nuke It, after seeing their popularity on the internet. Micro Star filed suit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, asking for declaratory judgment that they had not infringed any copyright. Game publisher FormGen counter-sued, claiming that Micro Star created a derivative work based on Duke Nukem 3D and infringed their copyright.
At the time, the most relevant case law was Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc. (1992), where the court found that the Game Genie did not infringe Nintendo's copyrights, because the device did not store any modified images in any concrete or permanent form. The district court found that Micro Star had likely infringed copyright with their packaging, which included artwork from Duke Nukem 3D, but found that the levels themselves were non-infringing. Both parties appealed the ruling, and the appeal court held decisively against Micro Star. Copyright law gives the copyright holder the exclusive right to make sequels to their work, and the court found that the stories told in the Nuke It map files are "surely sequels, telling new tales of Duke's fabulous adventures".
The ruling continues to apply to the legal status of video game modding, with mods viewed as derivative works that require the consent of the copyright holder. While this may legally limit the creation of mods, machinima, broadcasts, or even cheats, many game developers have authorized and encouraged some of these activities.
## Background
### Facts
Apogee is a video game developer responsible for creating the Duke Nukem series of computer games. The game studio developed Duke Nukem 3D under their new name 3D Realms, with support from software publisher FormGen. Released in 1996, Duke Nukem 3D was acclaimed as one of the best video games of all time by PC Gamer. The game also included a tool that allowed players to create their own levels using the game's graphics and gameplay. This was part of a growing trend of games that allowed user-generated video game modifications, with FormGen encouraging Duke Nukem players to share their creations on the growing Internet.
The popularity of these levels was noticed by Micro Star, a computer software distributor, which downloaded 300 levels and mass produced them on CD-ROM for commercial sale. The compilation Nuke It was adorned with screen shots of the levels created for Duke Nukem 3D.
### Law
According to United States copyright law, the copyright holder has the exclusive right to create derivative works based on the original work. Micro Star filed suit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, asking for a declaratory judgment that they had not committed copyright infringement. FormGen counter-sued, claiming that Micro Star infringed their copyright by making derivative works of Duke Nukem 3D.
At issue was the legal precedent from Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc. (1992), where the court found that the Game Genie did not infringe Nintendo's copyrights, because the device did not store any modified images in any concrete or permanent form. Micro Star cited the case to show that their map files did not contain any of FormGen's copyrighted content, as they only referenced the art files in Duke Nukem 3D, without creating a permanent derivative work.
Micro Star also argued that the players had created the map files as non-commercial fair use, or alternatively, that FormGen abandoned their copyright to the user-created levels by authorizing users to create them. Under the fair use doctrine, copying a copyrighted work is sometimes allowed in the public interest, depending on four factors: (1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether it is commercial in nature; (2) the nature of the copyrighted work; (3) the amount and substantiality of the copied material in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and (4) the effect of the use on the potential market for the copyrighted work.
## Ruling
### District Court
The district court granted a preliminary injunction against MicroStar, preventing them from using the screenshots from Duke Nukem 3D on their packaging, and rejecting Micro Star's argument that these images qualified as fair use. However, the district court considered the precedent from Galoob v. Nintendo, and found that Nuke It was not a derivative work and did not violate FormGen's copyright. Both sides filed appeals with United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
### Appeal Court
The appeal decision was written by Judge Alex Kozinski. Citing the precedent in Galoob v. Nintendo, the court narrowed the definition of a derivative work to two main requirements: that the derivative work must exist in a concrete and permanent form, and that it must substantially incorporate protected material from the original work. In this case, the Nuke It map files generated audiovisual displays in interaction with the Duke Nukem 3D game, and the court concluded that the description of an audiovisual display counts as a permanent or concrete form. This clearly applied to Nuke It as these descriptions were stored in a file on a compact disc. On the second requirement, the court concluded that Nuke It makes significant use of the art library from Duke Nukem 3D, despite the fact that the map files only referred to that art. Copyright law gives the copyright holder the exclusive right to make sequels to their work, and the court found that the stories told in the Nuke It map files are "surely sequels, telling new tales of Duke's fabulous adventures".
After finding that Nuke It was indeed a derivative work based upon Duke Nukem 3D, the court went on to consider Micro Star's fair use argument. Micro Star asked the court to examine fair use from the user's point of view, but the court refused. Considering all of the fair use factors, the court found that Micro Star made heavy use of the FormGen's copyrighted game in terms of both quantity and importance, allowing Micro Star to profit from this use while also harming the market for sequels to Duke Nukem 3D. The court also rejected Micro Star's argument that FormGen abandoned all rights to their protected expression in Duke Nukem 3D, saying that this could only be done through an overt act.
The court reversed the district court's order denying a preliminary injunction on distributing Nuke It, concluding that FormGen would likely succeed in a claim against Micro Star for copyright infringement. The court also affirmed the district court's preliminary injunction preventing Micro Star from using Duke Nukem 3D screenshots on their packaging.
## Outcome
Micro Star's parent company, GT Interactive, reacted with support for user-generated levels, while also stating that "the commercial exploitation of player-created levels is a clear violation of the Duke Nukem 3D copyright". The court distinguished the facts in Micro Star v. FormGen from those of the Game Genie case in Galoob v. Nintendo, because the Duke Nukem 3D mods were recorded in permanent files. Law professors Ron and Elizabeth Gard summarized that the ruling treated the user generated maps as non-copyrightable derivative works, even though the map files did not contain the original game's code. Attorney Ross Dannenberg also noted that the Duke Nukem maps were found to be infringing derivative works because they incorporated elements of the original game's art and story.
The impact of the case was overshadowed by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that also passed in 1998, which prohibited anyone from circumventing technological access controls for copyrighted works. Alessandra Garbagnati in the Hastings Communications and Entertainment Law Journal argues that the Formgen case limited the rights previously afforded to consumers in Galoob, and these rights were further narrowed by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
## Legacy
Legal scholars have highlighted Micro Star v. Formgen as a pivotal legal holding on the issue of unauthorized derivative works, including mods and other user-generated content. Writing for the William & Mary Business Law Review in 2020, Carl Lindstrom states that "Micro Star v. Formgen's holding still remains the final word on the legal status of mods, even when created using developer-furnished tools." Melinda Schlinsog in the Tulane Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property also noted Microstar v. Formgen could apply to all video game mods, though the Galoob v. Nintendo precedent may still protect mods that are non-commercial in nature.
J. Remy Green wrote for the North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology, discussing whether awarding more rights to modders would discourage original games, or encourage more derivative works. While Microstar determined that "mods are viewed as derivative works and are, therefore, violations of the copyright holder’s rights if made without the copyright holder’s consent," the BYU Law Review praised the video game industry for allowing and encouraging mods for popular video games.
In the Journal of Intellectual Property Law, Matthew Freedman cautioned that the case could effect the legality of machinima, where artists use copyrighted video game assets to produce animated films. Dan Burk in the University of Pennsylvania Law Review also cautioned that Microstar may apply to make esports broadcasts an infringing activity, as the copyright of each game belongs to its creators. Since the court interpreted the Nuke It map files distributed by Micro Star to be sequels, this ruling is also noted for showing that video game copyright owners have the exclusive right to make sequels. The Verge discussed whether it would infringe copyright if a player uses a video game mod to cheat, and noted that Microstar v. Formgen is unclear about whether any video game mods are permissible fair use. Regardless, Zvi Rosen in the Chicago-Kent Journal of Intellectual Property notes that many game developers have openly supported the creation of game modifications, and that the "relationship of mods to the computer game industry has shifted," even if "the law's view of mods has not". |
54,581,720 | Grace Beside Me | 1,173,677,185 | Australian television series | [
"2018 Australian television series debuts",
"Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming",
"Australian children's television series",
"Australian drama television series",
"English-language television shows",
"National Indigenous Television original programming",
"Television series about teenagers",
"Television shows set in Queensland"
] | Grace Beside Me is an Australian fantasy drama television series for children which premiered on NITV on 16 February 2018 and later aired on ABC Me. The series is based on the novel Grace Beside Me, by Sue McPherson, and was filmed in the Scenic Rim Region in South East Queensland. The television adaptation was produced by a team composed entirely of women, including Aboriginal screenwriters.
Set in the fictional country town of Laurel Dale, the series follows an Indigenous Australian teenager named Fuzzy Mac, who navigates her way through the social and personal issues of adolescence, while also being faced with the power of being able to communicate with spirits. Overriding themes include the focus on identity and belonging, while family and kinship is also explored. Australian Aboriginal culture is prominently featured, with the series produced in association with Screen Australia's Indigenous Department and the Australian Children's Television Foundation.
Grace Beside Me has received a positive reception for its Australian Aboriginal representation. It was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Children's Program in 2018, and nominated twice at the Logie Awards for Most Outstanding Children's Program. The program won the First Nations Media Award for Best Drama or Comedy in 2018, and an Australian Directors' Guild Award for the episode "Sorry" in 2019.
## Premise
Fuzzy Mac (Kyliric Masella) is a thirteen year old Indigenous Australian girl who discovers that she can communicate with spirits. She lives in the small regional community of Laurel Dale with her eccentric grandparents, Nan (Tessa Rose) and Pop (Charles Passi), who strive to teach her about tradition and their ancestors. Her family represents a mix of Aboriginal Australian, Irish and South Sea Islander traditions. Fuzzy's father, Sonny (Lasarus Ratuere), is a FIFO worker in the mines and her mother, Grace (Umema Curtis), died at the age of nineteen when Fuzzy was a baby. The pair moved in with Sonny's parents when Fuzzy was born.
Episodes depict Fuzzy's transition into adolescence as she begins high school along with her best friends Tui (Kyliric Masella) and Yar (Tjiirdm McGuire). On her thirteenth birthday, Fuzzy discovers that she can see ghosts and communicate with spirits. Her grandmother guides her as she begins her journey as a seer, and encourages her to fulfill her role of looking after Lola's Forest, a sacred site in Laurel Dale, and all of the spirits living within. Fuzzy comes to terms with her gift and learns how to use it responsibly, as she assists the spirits she encounters in carrying out their incomplete business. Other stories detail the friends' rivalry with their classmates, Cat (Emma Cobb) and Emmy (Lucy Adair).
## Cast and characters
### Main
- Kyliric Masella as Fuzzy Mac, a curious and confident thirteen year old with Aboriginal and Australian South Sea Islander heritage, who has a passion for art. She discovers that she can communicate with spirits.
- Tjiirdm McGuire as Yar, a flamboyant and theatrical friend of Fuzzy's.
- Mairehau Grace as Tui, Fuzzy's best friend, of Māori heritage, who has a love of language and technology.
- Charles Passi as Pop McCardell, Fuzzy's open-minded and witty grandfather, who is Australian South Sea Islander, and plays the bagpipes.
- Tessa Rose as Nan McCardell, Fuzzy's grandmother and a member of the Stolen Generations, with a gift for sensing the dead.
### Recurring
- Simone Landers as Lola, the spirit of Fuzzy's great-grandmother who appears to her as an eleven-year-old girl. She died of natural causes while living in the forest, after escaping the Christian mission. Her spirit is the custodian of Lola's Forest. Pauline Whyman plays the spirit of Lola when she appears to Fuzzy as an older woman.
- Andrew Buchanan as Mayor Ridgeway, Cat's father and the mayor of Laurel Dale, formerly a local sports player.
- Elaine Crombie as Miss Long, Fuzzy's seventh grade teacher.
- Emma Cobb as Cat Ridgeway, a self-absorbed schoolgirl who is the daughter of the mayor.
- Lucy Adair as Emmy Chu, a popular schoolgirl who is not comfortable with sharing her Chinese heritage.
- Roxanne McDonald as Aunty Min, Nan's younger sister, a local historian, who was also removed from her family as a child.
- Ginger Dickens as Esther, Fuzzy's eleven year old cousin living with Aunty Min, who speaks her mind and is known by family as "Special Girl Esther".
- Jack Henry as Mr. Steiner, Fuzzy's grumpy German neighbour with a passion for gardening, who teaches Esther violin.
- Dylan Drabowicz as Jesse, a fourteen year old skater who develops a crush on Tui.
- Peter Sandy as Johnno Buchanan, Fuzzy's boisterous next door neighbour, often getting into trouble with his younger siblings, George and Billy.
- Jada Page as Georgia "George" Buchanan, sister of Johnno and Billy and next door neighbour of Fuzzy.
- Braden Lewis as Billy Buchanan, the youngest of the three Buchanan children who live next door to Fuzzy.
- Michael Fryer as Teddy, a thirteen year old schoolboy who moves to Laurel Dale after his parents' divorce.
### Guest stars
- Lasarus Ratuer as Sonny McCardell, Fuzzy's father, and the son of Nan and Pop, who works in the mines as a FIFO worker.
- Umema Curtis as Grace McCardell, the spirit of Fuzzy's mother who has passed away, and appears to Fuzzy. Like Fuzzy, she has a talent for drawing, and her totem is the magpie.
## Production
### Conception
In January 2017, Australian television network NITV commissioned its first scripted local drama, a children's series entitled Grace Beside Me, which would centre around a young Indigenous Australian teenager and her every day struggles with the issues of adolescence. The series, aimed at 8–12 year olds, was described as a combination of 21st century issues and the inclusion of Aboriginal culture, as the protagonist, Fuzzy Mac, learns to find her place in the two different worlds. The series takes the form of a fantasy drama. Based on the 2012 novel written by Sue McPherson, the initial series order was for 13 episodes, to be produced by Magpie Pictures, and to premiere on NITV. The series was announced in association with Screen Australia's Indigenous Department, who stated their focus in creating Indigenous and culturally diverse content for young Australians. Production was revealed to be led by an all-female team of producers, including Aboriginal producers and screenwriters. The episodes were co-commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to playout on ABC Me, with an additional presale license by pay-TV network Disney Channel for broadcast in Australia and New Zealand. The series is distributed internationally by 9 Story Media Group.
Production of the series was led by producers Lois Randall and Dena Curtis. Mary-Ellen Mullane served as the executive for NITV, and Libbie Doherty was appointed executive for the ABC.
### Writing
Scripts for Grace Beside Me are written in the genre of magic realism, with the goal of depicting contemporary teenage life. Curtis and Randall appreciated McPherson's depiction of small regional communities, having both come from regional backgrounds themselves. The original novel was written for a teenager audience, but the story was reworked to target a younger 8–12 year old demographic for the television series. The writers and producers consulted with Aboriginal Healers, Australian South Sea Islanders and the Mununjali Aboriginal Elders Group from Beaudesert, Queensland throughout the writing process. The Mununjali language is used in the series, with episodes inspired by stories told by Mununjali Elders. Māori writer Briar Grace-Smith also contributed to the scripts, to add an authentic voice to Māori character Tui. Grace-Smith described the writing process as "snappy and fast-paced". Other writers for the series included Gina Roncoli, Danielle MacLean, Sue McPherson and Tristan Savage.
### Filming
Production for Grace Beside Me began in July 2017, being filmed over eleven weeks in the Scenic Rim Region in South East Queensland. The series was filmed on the Traditional Lands of the Mununjali and Ugarapul People. The fictional town of Laurel Dale was created through the use of buildings and landmarks from Boonah and Beaudesert. Local townspeople were used as extras during filming, and the cast were invited to a welcoming ceremony held by Beaudesert Elders. The series was directed by Lynn-Maree Danzey, Nicholas Verso and Beck Cole. Kyliric Masella was announced to be playing Fuzzy Mac, with Mairehau Grac and Tjiirdm McGuire as supporting characters Tui and Yar respectively. Masella became close with her co-stars, who she shared a house with while filming. The cast were also required to complete school work during production.
The theme song, "Grace Beside Me", was composed by Amanda Brown and Emily Wurramara and performed by Wurramara.
The series premiered on NITV on 16 February 2018. It later premiered on ABC Me on 8 July 2018 and on Disney Channel on 5 March 2019.
## Episodes
## Reception
Grace Beside Me has received positive reviews based on its representation of Australian Aboriginal culture. Mandy Nolan of website Mamamia praised the Indigenous Australian cast, stating "I want my white child to hear black stories". She noted that the program's point of difference was that it didn't tell the stories of "white kids", like many other series. She also expressed her interest in viewing the program as a parent, along with her children. Reviewing the sixth episode "Hangi Sleepover", Melinda Houston commended the "deft" writing, and described the episode as "fresh, honest and funny".
## Awards and nominations |
32,509 | Vitamin C | 1,172,265,291 | Essential nutrient found in citrus fruits and other foods | [
"3-Hydroxypropenals",
"Biomolecules",
"Coenzymes",
"Dietary antioxidants",
"Dihydrofurans",
"E-number additives",
"Enediols",
"Food antioxidants",
"Furanones",
"Ophthalmology drugs",
"Organic acids",
"Orthomolecular medicine",
"Vitamin C",
"Wikipedia medicine articles ready to translate",
"World Health Organization essential medicines"
] | Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits and vegetables, also sold as a dietary supplement and as a topical "serum" ingredient to treat melasma (dark pigment spots) and wrinkles on the face. It is used to prevent and treat scurvy. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient involved in the repair of tissue, the formation of collagen, and the enzymatic production of certain neurotransmitters. It is required for the functioning of several enzymes and is important for immune system function. It also functions as an antioxidant. Most animals are able to synthesize their own vitamin C. However, apes (including humans) and monkeys (but not all primates), most bats, some rodents, and certain other animals must acquire it from dietary sources.
There is some evidence that regular use of supplements may reduce the duration of the common cold, but it does not appear to prevent infection. It is unclear whether supplementation affects the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, or dementia. It may be taken by mouth or by injection.
Vitamin C is generally well tolerated. Large doses may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, headache, trouble sleeping, and flushing of the skin. Normal doses are safe during pregnancy. The United States Institute of Medicine recommends against taking large doses.
Vitamin C was discovered in 1912, isolated in 1928, and in 1933, the first vitamin to be chemically produced. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. Vitamin C is available as an inexpensive generic and over-the-counter medication. Partly for its discovery, Albert Szent-Györgyi and Walter Norman Haworth were awarded the 1937 Nobel Prizes in Physiology and Medicine and Chemistry, respectively. Foods containing vitamin C include citrus fruits, kiwifruit, guava, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, potatoes, and strawberries. Prolonged storage or cooking may reduce vitamin C content in foods.
## Definition
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for certain animals including humans. The term vitamin C encompasses several vitamers that have vitamin C activity in animals. Ascorbate salts such as sodium ascorbate and calcium ascorbate are used in some dietary supplements. These release ascorbate upon digestion. Ascorbate and ascorbic acid are both naturally present in the body, since the forms interconvert according to pH. Oxidized forms of the molecule such as dehydroascorbic acid are converted back to ascorbic acid by reducing agents.
Vitamin C functions as a cofactor in many enzymatic reactions in animals (including humans) that mediate a variety of essential biological functions, including wound healing and collagen synthesis. In humans, vitamin C deficiency leads to impaired collagen synthesis, contributing to the more severe symptoms of scurvy. Another biochemical role of vitamin C is to act as an antioxidant (a reducing agent) by donating electrons to various enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions. Doing so converts vitamin C to an oxidized state - either as semidehydroascorbic acid or dehydroascorbic acid. These compounds can be restored to a reduced state by glutathione and NADPH-dependent enzymatic mechanisms.
In plants, vitamin C is a substrate for ascorbate peroxidase. This enzyme utilizes ascorbate to neutralize excess hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) by converting it to water (H<sub>2</sub>O) and oxygen.
## Deficiency
Vitamin C blood serum levels are considered saturated at levels \>65 μmol/L (1.1 mg/dL), achieved by consuming amounts which are at, or above, the Recommended Dietary Allowance, while adequate levels are defined as ≥50 μmol/L. Hypovitaminosis of vitamin C is defined as ≤23 μmol/L and deficiency occurs at ≤11.4 μmol/L. For those 20 years of age or above, data from the U.S. 2003-04 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey showed mean and median serum concentrations of 49.0 and 54.4 μmol/L, respectively. The percent of people reported as deficient was 7.1%.
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C. Without this vitamin, collagen made by the body is too unstable to perform its function and several other enzymes in the body do not operate correctly. Scurvy is characterized by spots on and bleeding under the skin, spongy gums, 'corkscrew' hair growth, and poor wound healing. The skin lesions are most abundant on the thighs and legs, and a person with the ailment looks pale, feels depressed, and is partially immobilized. In advanced scurvy there are open, suppurating wounds, loss of teeth, bone abnormalities and, eventually, death.
Notable human dietary studies of experimentally induced scurvy were conducted on conscientious objectors during World War II in Britain and on Iowa state prisoners in the late 1960s to the 1980s. Men in the prison study developed the first signs of scurvy about four weeks after starting the vitamin C-free diet, whereas in the earlier British study, six to eight months were required, possibly due to the pre-loading of this group with a 70 mg/day supplement for six weeks before the scorbutic diet was fed. Men in both studies had blood levels of ascorbic acid too low to be accurately measured by the time they developed signs of scurvy. These studies both reported that all obvious symptoms of scurvy could be completely reversed by supplementation of only 10 mg a day.
People in sepsis or septic shock may have micronutrient deficiencies, including low levels of vitamin C.
## Medical uses
Vitamin C has a definitive role in treating scurvy, which is a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency. Beyond that, a role for vitamin C as prevention or treatment for various diseases is disputed, with reviews reporting conflicting results. A 2012 Cochrane review reported no effect of vitamin C supplementation on overall mortality. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.
### Scurvy
The disease scurvy is caused by vitamin C deficiency and can be prevented and treated with vitamin C-containing foods or dietary supplements. It takes at least a month of little to no vitamin C before symptoms occur. Early symptoms are malaise and lethargy, progressing to shortness of breath, bone pain, bleeding gums, susceptibility to bruising, poor wound healing, and finally fever, convulsions and eventual death. Until quite late in the disease the damage is reversible, as healthy collagen replaces the defective collagen with vitamin C repletion. Treatment can be oral supplementation of the vitamin or by intramuscular or intravenous injection. Scurvy was known to Hippocrates in the classical era. The disease was shown to be prevented by citrus fruits in an early controlled trial by a Royal Navy surgeon, James Lind, in 1747, on board HMS Salisbury. From 1796 onward, lemon juice was issued to all Royal Navy crewmen.
### Common cold
Research on vitamin C in the common cold has been divided into effects on prevention, duration, and severity. A Cochrane review which looked at at least 200 mg/day concluded that vitamin C taken on a regular basis was not effective in prevention of the common cold. Restricting analysis to trials that used at least 1000 mg/day also saw no prevention benefit. However, taking vitamin C on a regular basis did reduce the average duration by 8% in adults and 14% in children, and also reduced severity of colds. A subset of trials in adults reported that supplementation reduced the incidence of colds by half in marathon runners, skiers, or soldiers in subarctic conditions. Another subset of trials looked at therapeutic use, meaning that vitamin C was not started unless the people started to feel the beginnings of a cold. In these, vitamin C did not affect duration or severity. An earlier review stated that vitamin C did not prevent colds, did reduce duration, did not reduce severity. The authors of the Cochrane review concluded that:
> The failure of vitamin C supplementation to reduce the incidence of colds in the general population indicates that routine vitamin C supplementation is not justified ... Regular supplementation trials have shown that vitamin C reduces the duration of colds, but this was not replicated in the few therapeutic trials that have been carried out. Nevertheless, given the consistent effect of vitamin C on the duration and severity of colds in the regular supplementation studies, and the low cost and safety, it may be worthwhile for common cold patients to test on an individual basis whether therapeutic vitamin C is beneficial for them."
Vitamin C distributes readily in high concentrations into immune cells, has antimicrobial and natural killer cell activities, promotes lymphocyte proliferation, and is consumed quickly during infections, effects suggesting a prominent role in immune system regulation. The European Food Safety Authority found a cause and effect relationship exists between the dietary intake of vitamin C and functioning of a normal immune system in adults and in children under three years of age.
Several studies found Vitamin C to have specific antiviral effects in which it inactivates the RNA or DNA of viruses or in the assembly of the virus.
#### COVID-19
According to ClinicalTrials.gov, as of early 2021 there were 50 completed or ongoing COVID-19 clinical trials including vitamin C as a treatment. A meta-analysis of six published trials was published in October 2021. Treatments were either oral or intravenous. Dose ranged from 50 mg/kg/day to 24 g/day. Reported outcomes were mortality, hospitalization duration, intensive care duration and need for ventilation. From the Conclusion: "The present meta-analysis showed that administration of vitamin C did not have any effect on major health outcomes in COVID infected patients, in comparison to either placebo/standard therapy. Sub-group analysis also revealed that irrespective of its dosage, route of administration and disease severity, it did not have discernible benefit in such patients. Hence, larger prospective randomized trials are needed in order to evaluate the effect of isolated vitamin C administration, separately for both vitamin C replete and deplete individuals."
During March through July 2020, vitamin C was the subject of more US FDA warning letters than any other ingredient for prevention and/or treatment of COVID-19.
As of April 2021, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines stated that "there are insufficient data to recommend either for or against the use of vitamin C for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19."
### Cancer
There is no evidence that vitamin C supplementation reduces the risk of lung cancer in healthy people or those at high risk due to smoking or asbestos exposure. A second meta-analysis found no effect on the risk of prostate cancer. Two meta-analyses evaluated the effect of vitamin C supplementation on the risk of colorectal cancer. One found a weak association between vitamin C consumption and reduced risk, and the other found no effect from supplementation. A 2011 meta-analysis failed to find support for the prevention of breast cancer with vitamin C supplementation, but a second study concluded that vitamin C may be associated with increased survival in those already diagnosed. A 2015 meta-analysis showed no antitumor effect nor improvement in quality-of-life measures from high-dose vitamin C. This review included trials of oral and intravenous vitamin C.
### Cardiovascular disease
In 2017, an independent study evaluating 15,445 participants found no evidence to show vitamin C decreases the risk cardiovascular disease. These results supported one 2013 review which found no evidence that antioxidant vitamin supplementation reduces the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular mortality, or all-cause mortality (it did not provide subset analysis for trials that just used vitamin C).
However, another 2013 review found an association between higher circulating vitamin C levels or dietary vitamin C and a lower risk of stroke.
A 2014 review found a positive effect of vitamin C on endothelial dysfunction when taken at doses greater than 500 mg per day. The endothelium is a layer of cells that line the interior surface of blood vessels.
### Brain function
A 2017 systematic review found lower vitamin C concentrations in people with cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer's disease and dementia, compared to people with normal cognition. The cognitive testing, however, relied on the Mini-Mental State Examination, which is only a general test of cognition, indicating an overall low quality of research assessing the potential importance of vitamin C on cognition in normal and impaired people. A review of nutrient status in people with Alzheimer's disease reported low plasma vitamin C, but also low blood levels of folate, vitamin B<sub>12</sub>, and vitamin E.
### Iron deficiency
One of the causes of iron-deficiency anemia is reduced absorption of iron. Iron absorption can be enhanced though ingestion of vitamin C alongside iron-containing food or supplements. The instability of vitamin C during cooking and/or storage limits the number of foods suitable for this. Vitamin C helps to keep iron in the reduced ferrous state, which is more soluble and more easily absorbed.
### Other diseases
Studies examining the effects of vitamin C intake on the risk of Alzheimer's disease have reached conflicting conclusions. Maintaining a healthy dietary intake is probably more important than supplementation for achieving any potential benefit. A 2010 review found no role for vitamin C supplementation in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Vitamin C supplementation does not prevent or slow the progression of age-related cataract. A systematic review reported that low intake and low serum concentration was associated with greater progression of periodontal disease. Vitamin C is marketed as a topical "serum" ingredient to prevent or treat skin aging, melasma (dark pigment spots) and wrinkles on the face. The purported mechanism is that it functions as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals from sunlight exposure, air pollutants or normal metabolic processes.
## Side effects
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, with dietary excesses not absorbed, and excesses in the blood rapidly excreted in the urine, so it exhibits remarkably low acute toxicity. More than two to three grams may cause indigestion, particularly when taken on an empty stomach. However, taking vitamin C in the form of sodium ascorbate and calcium ascorbate may minimize this effect. Other symptoms reported for large doses include nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. These effects are attributed to the osmotic effect of unabsorbed vitamin C passing through the intestine. In theory, high vitamin C intake may cause excessive absorption of iron. A summary of reviews of supplementation in healthy subjects did not report this problem, but left as untested the possibility that individuals with hereditary hemochromatosis might be adversely affected.
There is a longstanding belief among the mainstream medical community that vitamin C increases risk of kidney stones. "Reports of kidney stone formation associated with excess ascorbic acid intake are limited to individuals with renal disease". Reviews state that "data from epidemiological studies do not support an association between excess ascorbic acid intake and kidney stone formation in apparently healthy individuals", although one large, multi-year trial did report a nearly two-fold increase in kidney stones in men who regularly consumed a vitamin C supplement.
## Diet
### Recommended levels
Recommendations for vitamin C intake by adults have been set by various national agencies:
- 40 milligrams per day: India National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad
- 45 milligrams per day or 300 milligrams per week: the World Health Organization
- 80 milligrams per day: the European Commission Council on nutrition labeling
- 90 mg/day (males) and 75 mg/day (females): Health Canada 2007
- 90 mg/day (males) and 75 mg/day (females): United States National Academy of Sciences.
- 100 milligrams per day: Japan National Institute of Health and Nutrition.
- 110 mg/day (males) and 95 mg/day (females): European Food Safety Authority
In 2000, the chapter on Vitamin C in the North American Dietary Reference Intake was updated to give the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) as 90 milligrams per day for adult men, 75 mg/day for adult women, and setting a Tolerable upper intake level (UL) for adults of 2,000 mg/day. The table (right) shows RDAs for the United States and Canada for children, and for pregnant and lactating women, as well as the ULs for adults.
For the European Union, the EFSA set higher recommendations for adults, and also for children: 20 mg/day for ages 1–3, 30 mg/day for ages 4–6, 45 mg/day for ages 7–10, 70 mg/day for ages 11–14, 100 mg/day for males ages 15–17, 90 mg/day for females ages 15–17. For pregnancy 100 mg/day; for lactation 155 mg/day.
India, on the other hand, has set recommendations much lower: 40 mg/day for ages 1 through adult, 60 mg/day for pregnancy, and 80 mg/day for lactation. Clearly, there is not consensus among countries.
Cigarette smokers and people exposed to secondhand smoke have lower serum vitamin C levels than nonsmokers. The thinking is that inhalation of smoke causes oxidative damage, depleting this antioxidant vitamin. The U.S. Institute of Medicine estimated that smokers need 35 mg more vitamin C per day than nonsmokers, but did not formally establish a higher RDA for smokers. One meta-analysis showed an inverse relationship between vitamin C intake and lung cancer, although it concluded that more research is needed to confirm this observation.
The U.S. National Center for Health Statistics conducts biannual National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. Some results are reported as What We Eat In America. The 2013-2014 survey reported that for adults ages 20 years and older, men consumed on average 83.3 mg/d and women 75.1 mg/d. This means that half the women and more than half the men are not consuming the RDA for vitamin C. The same survey stated that about 30% of adults reported they consumed a vitamin C dietary supplement or a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement that included vitamin C, and that for these people total consumption was between 300 and 400 mg/d.
#### Tolerable upper intake level
In 2000, the Institute of Medicine of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences set a Tolerable upper intake level (UL) for adults of 2,000 mg/day. The amount was chosen because human trials had reported diarrhea and other gastrointestinal disturbances at intakes of greater than 3,000 mg/day. This was the Lowest-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level (LOAEL), meaning that other adverse effects were observed at even higher intakes. ULs are progressively lower for younger and younger children. In 2006, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) also pointed out the disturbances at that dose level, but reached the conclusion that there was not sufficient evidence to set a UL for vitamin C, as did the Japan National Institute of Health and Nutrition in 2010.
### Food labeling
For U.S. food and dietary supplement labeling purposes, the amount in a serving is expressed as a percent of Daily Value (%DV). For vitamin C labeling purposes, 100% of the Daily Value was 60 mg, but as of May 27, 2016, it was revised to 90 mg to bring it into agreement with the RDA. A table of the old and new adult daily values is provided at Reference Daily Intake.
European Union regulations require that labels declare energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, and salt. Voluntary nutrients may be shown if present in significant amounts. Instead of Daily Values, amounts are shown as percent of Reference Intakes (RIs). For vitamin C, 100% RI was set at 80 mg in 2011.
## Pharmacology
### Pharmacodynamics
Vitamin C – specifically, in the form of ascorbate – performs numerous physiological functions in the human body by serving as an enzyme substrate or cofactor and an electron donor. These functions include the synthesis of collagen, carnitine, and neurotransmitters; the synthesis and catabolism of tyrosine; and the metabolism of microsomes. During biosynthesis, ascorbate acts as a reducing agent, donating electrons and preventing oxidation to keep iron and copper atoms in their reduced states.
Vitamin C functions as a cofactor for the following enzymes:
- Three groups of enzymes (prolyl-3-hydroxylases, prolyl-4-hydroxylases, and lysyl hydroxylases) that are required for the hydroxylation of proline and lysine in the synthesis of collagen. These reactions add hydroxyl groups to the amino acids proline or lysine in the collagen molecule via prolyl hydroxylase and lysyl hydroxylase, both requiring vitamin C as a cofactor. The role of vitamin C as a cofactor is to oxidize prolyl hydroxylase and lysyl hydroxylase from Fe<sup>2+</sup> to Fe<sup>3+</sup> and to reduce it from Fe<sup>3+</sup> to Fe<sup>2+</sup>. Hydroxylation allows the collagen molecule to assume its triple helix structure, and thus vitamin C is essential to the development and maintenance of scar tissue, blood vessels, and cartilage.
- Two enzymes (ε-N-trimethyl-L-lysine hydroxylase and γ-butyrobetaine hydroxylase) are necessary for synthesis of carnitine. Carnitine is essential for the transport of fatty acids into mitochondria for ATP generation.
- Hypoxia-inducible factor-proline dioxygenase enzymes (isoforms: EGLN1, EGLN2, and EGLN3)
- Dopamine beta-hydroxylase participates in the biosynthesis of norepinephrine from dopamine.
- Peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase amidates peptide hormones by removing the glyoxylate residue from their c-terminal glycine residues. This increases peptide hormone stability and activity.
## Absorption, metabolism and excretion
From the U.S. National Institutes of Health: [In humans] "Approximately 70%–90% of vitamin C is absorbed at moderate intakes of 30–180 mg/day. However, at doses above 1,000 mg/day, absorption falls to less than 50%." It is transported through the intestine via both glucose-sensitive and glucose-insensitive mechanisms, so the presence of large quantities of sugar in the intestine can slow absorption.
Ascorbic acid is absorbed in the body by both active transport and simple diffusion. Sodium-Dependent Active Transport—Sodium-Ascorbate Co-Transporters (SVCTs) and Hexose transporters (GLUTs)—are the two transporter proteins required for active absorption. SVCT1 and SVCT2 import the reduced form of ascorbate across plasma membranes. GLUT1 and GLUT3 are glucose transporters, and transfer only the dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) form of vitamin C. Although dehydroascorbic acid is absorbed in higher rate than ascorbate, the amount of dehydroascorbic acid found in plasma and tissues under normal conditions is low, as cells rapidly reduce dehydroascorbic acid to ascorbate.
SVCTs appear to be the predominant system for vitamin C transport in the body, the notable exception being red blood cells, which lose SVCT proteins during maturation. In both vitamin C synthesizers (example: rat) and non-synthesizers (example: human) cells with few exceptions maintain ascorbic acid concentrations much higher than the approximately 50 micromoles/liter (μmol/L) found in plasma. For example, the ascorbic acid content of pituitary and adrenal glands can exceed 2,000 μmol/L, and muscle is at 200-300 μmol/L. The known coenzymatic functions of ascorbic acid do not require such high concentrations, so there may be other, as yet unknown functions. A consequence of all this high concentration organ content is that plasma vitamin C is not a good indicator of whole-body status, and people may vary in the amount of time needed to show symptoms of deficiency when consuming a diet very low in vitamin C.
Excretion can be as ascorbic acid, via urine. In humans, during times of low dietary intake, vitamin C is reabsorbed by the kidneys rather than excreted. This salvage process delays onset of deficiency. Only when plasma concentrations are 1.4 mg/dL or higher does re-absorption decline and the excess amounts pass freely into the urine. Ascorbic acid also converts (reversibly) to dehydroascorbate (DHA) and from that compound non-reversibly to 2,3-diketogulonate and then oxalate. These three compounds are also excreted via urine. Humans are better than guinea pigs at converting DHA back to ascorbate, and thus take much longer to become vitamin C deficient.
## Chemistry
The name "vitamin C" always refers to the l-enantiomer of ascorbic acid and its oxidized forms, such as dehydroascorbate (DHA). Therefore, unless written otherwise, "ascorbate" and "ascorbic acid" refer in the nutritional literature to l-ascorbate and l-ascorbic acid respectively. Ascorbic acid is a weak sugar acid structurally related to glucose. In biological systems, ascorbic acid can be found only at low pH, but in solutions above pH 5 is predominantly found in the ionized form, ascorbate. All of these molecules have vitamin C activity and thus are used synonymously with vitamin C, unless otherwise specified.
Numerous analytical methods have been developed for ascorbic acid detection. For example, vitamin C content of a food sample such as fruit juice can be calculated by measuring the volume of the sample required to decolorize a solution of dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPIP) and then calibrating the results by comparison with a known concentration of vitamin C.
## Testing
Simple tests are available to measure the levels of vitamin C in urine and serum. These better reflect recent dietary intake rather than total body content. It has been observed that while serum concentrations follow a circadian rhythm or reflect short-term dietary influence, content within cells or tissues is more stable and can give a better view of the availability of ascorbate within the entire organism. However, very few hospital laboratories are adequately equipped and trained to carry out such detailed analyses.
## Synthesis
Most animals and plants are able to synthesize vitamin C through a sequence of enzyme-driven steps, which convert monosaccharides to vitamin C. Yeasts do not make l-ascorbic acid but rather its stereoisomer, erythorbic acid. In plants, synthesis is accomplished through the conversion of mannose or galactose to ascorbic acid. In animals, the starting material is glucose. In some species that synthesize ascorbate in the liver (including mammals and perching birds), the glucose is extracted from glycogen; ascorbate synthesis is a glycogenolysis-dependent process. In humans and in animals that cannot synthesize vitamin C, the enzyme l-gulonolactone oxidase (GULO), which catalyses the last step in the biosynthesis, is highly mutated and non-functional.
### Animal synthesis
There is some information on serum vitamin C concentrations maintained in animal species that are able to synthesize vitamin C. One study of several breeds of dogs reported an average of 35.9 μmol/L. A report on goats, sheep and cattle reported ranges of 100–110, 265-270 and 160-350 μmol/L, respectively.
The biosynthesis of ascorbic acid in vertebrates starts with the formation of UDP-glucuronic acid. UDP-glucuronic acid is formed when UDP-glucose undergoes two oxidations catalyzed by the enzyme UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase. UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase uses the co-factor NAD<sup>+</sup> as the electron acceptor. The transferase UDP-glucuronate pyrophosphorylase removes a UMP and glucuronokinase, with the cofactor ADP, removes the final phosphate leading to d-glucuronic acid. The aldehyde group of this compound is reduced to a primary alcohol using the enzyme glucuronate reductase and the cofactor NADPH, yielding l-gulonic acid. This is followed by lactone formation—utilizing the hydrolase gluconolactonase—between the carbonyl on C1 and hydroxyl group on C4. l-Gulonolactone then reacts with oxygen, catalyzed by the enzyme L-gulonolactone oxidase (which is nonfunctional in humans and other Haplorrhini primates; see Unitary pseudogenes) and the cofactor FAD+. This reaction produces 2-oxogulonolactone (2-keto-gulonolactone), which spontaneously undergoes enolization to form ascorbic acid.
Some mammals have lost the ability to synthesize vitamin C, including simians and tarsiers, which together make up one of two major primate suborders, Haplorrhini. This group includes humans. The other more primitive primates (Strepsirrhini) have the ability to make vitamin C. Synthesis does not occur in most bats nor in species in the rodent family Caviidae, which includes guinea pigs and capybaras, but does occur in other rodents, including rats and mice.
Reptiles and older orders of birds make ascorbic acid in their kidneys. Recent orders of birds and most mammals make ascorbic acid in their liver. A number of species of passerine birds also do not synthesize, but not all of them, and those that do not are not clearly related; it has been proposed that the ability was lost separately a number of times in birds. In particular, the ability to synthesize vitamin C is presumed to have been lost and then later re-acquired in at least two cases. The ability to synthesize vitamin C has also been lost in about 96% of extant fish (the teleosts).
Most tested families of bats (order Chiroptera), including major insect and fruit-eating bat families, cannot synthesize vitamin C. A trace of gulonolactone oxidase was detected in only 1 of 34 bat species tested, across the range of 6 families of bats tested. There are at least two species of bats, frugivorous bat (Rousettus leschenaultii) and insectivorous bat (Hipposideros armiger), that retain (or regained) their ability of vitamin C production.
Some of these species (including humans) are able to make do with the lower amounts available from their diets by recycling oxidised vitamin C.
On a milligram consumed per kilogram of body weight basis, most simian species consume the vitamin in amounts 10 to 20 times higher than what is recommended by governments for humans. This discrepancy constitutes much of the basis of the controversy on current recommended dietary allowances. It is countered by arguments that humans are very good at conserving dietary vitamin C, and are able to maintain blood levels of vitamin C comparable with simians on a far smaller dietary intake, perhaps by recycling oxidized vitamin C.
#### Evolution of animal synthesis
Ascorbic acid is a common enzymatic cofactor in mammals used in the synthesis of collagen, as well as a powerful reducing agent capable of rapidly scavenging a number of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Given that ascorbate has these important functions, it is surprising that the ability to synthesize this molecule has not always been conserved. In fact, anthropoid primates, Cavia porcellus (guinea pigs), teleost fishes, most bats, and some passerine birds have all independently lost the ability to internally synthesize vitamin C in either the kidney or the liver. In all of the cases where genomic analysis was done on an ascorbic acid auxotroph, the origin of the change was found to be a result of loss-of-function mutations in the gene that encodes L-gulono-γ-lactone oxidase, the enzyme that catalyzes the last step of the ascorbic acid pathway outlined above. One explanation for the repeated loss of the ability to synthesize vitamin C is that it was the result of genetic drift; assuming that the diet was rich in vitamin C, natural selection would not act to preserve it.
In the case of the simians, it is thought that the loss of the ability to make vitamin C may have occurred much farther back in evolutionary history than the emergence of humans or even apes, since it evidently occurred soon after the appearance of the first primates, yet sometime after the split of early primates into the two major suborders Haplorrhini (which cannot make vitamin C) and its sister suborder of non-tarsier prosimians, the Strepsirrhini ("wet-nosed" primates), which retained the ability to make vitamin C. According to molecular clock dating, these two suborder primate branches parted ways about 63 to 60 million years ago. Approximately three to five million years later (58 million years ago), only a short time afterward from an evolutionary perspective, the infraorder Tarsiiformes, whose only remaining family is that of the tarsier (Tarsiidae), branched off from the other haplorrhines. Since tarsiers also cannot make vitamin C, this implies the mutation had already occurred, and thus must have occurred between these two marker points (63 to 58 million years ago).
It has also been noted that the loss of the ability to synthesize ascorbate strikingly parallels the inability to break down uric acid, also a characteristic of primates. Uric acid and ascorbate are both strong reducing agents. This has led to the suggestion that, in higher primates, uric acid has taken over some of the functions of ascorbate.
### Plant synthesis
There are many different biosynthesis pathways for ascorbic acid in plants. Most of these pathways are derived from products found in glycolysis and other pathways. For example, one pathway goes through the plant cell wall polymers. The plant ascorbic acid biosynthesis pathway most principal seems to be l-galactose. l-Galactose reacts with the enzyme l-galactose dehydrogenase, whereby the lactone ring opens and forms again but with lactone between the carbonyl on C1 and hydroxyl group on C4, resulting in l-galactonolactone. l-Galactonolactone then reacts with the mitochondrial flavoenzyme l-galactonolactone dehydrogenase. to produce ascorbic acid. l-Ascorbic acid has a negative feedback on l-galactose dehydrogenase in spinach. Ascorbic acid efflux by embryo of dicots plants is a well-established mechanism of iron reduction, and a step obligatory for iron uptake.
All plants synthesize ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid functions as a cofactor for enzymes involved in photosynthesis, synthesis of plant hormones, as an antioxidant and also regenerator of other antioxidants. Plants use multiple pathways to synthesize vitamin C. The major pathway starts with glucose, fructose or mannose (all simple sugars) and proceeds to L-galactose, L-galactonolactone and ascorbic acid. There is feedback regulation in place, in that the presence of ascorbic acid inhibits enzymes in the synthesis pathway. This process follows a diurnal rhythm, so that enzyme expression peaks in the morning to support biosynthesis later on when mid-day sunlight intensity demands high ascorbic acid concentrations. Minor pathways may be specific to certain parts of plants; these can be either identical to the vertebrate pathway (including the GLO enzyme), or start with inositol and get to ascorbic acid via L-galactonic acid to L-galactonolactone.
### Industrial synthesis
Vitamin C is produced from glucose by two main routes. The Reichstein process, developed in the 1930s, uses a single pre-fermentation followed by a purely chemical route. The modern two-step fermentation process, originally developed in China in the 1960s, uses additional fermentation to replace part of the later chemical stages. The Reichstein process and the modern two-step fermentation processes use sorbitol as the starting material and convert it to sorbose using fermentation. The modern two-step fermentation process then converts sorbose to 2-keto-l-gulonic acid (KGA) through another fermentation step, avoiding an extra intermediate. Both processes yield approximately 60% vitamin C from the glucose feed.
In 2017, China produced about 95% of the world supply of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which is China's most exported vitamin, having total revenue of US\$880 million in 2017. Due to pressure on Chinese industry to discontinue burning coal normally used for vitamin C manufacturing, the price of vitamin C rose three-fold in 2016 alone to US\$12 per kg.
## History
### Scurvy at sea
In the 1497 expedition of Vasco da Gama, the curative effects of citrus fruit were known. Later, the Portuguese planted fruit trees and vegetables in Saint Helena, a stopping point for homebound voyages from Asia, which sustained passing ships.
Authorities occasionally recommended plant food to prevent scurvy during long sea voyages. John Woodall, the first surgeon to the British East India Company, recommended the preventive and curative use of lemon juice in his 1617 book, The Surgeon's Mate. In 1734, the Dutch writer Johann Bachstrom gave the firm opinion, "scurvy is solely owing to a total abstinence from fresh vegetable food, and greens."
Scurvy had long been a principal killer of sailors during the long sea voyages. According to Jonathan Lamb, "In 1499, Vasco da Gama lost 116 of his crew of 170; In 1520, Magellan lost 208 out of 230;...all mainly to scurvy."
The first attempt to give scientific basis for the cause of this disease was by a ship's surgeon in the Royal Navy, James Lind. While at sea in May 1747, Lind provided some crew members with two oranges and one lemon per day, in addition to normal rations, while others continued on cider, vinegar, sulfuric acid or seawater, along with their normal rations, in one of the world's first controlled experiments. The results showed that citrus fruits prevented the disease. Lind published his work in 1753 in his Treatise on the Scurvy.
Fresh fruit was expensive to keep on board, whereas boiling it down to juice allowed easy storage but destroyed the vitamin (especially if boiled in copper kettles). It was 1796 before the British navy adopted lemon juice as standard issue at sea. In 1845, ships in the West Indies were provided with lime juice instead, and in 1860 lime juice was used throughout the Royal Navy, giving rise to the American use of the nickname "limey" for the British. Captain James Cook had previously demonstrated the advantages of carrying "Sour krout" on board, by taking his crews to the Hawaiian Islands without losing any of his men to scurvy. For this, the British Admiralty awarded him a medal.
The name antiscorbutic was used in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries for foods known to prevent scurvy. These foods included lemons, limes, oranges, sauerkraut, cabbage, malt, and portable soup. In 1928, the Canadian Arctic anthropologist Vilhjalmur Stefansson showed that the Inuit avoid scurvy on a diet of largely raw meat. Later studies on traditional food diets of the Yukon First Nations, Dene, Inuit, and Métis of Northern Canada showed that their daily intake of vitamin C averaged between 52 and 62 mg/day, comparable with the Estimated Average Requirement.
### Discovery
Vitamin C was discovered in 1912, isolated in 1928 and synthesized in 1933, making it the first vitamin to be synthesized. Shortly thereafter Tadeus Reichstein succeeded in synthesizing the vitamin in bulk by what is now called the Reichstein process. This made possible the inexpensive mass-production of vitamin C. In 1934 Hoffmann–La Roche trademarked synthetic vitamin C under the brand name Redoxon and began to market it as a dietary supplement.
In 1907 a laboratory animal model which would help to identify the antiscorbutic factor was discovered by the Norwegian physicians Axel Holst and Theodor Frølich, who when studying shipboard beriberi, fed guinea pigs their test diet of grains and flour and were surprised when scurvy resulted instead of beriberi. By luck, this species did not make its own vitamin C, whereas mice and rats do. In 1912, the Polish biochemist Casimir Funk developed the concept of vitamins. One of these was thought to be the anti-scorbutic factor. In 1928, this was referred to as "water-soluble C", although its chemical structure had not been determined.
From 1928 to 1932, Albert Szent-Györgyi and Joseph L. Svirbely's Hungarian team, and Charles Glen King's American team, identified the anti-scorbutic factor. Szent-Györgyi isolated hexuronic acid from animal adrenal glands, and suspected it to be the antiscorbutic factor. In late 1931, Szent-Györgyi gave Svirbely the last of his adrenal-derived hexuronic acid with the suggestion that it might be the anti-scorbutic factor. By the spring of 1932, King's laboratory had proven this, but published the result without giving Szent-Györgyi credit for it. This led to a bitter dispute over priority. In 1933, Walter Norman Haworth chemically identified the vitamin as l-hexuronic acid, proving this by synthesis in 1933. Haworth and Szent-Györgyi proposed that L-hexuronic acid be named a-scorbic acid, and chemically l-ascorbic acid, in honor of its activity against scurvy. The term's etymology is from Latin, "a-" meaning away, or off from, while -scorbic is from Medieval Latin scorbuticus (pertaining to scurvy), cognate with Old Norse skyrbjugr, French scorbut, Dutch scheurbuik and Low German scharbock. Partly for this discovery, Szent-Györgyi was awarded the 1937 Nobel Prize in Medicine, and Haworth shared that year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
In 1957, J. J. Burns showed that some mammals are susceptible to scurvy as their liver does not produce the enzyme l-gulonolactone oxidase, the last of the chain of four enzymes that synthesize vitamin C. American biochemist Irwin Stone was the first to exploit vitamin C for its food preservative properties. He later developed the idea that humans possess a mutated form of the l-gulonolactone oxidase coding gene.
In 2008, researchers at the University of Montpellier discovered that in humans and other primates the red blood cells have evolved a mechanism to more efficiently utilize the vitamin C present in the body by recycling oxidized l-dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) back into ascorbic acid for reuse by the body. The mechanism was not found to be present in mammals that synthesize their own vitamin C.
### Large doses
Vitamin C megadosage is a term describing the consumption or injection of vitamin C in doses comparable to or higher than the amounts produced by the livers of mammals which are able to synthesize vitamin C. An argument for this, although not the actual term, was described in 1970 in an article by Linus Pauling. Briefly, his position was that for optimal health, humans should be consuming at least 2,300 mg/day to compensate for the inability to synthesize vitamin C. The recommendation also fell into the consumption range for gorillas - a non-synthesizing near-relative to humans. A second argument for high intake is that serum ascorbic acid concentrations increase as intake increases until it plateaus at about 190 to 200 micromoles per liter (μmol/L) once consumption exceeds 1,250 milligrams. As noted, government recommendations are a range of 40 to 110 mg/day and normal plasma is approximately 50 μmol/L, so 'normal' is about 25% of what can be achieved when oral consumption is in the proposed megadose range.
Pauling popularized the concept of high dose vitamin C as prevention and treatment of the common cold in 1970. A few years later he proposed that vitamin C would prevent cardiovascular disease, and that 10 grams/day, initially (10 days) administered intravenously and thereafter orally, would cure late-stage cancer. Mega-dosing with ascorbic acid has other champions, among them chemist Irwin Stone and the controversial Matthias Rath and Patrick Holford, who both have been accused of making unsubstantiated treatment claims for treating cancer and HIV infection.
Vitamin C mega-dosages are to a large degree discredited. There is no scientific evidence that vitamin C megadosage helps to cure or prevent cancer, the common cold, or some other medical conditions. Benefits are not superior when supplement intakes of more than 1,000 mg/day are compared to intakes between 200 and 1,000 mg/day, and so not limited to the mega-dose range. The idea that large amounts of intravenous ascorbic acid can be used to treat late-stage cancer is - some forty years after Pauling's seminal paper - still considered unproven and still in need of high quality research. However, a lack of evidence has not stopped individual physicians from prescribing intravenous ascorbic acid to thousands of people with cancer.
## Society and culture
In February 2011, the Swiss Post issued a postage stamp bearing a depiction of a model of a molecule of vitamin C to mark the International Year of Chemistry.
### Brand names
Vitamin C is sold around the world as a stand-alone product at amounts up to 1,000 mg and as part of fixed-dose combination products, under many brand names.
## Pharmacopoeias
- British Pharmacopoeia
- Japanese Pharmacopoeia |
3,710,423 | Crash (Gwen Stefani song) | 1,094,469,063 | 2006 single by Gwen Stefani | [
"2004 songs",
"2006 singles",
"Gwen Stefani songs",
"Interscope Records singles",
"Music videos directed by Sophie Muller",
"Songs about cars",
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] | "Crash" is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani from her debut solo studio album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004). Written by Stefani and No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal, the song uses automobile metaphors to describe a relationship, and it received mixed to positive reviews from critics. Not originally planned as a single, the song was released as the album's sixth and final single on January 24, 2006, during Stefani's pregnancy.
## Background and writing
Stefani had been working on her solo project with Linda Perry. The two penned several songs, including lead single "What You Waiting For?", but Stefani found the process difficult, commenting, "It's humiliating and intimidating even if they're sweet and excited, because you're drowning in their creativity." When the two began working on a song about a deceased friend of Stefani's, Perry began writing the lyrics and Stefani, feeling that Perry was encroaching on her territory, broke down and left.
Stefani's No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal invited her to his house so that the two could go out with friends. When she arrived, however, Kanal surprised her by playing some tracks on which he had been working and revealed that he had prepared some for Stefani. Although Stefani had wanted to work with Kanal, she was concerned that his work would not fit with her dance-oriented album; however, she called it her "favorite track that [she had] written so far", and the two worked on the track, modeling it after hip hop trio Salt-n-Pepa.
## Critical reception
"Crash" received mixed reviews from critics. In a review for The New York Times, Kelefa Sanneh noted that the track "successfully conjure[s] up the infectious spirit of early Madonna." David Browne of Entertainment Weekly called the song "a pricey retro fashion blurb" on which Stefani appears as "an old-school, gold-chained rapper". Krissi Murison of NME disagreed, calling it one of "the best bits of the decade of decadence" and referring to it as "Salt-N-Pepa's cartoon rap". Jason Shawhan of About.com stated that the song's "great Narada Michael Walden bleepy synth noises [...] pop out of the mix like the car stereo just decided to sing along", and Jennifer Nine of Yahoo! Music commented that the track had "icy-cool schoolyard sass".
Eric Greenwood of Drawer B opined that the track "carelessly revisits Stefani's blatant fondness for 80's pop, but not even [...] Tony Kanal can save her from lifeless retreads like these." The Washington Post reviewer Sean Daly compared it to Salt-n-Pepa's 1987 single "Push It" and added that Stefani "pushes it real good". PopMatters's Jason Damas gave it a very strong review, writing that "Stefani nails all the vocal mannerisms" and that Kanal "reveals a major mainstream pop jones here, especially in the way he layers the cut [...] with dozens of orchestra hits [...] which have been absent from almost all pop albums for a decade or more now." Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine gave the song a mixed review, stating that it "features some near-fatal car metaphors" but that Stefani "maintains her signature sass throughout".
## Release and commercial performance
"Crash" had originally not been planned as a major single release from Love. Angel. Music. Baby. In late 2005 Stefani announced that she was pregnant (while performing the song on tour in Fort Lauderdale, Florida) and would be delaying her second solo album, and the song was announced as the sixth single in January 2006. The song impacted US contemporary hit radio and rhythmic contemporary radio stations in the US on January 24, 2006.
The single debuted at number 95 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 11, 2006. It reached number 49 for two weeks and remained on the chart for a total of eight weeks. "Crash" was somewhat more successful on the pop charts, reaching number 20 on the Top 40 Mainstream and number 28 on the Pop 100, and had some crossover success, reaching number 38 on the Rhythmic Top 40.
"Crash" was the only single from Love. Angel. Music. Baby. that did not receive a CD single release in Canada; in addition, the track experienced minimal radio success, peaking at number 87 on the BDS Airplay Chart in March 2006.
Due to Stefani's pregnancy, a live music video was released instead of a narrative video. The video was directed by Sophie Muller at a performance in Anaheim, California, during Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Tour.
## Track listings
- US promotional 12-inch single
A1. "Crash" (album version) – 4:06
B1. "Crash" (instrumental) – 4:05
B2. "Crash" (a cappella) – 4:06
- European promotional CD single
1. "Crash" (album version) – 4:06
## Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
- Gwen Stefani – lead vocals, songwriting
- Brian "Big Bass" Gardner – mastering
- Lee Groves – keyboards, mix programming
- Rob Haggett – second assistant engineer
- Tony Kanal – keyboards, production, programming, songwriting, synthesizers
- Colin "Dog" Mitchell – recording
- Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing
- David Treahearn – assistant engineering
## Charts
## Release history |
27,080,118 | Carolina Marín | 1,172,765,765 | Spanish badminton player | [
"1993 births",
"21st-century Spanish women",
"BWF Best Female Player of the Year",
"Badminton players at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics",
"Badminton players at the 2012 Summer Olympics",
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"Badminton players at the 2023 European Games",
"European Games gold medalists for Spain",
"European Games medalists in badminton",
"Living people",
"Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics",
"Olympic badminton players for Spain",
"Olympic gold medalists for Spain",
"Olympic medalists in badminton",
"Spanish female badminton players",
"Sportspeople from Huelva",
"World No. 1 badminton players"
] | Carolina María Marín Martín (born 15 June 1993) is a Spanish badminton player. She is an Olympic Champion, three-time World Champion, six-time European Champion, and the former World's No. 1 in BWF rankings for the women's singles discipline, holding the World No. 1 title for 66 weeks. Widely regarded as one of the greatest female athletes in women's singles badminton, she holds the distinction of having won a medal in almost every BWF tournament, along with the consecutive golds at the World Championships, and the European Championships.
She has become the World Champion in the women's singles three times, winning in 2014, 2015, and 2018, thereby becoming the first-ever female badminton athlete to have achieved this feat. She has also consecutively won the European Championships title six times, in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022. She won the Olympics gold medal in women's singles at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Marín was appointed as the brand ambassador of football major LaLiga and Meliá Hotels International for its promotion in other countries.
## Early life
Carolina Marín in her earlier childhood was a keen Flamenco dancer. She learned of badminton when a friend introduced her to the sport. She fell in love with the sport, and decided to stop dancing and play badminton wholeheartedly. At the age of eight, she started playing badminton at the IES La Orden in Huelva. She says she had to leave her hometown and her family at a very young age to travel all the way to Madrid for training at National Centre.
## Career
### 2009–2011: First international title and European Junior Champions
In 2009, she became the first Spanish badminton player to win a silver medal first, at the European Junior Championships, and also in the same year, won the gold medal at the European U-17 Junior Championships. She won her first major title at the Irish International tournament coming through the qualification stage and beating the Dutch player Rachel Van Cutsen in the final in the rubber game.
In 2011, she alongside her teammate, Beatriz Corrales, made history for the Spanish badminton, after placing two representatives of Spain in the final at the continental European Junior Championships held in Vantaa, Finland, and Marín grabbed the gold medal. She also competed at the World Junior Championships in Taipei, reaching the semi-finals, but lost to Elisabeth Purwaningtyas of Indonesia and settled for the bronze medal.
### 2013–2014: First Grand Prix title, European and World Champions
In 2013, she became the first Spanish badminton player to win a Grand Prix Gold title after winning the London Grand Prix Gold. In August, Marín played for the Bangalore-based team Banga Beats in the inaugural edition of the Indian Badminton League (IBL). In April, she won her first European Championships title.
On 31 August 2014, she defeated Li Xuerui of China in the World Championships women's singles final and became the first Spaniard to win a World Championship title and the third European female player to achieve the gold medal, after Lene Køppen (1977) and Camilla Martin (1999). At the age of 21, she became the youngest European that won the World Championships ever.
### 2015: Five Superseries title, second World Championships and World \#1
In 2015, she won the All England Open, her first Superseries Premier title in her first Superseries Premier final after defeating Saina Nehwal in the final with score 16–21, 21–14, 21–7. The title propelled her to rank number 4 in the world ranking and, for the first time, no. 1 in the Superseries standing. At India Open, she had the chance to unseat Li Xuerui as the new world no. 1, however, she narrowly lost to Thai prodigy Ratchanok Intanon in a close three games at the semi-finals stage. She rose to a career-high as world no. 2 in the world ranking on 2 April.
On 5 April, Marín won her second straight Superseries Premier title, beating Olympic champion Li Xuerui for the second consecutive time at the 2015 Malaysia Open with a score of 19–21, 21–19, 21–17. In August, she defended her title at the World Championship by beating Saina Nehwal of India in 21–16, 21–19. 2015 was the golden year for Marín, where in addition to defending the World Championships title, she also won other Superseries titles such as the Australian Open, French Open, and Hong Kong Open.
### 2016: Olympics gold
In August, she represented her country at the Rio Olympics. She arrived at Rio as the number one seed and won a gold medal by beating India's P. V. Sindhu in the women's singles final with a score of 19–21, 21–12, 21–15. She made history by becoming the first non-Asian to win the Olympic badminton women's singles gold medal. An indoor arena in Huelva is named after her honour, with Marín herself attending the inauguration.
### 2017–2018: Fourth European and Third World Championships title
In 2017, Marín won the Japan Open Superseries title after beating He Bingjiao of China in the final, winning a Superseries title after almost two years. At the Hong Kong Open, which took place in late November, Marín retired to Michelle Li, losing 21–19, 13–21, 8–11, due to a hip injury that she sustained during the match. Marín later announced on Twitter and Instagram that, due to her hip injury, she would not be participating in the season-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals.
On 29 April 2018, she won her fourth consecutive European Championships title in her home soil Huelva, Spain, by beating Evgeniya Kosetskaya with a score of 21–15, 21–7 in the final. On 5 August, she won the title in the World Championships by defeating P. V. Sindhu of India in straight games 21–19, 21–10, making her the first female player in history to win three World Championships titles. In September, she won World Tour titles at the Japan and China Open.
### 2019–2020: ACL injury and comeback
Marín began her 2019 season with a runner-up effort at the Malaysia Masters, where she lost to Ratchanok Intanon in straight games. On 27 January, Marín suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during the Indonesia Masters final against Saina Nehwal, when she was 10–3 ahead in the first games. Marín subsequently retired from the match and underwent the ACL reconstruction surgery as soon as she was flown back to Madrid the same day. She had a recovery for four months, dedicate 10 hours a day to rehabilitation between the physical and technical, with morning and afternoon physiotherapy sessions, and swimming pool work.
In September, after an eight-month break forced by the injury, Marín returned to competition at the 2019 Vietnam Open but suffered an opening round defeat to Supanida Katethong. However, she was able to bounce back and, on 22 September, she won the China Open, defeating Tai Tzu-ying in the finals with a score of 14–21, 21–17, 21–18. This was Marín's first title of the season, which she followed with the semi-finals at the Denmark Open, where she was defeated in three tight games by Nozomi Okuhara. She reached the final of the French Open next week, where she was defeated by Korean youngster An Se-young in three games 21–16, 18–21, 5–21. Her achievements in the last three tournaments succeeded in bringing her back into the world top 10 of BWF women's singles ranking. She further won Syed Modi and Italian International tournaments later in the year.
Marín started the 2020 season at the Southeast Asian tour on a positive note; reaching the semi-finals of Malaysia Masters where she lost to Chen Yufei. A week later, she then reached the final of the Indonesia Masters, where she narrowly missed the title after getting defeated from Ratchanok Intanon in three games 19–21, 21–11, 18–21. She continued her good form and thereafter reached the semi-finals of Thailand Masters, which she lost to top seed Akane Yamaguchi in a close rubber game. In February, she reached the final of her home event Barcelona Spain Masters, where she lost in an upset to rising Thai star Pornpawee Chochuwong in the rubber games 21–11, 16–21, 18–21. In March, she competed as 8th seeds in the All England Open, but stopped by the eventual champion Tai Tzu-ying in the semi-finals.
In July, Marín's father died following an accident in February. She reached the final of the Denmark Open in October for the very first time but was defeated by Okuhara in straight games.
### 2021–2022
Marín won the first title of the year, the Thailand Open Super 1000 event, by beating World no. 1 Tai Tzu-ying in two comfortable games. She didn't lose any game in the whole tournament. Continuing her scintillating form, she won the second edition of Thailand Open, the Toyota Thailand Open, also a super 1000 event by beating Tai yet again. In contesting her first-ever World Tour Finals final, she lost to same rival Tai in three games after failing to capitalize her lead in the final game. She won her first world tour title in Switzerland by beating reigning World champion P. V. Sindhu with a very dominating display, winning 21–12, 21–5. Marín planned to compete at the All England Open but pulled out of the competition due to an injury she suffered in the first round of the Swiss Open.
Marín made history as the first-ever player to claim five consecutive titles at the European Championships, defeating young Dane Line Christophersen in the final. She was expected to defend her title at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but was forced to withdraw due to knee injury she suffered in June while training.
In 2022, 18 months after Marín second ACL injury, she advanced to the French Open final, but lost the match to He Bingjiao in a close rubber games.
## Achievements
### Olympic Games
Women's singles
### World Championships
Women's singles
### European Games
Women's singles
### European Championships
Women's singles
### BWF World Junior Championships
Girls' singles
### European Junior Championships
Girls' singles
### BWF World Tour (8 titles, 10 runners-up)
The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018, is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tours are divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300 (part of the HSBC World Tour), and the BWF Tour Super 100.
Women's singles
### BWF Superseries (6 titles, 4 runners-up)
The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007, was a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels were Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consisted of twelve tournaments around the world that had been introduced since 2011. Successful players were invited to the Superseries Finals, which were held at the end of each year.
Women's singles
BWF Superseries Finals tournament
BWF Superseries Premier tournament
BWF Superseries tournament
### BWF Grand Prix (2 titles, 3 runners-up)
The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017.
Women's singles
BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
BWF Grand Prix tournament
### BWF International Challenge/Series (9 titles, 5 runners-up)
Women's singles
BWF International Challenge tournament
BWF International Series tournament
## Performance timeline
### National team
- Senior level
### Individual competitions
- Junior level
- Senior level
## Career overview
The table below gives the overview of Carolina Marín performance data in singles and doubles.
## Record against selected opponents
Record against year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists. Accurate as of 5 November 2022.
## Books
- with Fernando Rivas: Gana el partido de tu vida. Editorial Planeta, 2016
1. Puedo porque pienso que puedo. Harper Collins, 2020 |
13,165,723 | 1892 Alabama Cadets football team | 1,170,578,207 | American college football season | [
"1892 college football season",
"1892 in sports in Alabama",
"Alabama Crimson Tide football seasons"
] | The 1892 Alabama Cadets football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1892 college football season. The team was led by their head coach E. B. Beaumont and played their home games at Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Alabama. In what was the inaugural season of Alabama football, the team finished with a record of two wins and two losses (2–2).
William Little of Livingston, Alabama is credited with being responsible for the introduction of football at the university. After playing the game in 1891 while in attendance at a northern prep school, Little returned to Alabama where he helped establish the first team at the university for the 1892 season. The first game in Alabama football history was played on November 11, 1892, against Birmingham High School and was won by the Cadets 56–0. They then split a pair of games with the Birmingham Athletic Club, and closed out the season with a 32–22 loss in the first Iron Bowl against Auburn on February 22, 1893. After the season, Beaumont was fired as head coach and replaced by Eli Abbott for the 1893 season.
## Background
The first college football game was played on November 6, 1869, between Rutgers and the College of New Jersey. Although the sport continued to grow, it was not introduced for another 23 years at Alabama. The man credited with the introduction of football at Alabama was William G. Little of Livingston. Little attended the Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire for the 1891–92 school year. It was there that he first played and became an advocate for football. Originally he intended to attend Yale University. However, after his brother died, Little returned to Livingston in 1892 and enrolled at Alabama. He proposed the university field a football team, which was introduced for the 1892 season. Alabama selected Little as the first team captain for the inaugural 1892 season. The team was called the "Cadets", as the current "Crimson Tide" moniker was not used until 1907.
## Schedule
## Game summaries
### Birmingham High School
In what was the first ever game played by the University of Alabama, a team of Birmingham-area high school players lost to the Cadets 56–0 at Birmingham's Lakeview Park. Played on November 11, the game served as a practice game for Alabama's contest against the Birmingham Athletic Club scheduled for the next day. Although details of the second half are unavailable, touchdowns in the first half were scored by David Grayson, G. H. Kyser, Dan Smith (twice), William Little and T. S. Frazer. The play utilized most throughout the game was a rushing formation developed by Harvard earlier in the season called the flying wedge.
### Birmingham Athletic Club (November)
A day after their victory over Birmingham High School, Alabama suffered their first all-time loss against the Birmingham Athletic Club (B.A.C.) 5–4. In a game noted for numerous fumbles by both squads, Alabama scored first and took a 4–0 lead on a William G. Little touchdown run late in the first half. However, the B.A.C. won the game 5–4 late in the second half when J. P. Ross successfully kicked a 63-yard field goal on a drop kick. Alabama would not lose another game by a single point until their 1947 game against Tulane.
### Birmingham Athletic Club (December)
A month after their loss to the B.A.C., Alabama returned to Lakeview Park and defeated the Athletics 14–0. David Grayson scored first on a 65-yard touchdown run to give Alabama a 4–0 lead after a missed extra point. In the second half, both Robert Cope and Eli Abbott scored touchdowns and one G. H. Kyser extra point gave Alabama the 14–0 victory.
### Auburn
Before 5,000 fans at Birmingham's Lakeview Park, Alabama lost to the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Alabama (now known as Auburn University) 32–22 in the first of what was subsequently dubbed the Iron Bowl. Auburn scored first on a 20-yard Rufus Dorsey touchdown run and again on a one-yard Dorsey run and took an 8–0 lead early in the first half. Frank Savage then scored Alabama's first touchdown on a 10-yard run and William B. Bankhead converted a successful extra point to cut the Auburn lead to 8–6. After Auburn scored a third touchdown to go up 14–6, Alabama responded with a 20-yard Dan Smith touchdown run and G. H. Kyser extra point to make the halftime score 14–12 in favor of Auburn.
In the second half, Auburn scored first again when Dorsey recovered an Alabama fumble and returned it 65-yards for a touchdown. After a successful extra point the blue and orange extended their lead to 20–12. Alabama responded on their following possession with a 30-yard William Little touchdown run and Kyser extra point to cut the lead to 20–18. Thomas Daniels then scored Auburn's final two touchdowns on runs of one and 25 yards and also converted both extra points to give them a 32–18 lead. Smith scored the final points of the game late in the second half for Alabama on a short run that made the final score 32–22.
## Players
The following players were members of the 1892 football team according to the roster published in the 1893 edition of The Corolla, the University of Alabama yearbook.
## After the season
Although they finished with a .500 record, after the completion of the season, E. B. Beaumont was fired as Alabama's head coach. The 1894 edition of the university yearbook The Corolla stated of the Beaumont firing:
> "We were unfortunate in securing a coach. After keeping him for a short time, we found that his knowledge of the game was very limited. We, therefore, 'got rid of' him."
After Beaumont's departure, William G. Little continued the training of the team until Abbott was selected to serve as head coach for the 1893 season. Other notable players from the first Alabama team included William B. Bankhead who served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1936 to 1940 and Bibb Graves who served as the 38th Governor of Alabama from 1927 to 1931 and again from 1935 to 1939. |
4,044,762 | Kempegowda International Airport | 1,173,748,270 | International airport in Bangalore, India | [
"2008 establishments in India",
"Airports established in 2008",
"Airports in Bangalore",
"Airports in Karnataka",
"Fairfax Financial",
"International airports in India"
] | Kempegowda International Airport is an international airport serving Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, India. Spread over 4,000 acres (1,600 ha), it is located about 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of the city near the suburb of Devanahalli. It is owned and operated by Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), a public–private consortium. The airport opened in May 2008 as an alternative to increased congestion at HAL Airport, the original primary commercial airport serving the city. It is named after Kempe Gowda I, the founder of Bangalore. Kempegowda International Airport became Karnataka's first fully solar powered airport, developed by CleanMax Solar.
The airport is the third-busiest airport by passenger traffic, air traffic movements and domestic and total cargo handled in India, behind the airports in Delhi and Mumbai, and is the 29th busiest airport in Asia. In the FY 2021–22, the airport handled around 16.2 million passengers and 411,550 tonnes (453,660 short tons) of cargo. The airport offers connecting flights to all six inhabited continents, and direct flights to five of them.
The airport has two passenger terminals that handles both domestic and international operations, and two runways, the second of which was commissioned on 6 December 2019. The second terminal was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2022 and began domestic operations in January 2023. It will handle international operations from September 2023. There is also a cargo village and three cargo terminals. The airport serves as a hub for AIX Connect, Alliance Air, Go First, IndiGo, Star Air and DHL Aviation and is a focus city for Air India and SpiceJet.
## History
### Planning (1991–2004)
The original airport serving Bangalore was HAL Airport, located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the city centre. It was the primary airport serving Bangalore city until 2008. Originally established in 1942 for military and defence purposes, HAL began domestic operations for the first time in the late 1970s. The unexpected popularity of the newly offered domestic flights encouraged rapid expansion of the airport. In the late 1990s, the first international flights started. Air India was the first airline to offer international flights, flying to Singapore. In 2000, the first foreign airline started operations from HAL Airport, with Royal Nepal Airlines to Kathmandu, followed by Lufthansa's A340 a year later from Germany. Several other major international carriers such as British Airways and Air France were already serving the old airport by 2005.
However, as Bangalore grew into the Silicon Valley of India and passenger traffic to the city rose, HAL Airport with a single runway and limited aircraft parking space was unable to cope with this increased traffic. In 2007 it saw a footfall of 8 million passengers, more than double its original capacity of 3.6 million. There was no room for expansion and the airport apron could only park six aircraft. In March 1991, former chairman of the National Airports Authority of India (NAAI) S. Ramanathan convened a panel to select the site for a new airport. The panel decided on Devanahalli, a village about 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of Bangalore. The State Government made a proposal to build the airport with private assistance, which the Union Government approved in 1994. Finally in 1995, Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Government of Karnataka decided to call for international consortia to own, build and operate the new Greenfield airport of the city.
In December 1995, a consortium of Tata Group, Raytheon and Singapore Changi Airport signed a memorandum of understanding with the State Government regarding participation in the project. In June 1998, however, the consortium announced it was pulling out of the project due to delays in government approval. These included disputes over the location of the airport and the fate of HAL Airport.
In May 1999, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) of the State Government signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the nature of the project. It would be a public–private partnership, with AAI and KSIIDC having a 26% share and private companies having the remaining 74%. In January 2001, the State Government created the company Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) as a special purpose entity and began searching for partners. By November, the project had attracted Unique Zürich Airport, Siemens Project Ventures and Larsen & Toubro. Construction was expected to begin in October 2002; however, governmental delays persisted. The concession agreement between the State Government, the Union Government and BIAL was signed in July 2004. In it, BIAL required the closure of HAL Airport.
It took nearly a decade from the initial stage of land allocation and acquisition, to signing of shareholder agreements in 2002 and until start of construction.
During the formation of legal framework, BIAL's main observation was the unprecedented growth that aviation industry faced.
### Designing
BIAL, when the project was first designated, had anticipated traffic of approximately 5 million in the first year of operations in 2008. However, HAL Airport had handled over 8 million passengers by the time the construction of the new greenfield airport started. It took more than nine months to redesign the process along with gaining the necessary approvals, and when the approval for increased project was sanctioned, the construction was half done. The project was well on track despite the challenge and was expected to be ready by its initial given open date.
The revised increased capacity project was constructed to cater to eleven million passengers per annum, up from the previous plan of 5 million passengers per annum. BIAL increased project had plans to build a terminal with eight passengers boarding bridges, one double arm aerobridge, nine remote bus gates and a runway measuring 4,000 metres with efficient taxiways. BIAL also planned to build an apron with 42 Code-C aircraft stands (with eight contact stands) as well as an air- and land-side road system. The estimated cost for the entire project was Rs 1,930 crore (approximately US\$430 million).
### Construction and opening (2005–2008)
Construction finally commenced on 2 July 2005. When a study predicted the airport would receive 6.7 million passengers in 2008, the airport was redesigned from its initial capacity of 4.5 million passengers to 11 million, with the terminal size expanded and the number of aircraft stands increased. The cost of the airport rose to ₹19.3 billion (US\$240 million). Construction was completed in 32 months, and BIAL set the launch date for 30 March 2008. However, due to delays in establishing air traffic control services at the airport, the launch date was pushed to 11 May and finally 24 May 2008.
As the opening date for the airport approached, public criticism arose, mainly directed toward the closure of HAL Airport. In March 2008, AAI employees conducted a massive strike against the closure of HAL Airport along with Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, fearing they would lose their jobs. The Bangalore City Connect Foundation, a group of citizens and businessmen, staged a rally in mid-May, claiming the new airport was too small for the latest demand projections. On 23 May, a hearing was held at the Karnataka High Court over poor connectivity between the city and the airport. Ultimately, the State Government decided to go ahead with inaugurating the new airport and closing HAL Airport.
The first flight to the airport, Air India Flight 609 from Mumbai, was allowed to land the previous night as it would be continuing to Singapore shortly after midnight. The aircraft touched down at 10:40 pm on 23 May. The airport became the third greenfield airport under a public–private partnership to open in India, after Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad and Cochin International Airport.
### Renaming and expansion (2009–present)
The original name of the airport was "Bangalore International Airport". In February 2009, the State Government sent a proposal to the Union Government to rename the airport after the founder of Bangalore, Kempe Gowda I. When no action was taken, the State Government passed a resolution for the name change in December 2011. The Union Government accepted the proposal in 2012 and formally approved it in July 2013. The airport was officially renamed "Kempegowda International Airport" on 14 December 2013 amid the inauguration of the expanded terminal building.
Kingfisher Airlines once operated a hub and was one of the largest airlines at the airport. Following its collapse in October 2012, other airlines stepped in to fill the gap in domestic connectivity by adding more flights. In addition, Air Pegasus and AirAsia India (renamed as AIX Connect in 2023) launched hub operations at the airport in 2014.
The first phase of expansion was launched in June 2011 and finished in December 2013. The ₹15 billion (US\$190 million) project doubled the size of the passenger terminal to 150,556 square metres (1,620,570 sq ft), involving the construction of additional facilities for check-in, immigration, security and baggage reclaim. One domestic gate and three international gates were added as well. A large, sweeping roof connects the original building with the expanded areas. The expanded terminal, dubbed "Terminal 1A", has raised the annual passenger capacity of the airport to 25 million.
In September 2022, Qantas began flying to Sydney with Airbus A330s. This is the first nonstop service between Bangalore and Australia. The following month, Emirates introduced the Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger plane, on one of its flights to Dubai, marking Bangalore's first A380 service. Air India started a scheduled flight to San Francisco aboard Boeing 777 aircraft in December.
## Ownership
The airport is owned and operated by Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), a public limited company. The Government of India has granted BIAL the right to operate the airport for 30 years, with the option to continue for another 30 years. The company is a public–private consortium venture. GVK initially owned 43% of the shares in Bangalore Airport. In 2016, GVK decided to divest its 33% share of in BIAL to Fairfax Financial for ₹2149 cr. In March 2017, GVK confirmed having done so.
Finally, in January 2018, GVK decided to sell the remaining 10% shares to Fairfax Financial for ₹1,290 crore and exit Bangalore Airport completely.
26% is held by government entities Karnataka State Industrial Investment and Development Corporation (13%) and Airports Authority of India (13%), and 74% is held by private companies Fairfax Financial (54%) and Siemens Project Ventures (20%).
In March 2021 the Airports Authority of India announced their plans to sell their 13% stake in order to raise funds. Between FY 2022–2025, the Government aims to raise as much as ₹20,782 crore through aviation. The process will start with the selling of stakes of Bangalore Airport followed by Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.
## Facilities
### Runways
Kempegowda International Airport has two runways in use.
Four years after it was laid, the first runway (now designated 09L/27R) was entirely resurfaced because of a serious decline in quality. From 11 March to 3 April 2012, it was closed daily between 10:30 am and 5:30 pm. As a result, BIAL accused construction company Larsen & Toubro of building the runway poorly. South of runway 09L/27R are a full-length parallel taxiway and the apron, which extends from the Blue Dart/DHL terminal to the passenger terminal.
The construction of the second runway at the airport is now complete, and was officially in use from 6 December 2019, when an IndiGo airlines flight (6E 466) to Hyderabad took off from runway 09R. The runway will cater to all types of aircraft including Code-F aircraft like Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8 and will be equipped with CAT IIIB ILS. The runway also features an associated parallel taxiway and two cross-field taxiways on the east linking the new runway to the existing north runway and the aprons at Terminal 1 and the upcoming Terminal 2. The first runway (09L/27R) was also upgraded as part of the expansion work.
The old runway (Runway 09L/27R) was closed from 22 June 2020 for nine months for rehabilitation and strengthening. The runway was opened for service again on 31 March 2021 and put into service with the south runway, making KIA the first airport in South India to have parallel runway operations.
### Terminals
#### Terminal 1
A single integrated passenger terminal accommodates both domestic and international operations. It covers 150,556 m<sup>2</sup> (1,620,570 sq ft) and can handle 20 million passengers annually. Check-in and baggage reclaim areas are situated on the lower floor, while departure gates are located on the first floor. Gates 1, 2, 12–18, 28–30 on the first floor are used for domestic departures, gates 31–42 on the first floor are used for international departures, gates 3–9 and gates 19–25 form the Western and Eastern bus gates respectively. Gate 41–42 is equipped to serve the world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380. Lounges are provided by Travel Food Services, which also operates a transit hotel in the terminal. For VIPs there is a separate 930-square-metre (10,000 sq ft) lounge.
There are two lounges in Terminal 1, the 080 Domestic and the 080 International lounges. Named "080" after the trunk dial code of the city of Bangalore, the lounges aim to pay an ode to the Garden City of Bangalore with local artistry, culture-inspired interiors and botanical elements, each zone in the lounge is carefully crafted to bring alive the stories of the city it’s inspired by. Both the lounges are operated by Travel Food Services. The terminal will eventually handle only domestic operations from 1 September 2023, as the new second terminal building is built exclusively to handle international flights to relieve the growing pressure on Terminal 1. It is undergoing renovations as part of its conversion to a domestic terminal since January 2023.
#### Terminal 2
The airport's second terminal, designed as a tribute to the "Garden City" of Bangalore by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and constructed by Larsen & Toubro was inaugurated on 11 November 2022, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The first phase of terminal 2, built at a cost of around ₹ 5,000 crore, with a size of 255,000 sq.m., will help augment the capacity of the airport by an additional 25 million passengers per annum. The second phase of terminal 2 is planned and is expected to provide an additional capacity of 20 million passengers per annum, thereby increasing the overall capacity of the terminal to over 45 million passengers per annum. Construction of the first phase of terminal 2 commenced in 2018, but the project faced delays owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The arrivals area of terminal 2 is situated on the ground floor, while departures are planned on the first floor. The first phase of terminal 2 features 95 check-in counters, 17 security check lanes, 9 baggage claim belts, 34 conventional and 6 electronic immigration gates. With provisions for tarmac gates and jet bridge gates, including Code-F gates to handle larger aircraft like the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 747-8, the first phase of terminal 2 started with domestic operations on 15 January 2023, with Star Air being the first airline to operate out of the new terminal. The terminal will eventually handle all international operations from 12 September 2023.
Technology and sustainability were some of the key design goals of Terminal 2, with the terminal receiving a LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
### Aviation fuel services
The airport has a fuel farm, spread over 11 acres (4.5 ha) west of the cargo village and passenger terminal. It was built by IndianOil SkyTanking Ltd (IOSL) but is shared by multiple oil companies. In October 2008, Indian Oil commissioned a 36-kilometre (22 mi) fuel pipeline between its storage terminal in Devanagonthi and Kempegowda Airport. Previously, jet fuel had to be transported to the airport by tank trucks, which created traffic and pollution problems.
### Cargo facilities
Kempegowda Airport has three cargo terminals. One is operated by AISATS (Air India Singapore Airport Terminal Services) Ltd and has a capacity for 150,000 tonnes (170,000 short tons) of cargo; it includes a facility for storing pharmaceuticals.
DHL and Blue Dart Aviation jointly operate a 20,500-square-metre (221,000 sq ft) terminal.
The third cargo terminal is operated by Menzies Aviation Bobba (Bangalore) Pvt. Ltd, a joint venture between Menzies Aviation and Bobba Group (a sales agency for Lufthansa Cargo). The 170,000 sq ft. cargo terminal began operations in May 2008.The terminal has the capacity to handle 280,000 tonnes (310,000 short tons) tons of cargo annually.
BIAL inaugurated a separate cargo village in December 2008. The village is spread over 11 acres (4.5 ha) and includes office space, conference rooms, a cafeteria for staff and parking space for nearly 80 trucks. It did not open for occupation until 2010 and initially suffered low occupancy, which some cargo agents attributed to the opening delay, high rent and limited infrastructure.
### Other facilities
#### IndiGo Ifly Training Academy
On 4 September 2019, India's leading airline, IndiGo announced that it will extend its learning academy, ifly to Bangalore, its 2nd such facility in India. The facility will be built in the Airport campus.
Starting 6 September 2019, ifly facilitated training to the airline employees. With over 27,000 employees, there are over 100 instructors in the academy, who conducts workshops on regular basis.
The Ifly learning academy of IndiGo Airlines facilitates special trainings throughout the year to its employees including required skills for job performance, customer services, ramp and marshalling training, safety and emergency procedures, departure control system, communication and leadership training and e-learning to name the few.
#### IndiGo Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Facility
IndiGo has its second facility to service their fleet of predominantly Airbus aircraft. The facility, which has a volume of around 218,000 ft.2, has capacity for narrow-body aircraft and houses a single bay catering for widebody aircraft. The MRO is completed and is operational since November 2022.
### Central Kitchen
Food services provider SATS proposed to setup their first central kitchen, a 14,000sqm facility with an investment of Rs. 210 crore to cater to the demand in the region. SATS already has a long standing partnership with the airport through its aviation catering associate Taj SATS and ground handling associate AISATS. The facility will be located at the Kempegowda International Airport and is expected to be operational in the year 2022.
## Future plans
The second phase of expansion is underway, which encompasses the construction of a second runway and a passenger terminal in two phases. When fully completed, Kempegowda International Airport will be able to handle 55 million passengers per year. The estimated ₹40 billion (US\$500 million) project received clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in September 2014.
Ground work on the second runway began in February 2016 and the runway opened in December 2019. Located south of Terminal 1, it is parallel to runway 09/27 and measures 4,000 by 60 metres (13,120 ft × 200 ft), wider than the original runway so it can accommodate larger aircraft. The new runway is also CAT III certified, allowing for landings in fog and other low visibility conditions.
A second terminal has been constructed to meet the airport's expected growth. This terminal has been designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and the construction contract has been awarded to Larsen & Toubro. In the first phase, the terminal will cater to 25 million passengers annually, and in the second phase, it will cater another 20 million passengers annually. Terminal 2 was inaugurated in December 2022 and began operations in January 2023.
A third runway, north of the current runway is being planned to cater to the growth of air traffic in the airport which will be situated 1500 meters north of the current runway. Dubbed as the "New North Parallel Runway", the officials hope to ease air traffic congestion with the third runway. Along with this, a third passenger terminal has also been proposed for the airport. It is expected to begin construction from 2034 and be completed in the late 2030s.
## Airlines and destinations
### Passenger
### Cargo
## Statistics
## Ground transport
### Road
Kempegowda Airport is connected to the city of Bangalore by National Highway 44 (NH 44). In January 2014, a six-lane flyover was completed over NH 44 between Hebbal and the airport, helping to reduce travel time to and from the city. Two alternative routes are under construction and will be completed by March 2017, one through Thanisandra and the other through Hennur. The airport car park is located at ground level and can hold 2,000 vehicles. The airport is served by several taxi and rental car companies. In addition, ride-sharing companies Ola Cabs and Uber have their own pick-up zones outside the terminal.
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) provides bus transportation to major parts of the city through the Vayu Vajra (Kannada for "Diamond in the Air") service. It is operated using a fleet of Volvo B7RLE buses. In addition, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operates a nonstop bus service called "Flybus" between Kempegowda Airport and Mysore, as well as a route to Manipal via Mangalore.
### Rail
A halt at the KIA boundary commenced operations in January 2021. The train halt is connected to the airport terminal via short five-minute shuttle busses. Every day five trains from the city towards Devanahalli stop at the KIA halt and five trains head back. Future plans include electrification of the route to introduce comfortable MEMU trains to the airport. MEMU trains from Mysore that terminate at Yelahanka could be extended up to Devanahalli via the KIA halt station, benefitting airport-bound passengers from Mysore, Channapatna, Ramanagaram and Bidadi.
### Metro
The plan to build a metro link between Bangalore and the airport with two stations at the airport was revived in 2020 and is now under construction. In January 2019, Karnataka Government approved the Bangalore Airport Metro line. The project which is envisioned to link Bangalore City with the airport is under Phase 2B of Namma Metro, and is 37 km long. The blue line also known as Line-5 (KR Puram-Hebbal-Kempegowda International Airport) will have 17 stations as an extension of Line-5 (ORR Line) via KR Puram, Nagawara, Hebbal And Yelahanka. The project is estimated to be completed by December 2024.
There are two metro stops being built in the airport campus, one near the upcoming Airport City, which will be partly elevated and the other one in the Multi Modal Transport Hub opposite the upcoming Terminal 2. The cost of building these two stations is estimated to be Rs 800 crore. The total cost of the project is expected to be Rs14,788 Crores.
To ensure last-mile connectivity for passengers, a service road will be provided around the Metro Stations in the Airport premises, for integration with BMTC buses. Plans are to build a 6m wide road.
### High Speed Rail Link (HSRL)
In August 2021, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai declared plans of building a High Speed Rail Link (HSRL) connecting the airport and the city. If constructed, the airport will be connected by three different railway lines: the Metro, Suburban rail and High-speed rail, making it a distinctive airport connected with all three (modes of transportation).
This is not the first time this is planned. Plans to build an HSRL was earlier planned in 2001 and was revived again in 2013, but was shelved both times due to issues in land acquisition and high costs involved. More recently, the plan has been revived, as the Chief Minister believes that this has been their dream and they are going to get it done as no international airport in the world has got all three (modes of transportation).
## Awards
In 2017, the airport was ranked first in ensuring timely takeoffs and landings to and from the airport, as the Most Punctual Airport of India by the DGCA. In 2020, the airport was recognised as the Best Airport in the Asia-Pacific Region with 25 to 40 million passengers per year by Airports Council International. In December 2022, the airport was not only considered again as the most punctual airport of India, but it was ranked among the most punctual airports in the world, in which it ranked 20th, by Cirium, an aviation data analytics company. In March 2023, the airport was ranked first by the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Survey for Arrivals, conducted by Airports Council International for 2022, globally.
## See also
- List of airports in India
- List of airports in Karnataka
- List of busiest airports in India |
16,492,038 | Nashville Seraphs | 1,153,725,877 | Former Minor League Baseball team in Nashville, Tennessee | [
"1895 disestablishments in Tennessee",
"1895 establishments in Tennessee",
"Baseball teams disestablished in 1895",
"Baseball teams established in 1895",
"Defunct baseball teams in Tennessee",
"Professional baseball teams in Tennessee",
"Southern League (1885–1899) teams",
"Sports in Nashville, Tennessee"
] | The Nashville Seraphs, often known as the Nashvilles, were a minor league baseball team that played in the Class B Southern League in 1895. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee, and played their home games at Athletic Park, later known as Sulphur Dell. The club won the Southern League pennant in their only season, becoming the city's first minor league baseball team to win a league championship.
The Nashvilles spent the majority of the season at or near the top of the league standings and held an above-.500 winning percentage on all but Opening Day. From August 15 to the season finale on September 3, the Seraphs won 20 consecutive games, which propelled them from seven games out of first place to a tie with the Atlanta Crackers atop the standings. Both teams possessed .670 records and asserted to be the rightful pennant winners. At the league's annual winter meeting that December, nearly four months later, Nashville was declared the Southern League champion for 1895.
The team was managed by George Stallings and included other former and future major league players Frank Butler, Art Herman, Lefty Marr, Tom McCreery, Sam Moran, Bert Myers, Jim Ritz, and Mike Trost. Butler and Moran were sold to the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates, respectively, during the season. Stallings and Moran, as well as George Cleve, played for the Nashville Tigers, the city's previous club, in 1894. Marr also played for the Nashville Americans, the city's first team, in 1885 and 1886.
## History
### Formation
Professional baseball was first played in Nashville, Tennessee, by the Nashville Americans, who were charter members of the original Southern League from 1885 to 1886 and played their home games at Sulphur Spring Park, later renamed Athletic Park and Sulphur Dell. This ballpark was to be the home of Nashville's minor league teams through 1963. In 1887, the city's Southern League team was called the Nashville Blues. The Nashville Tigers competed in the same league from 1893 to 1894. The Southern League disbanded in July 1894, as the result of league-wide financial instability brought on by the expense of travel and poor attendance.
In the ensuing months, baseball leaders across the South considered which cities to include in the next iteration of the Southern League. Representatives met at The Read House Hotel in Chattanooga on January 14 to reorganize for the 1895 season. Membership was granted to clubs in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Evansville, Little Rock, Memphis, Montgomery, Nashville, and New Orleans, thus lessening the expense of travel incurred in the past with the inclusion of cities such as Charleston and Savannah. Each of the eight teams paid a US\$1,000 deposit to guarantee they would play the entire season. They also pledged to pay dues of \$100 per month plus 3% of total gate receipts for a sinking fund. Player salaries were capped at \$1,000 per team. The Nashville Baseball Association elected R. L. C. White, physician and prominent figure in the Tennessee press, to serve as president of the Nashville club.
Nashville's team has come to be known as the Seraphs. Though there are no contemporary references to this moniker, the May 4, 1895, edition of the Nashville Banner referred to the team as "Stallings' cherubs". At the time, baseball clubs were often called only by the names of their cities. Newspapers generally referred to the team as simply Nashville, the Nashville club, or the Nashvilles.
### Spring training
As early as October 1894, George Stallings, previously manager of the Nashville Tigers, began acquiring players for a new Nashville ball club. Stallings would serve as its player-manager. He filled the rest of the roster with men he found to be of good character and skilled ball players, some of whom had experience on major league teams. Stallings had played a few games for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms in 1890. He signed Mike Trost of the 1890 St. Louis Browns and Jim Ritz, who had played one game for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1894. He also acquired the services of his former 1894 Tigers teammates George Cleve and Sam Moran.
With Stallings' players having gathered in the city, the Nashvilles commenced practice at Athletic Park, their home field, on March 18. In further preparation for the coming season, they participated in a number of exhibition games against amateur, collegiate, minor, and major league teams. The first such game was a 17–4 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores on the campus of Vanderbilt University on March 26. On March 28, they defeated the Nashville Athletic Club's baseball team, 12–2, at Athletic Park. On April 10 and 11, Nashville beat Ted Sullivan's Dallas Steers of the Texas-Southern League, 19–3 and 9–1.
From late March to mid April, the Seraphs served as the spring training competition for several teams from the National League, the only major league at the time, who traveled south to prepare for their seasons in a warmer climate. On March 29 and 30, Nashville was defeated by the Cincinnati Reds, 7–0 and 16–3. The St. Louis Browns handed them two more losses, 14–4 and 7–2, on April 1 and 2. Nashville defeated the Cleveland Spiders, 12–10, on April 3, but lost the next day's game, 18–3. On April 5, pitcher Sam Moran out dueled Cleveland's Cy Young, their 28-year-old ace, in a 4–3 win. Nashville bested the visiting Louisville Colonels, 9–8, on April 13, before traveling to Louisville, where they lost the next afternoon, 22–5. In their final major league warmup, the Seraphs lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 19–2, at Athletic Park on April 15.
### The season
#### April to June
With over a month's practice under their belts and optimistic about the campaign to come, the Nashville Seraphs were set to open the Southern League championship season of 1895 at Evansville on April 25. Nashville's Opening Day roster consisted of pitchers Ed Daniels, Art Herman, and Sam Moran; catchers Daniel Sweeney and Mike Trost; first baseman/manager George Stallings; second baseman Henry Smith; third baseman Bert Myers; shortstop Jim Ritz; left fielder Frank Butler; center fielder Jack McCann; and right fielder George Cleve.
Prior to the season opener, both the Seraphs and their opponents, the Evansville Blackbirds, were paraded in carriages to the ballpark in a procession which included a brass band and a steam calliope. Contested under a light rain, both teams played poorly with only four of the game's 27 runs being earned and committing 12 errors between them, 10 by Nashville. Trost hit two over-the-fence home runs to help the cause of his batterymate Moran, who was hit hard and walked six batters while striking out six. Nashville lost, 17–10. For the benefit of hometown fans, telegraphed descriptions of the game were announced in downtown Nashville at the Merchants' Exchange and the Grand Opera House throughout the season.
The Seraphs fared much better in their second game on April 27, outscoring the Evansvilles, 19–9. Tied 7–7 after two innings, Stallings substituted Herman for Daniels on the mound to start the third. He allowed only two runs over the remaining seven innings as the Nashvilles scored 12 on the way to their first win. From this point forward, Nashville was a fixture at or near the top of the standings and maintained a winning record through the completion of the season. They wrapped up their opening series by taking the third game from Evansville on April 28, 9–2, in which Moran limited hitters to just two runs on four hits, improving over his first start.
The Seraphs returned to Nashville for their Athletic Park home opener on April 29. A large crowd gathered early in the day to welcome the teams which arrived to the park in a parade of open carriages accompanied by a marching band. Before the game, Mayor George Blackmore Guild gave a speech and tossed out the first pitch. The home team bested the visiting Evansvilles, 16–4, just as much on good hitting and fielding as on lackluster pitching by Fred Ossenberg. Only two of Nashville's 16 runs were earned; Ossenberg walked 11 batters and the Blackbirds committed five errors.
Catcher Mike Trost, known for emphatically encouraging his teammates, was named team captain in early May. An otherwise disappointing 2–4 road trip, begun on May 10, ended with Nashville sweeping the Chattanooga Warriors in a doubleheader on May 19. They went on to win the next seven games at Athletic Park through May 28 to make it nine consecutive wins—three against the Montgomery Grays and two each against the Little Rock Travelers and New Orleans Pelicans. The Memphis Giants ended the streak on May 30, and the Nashvilles closed out their first full month of competition tied for first place with Evansville at 19–8 (.703).
The Seraphs went five-for-five in an early June road trip, taking three games from Little Rock and two from Memphis, giving them sole possession of first place. Looking to keep his team at the top, Stallings released center fielder McCann on June 8. He had not played since June 2 following sporadic appearances after being hit by a pitch in the arm in late May. Stallings also planned to release shortstop Ritz, whose errors the team blamed for at least five losses. Stallings instead signed Patrick Lynch of the Bloomington, Illinois, Western Interstate League team to play short and moved Ritz to center field when Lynch joined the team on June 19. Ritz was later shifted to second, a position which he played much better, after Henry Smith, who exhibited poor fielding range and committed numerous errors on routine plays, was released after the game of June 29.
Nashville won three games in a single day in an exceedingly rare June 26 tripleheader against Little Rock at Athletic Park. The Tarvelers' manager refused to play the morning game after receiving a telegram from league president J. B. Nicklin informing him that playing more than two games in a day was optional. With only the home team taking the field, Daniels threw three strikes over the plate to Trost, and the umpire awarded Nashville the game on forfeit. Nashville won the afternoon and evening games, 17–7 and 8–5. The forfeited morning game was later removed from the record when the league's directors confirmed Nicklin's ruling that no team could be forced to play more than two games in a day.
By the end of June, approximately halfway through the season, Nashville was locked in a three-way tie for first place with Evansville and Atlanta, and the rest of the league was virtually out of contention.
#### July to September
On July 4, Art Herman flirted with a no-hitter against New Orleans in the first game of a doubleheader at Athletic Park before a paid attendance of 1,300 people. He held the visiting batters hitless for eight innings until Billy York singled softly between third and short. The Seraphs won the game, 12–0, and the afternoon's game, 9–4, with 3,200 in attendance. In conjunction with that day's Independence Day celebration, additionally scheduled festivities included a fireworks display, an exhibition of tricks by a "one-legged fancy bicycle rider", and footraces between Seraphs and Pelicans players.
With the team in a heated race for the pennant, a number of changes in late July and early August threatened to knock the Nashvilles out of the championship picture. On July 21 at Mobile, which had transferred from Chattanooga on July 19, Ed Daniels came down with a case of malaria keeping him out of action until August 5. On July 26, Butler was sold to the National League's New York Giants for \$1,500. Butler was a skilled fielder and did well at the plate, but his throwing was deemed deficient and he was known for criticizing his teammates. The proceeds of his sale helped ensure the team would break even on the season and would help Stallings acquire more players.
Earlier in the season, Trost had been suspended by Stallings for four days for not adhering to a pledge to abstain from liquor, which had been affecting his play. On July 20, "having accumulated a good supply of booze", Stallings planned to suspended Trost a second time and send him home from their road trip in Mobile, but he disappeared from the team after that afternoon's game on a drinking binge. He was evidently allowed to remain with the team as he showed up to a July 23 game in New Orleans too drunk to play. He did not appear in another game until July 27 wherein Stallings removed him after making two errors, and he managed to get himself ejected by the umpire as he sat on the bench. Trost continued to see playing time as catcher and at first base but did not appear in another game following the afternoon of August 9 when he was removed during the fourth inning.
As the team slipped to third place, several players were added to make up for recent roster subtractions, but more were yet to come. Stallings signed first baseman Al Gibson, who joined the club on July 23, only to be released on August 1. Ritz, who had been struggling at the plate, was released days later on August 4. Stallings also acquired outfielder Lefty Marr, a member of the 1885 and 1886 Nashville Americans, who joined the team on August 6. The Little Rock club, in last place and in financial dire straights, was dissolved on July 27, and its players were dispersed among the remaining teams. Nashville received third baseman Richard Gorman and right fielder Julius Knoll, who played their first games as Nashvilles on August 2. Gorman remained with the Seraphs until being called away to the bedside of his dying mother on August 16.
The August 10 game versus the Atlanta Crackers at Athletic Park later played a key role in determining the pennant winner. Trailing 10–9 in the final at bat of the ninth inning, Sweeney stepped up to the plate with runners at first and second. With two strikes against him, he hit a high fly ball into foul territory near the grandstand. As Atlanta's catcher, Tug Wilson, attempted to get under the ball, his foot slipped causing him to miss the catch. While reaching for the ball, a boy in the stands threw a baseball glove past his head. The umpire, Clark, ruled this as interference and called Sweeney out, resulting in a 10–9 Atlanta win. The police had to protect Clark from an irate Stallings and an incensed crowd of around 1,000 spectators. The Nashvilles protested the umpire's decision. The incident came to be known as the "glove game".
Continuing to shore up his roster, Stallings acquired shortstop Ed Mrzena to replace the bereaved Gorman on August 17. Nearly a week later, the team lost one-third of its pitching rotation when Stallings came to terms to sell Moran to Connie Mack's Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League. Mack had shown interest in adding Moran to his beleaguered team for weeks as he and Stallings negotiated a price, finally settling on \$1,000. Moran struck out seven batters while allowing only four runs on ten hits in his farewell game, a 6–4 win over Mobile in the second game of an August 24 doubleheader. That same day, Stallings acquired the release of National Leaguer Tom McCreery from the Louisville Colonels. Though a pitcher, McCreery joined the team playing right field on August 31 in the place of Cleve after he sprained his left hand in a bicycle accident on August 30.
Meanwhile, Nashville was in the middle of an improbable march up the league standings. Suffering back-to-back losses on August 14 at Atlanta, the Seraphs were in third place, seven games behind the first place Evansvilles. With the season set to close on September 3 and only three weeks left to play, these were the last games Nashville would lose. Starting with an August 15 win at home against Atlanta, the Nashville club won 20 consecutive games. The season-high win streak concluded on September 3 with a 7–0 shutout of Evansville before a crowd of 1,200 fans at Athletic Park. According to the final league standings and President Nicklin, Nashville and Atlanta were tied for first place with identical .670 winning percentages, Nashville at 71–35 and Atlanta at 69–34. Both teams took exception to the idea of a tie and reasoned that each was the rightful champion.
### The pennant
Nashville asserted their right to the pennant for three reasons. First, that Atlanta's last game was scheduled for September 2, therefore a game they played on September 3 against New Orleans was illegal and should not be counted in the standings. Second, they believed the August 10 glove game should be thrown out because of the umpire's improper ruling. Third, they contested a number of games in which New Orleans fielded two illegal players, Ira Davis and Bobby Rothermel, who were competing under assumed identities to circumvent their suspensions from the Pennsylvania State League, thus making them ineligible to play.
Atlanta claimed a mathematical reason for being the pennant winner. They held that while rounding the teams' winning percentages to the traditional three decimal places yielded a tie, if rounded to four places, they would emerge ahead with .6699 (69–34) versus Nashville's .6698 (71–35). The Atlantas also sought to receive credit for games they played which were forfeited by their opponents but not reflected in the standings. They concurred with Nashville's concern over New Orleans using blacklisted players, but they countered that the league's rules provided for awarding such games to the opposing team rather than being nullified.
On September 7 to 8, team representatives met at The Read House in Chattanooga to discuss awarding the pennant. Stallings and White attended on behalf of Nashville. Evansville's representative issued his voting proxy to White. Montgomery's proxy was transferred to Bill Cherry, a resident of Nashville. E. C. Bruffey, sports editor for The Atlanta Constitution, represented Atlanta and New Orleans, the latter by proxy. Mobile was not present. Effectively, this made it Nashville, Evansville, and Montgomery against Atlanta and New Orleans. Rather than contend against three Nashville residents, Bruffey left the meeting. The remaining Nashvillians then voted unanimously to throw out the glove game on the grounds that umpire Clark's decision to award the victory to Atlanta based on fan interference was against the league's constitution. Stallings then withdrew his motion to remove the September 3 Atlanta–New Orleans game and the New Orleans games involving blacklisted players. This moved Nashville up to .676 (71–34), and Atlanta dropped to .667 (68–34). They next resolved that the championship pennant be awarded to Nashville.
President Nicklin, dissatisfied with the meeting's outcome, wrote to each club informing them that the league's constitution required full representation from every team before business could be transacted. With no representatives from Atlanta, Mobile, or New Orleans, the decisions of the Chattanooga meeting were declared unconstitutional and nonbinding. He reinstated the tie record until another meeting could be held. Prior to and immediately after these events, the teams entertained the idea of a playoff series of seven games to determine a champion. On September 9, Atlanta reneged on the proposition and refused to play the series with Nashville.
On December 21, league directors gathered in Birmingham for the league's annual winter meeting. Chief among the agenda was to once-and-for-all award the 1895 pennant. Nashville and Evansville were represented by Stallings and White, while Atlanta, Montgomery, and New Orleans each had their own delegates. Mobile was again absent. After the reading of the previous Chattanooga meeting's minutes, J. B. Allen of Atlanta made a motion to reconsider the expulsion the glove game. Nashville, Evansville, and Montgomery voted 3–2 against Atlanta and New Orleans and the minutes were approved with slight undisclosed alterations. One-hundred nine days after the call of the last out, the Nashville Seraphs were declared champions of the Southern League and would fly their city's first professional baseball pennant.
### Postseason exhibitions
While the fate of the pennant was being decided, the Nashvilles played a series of exhibition games against semi-professional teams in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Clarksville, Tennessee, into the second week of September. Sweeney managed the team while Stallings attended the league meeting in Chattanooga, and Marr was named team captain. In addition to Marr, Stallings, and Sweeney, other players remaining with the team at this time were Cleeve, Daniels, Herman, Knoll, Lynch, Mrzena, and Myers. Added to the roster were shortstop Ollie Beard, pitcher Noodles Hahn, catcher Jack Brennan, and an unidentified outfielder Smith. McCreery had returned to Louisville, and the Colonels had also acquired Trost.
Nashville merchants and the club's directors organized a benefit game for the home team with the full proceeds of ticket sales going directly to the players. The day's festivities included a game between the Seraphs and the Nashville Athletic Club, several 100-yard (91 m) dashes including one for the "slow championship" between Herman, Sweeney, and Mrzena, a boxing match between Knoll and Lynch, Stallings would attempt to break the world's record for rounding the bases, and players would compete in long distance throwing and sliding competitions. About 1,600 tickets were sold at 50 cents apiece to the September 18 benefit, which was won by the Seraphs, 4–2, when the game was called after six innings so the athletic program could be gotten in before dark. Herman finished last in the slow race, the boxing match was a draw, and Stallings won the throwing contest.
From September 24 to 28, the Nashvilles competed against the Richmond Bluebirds, champions of the Class B Virginia League, for "the Championship of the South" at Richmond's West End Park. In game one, the home team easily won, 16–3, after Nashville committed seven errors allowing only four earned runs off of Herman. Game two was called on account of darkness in the bottom of the sixth inning with Nashville leading 10–2, tying the series at a game apiece. Down 7–4 in the seventh inning of game three, the Seraphs touched Bluebirds hurler Jack Knorr for 10 runs on the way to a 14–9 victory. Richmond took game four, 11–4, to even the series. In the seventh inning of that game, Myers, upset with what he believed was an incorrect call at third base, threw the ball hitting the umpire Hoggins in the side just above his kidneys causing him to fall the ground. Several policemen rushed out to arrest Myers shortly before some members of the crowd formed a mob and attacked him on the field. Protected by his arresting officers, Myers was removed from the ballpark and charged with felony assault with intent to kill. The next day, having made bail, Myers visited the ailing umpire, apologized for his conduct, and asked for the case to be dismissed. Myers plead guilty and was fined \$10 plus costs, which he immediately paid. He and Hoggins both appeared in that afternoon's decisive game five. Herman held the locals to just four runs on three hits while Myers led Nashville batters with three hits including a home run. The Seraphs won, 13–4, and claimed the Championship of the South.
### Dissolution
Soon after an early October series with the semi-pro Knoxville Reds, Stallings disbanded the team. The Nashville Base Ball Club planned to field a team in the Southern League season of 1896, but refused to participate when the Mobile club rejected putting up their \$500 guarantee to finish the season, instead suggesting that each of the other clubs pay a portion of its deposit in addition to their own \$500. Nashville's next professional baseball team, the Nashville Centennials, were formed as charter members of the Class C Central League in 1897.
## Season results
The Southern League's 1895 standings were amended after the September 3 season's close with the subtraction of the August 10 Nashville–Atlanta glove game. The Chattanooga franchise was transferred to Mobile on June 19. Memphis dropped out of the league on July 23, and Little Rock followed on July 27. Records for these two disbanded clubs are given as they stood on their last days of competition.
## Ballpark
The Seraphs played their home games at Nashville's Athletic Park. The first grandstand was built at the northeastern corner of the block bounded by modern-day Jackson Street, Fourth Avenue North, Harrison Street, and Fifth Avenue North to accommodate fans of the Nashville Americans in 1885. Located in Sulphur Springs Bottom, the land had hitherto been little more than solely a baseball field and required improvements to make it suitable for professional teams. The main Jackson Street entrance led past the ticket booth and into the grandstand's reserved seats behind home plate and a screen backstop. Rooms for players, directors, scorers, and reporters were built under the grandstand. Restrooms and water fountains, which pumped up sulphur water from the springs below, were also built. The distance to the outfield fence was 362 feet (110 m) to left and right fields and 485 feet (148 m) to center.
Extensive renovations were made prior to the 1894 season, including the construction of a new fence and grandstand just west of the original. The existing grandstand was refurbished and given a coat of whitewash, and a screen was placed to block the setting sun. Additionally, the diamond was leveled, and a new scoreboard was installed in right field. The total seating capacity was around 1,000, consisting of about 500 opera chairs, some in private boxes near the front, and bleachers along Fourth Avenue. The facility, known as Sulphur Dell from 1908, was demolished in 1969 after serving as the home of the Nashville Vols from 1901 to 1963. Since 2015, the site has been the location of First Horizon Park, the home stadium of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds baseball team.
## Uniforms
The only known photograph of the team shows the Nashvilles wearing dark colored jerseys with a light serifed "N" on the left chest. About half of them are wearing long-sleeved shirts, while the rest have shirts cutoff at or just above the elbows. Dark pants terminating below the knees were tucked into either dark or light colored socks and paired with a variety of belts. Their caps were striped.
The March 17 edition of The Nashville American sheds light on the color of their uniforms, describing them as consisting of "navy blue shirts and trousers, white stockings and belts, and white and blue college striped caps. On the breast of the shirt is a large 'N' in white." Also mentioned were matching double-breasted navy coats with white collars and cuffs and large pearl buttons. On June 18, The American makes reference to a change of appearance: "dark stockings and white caps have been adopted instead of the muddy-looking white hose and striped caps they have been wearing."
## Players
A total of 19 players competed in at least one game for the Seraphs during the 1895 season. Only six of the 12 men on the April 25 Opening Day roster remained with Nashville for the entire season. Nine also played for major league teams during their careers. |
22,221,311 | Case of the Hooded Man | 1,082,968,980 | 1912 murder in England | [
"1912 in England",
"1913 in British law",
"1913 in England",
"1913 in case law",
"English criminal case law"
] | R v Williams (1913) 8 Cr App R 133 (known as the Case of the Hooded Man and the Eastbourne Murder) was a 1912 murder in England that took its name from the hood the defendant, John Williams, wore when travelling to and from court. After the murder of a police inspector in Eastbourne, with no witnesses and little forensic evidence, Edgar Power, a former medical student, told the police that his friend John Williams had committed the murder. Power helped the police conduct a sting operation to catch Williams; police also interrogated Williams's girlfriend Florence Seymour, who then confessed to having helped Williams hide the murder weapon.
However, Seymour later recanted her story, and another man came forth claiming to know the identity of the real killer. This new evidence, along with the behaviour of the judge in both the initial case and the appeal, made the case controversial enough that Members of Parliament from the three major political parties directly questioned the Home Secretary on the matter. Despite many requests for clemency, all appeals were denied, and Williams was executed in 1913. The case was one of the first investigations in Britain to use the emerging science of ballistics.
## Background
On 9 October 1912, the driver of a horse-drawn carriage noticed a man crouching near the front door of the house of Countess Flora Sztaray, located on South Cliff Avenue in Eastbourne. Sztaray was known to possess large amounts of valuable jewellery and to be married to a rich Hungarian nobleman. The driver, who was Sztaray's coachman, informed Sztaray of the man's presence, whereupon Sztaray telephoned the police. Inspector Arthur Walls was sent to investigate. When Walls arrived on the scene, he observed a man lying on the portico above the front door. Walls called out, "Now then, my man, you just come down." The man fired two shots, the first of which struck and killed Walls.
The police had only two clues: some footprints in the garden, and a hat that they found in a nearby gutter. The police took moulds of the footprints and endeavoured to trace the hat, but with no success. However, during routine questioning of local residents, police learned that earlier in the afternoon of the murder, a man had been seen sitting with a heavily-pregnant young woman on a bench at one end of South Cliff Avenue; the man had also been seen wandering the street while the young woman sat on the bench alone, leading police to suspect that the man was assessing the lay of the land.
The following day, a former medical student named Edgar Power visited the police, claiming that he knew the identity of the murderer. Power said that the murderer was one George McKay, who was living in Eastbourne under the name "John Williams" with his pregnant girlfriend, Florence Seymour. Power knew Williams through Williams's brother, who was Power's best friend. Williams's brother had received a note that morning from Williams, which he had passed on to Power. Power gave the note to the police. It read: "If you would save my life come here at once to 4 Tideswell Road. Ask for Seymour. Bring some cash with you. Very Urgent." Power told the police that the letter had been written by Williams and that Williams had tried to burgle Sztaray's house and killed Inspector Walls. According to Power, Williams met with his girlfriend, Florence Seymour, after the murder, and the two decided to bury the gun on the beach and send a letter to Williams' brother asking for money to return to London, which was then given to Power. Power's motive in coming to the police was that he was in love with Seymour.
In order to trap Williams, Power asked Williams to meet him at Moorgate Street Station the following day. Police were lying in wait and arrested both Power and Williams at the Moorgate station. Police covered Williams's head with an apron to prevent him from being photographed and thus possibly influencing witnesses. However, no one had glimpsed the murderer's face, and no one selected Williams from an identity parade. Power was immediately released.
Upon his release, Power went to Seymour and told her that the police knew what had happened and that the only way to save Williams was to dig up the gun and move it somewhere safer. Seymour and Power retrieved the gun on 15 October; several police officers were lying in wait and immediately arrested both Seymour and Power. Power was released a few hours later; Seymour was retained for questioning. Seymour was pregnant and in poor condition both physically and mentally; after a few hours of questioning, she wrote and signed a statement which incriminated Williams. In her statement, Seymour stated that Williams "had left her for half an hour near the Countess's house on the night of the murder, returning without his trilby hat, and afterwards throwing away a burglar's rope with a hook on the end of it, also with him burying a revolver on the beach he had broken in two."
Despite Seymour's statement, Williams maintained that he was innocent of the murder and the burglary, saying that "whoever did that did it to get to [Sztaray's] papers for political purposes. No doubt she is mixed up in some foreign political business. I would not commit a crime like that."
Williams appeared at the magistrates' court in Eastbourne for an initial hearing. He was not represented by either a solicitor or a barrister, and pleaded not guilty. On his way to and from the court Williams's head was again covered with an apron to prevent him from being photographed; the press accordingly dubbed him "the hooded man." The police decided that Seymour should take the witness stand as soon as possible to avoid her going back on what she had told the police. As such she was called to the witness box by Cecil Whiteley (who was Treasury Counsel at the time) to go through her statement line by line. She was physically exhausted and fainted four times in the witness box; this and other interruptions meant that the initial hearing took four days. Eventually the case was referred to the Assizes for trial.
## Trial
The trial of John Williams for the murder of Inspector Arthur Walls began on 12 December 1912 at the Lewes Assizes, with Arthur Channell sitting as a judge. By this time, Williams had found a solicitor who had arranged for Patrick Hastings and C. F. Baker to represent him in court. The Crown was represented by Sir Frederick Low and Cecil Whiteley. The trial proved a popular one, with crowds of people outside the court house trying to see the defendants or barristers involved. A local newspaper described it as "the most sensational murder trial ... within living history."
Florence Seymour was the first person called to the witness box. She said that her statement was false, and that she had only made it because Edgar Power had told her that she would be charged with murder if she did not. This immediately disrupted the case for the prosecution; Frederick Low had made it clear in his opening statement that their case rested primarily on Seymour's testimony. Low received permission from the judge to treat Seymour as a hostile witness; despite this, she refused to say anything that would incriminate Williams. Hastings did not cross-examine her, only asking if what she had said in court was true; she said that it was and then burst into tears.
After calling a number of minor witnesses (including the cab driver and the owner of the building Williams and Seymour lived in), the prosecution called Edgar Power. Power testified that Williams had bragged about shooting Walls in response to Powers' chaffing him about being a poor shot. According to Power, Williams responded to the chaff by saying, "Well, that was a good shot anyhow," referring to the shot that had killed Walls. Williams' barrister Hastings later described Power as "[the most] utterly contemptible human being I have ever met," and during his cross-examination Hastings highlighted Power's betrayal of his close friends, Williams and Seymour.
The defendant, John Williams, was called next. Williams claimed that the package containing the rope and the gun had been given to him by a fellow thief called "Freddy Mike", who had asked him to keep the package until Mike came to collect it. After the murder, Williams was scared that he would be suspected, since he had a gun and had been arrested previously for burglary.
Following the testimony of Seymour, Power, and Williams, it became clear the jury could not convict Williams based on witness testimony alone. There was, however, some circumstantial evidence: an empty holster found by the police among Williams' possessions showed evidence of a revolver recently being inside it. The police enlisted the aid of an expert in the new science of forensic ballistics, Robert Churchill; it was one of the first times the police made use of ballistics in a case.
Churchill was able to prove, by firing a different gun of the same design, that the bullet that killed the police officer had been fired from a revolver of the same make and calibre as the gun reported to be Williams'. However, the prosecution needed proof that the bullet had been fired from that particular revolver. At the suggestion of Chief Inspecter Bower, photographers attempted to photograph the inside of the gun barrel in order to prove that the bullet had been fired from that particular revolver; the attempts were unsuccessful, and Churchill instead made a cast of the inside of the gun from dental wax. The method has been called "far from satisfactory," but it was sufficient to convict Williams.
In his summing up, Judge Channell commented that the acts of the defendant in hiding the gun and fleeing Eastbourne "were acts which a guilty man would be very likely to do." He also told the jury that, while there was no direct evidence linking Williams to the murder, many cases had resulted in a conviction with even less evidence. After around fifteen minutes of deliberations, the jury returned a verdict of guilty, and Channell sentenced Williams to death.
## Court of Criminal Appeal
Immediately after the verdict was read, Williams' solicitor announced that he would appeal the verdict. He asked Hastings again to represent the defendant, this time in the Court of Criminal Appeal. The court met on 13 January 1913, and consisted of Lord Alverstone, Mr Justice Phillimore and Mr Justice Ridley. Hastings argued that Mr Justice Channell had misdirected the jury in the initial case, and that therefore their decision was void. Alverstone dismissed the appeal without hearing the other side of the argument, saying that he could find no evidence of misdirection. Hastings felt that Alverstone had been biased from the start, later writing that "from the outset of the hearing it was apparent that he was satisfied with the prisoner's guilt, and no legal argument seemed to make the least impression on him."
## Further appeals and execution
Shortly after the appeal was dismissed, Williams received a letter from "Freddy Mike", who stated that not only did he know the real murderer, but that the murderer was his twin brother who had killed the police inspector before fleeing to France. Williams immediately showed the letter to his solicitor, who contacted Scotland Yard. Accompanied by Chief Inspector Bower, Williams' solicitor visited Freddy Mike, who again told the same story. A copy of the letter was sent to the Home Secretary, Reginald McKenna, along with a statement by Florence Seymour in which she claimed that her confession had been given after threats by the police.
When Freddy Mike's statement became known to the public, various petitions and campaigns to free Williams were organised throughout the country. A petition containing 35,000 signatures requesting a reprieve was sent to the Home Secretary. As soon as the House of Commons opened on 23 January 1913, McKenna was questioned by Labour, Conservative, and Liberal MPs. Robert Munro, MP for Wick Burghs, made a speech asking the Home Secretary to take into account the conflicting accounts, lack of any direct evidence, and the way the judge had directed the jury, and pardon Williams. In this he was supported by Will Crooks, the Marquess of Tullibardine, and Ian Macpherson.
McKenna replied that:
> "The house will understand that there is no part of the Home Secretary's duty which throws greater responsibility upon him or is indeed more painful, then that which has to be exercised in connection with the prerogative of mercy. Of course, any man would be only too glad to find a scintilla of evidence or reason, or I might say to invent a reason, which would enable him to save a human life. But my duty, as I understand it, is to act in accordance with the law and the traditions of my office.
>
> I have investigated [the story of Freddy Mike] to its very foundation. I have traced the family history of the man who calls himself Freddy Mike, and I find beyond question, and I may say even on his own admission, that there is not a shred or shadow of foundation for his story from beginning to end. He said that he had a twin brother. He had no twin brother. He said that the twin brother or a friend of the twin brother was in Eastbourne that night. There were no such people, and the whole story is an invention because, having known John Williams in the past, he did not like to think of his being hanged."
McKenna concluded by saying that the law must take its course, and refused to grant a pardon.
Williams applied to Home Secretary McKenna for permission to marry Florence Seymour; McKenna denied Williams's request, and did so again when Williams petitioned a second time. Williams was executed on 30 January 1913. |
42,129,101 | Triumph International | 1,167,293,977 | Swiss underwear manufacturer founded in 1886 in Heubach, Germany | [
"1886 establishments in Germany",
"Clothing companies established in 1886",
"Clothing companies of Switzerland",
"Lingerie brands",
"Multinational companies headquartered in Switzerland",
"Swiss brands",
"Underwear brands",
"companies based in Aargau"
] | Triumph International is a Swiss underwear manufacturer founded in 1886 in Heubach, Germany. The company's headquarters has been located in Bad Zurzach, Switzerland, since 1977, and it has branches in 45 countries. In addition to the Triumph brand, the company produces and distributes the products under the brands sloggi and AMO’s Style by Triumph.
Triumph International has been an industry leader, particularly in women's and sleepwear, since the 1960s. Shares of the German subsidiary have been traded on the stock exchange until 2011.
## History
In 1886, Johann Gottfried Spiesshofer and Michael Braun founded a factory for the production of corsets in Heubach (Baden-Württemberg). They first employed six people on the same number of sewing machines. That number rose to 150 people in 1890, and in 1894 their first exports were sent abroad, to England. It was only in 1902 that Spieshofer and Braun registered the Triumph brand, which was reminiscent of the Parisian Arc de Triomphe, to which International was later added. After the economic boom in the 1920s, demand for the classic corset declined, which is why the company began parallel production of brassieres. In the 1930s, Triumph International also began producing corselets.
In 1933, the first foreign branch was set up in Bad Zurzach (Switzerland). With the division of Germany in 1949, the Triumph International brand continued in the German Democratic Republic, but business activities there came to a virtual standstill. However, the internationalization of the company continued in the following period and beginning in the 1950s, offices were opened in Belgium, Great Britain, Sweden, Norway and Austria. Triumph International further expanded in 1960 by establishing its Asia-Pacific region headquarters in Hong Kong, and opening its first Japanese branch in 1963. At the time, observers already described it as a "cunning web" of companies, some of which were registered in the tax havens of Liechtenstein and Bermuda. In the late 1960s, Triumph International's market share for corsetry in Germany was about 50 percent.
At that time, the group had generated sales of 620 million Deutsche Mark and employed 22,600 employees. In the mid-1960s Triumph International introduced broad scale electronic data processing. Due to the economic crisis, the company encountered significant difficulties for the first time at the beginning of the 1970s, meaning the company even had to introduce short-term work. The crisis also affected the company’s tights sales, which they had begun in 1969 and discontinued only three years later. At the same time, Triumph International began for the first time to produce products from lighter fabrics with fibers such as nylon or lycra.
At the end of the 1970s, the new sloggi brand was introduced, under which underwear and other products with high cotton content were marketed. The company moved its headquarters from Germany to Switzerland in 1977, and its holding has since been headquartered in Bad Zurzach. By 1986, sales increased to 996 million Swiss francs and the number of employees fell slightly to 19,000 employees. At the same time, sales began in the People's Republic of China and beginning in 1988, individual Triumph products were manufactured under license in East Germany for the local market. This included swimwear in addition to underwear.
With the takeover of two French name brands, HOM and Valisère, Triumph International ventured into the men's underwear and high-quality lingerie market. At the same time, the company announced in 1995 that in the future it would focus more on its Triumph umbrella brand, under which a number of brands would be classified. To that end, an advertising campaign was launched featuring Naomi Campbell and Helena Christensen. In the 1990s, Triumph International launched another phase of international expansion, and since 1998 it has been present on the subcontinent of India. In 2001, its newest production facility opened in Dunaújváros (Hungary), which has been sold in the interim. After the turn of the millennium, Triumph was one of the biggest textile manufacturers in terms of sales in the domestic market.
From 2008 to 2012, the company hosted the Triumph Inspiration Awards, where lingerie designers were able to compete according to an annually changing theme. The entries were evaluated both by a jury and according to the votes by visitors to the competition website. In 2009, the competition attracted broader attention, particularly as that event was held in London. Initially a local competition was held in the participating countries prior to the international final competition.
Since 2012, all the collections of Triumph International have been tested for harmful substances and certified under the Oeko-tex standard for textiles, after individual products had been successfully tested as early as 1993 when the initiative was established.
In recent years, the company has expanded, opening new stores of its own and acquiring competitors. In 2010, Triumph International acquired Beldona, the leading Swiss distributor of lingerie, and later purchased other distributors in Mexico and the United States. The Triumph International AG, headquartered in Munich, under which the company's German business is associated, was once again fully acquired by the company in 2011 through the exclusion of minority shareholders; by now, it has been transformed into a GmbH (Triumph International GmbH). Since then, company stocks have no longer been traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, and the company is wholly owned by the Braun and Spiesshofer families.
In 2017, Triumph made the decision to close its standalone stores in the United Kingdom, beginning to only sell online and through concessions in stores like Debenhams and House of Fraser.
## Brands
The Triumph brand is the focus of the company. Products are divided into several categories for different target groups, with Triumph International typically presenting several collections each year. As of 2010, the importance of shapewear for the company increased, and Triumph's sale of these products attracted special attention. In 2013, Triumph was honored as one of the best brands. In 2015, the Magic Wire bra received the Red Dot Design Award; at the 2018 ISPO, the almost seamless "Seamless Motion Sports Bra" from Triaction by Triumph is awarded the ISPO Award in the Health & Fitness category. In 2019, consumers called up by the influential German trade magazine "Textilwirtschaft" vote Triumph to be the by far most popular body wear manufacturer brand.
In the late 1970s, Triumph International launched the sloggi cotton underwear brand, at first only for female customers and later also with products for men (sloggi Men) and swimwear (sloggi swim). Since the 1980s, Triumph International has also been targeting young customers aged up to 25 years old with the BeeDees brand. The products are characterized by accessories and patterned fabrics. In addition to sloggi and BeeDees, the company has also been marketing sports bras under Triaction since the late 1990s. In accordance with the company’s strategy to focus on its tow global brands, Triumph and sloggi, the BeeDees brand was sold in 2017 to the Jansen Fashion Group (in Wesseling, Germany).
In the 1980s HOM, the French manufacturer of upscale underwear for men, was purchased and has since continued as a trademark within the company. The headquarters was located in Marseille. In early 2015, HOM was sold to the Austrian Huber Group, as Triumph wanted to streamline its portfolio. Valisère is the label for upper segment products, which beginning in 2007 became also available in Germany and was used primarily for luxury lingerie.
Triumph products are distributed both via trade partners and department stores, as well as in their own shops. By the end of 2017, the company had built a network of 3,600 controlled points of sale in 120 countries, which are operated by Triumph itself, by franchisees or run by other partners. In addition, Triumph serves 40,000 retail trade partners. The company is one of the largest lingerie retailers in Germany based on the number of branches. The largest branch in terms of retail space was opened in Dresden's Centrum Gallery in 2012; 2018 saw the opening of the store in Hamburg’s Jungfernstieg; other flagships stores are, for example, in Amsterdam, Berlin, and Copenhagen. In addition, Triumph International operates several online stores. These were developed using a fulfillment service provider that is part of Arvato.
## Criticism
In 2002, Triumph International had to close its factory in Myanmar due to public pressure. The Berne Declaration and Clean Clothes Campaign accused the company of renting land from the country's military regime and thus indirectly supporting it. In January 2002, Triumph International announced that it would close the affected factory and offer a social plan for the remaining employees because no buyer had been found. Moreover, Triumph International clarified that there had not been any forced laborers among the employees.
In October 2003, the self-regulatory body of the French advertising industry criticized Triumph International for a campaign for the sloggi brand. At the center of the protest was a picture of scantily clad women on billboards which advertised thongs under the slogan "It's String Time". It was claimed that the ads violated the dignity of women and harmed the public perception of advertising, but the company did not adjust the campaign. It was also criticized for the same reason by leading French politicians like Ségolène Royal.
In 2008, Triumph International came under fire after a female president of a local union was dismissed in Thailand. She had appeared on a Thai evening television program with a T-shirt on which a controversial political statement could be seen. The statement addressed the subject of a case of Lèse Majesté, a crime prosecuted with high prison sentences in Thailand and a highly sensitive issue in the Kingdom. The company's management had the view that the appearance had harmed their public image and therefore laid off the staff member in question. One of the company’s Thai work councils, Triumph International Labor Union, protested and collected 2,500 signatures to petition for the rehiring of the union president, supported in solidarity in Germany, inter alia, by the ver.di youth. In November 2008, the Labor Court in Bangkok found the lay-off to have been lawful.
Most recently, Triumph International has been the subject of even greater criticism after mass layoffs in Thailand and the Philippines at the end of 2009 were met with transnational protests by trade unions. The company regretted this step and made it clear that it was necessitated by the global economic crisis. Allegations that, parallel to the redundancies, another location was being set up in Thailand, were unfounded.
In 2014, the Japanese division of Triumph issued a voluntary recall on around 22,000 bras for underwire fault. The recall applied to bras that were sold only in Japan. There have been no reports of injuries from the defect. |
26,580,775 | Wyntoon | 1,166,296,657 | Historic estate in Siskiyou County, California | [
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"Bernard Maybeck buildings",
"Buildings and structures in Siskiyou County, California",
"Castles in California",
"Gothic Revival architecture in California",
"Hearst Communications assets",
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"Julia Morgan buildings"
] | Wyntoon is a private estate in rural Siskiyou County, California, owned by the Hearst Corporation. Architects Willis Polk, Bernard Maybeck and Julia Morgan all designed structures for Wyntoon, beginning in 1899.
The land, sited at two sharp bends in the McCloud River, was named by financial adviser Edward Clark for the local Native American tribe of the Wintun people. Beginning as a humble fishing resort, the land was improved by a series of people, notably San Francisco attorney Charles Stetson Wheeler, his client Phoebe Apperson Hearst, and her son William Randolph Hearst who disputed with his cousin over ownership. Prominent structures, noted for their architecture, have been built on the land, some lost to fire, while other multimillion-dollar buildings were planned, but not built. Famous visitors to Wyntoon include Clark Gable, Charles Lindbergh, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and his son John F. Kennedy.
## Justin Sisson's fishing resort
The earliest known inhabitants of the area of Wyntoon were the Winnemem Wintu tribe of Native Americans, a subgroup of the Wintun people.
In the 1880s, outdoorsman, guide, hunter and trapper Justin Hinckley Sisson came to the area and established a hotel, restaurant and tavern at the foot of Mount Shasta. He advocated for a railroad line to be extended northward from Redding to his location, and was successful. Construction of the Central Pacific Railroad through the Siskiyou Trail began in the mid-1880s, and Sisson bought 120 acres (49 ha) in its path. The railroad was completed in 1887 and brought miners, hunters, fishermen, loggers, naturalists and tourists. With his wife, the former Miss Lydia Field, Sisson operated the inn, and he led various groups of hunters, geologists and mountain climbers. With profits from his successful business, Sisson acquired large parcels of land including the tract which would become Wyntoon. He established the town of Sisson surrounding his inn, and he built a fishing resort a half-day's ride away on the McCloud River, at an elevation between 2,700 and 3,000 feet (820 and 910 m), some 16 miles (26 km) distant. Popular with hunters and fishermen, it became known as "Sisson's-on-the-McCloud".
Justin Sisson died in 1893. In 1924, the town of Sisson was renamed Mount Shasta, California.
## Charles S. Wheeler's hunting lodge
In 1899, Sisson's widow sold the McCloud River fishing resort site to Charles Stetson Wheeler, a wealthy attorney from San Francisco. This parcel lay in the Cascade Range of mountains, south by southeast of Mount Shasta. Wheeler called this holding the Wheeler Ranch, and he built a hunting lodge on the river at Horseshoe Bend—its cornerstone was laid in 1899. The multi-wing lodge, dramatic with its stone walls and slate roof, was designed by San Francisco architect Willis Polk, and included an 800-book library with room for hundreds of Native American baskets. Wheeler directed Polk to give the lodge a "fish tower"—a high study with a view, and two windows which were aquariums containing local trout. A Latin inscription over the entrance indicated this room was a temple to fishing: piscatoribus sacrum. Polk's design was pictured in July 1899 in The American Architect and Building News which described it as a "California Mountain Home". Sir Banister Fletcher included the building in a list of Shingle Style architecture. The layout of the structure, a "rambling group of masses", snaked through the trees, curving to follow the bend in the river, the curve creating a courtyard with a circular drive and a central fountain. The dining room enjoyed a three-sided view of the river, and diners could take the air on a wraparound porch. The porch opened to the river in a flight of wooden steps leading down to an octagonal gazebo pierced and supported by a large tree, overhanging the tumbling waters. Massive fireplaces and heavy timbers gave the impression of a medieval estate interior. Polk's use of stone and wood on the exterior achieved a sense of compatibility with the land, celebrating the setting's primal beauty.
The Wheeler family stayed at the ranch many a summer. In 1900, Wheeler invited his client Phoebe Hearst to visit Wheeler Ranch with his family for the summer. Hearst asked if she could purchase the land, but Wheeler declined. Insistent, Hearst came to an arrangement whereby she would purchase a 99-year lease on part of the land, and she also purchased adjoining land held by Edward Clark, her financial adviser, who called it Wyntoon for the local Wintu tribe. Hearst applied the name Wyntoon to the combination of Clark's former holdings and her new lease, and in 1901 contracted for a magnificent seven-story house to be built. Wheeler was displeased with the extravagant plans, as he and Hearst had previously agreed her building would be modest. However, he did not stop her.
Wheeler retained the part of Wheeler Ranch that was not leased to Hearst, including The Bend. In 1911, Wheeler invited Austro-Hungarian artist and naturalist Edward Stuhl and his wife Rosie to live on the property; they made extensive studies of plant and animal life in the area, and collected many hundreds of specimens. Stuhl, an avid mountain climber, published Wildflowers of Mount Shasta from his base at Wheeler Ranch. After Wheeler's death in 1923, Stuhl served as custodian of the ranch. William Randolph Hearst bought Wyntoon outright from its 99-year lease in 1929, and in 1934 bought all of Wheeler Ranch and The Bend, a combined total of 50,000 acres (20,000 ha).
## Phoebe Hearst's castle
Phoebe Hearst, upon signing the 99-year lease, decided to build a very grand residence. She hired Bernard Maybeck to design one in the Gothic style of a Rhine River castle. The structure was mainly complete in 1902, and cost Hearst \$100,000. Maybeck hired Julia Morgan to assist in the design.
The castle's layout was fitted to the slope of the site, and to a semicircle of six tall conifers. Its footprint was 120 by 56 feet (37 by 17 m); an underground cellar was 45 feet (14 m) wide, 15 feet (4.6 m) high, and ran the length of the building, containing stores and a central heating furnace supplying steam throughout the building. The central tower made of stone reached to a height of 75 feet (23 m). A plumbed room entered from the outside allowed fishermen and hunters to clean their catch and themselves. Six floors of sleeping rooms were contained in the central tower; each bedroom entered from landings along the main spiral staircase carved of stone. The exterior of the tower was thick load-bearing crowning wall topped with a steeply angled roof to hold the weight of snow, and to shed excess snow. Glazed Paris-green tile from the Netherlands surfaced the roof, providing "a misty color like the holes between the branches in the trees in the forest." Bluish-gray basalt volcanic stone was quarried from local lava flows; it supplied the strength of the massive walls.
The living room, 80 by 36 feet (24 by 11 m), had at one end an alcove framing a stained glass window, a copy of the 13th century one in Lorenzkirche in Nuremberg, the reproduction fabricated in the Netherlands. The room's apex was 36 feet high—a meeting of steeply angled wooden beams resting on 7-foot (2.1 m) thick stone walls. A tall fireplace separated the alcove from the majority of the living room; a large man could stand in its opening. Another fireplace warmed the other end of the living room. Tapestries hung from the stone walls to add a medieval appearance. Frederick Meyer made furniture for this room, and for all Wyntoon, in European vernacular style.
Maybeck designed a dining hall much like the living room, with Gothic stone walls and high peaked roof, and two opposing fireplaces, but its Gothic tables were unusually placed against the walls leaving the center area open. Benches were provided for diners to sit. The kitchen wing, 40 by 40 feet (12 by 12 m), adjoined the dining room, connected through a wide butler's hall. Staff were provided rooms in the kitchen wing. Its foundation of cut stone reached to the top of the ground floor; the second story's wall was of rubble stone. The roof was topped by light gray slate. Initial critical reactions to the kitchen wing's exterior appearance led Hearst to surround it with shrubbery.
Phoebe Hearst also built other structures including The Gables—a storybook dwelling for overflow guests—and a "Honeymoon Cottage". The castle was habitable in 1902, completely finished in 1904. It was featured in American Homes and Gardens in 1906, a three-page spread; the same space given the house in Architectural Review in 1904. The writer in Architectural Review criticized the quaint wooden carvings which gave the impression of "pastry and perfume", but praised the most important aspects of the structure:
> The dark height of the room, the unobstructed archways, the deep blues, reds and yellows of the cathedral window, to which time had given maturity, the tapestries, the little flicker of fire, and the roaring of the river outside; and you satiated, tired and inspired by the day's trip among hazel, dogwood, great aged pines, rocks, cascades, great trunks of trees fallen years ago—a disheveled harmony—here you can reach all that is within you.
Hearst summered at Wyntoon and raised her son's children there when he was not watching them. William Randolph Hearst and his wife Millicent produced five sons from 1904 to 1915—each one spent summer months at Wyntoon with grandmother. The boys' father sent instructions about their upbringing, writing after the eldest boy George Randolph Hearst was nearly washed down the McCloud, that the boys needed "a severe warning about the river". Hearst occasionally entertained her society friends and acquaintances at Wyntoon, bringing selected guests up north from the Panama–Pacific International Exposition of 1915. At her death in 1919, she willed Wyntoon to her niece Anne Apperson Flint, along with a Cadillac car and \$250,000.
Flint moved in with her husband, Joseph Marshall Flint, M.D, a former Yale professor of surgery. During this time, architect Julia Morgan designed four structures which were built at Wyntoon: a superintendent's residence and a separate servant's quarters in 1924, and in 1925, a stables building holding a caretaker's house erected near a "Swiss Chalet" which was built for higher-status domestic staff.
## William Randolph Hearst's projects
From his mother's will, William Randolph Hearst received the bulk of the family inheritance, including the 270,000-acre (110,000 ha) ranch in San Simeon, the 900,000-acre (360,000 ha) Babicora Ranch in Mexico, a fruit orchard in Butte County, and various mining and industrial stocks, the whole worth around 5–10 million dollars. Wyntoon, however, was given to his cousin Anne Apperson Flint in his mother's will, and Hearst was angered over this. He refused to return to Flint any of the art objects from Wyntoon that had been loaned to the Palace of Fine Arts for an exhibit. In 1925 after years of acrimonious negotiation, he bought Wyntoon from Flint for \$198,000, but he remained forever embittered toward his cousin.
In the winter of 1929–1930, Maybeck's Wyntoon masterpiece burned down, possibly from a kitchen fire. Time magazine reported Hearst's losses at \$300,000 to \$500,000, including portions of his art collection. In early 1930, Hearst contracted to have Morgan design an even larger castle as replacement. Morgan was already working for Hearst on Hearst Castle in San Simeon and nearly finished with The Hacienda near King City.
Morgan collaborated with her early mentor and teacher Maybeck on plans for an eight-story Bavarian Gothic-style castle with two great towers and more minor turrets, some 61 bedrooms proposed for Wyntoon's largest building project. Hearst instructed Arthur Byne, his art agent based in Madrid, to find likely buildings he could purchase for their stonework, to give Wyntoon an ancient air. In December 1930, Byne discovered Santa Maria de Ovila, a 700-year-old Cistercian monastery, and Hearst paid \$97,000 for it. The monastery was taken apart and removed illegally, but the Spanish government was changing hands and was not effective in stopping Hearst's hired men. Some 10,000 stones were shipped to a warehouse in San Francisco at a total cost of about \$1 million.
Another old structure removed from Europe was proposed for Wyntoon: the great tithe barn of Bradenstoke Priory in England. Most of the priory had been used by Hearst to refurbish St Donat's Castle in Wales in the late 1920s, but the tithe barn had been crated and shipped to San Simeon for possible use there. Hearst proposed that the unused Bradenstoke barn be incorporated into his great castle, and had Morgan study the possibilities.
In the spring of 1931, Morgan offered several designs for Hearst's consideration, all of them using the stones of the Spanish monastery on the ground floor, reinforced by steel girders to take the weight of the upper floors. Portions of the monastery were considered as a library, an "armory", and a living room. The final proposal from Morgan included an indoor swimming pool constructed from the monastery's old church. The 150-foot (46 m) long swimming pool featured changing rooms and lounges in the old side chapels, shallow water for wading in the apse, 11-foot (3.4 m) deep water in the central plunge, and a diving board where the altar had been.
In July 1931, as a steam shovel was making ready to level enough land to accommodate the great castle, Hearst put a stop to all his construction plans. The Great Depression had greatly diminished his income, and he could not pay for his \$50 million project at Wyntoon while at the same time indulging his expansion at San Simeon. Abandoning the massive castle idea, Hearst instead asked Morgan to design a "Bavarian Village" with multiple half-timbered buildings in the medieval style of Germany or Austria. Hearst sent Morgan to Europe to study suitable buildings; she brought fine artist Doris Day with her to investigate architectural inscriptions and painting styles. In 1932, Morgan put together a master plan for Wyntoon. It described a group of guesthouses with romantic names such as Cinderella House, Fairy House and Bear House, arranged not in a cramped medieval style but symmetrically around a common green in the Beaux-Arts style. These three-story structures with steeply gabled roofs were completed in 1933. Swiss artisan Jules Suppo and his assistants carved much of the German Gothic decorations. Day painted fine inscriptions and exterior decorative patterns. Hungarian illustrator Willy Pogany painted exterior murals depicting Russian and Germanic fairy tales such as those from the Brothers Grimm, but Pogany's versions were bright, humorous and cheerful, not dark and grim.
Downstream of the Bavarian Village, Morgan's plan called for a selection of leisure activities. A swimming pool with a pool house was to be near tennis courts and a croquet lawn, and a dining hall called "The Gables" would be equipped to show films. Though San Simeon could house perhaps 30 to 50 guests, the expanded Wyntoon plan could accommodate 100 for a weekend.
In 1934, Hearst bought all of Wheeler Ranch. Polk's structure "The Bend" was torn down except for one wing containing the master bedroom. This wing held the cornerstone engraved "The Bend – 1899". The rest of the building was redesigned by Morgan in Gothic Revival style and rebuilt from 1935 to 1941 using many of its original stones.
On January 1, 1935, photographer Peter Stackpole's images of Wyntoon were published in Life magazine, showing Hearst relaxing at Wyntoon with friends. Hearst's communications office at Wyntoon was shown in the photos; it was built next to Bear House to keep him abreast of current events. This office was fitted into a shingle-covered bungalow built to house Joe Willicombe, Hearst's private secretary. The structure served as the "nerve center" of Hearst's publishing empire, with three round-the-clock operators minding the telegraph facilities and the telephone switchboard.
In mid-1937, Hearst was forced by bankruptcy to sign over all of his holdings to a group of trustees called the Conservation Committee. Wyntoon was included, it was estimated the prior year to be worth \$300,000. Headed by New York Judge Clarence J. Shearn, the trustees slashed Hearst's costs and halted the smaller side projects at San Simeon and Wyntoon which had kept so many contractors busy. Wyntoon was maintained only by a skeleton staff paid for by the Hearst Corporation. Hearst never hosted more than 14 guests at Wyntoon after the bankruptcy. From 1938 to 1940, Hearst's art collections were cataloged and sold, including items from Wyntoon. Hearst was made to pay rent out of his allowance when he stayed at any of his properties.
After the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, blackout conditions were imposed on San Simeon because of its nearness to the ocean and associated likelihood of Japanese shelling, so before Christmas Hearst moved to Wyntoon with his lover, actress Marion Davies. There, the two lived in Bear House at the river's edge with their pet dachshunds. Davies' cherished dachshund named Gandhi, 15 years old, fell gravely ill during this time; a veterinarian was called and the animal put down by injection. Distraught, Davies raged through Bear House, later writing: "I broke everything I could lay my hands on." Hearst's favorite dog Helen died in his arms at Wyntoon; he buried her on a hillside covered with flowers, the spot marked by a stone inscribed, "Here lies dearest Helen – my devoted friend."
During the Wyntoon residency of Hearst and Davies, they received fewer visitors than they had at San Simeon, because it was more remote. They spent much time together, and Davies picked up sewing again after years of no practice. She sewed silk fabric into ties for Hearst. He wrote her a poem or a short note every night, which he slipped under her door for her to see in the morning. Over the 1943–1944 winter, with snow and ice transforming the outdoor scenery, Wyntoon hosted actor Clark Gable, film directors Louis B. Mayer and Raoul Walsh, columnist Louella Parsons, cartoonist Jimmy Swinnerton and his wife, aviator Charles Lindbergh and his family, the former president's daughter Anna Roosevelt and her husband John Boettiger (who worked for Hearst), and millionaire industrialist Joe Kennedy who brought his 26-year-old son "Jack", the future president. Jack surprised Hearst by swimming in the freezing McCloud.
## Today
Hearst's trustees reorganized the Hearst Corporation in 1943, installing Richard E. Berlin as president. Under Berlin, Wyntoon was made to turn a profit—the old 50,000-acre Wheeler Ranch holding and adjoining parcels adding up to 67,000 acres (27,000 ha) were logged and replanted with more tree seedlings, the operation generating about \$2 million annually by 1959.
In the late 1980s, architects Blunk Demattei Associates (BDA) began working with the Hearst Corporation to complete the interior of "Angel House" whose construction had been halted in the late 1930s. BDA next began to remodel the one original bedroom wing of Polk's "The Bend". There, the second and main bedroom wing (finished in the 1950s in Tudor style) burned down on December 30, 1992, and BDA was contracted to rebuild it. Sensitive to the problem of recreating the ambiance, BDA used Sugar Pine paneling in keeping with other rooms on site, wrought iron from Poland and from local blacksmiths, stones quarried locally, and Renaissance-era fireplaces.
Today, the estate is owned by the Hearst Corporation, and is not open to the public. Wyntoon is located at approximately . It is north of Lake McCloud, a man-made lake completed in 1965, and about 9 miles (14 km) due east of Dunsmuir, California. Energetic kayakers willing to endure dangerous rapids can view the estate from the Upper McCloud River during spring and summer snowmelt.
The estate is grandfathered in the law as a "senior rights holder" to use an unlimited amount of water from the adjoining McCloud River. |
6,511,466 | George W. Johnson (governor) | 1,165,986,186 | American politician and 1st Confederate Governor of Kentucky | [
"1811 births",
"1862 deaths",
"19th-century American politicians",
"American planters",
"Confederate States Army soldiers",
"Confederate States of America military personnel killed in the American Civil War",
"Democratic Party governors of Kentucky",
"Democratic Party members of the Kentucky House of Representatives",
"Farmers from Kentucky",
"People from Scott County, Kentucky",
"People of Kentucky in the American Civil War",
"Proslavery activists killed in the American Civil War",
"Slave owners killed in the American Civil War",
"Transylvania University alumni",
"United States politicians killed during the Civil War"
] | George Washington Johnson (May 27, 1811 – April 8, 1862) was the first Confederate governor of Kentucky. A lawyer-turned-farmer from Scott County, Kentucky, Johnson, a supporter of slavery who owned 26 slaves, favored secession as a means of preventing the Civil War, believing the Union and Confederacy would be forces of equal strength, each too wary to attack the other. As political sentiment in the Commonwealth took a decidedly Union turn following the elections of 1861, Johnson was instrumental in organizing a sovereignty convention in Russellville, Kentucky, with the intent of "severing forever our connection with the Federal Government." The convention created a Confederate shadow government for the Commonwealth, and Johnson was elected its governor. This government never controlled the entire state though it controlled about half the state early in the war, Kentucky remained in the Union after 1862 throughout the rest of the war.
Despite his meager political experience—having previously served only three years in the Kentucky House of Representatives—Johnson labored vehemently to ensure the success of the shadow government. Kentucky was admitted to the Confederacy on December 10, 1861, but the shadow government's influence in the Commonwealth extended only as far as the Confederate Army advanced. When Albert Sidney Johnston abandoned the Confederate capital of Bowling Green, Johnson and the other government officials accompanied him. Despite his advanced age and a crippled arm, Johnson volunteered for military service in General Johnston's army. Johnson was killed at the Battle of Shiloh. He was succeeded by Richard Hawes, the second and last governor of Confederate Kentucky.
## Early life and career
George Washington Johnson was born on May 27, 1811, near Georgetown in Scott County, Kentucky, the son of major William and Betsy Payne Johnson. Major Johnson died soon after the close of the War of 1812, in which he was a participant, and George Johnson was reared in the home of his stepfather, John Allen. Johnson received three degrees from Transylvania University: an A.B. in 1829, an LL.B. in 1832, and an M.A. in 1833. On August 20, 1833, he married Ann Eliza Viley, daughter of Captain Willa and Lydia Smith Viley. The couple had ten children, seven of whom lived to adulthood.
Johnson briefly practiced law in Georgetown, but decided he preferred farming. He owned a 300-acre (1.2 km<sup>2</sup>) farm near Georgetown, as well as a 1,000-acre (4.0 km<sup>2</sup>) plantation in Arkansas. In 1838, Johnson was elected as a Democrat to the Kentucky House of Representatives. He was offered the nominations for lieutenant governor and U.S. Congressman, but declined them both. In August 1845, Johnson headed the Committee of Sixty that seized abolitionist Cassius M. Clay's printing press and shipped it to Cincinnati, Ohio.
## Civil War
Although he supported John C. Breckinridge for president in 1860, he did not feel that Abraham Lincoln's election justified secession, since Republicans controlled neither Congress nor the Supreme Court. As the Confederate States of America were formed, however, Johnson began to lose hope for Kentucky as a part of the Union. Instead, he began to advocate that Kentucky join the Confederacy, believing that the Union and Confederate nations would be too evenly matched to consider war and would negotiate a free trade agreement that would benefit both.
In 1861, Johnson traveled to Richmond, Virginia, to ask Jefferson Davis to respect Kentucky's neutrality in the Civil War. Following a near sweep of Kentucky's state and federal elections by Union sympathizers, William "Bull" Nelson established Camp Dick Robinson, a Union recruiting camp, in Garrard County. Southern sympathizers saw this as a breach of the Commonwealth's neutrality, and called a State Rights Convention on September 10, 1861. Johnson was among the delegates from seventy Kentucky counties who attended the convention. The delegates elected Richard Hawes as chair, called for a restoration of Kentucky's neutrality in the war, and condemned the Federal government for its "invasion." This last-minute effort to prevent Kentucky from aiding the Union was unsuccessful, and Johnson, a known Southern sympathizer, fled to Virginia with Breckinridge and others to avoid potential arrest by Union forces. From Virginia, Johnson traveled through Tennessee to Bowling Green where, despite his age (49) and a crippled arm, he volunteered as an aid to General Simon B. Buckner.
### Russellville Convention
On October 29, 1861, a group of Kentuckians—Johnson among them—met at Russellville, Kentucky, to discuss the formation of a Confederate government for the Commonwealth, believing the Unionist government in Frankfort did not represent the will of the majority of Kentucky's citizens. Johnson chaired the committee that authored the convention's final report, and personally introduced some of its key resolutions. The report called for a sovereignty convention to sever ties with the Federal government. Johnson, Breckinridge, and Humphrey Marshall were among the notable members of the Committee of Ten that made arrangements for the convention.
On November 18, 1861, 116 delegates representing 68 Kentucky counties convened at the Clark House in Russellville. Over the next three days, a shadow government was established with Bowling Green as its temporary capital. Johnson was unanimously chosen as governor of the new Confederate state.
### Confederate governor
On November 21, 1861, Johnson wrote Confederate president Jefferson Davis to request Kentucky's admission to the Confederacy. Though Davis had some reservation about the circumvention of the elected General Assembly in forming the Confederate government, he concluded that Johnson's request had merit. Kentucky was admitted to the Confederacy on December 10, 1861.
During the winter of 1861, Johnson tried unsuccessfully to assert the legitimacy of the fledgling government. Its jurisdiction extended only as far as the area controlled by the Confederate Army. Johnson came woefully short of raising the 46,000 troops requested by the Confederate Congress in Richmond. Efforts to levy taxes and to compel citizens to turn over their guns to the government were similarly unsuccessful. On January 3, 1862, Johnson requested a sum of \$3 million from the Confederate Congress to meet the provisional government's operating expenses. The Congress instead approved a sum of \$2 million, the expenditure of which required approval of Secretary of War Judah P. Benjamin and President Davis.
During his labors to sustain the provisional government, Johnson's lack of hearing from his family weighed heavily upon him. The only family member with whom he had contact was his son Madison ("Matty"), who had joined John Hunt Morgan's cavalry. Johnson admired and respected Morgan, and was pleased that his son had chosen to serve under him. In 1862, he requested by letter that his wife send their fifteen-year-old son Junius to serve in the Confederate Army. Despite Johnson's protestations that he would ensure his son's safety, his wife refused this request.
It was Johnson's practice to avoid interference with military decisions, however he supported Morgan's request for two light artillery pieces that became hallmarks of his command. By contrast, he consistently opposed the command of General Lloyd Tilghman, trying repeatedly but unsuccessfully to have him removed. It is unclear how much military influence Johnson wielded in his position as governor, though he enjoyed a cordial relationship with most of the Confederate generals.
### Death at the Battle of Shiloh
When General Albert Sydney Johnston was forced to withdraw his troops from Bowling Green in February 1862, the Confederate state government moved with his army to Tennessee. On April 6, 1862, General Johnston attacked the Union army at Shiloh, Tennessee. During this battle, Johnson served as a volunteer aide to General Breckinridge and Colonel Robert P. Trabue. After his horse was killed out from under him, Johnson fought on foot with Company E of the Fourth Kentucky Infantry Regiment, and insisted on being sworn in as a private. He declared "I will take a good night's rest and be ready for the fight tomorrow."
The next day, Johnson was seriously wounded in the right thigh and abdomen. He lay wounded on the battlefield until the next morning, when he was recognized by Union General Alexander McDowell McCook. Johnson and McCook had both attended the 1860 Democratic National Convention and were both Freemasons. Johnson was taken aboard the Union hospital ship Hannibal, where despite the ministrations of several physicians, he died on April 8. Friends in the Union army, including General John M. Harlan, packed Johnson's body in salt and shipped it to Louisville, then on to Georgetown for burial.
## See also
- Kentucky in the Civil War
- Shropshire House |
3,618,857 | Homer Loves Flanders | 1,164,555,031 | null | [
"1994 American television episodes",
"Film and television memes",
"The Simpsons (season 5) episodes"
] | "Homer Loves Flanders" is the sixteenth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 17, 1994. In the episode, Ned Flanders invites Homer to a football game and the two become good friends. However, Ned soon grows weary of Homer's overbearing friendship and stupid antics, and actually begins to hate him.
The episode was written by David Richardson and directed by Wes Archer. It was the last episode to be pitched by writer Conan O'Brien before he left The Simpsons. The episode features cultural references to films such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Deadly Tower, and The Ten Commandments, and songs such as "Two Tickets to Paradise", "Macho Man", and "Helter Skelter".
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 10.9, and was the third highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired.
## Plot
Homer unsuccessfully tries to win tickets for a football game on a radio contest. Ned wins the tickets and invites Homer as his guest. Although he dislikes Ned, Homer accepts because he desperately wants to attend the game. Ned pays for all of the food and persuades the winning quarterback to give the game ball to Homer. Overwhelmed by Ned's generosity, Homer becomes friends with Ned and his family.
Homer begins acting overly grateful and annoys Ned and his family to no end by interrupting their family time together. The Flanders family and the Simpson family go on a camping trip together but do not get along. When the Simpsons start a food fight, Ned tells his wife that he has grown to hate Homer.
Upon returning home, Homer remains oblivious to Ned's animosity. He arrives at the Flanders' house expecting to play golf, but Ned and his family get in their car and race off without him. Pulled over by Chief Wiggum for speeding, Ned takes a sobriety test as disapproving townspeople watch. At church, when the entire congregation bow their heads in prayer, Homer inhales very loudly through his nose, causing Ned to yell at him. This alarms the congregants, who become even more upset with Ned, but Homer sticks up for Ned and convinces them to give him another chance.
The next week, everything returns to normal as Homer is once again annoyed by Ned. The episode ends with the Simpsons spending the night in Homer's great Uncle Boris' haunted house, which he recently inherited. After turning out the lights, they see something that causes them to scream in terror.
## Production
"Homer Loves Flanders" was the last episode to be pitched by Conan O'Brien before he left The Simpsons. David Richardson was assigned to write it, and Wes Archer to direct it. Richardson wrote the episode at a Motel 6 in Hemet, California while he was dating an actress who was shooting a film there. In this season, the staff wanted to take a deeper look at the relationships of the characters. One of the things they wanted to explore in particular was what Homer and Flanders have in common and how they could turn into friends. Former show runner David Mirkin enjoyed making Homer and Flanders get along because they do not normally act that way.
The episode begins with the Simpson family watching a news broadcast in which the news anchor Kent Brockman calls the United States Army a "kill-bot factory". Mirkin said this was a joke the staff "particularly loved to do" because it pointed out how negative and mean-spirited news broadcasts can be, and how they are seemingly "always trying to scare everybody" by creating panic and depression. In one scene in the episode, Marge begins hallucinating after drinking from Springfield's water supply, which has been spiked with LSD by Springfield's rival town, Shelbyville. The Fox network's censors wanted the scene to be cut from the episode because they did not like the idea of Marge "getting high" on LSD. Mirkin defended the scene, and argued Marge was not "doing it on purpose", so the censors ultimately allowed the scene to remain in the episode. The censors also hated Ned's response to his wife telling him to drive his car faster ("I can't! It's a Geo!") fearing they could lose the car company's sponsorship, but Mirkin kept the line in. In another scene, Homer becomes frustrated at God for not getting the tickets to the game, so yells at a waffle stuck to the ceiling that he believes is God. Marge points out that it is just a waffle that Bart threw up there. This scene, inspired by some melted caramel stuck to the ceiling of the Simpsons writers' room, is one of Mirkin's and Richardson's "all time favorite" jokes.
## Cultural references
When Homer hears the 1978 song "Two Tickets to Paradise" by Eddie Money on the radio, he sings along and plays air guitar. As Homer is eating nachos at the football game, he makes up a song called "Nacho Man", a reference to Village People's 1978 song "Macho Man". Homer's "Rappin' Ronnie Reagan" cassette is a reference to the 1984 Broadway show and novelty music video Rap Master Ronnie and Ronald Reagan. When Flanders is mistakenly arrested for taking drugs, Chief Wiggum asks him "Where's your Messiah now?", a line commonly mistakenly believed to be spoken by Edward G. Robinson's character Dathan in the 1956 film The Ten Commandments but in fact originates from Billy Crystal's stand-up impersonation of Robinson (the Chief Wiggum character is himself based on Robinson). Ned's dream involves him shooting at people inside the university clock tower based on the 1975 film The Deadly Tower, itself based on Charles Whitman's 1966 killing spree. The scene where Homer chases Flanders's car is a parallel of the sequence in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, in which Robert Patrick's character T-1000 chases the heroes in the police car after escaping from the hospital. Homer morphing through the Flanders hedge also parodies how the T-1000's shape shifting abilities were shown in the film. It has since become a popular internet meme. When Rod and Todd are watching television in the Flanders's living room, a picture of Leonardo da Vinci's painting The Last Supper can be seen behind them. The homeless shelter that Homer and Flanders visit is called Helter Shelter, a reference to the 1968 song "Helter Skelter" by The Beatles. Helter Shelter would later go on to be used as title of an episode in the show's fourteenth season.
## Reception
### Critical reception
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics.
In 2007, Patrick Enright of Today called the episode his eighth favorite of the show. He praised the references to Terminator 2 in the episode, as well as Lisa's self-referential quote about how, "by next week, we'll be back to where we started from, ready for another wacky adventure."
The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, thought the episode had "some great existential musings" from Lisa. They added that it also "contains some nice moments highlighting the differences between the Simpsons and the Flanders."
DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson said: "I always remembered ["Homer Loves Flanders"] to be a great episode – and I recalled correctly. Sure, the show goes with a less than creative presence[sic]; it’s an easy story to make characters behave in atypical ways. However, the development of the theme is terrific, as we learn the friendship of Homer Simpson is worse than the antagonism of Homer Simpson." DVD Talk gave the episode a 4 out of 5 score.
Patrick Bromley of DVD Verdict gave the episode a B− grade, claiming the "rather large dose of sentimentality" and "fewer moments of absurdity" in the episode gave it "the feeling that it belongs in one of the series' earlier seasons".
The Orlando Sentinel's Gregory Hardy named it the second best episode of the show with a sports theme.
A moment in the episode where Homer backs into Ned's hedges became an internet meme in the 2010s. The scene was later referenced in the season 30 episode, "The Girl on the Bus" where Homer texts Lisa a GIF of himself going into the hedge. The scene was later referenced again in the season 32 episode, "Wad Goals", where Bart tells his friends "I've seen my dad do this" immediately before showing them how to back into a hedge. In the season 34 episode "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII", during a Westworld parody segment named Simpsons World, multiple tourists heckle an android Homer to do the "bush meme" by pushing him into a hedge, Bart then removes Homer's inability to intentionally harm humans, causing him to push the tourists into the hedge, killing them and commenting "I'm so sick of that stupid hedge!"
### Ratings
In its original American broadcast, "Homer Loves Flanders" finished 43rd in the ratings for the week of March 14–20, 1994, with a Nielsen rating of 10.9. The episode was the third highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place. |
56,422,787 | Julio and Marisol | 1,112,908,727 | US public-service advertising campaign | [
"Advertising campaigns",
"HIV/AIDS in the United States",
"Public health in the United States",
"Sex education in the United States"
] | Julio and Marisol was a bilingual (English/Spanish) public-service advertising campaign that ran in the New York City Subway, promoting condom use to prevent AIDS. The well-known catchphrase was a line from the first installment, in which Marisol sobs, "I love you, but not enough to die for you".
The campaign has been described as "one part steamy soap opera, one part language instruction, and two parts AIDS education service", and as a "HIV melodrama". With action covering just a few days, the story was told at a rate of about one episode per year from 1989 to 1997.
## Storyline
The story follows two young lovers for several days while they argue about the dangers of unprotected sex during the AIDS epidemic. The action played out in slow motion, with nine episodes posted in subway cars at a rate of approximately one per year. Heterosexual HIV transmission, homosexuality, serial transmission through multiple sexual partners, intravenous drug abuse, and condom use were all explored through frank discussions between the protagonists and their circle of friends and relatives.
### Opening scenes
Episodes 1-6 take place in a single evening. The story opens with the couple getting ready to have sex for the first time (episode 1). Marisol insists that Julio use a condom, pleading "I love you, but not enough to die for you". Julio is offended by the suggestion and storms out.
After leaving Marisol (episode 2), Julio goes to see his friends Marco and Miguel, discovering that both of them use condoms. Miguel laments that his cousin Anita has recently died of AIDS and her partner Raul is very sick, speculating that condom use might have saved them both. In parallel, Marisol calls her friend Iris (episode 3), who tells her about Anita and Raul. Marisol visits Raul at the hospital, where he urges her to protect Julio and herself from infection by using condoms.
Julio leaves Marco and Miguel, and encounters his younger brother, Luisito, with some of his friends (episode 4). They are going to "see some ladies". Julio lectures them about condom use, to which Luisito replies that they learned about AIDS and condoms in school. We then see Julio, by himself, thinking how smart his kid brother is, and realizing he needs to talk with Marisol.
Back at Raul's hospital room (episode 5) Julio shows up and apologizes to Marisol; they profess their love for each other and leave. Rosa enters and tells Raul that she is HIV positive. Raul has just asked Rosa if she has told Julio when Julio and Marisol return. Rosa is introduced to Marisol as an old friend of Raul's (episode 6). Julio again leaves with Marisol, and tells her that Rosa is just somebody he knew from the old neighborhood. Meanwhile, back in the hospital room, Raul urges Rosa to let Julio know she is HIV positive.
### Conclusion
Episodes 7 and 8 take place another day when Julio and Marisol are apparently reunited.
In the morning, Julio leaves for work (episode 7), and Marisol telephones Iris again. In this conversation, Marisol discovers that Rosa was not just a casual acquaintance of Julio's, but actually a past lover and realizes that Julio lied to her. She confronts Julio about his lying (episode 8). Julio protests that it was a long time ago, and Marisol says she wants to go see Rosa. Meanwhile, Rosa has seen a counselor and is ready to talk to Julio about being HIV positive. Julio and Marisol go to Rosa's apartment, where Rosa tells them both that she is HIV positive. Marisol wonders if Julio is also positive.
### Epilogue
An unpublished episode 9 takes place after Raul's death. The thoughts of friends and family at the funeral are shown. A man wonders if he should get tested for HIV. Another man is determined this will never happen to him. A woman laments that Raul's womanizing and drug use finally caught up with him. A priest remembers Raul as an altar boy. The funeral director observes that he never had so many funerals for young people before the AIDS epidemic.
An untitled episode on the NYC Health blog shows Julio having a conversation with an HIV counselor, after having had an HIV test, which showed him to be negative. The conversation covers what Julio needs to do to remain negative, and touches on the fact that Julio's brother is gay. Julio calls Marisol to tell her that he tested negative.
## Significance
The first clinical reports of AIDS (although not by that name) were in 1981. Early cases were observed in homosexual men, intravenous drug users, hemophiliacs, and Haitians. By the mid to late 1980s, the virus that caused the disease was identified, the outbreak had grown into an epidemic beyond the original patient populations, and the mode of transmission was understood to be exchange of bodily fluids. The use of condoms was known to be an important tool for reducing transmission of the virus, but stereotypical behavior inhibited condom use in the Hispanic population. This led to an advertising campaign specifically designed to reach a Hispanic audience.
James Baron of The New York Times described the series as "one part steamy soap opera, one part language instruction, and two parts AIDS education service". Matthew Schneier of New York Magazine called it an "HIV melodrama". The Cooper Hewitt Museum has the series in their permanent collection, and it was featured in the National Library of Medicine's "AIDS is Not Over" exhibition.
Health Commissioner Benjamin Mojica was quoted as saying, "The situations in the story are the kinds which people may see themselves in, situations which people can relate to". The series is so well known, it has been used as translation practice text in courses teaching English as a second language to Spanish speakers.
## Production history
The campaign ran in the New York City subway from 1989 to 1997. It was primarily targeted at young Hispanics, who the New York City Health Department felt were not receptive to existing outreach efforts. The series appeared in Spanish and English versions, titled La Decision and Decision, respectively.
Initially funded by a \$60,000 Centers for Disease Control grant for public service announcements, it has since appeared in both print and broadcast versions, in comic book form, and printed on T-shirts. The campaign was most well known for the print ads that ran in as many as 6,000 subway cars. According to Adweek, the Julio and Marisol campaign spots were the subway's most frequently stolen poster.
The campaign was initially contracted to Conill, a Latino marketing agency, who determined that a photo-novella would be the best format for the target audience. Conill's contract only covered the first episode, with subsequent episodes managed internally by the Health Department using freelance artists for the drawing. Publication spanned the mayoralties of David Dinkins and Rudy Giuliani, with Margaret Hamburg serving as Commissioner of Health under both administrations and assistant health commissioner Ann Sternberg managing the series. In 1995, a new advertising policy was instituted for the subway; large customers could purchase all the available space on each side of a car, with 20% of the cars were reserved for smaller advertisers. Sternberg felt that this would be inappropriate for the campaign and "categorically refused to occupy that space". The New York Times noted that "she didn't want Julio and Marisol appearing among ads aimed at hemorrhoid sufferers or people with foot-odor problems". As a result, the series was halted, with eight episodes having been published, and a ninth already prepared.
The series returned in 1997 when negotiations between the Health Department and the Metropolitan Transit Authority provided a path for the spots to appear in 60% of the subway's cars. |
37,681,145 | Salvatore A. Cotillo | 1,152,806,556 | Justice of the New York State Supreme Court | [
"1886 births",
"1939 deaths",
"20th-century American judges",
"20th-century American politicians",
"American people of Italian descent",
"DeWitt Clinton High School alumni",
"Democratic Party New York (state) state senators",
"Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly",
"Fordham University School of Law alumni",
"Italian emigrants to the United States",
"Manhattan College alumni",
"New York Supreme Court Justices",
"People from East Harlem"
] | Salvatore Albert Cotillo (November 19, 1886 – July 27, 1939) was an Italian-born New York lawyer, Democratic Party politician and judge. Elected in 1912, he was the first Italian-American to serve in both houses of the New York State Legislature and the first who served as Justice of the New York State Supreme Court. Nominated to the court in the First District, he sat on the bench from 1924 until his death in 1939.
Cotillo was a strong proponent of social and pro-labor legislation. He defended ethnic Italians against the stereotyping by Americans not of Italian descent, but also urged the need for Americanization of the Italian community. As such, he stood between the mores of the Italian ethnic ghetto in East Harlem where he grew up, and the judgment and norms of American society where he made his career.
## From Naples to New York
Born in Naples, Italy, he came to the United States in 1895 with his parents at the age of nine. His father Francesco Cotillo, had been a caterer in Naples. The family originally came from Avellino (Montella), in the hinterland of Naples. The family settled in East Harlem in East 113th Street among the increasing numbers of Italian immigrants. His father took up catering again and opened a popular pastry and confectionery shop. He has been credited with introducing the Italian ice cream spumoni into the United States.
The oldest of four children, the young Salvatore did not speak English and went to Public School 83 and later to DeWitt Clinton High School and Manhattan College. During those formative years he worked in the family's pastry shop, where intellectuals of the neighborhood gathered in the evening to discuss social and political issues with his father. Those debates gave birth to Cotillo's early social consciousness that formed the basis of his adult devotion to social reform legislation. The young Cotillo was passionate about baseball and became a New York Giants fan. In return for free tickets he used to clean the stadium seats.
In 1911 he completed a law degree from Fordham University and was admitted to the New York State bar in 1912. At the time Cotillo was the only Italian-American lawyer in the neighbourhood and was practicing in the street in front of his father's gelato and pastry shop on East 116th Street. Most of his clients could not read or write in either Italian or English. "Neighbors and friends sought his aid in the preparation of applications for various licenses, or petitions on behalf of their relatives who wished to emigrate to the United States. Cotillo served an apprenticeship in human problems," according to his biographer.
As a young attorney Cotillo had to distance himself from the local underworld that incorporated many members of the Camorra from Naples who tried to impose their "services". When the so-called King of Little Italy, the Camorra boss Giosue Gallucci, was arrested for carrying concealed weapons, Cotillo was asked to testify as a character witness on his behalf, but refused. Cotillo felt that Gallucci looked at others as if they "were either hirelings or payers of tribute." According to Cotillo "it was a matter of concern in the neighborhood if you were looked down upon by Gallucci." Despite the temptation of attractive fees, he refused to help men of Gallucci's disposition to secure gun permits.
## Early political career
Cotillo's early law practice included a lot of uncompensated charity for the neighborhood. Cotillo was more than just a lawyer; he advised and represented his clients as they had to deal with society outside the Italian neighbourhood. "Many problems were personal; but some had a community aspect and Cotillo was exhilarated by the challenge they offered to find a solution .... An earnest group of the more frequent callers regarded him as their leader in planning for the realization of a better life for their immigrant neighbors," according to his biographer. Cotillo's activities in the courts made him aware of the misfortunes in his community. Italian-Americans were told they must pay illicit tribute to get permits, even if only for push-carts, bootblacks and newsstands. Others seeking employment in the municipal street-cleaning department were asked to pay weeks and months of their earnings when appointed. This racket system, whose exploiters mostly came from among their own, took advantage of the fears and ignorance of the poor.
Apart from a genuine social compassion, Cotillo was also building political alliances that would make it possible for him to use the Italian-American voter power as his Irish-American forerunners in New York were using the power of other immigrant groups. With his father, Cotillo was among the co-founders of a political club called the Tomahawk Democratic Club that took on the Tammany Hall political machine supporting Nicholas J. Hayes, putting forward Henry H. Lazarus as his opponent. The fight was ruthless, with both sides harassing the other's speakers. Lazarus got beaten in the electoral contest, but Cotillo, supported by the Italian-American vote, made a deal with Hayes that gave Little Italy a political foothold in the city. "I want to help my people," he said explaining his switch, "and can do so only with the backing of those in power."
In 1913, at the age of 27, he became the first Italian-born assemblyman. When Cotillo arrived in the New York State Assembly in Albany that year, the powerful ethnic Irish State Senator "Big Tim" Sullivan observed: "Mark my words, it is the beginning of the Italian era in politics. Watch them."
Cottilo would be elected to office from Italian East Harlem between 1912 and 1922. Raised in the ghetto, he was chosen by the largely Italian neighborhood and continued to depend upon their political support throughout his political career. He was a member of the New York State Assembly (New York Co., 28th District) in 1913, 1915 and 1916. He drew support from the Citizens Union and was identified for two notable pieces of legislation; pensions for widows and the Workmen's Compensations Law. He advocated for women's suffrage, gun control, the end of the death penalty and school lunch programs.
## New York senator
He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1917 to 1923. He served the 20th District in the 140th and 141st New York State Legislature and represented the 18th District in the 142nd, 143rd, 144th, 145th and 146th New York State Legislatures. In March 1918, Cotillo opposed the proposed prohibition of alcohol in the state. Although he believed in temperance, he doubted if that would be achieved by prohibition; he advocated education and not infringing on civil liberties.
In May 1918, he was sent to Italy by President Woodrow Wilson to make a study of the economic conditions of that country during World War I in order to provide information for economic relief programs and encourage the Italians to continue the war effort after the disastrous defeat at Caporetto. As a representative of the Committee on Public Information, he spent most of the year in Italy and won the praise of President Wilson. He also received the decoration of Grand Officer of the Italian Crown from King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy.
From mid-June to the end of September 1918 Cotillo traveled around Italy, meeting officials and politicians, giving interviews to the press and addressing large crowds. His efforts in Italy were reported by the press and Italian language newspapers at home in the U.S.. When he returned to New York, Cotillo had risen from a largely unknown local politician to achieve public stature and become a leader of the Italian community. Based on this experience he wrote the book "Italy During the World War", published in 1922.
## Social reforms
Back from Italy and in the New York State Senate, he fought hard for the regulation of informal immigrant banks and banking agents that handled money transfers abroad, an issue of significant importance to his Italian constituency who were often swindled from their remittances to their families in Italy. Cotillo demanded legislation to supervise immigrant banks and to safeguard customers' deposits. His 1921 banking reform bill, which placed express companies and steamship agencies that transferred money abroad under the supervision of the New York State Banking Department, annoyed powerful interests of such companies as Wells Fargo and the Cunard Lines. He received death threats and offers of bribes to drop the legislation he had introduced in the Senate. During the hearings on Cotillo's bill in March 1921, a devastating crash of the Tisbo Brothers immigrant bank in lower Manhattan left 2,000 angry depositors with losses of more than three million dollars. As a result, four bills that regulated the sector were signed into law on May 1, 1921.
Cotillo was member of the Joint Legislative Committee on Housing, also known as the Lockwood Committee because it was headed by Charles C. Lockwood. The committee investigated renting and building conditions in the City of New York and ended a spate of rent-raising as a result of the housing shortage after World War I. The group found that the housing conditions at the time constituted a serious menace to public health in New York since some 400,000 persons were directly affected by the scarcity of affordable dwellings and the poor quality of the existing ones. Later he was the chairman of New York state commission to investigate child welfare, and a member of the Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate Exploitation of Immigrants (1923–24).
Cotillo supported Leonard Covello, one of the great educators of New York City and among first teachers of Italian background in the city high schools, in his fight to admit Italian to the high school curriculum to enhance the self-image of Italian boys, which was granted by the Board of Education in 1922. As the foremost force on the New York State Commission to Examine Laws Relating to Child Welfare, concerned with issues of custody, orphanage, child support, and state wardship and institutions, Cotillo pushed a comprehensive reform through the legislature with the support of the social-welfare advocate Sophie Irene Loeb and the Hearst newspapers. His biographer, Nat Ferber, a former Hearst reporter, considered the reform to be "the outstanding achievement of Cotillo's career".
In 1923, on behalf of the National Women's Party, he introduced into the New York State Senate twenty-five radical equal rights bills for women to remove from the statutes of New York any inequalities now existing in the legal rights and obligations of men and women. One of the radical bills provided that a wife may demand wages from her husband for the services she performs in the home. "The law as to the ownership by the husband of the services or labor of his wife is totally abrogated," the bill said.
## Relationship with Italian Fascism
Cotillo was a Grand Master of the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA) and after World War I actively propagated the nationalist cause of Italian control over Fiume, despite President Wilson's denial of the Italian claims to the Adriatic port. In the 1920s Cotillo tried to ease the rising tension between Italian-American Fascists and anti-Fascists by taking a stance between the two. In 1923, he went to Rome to meet Benito Mussolini. He was impressed and described Mussolini as a "commanding element of the highest order". He vowed to correct the image of Mussolini and Fascism, but also cautioned his Italian-American countrymen saying that the American way was to be preferred above Fascism.
Pro-Fascists opposed the assimilation policies of Cotillo, who had become Grand Venerable of the New York State branch of OSIA in 1921 and had started an ambitious English language program as a means for upward mobility of the Italian-American community. According to Cotillo, Fascism as a movement was "out of place in the United States" although it could serve its purpose in Italy. He said that American citizens of Italian origin that were truly engaged in Americanization should reject Fascism as incompatible and un-American. Eventually, he joined Fiorello La Guardia and Luigi Antonini, of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, in founding an anti-Fascist New York State chapter of OSIA, the Sons of Italy Grand Lodge. Nevertheless, Cotillo was a staunch supporter of the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935.
In October 1938, Cotillo lobbied Mussolini "for more lenient consideration of the Jewish problem in Italy." In a letter to Il Duce he tried persuade the Italian dictator that Fascist Italy's recent anti-Semitic legislation was unwise, and asked to "postpone execution of such drastic action for a reasonable time until an opportunity has been afforded me to appear before you and present the worthy cause because your edict may result in serious consequences in America." He asked for the repeal of the anti-Jewish laws and warned for a boycott of Italian goods in New York, where, as he wrote, "we live in close interdependent relationship" with Jewish people.
## New York Supreme Court justice
After the 1922 elections, Cotillo became the chairman of the influential State Senate Judiciary Committee, a sign of his rising authority. The post helped him to get ready for a next step. In 1924, he was the first Italian-born to become Justice of the New York Supreme Court, First District, where he would remain until his death. He was elected with the endorsement of the Tammany Hall political machine, many social welfare organizations and organized labor, the Citizen's Union and several bar organizations.
While an immigrant himself and although he had been an ardent defender of the liberal interpretation of the naturalization law for a long time, in 1939 and in the wake of World War II, Cotillo advocated more stringent naturalization methods. Immigrants would be forced to pay the costs of an exhaustive investigation of their qualifications. He argued that there was a "need for more hesitation in the granting of this charter of liberty to each and every applicant without a more thorough search of each and every applicant's capacity to benefit from such a gift." He also recommended revocation of citizenship when found guilty of fraud or other wrongdoing.
Earlier, Cotillo had opposed the anti-immigration restrictions of the Immigration Act of 1924 that significantly limited immigration from Italy. In 1931, Cotillo protested against unnecessary stringent requirements of a proposed registration law, particularly the requirement of the equivalent of a public school education and the fingerprinting of applicants. A naturalized citizen had the same rights as native-born and fingerprinting would make the foreign applicant feel like a criminal, Cotillo pointed out. He referred to the findings of the Wickersham Commission that the foreign-born committed considerably less crime than native citizens. He also attacked the revocation of citizenship because of evil doing, while a native born was not affected. At the time, Cotillo claimed to have naturalized some 25,000 immigrants in the eight years he had been on the bench.
## Death and legacy
On July 27, 1939, he died following an operation for a chest tumor at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, Manhattan, New York, at the age of 52. He was survived by his widow, Ida Berthold, and two daughters, Helen Paterno – who had married the son of prominent real estate developer Charles V. Paterno – and Sally Cotillo. More than 3,000 people attended his funeral in Saint Patrick's Cathedral, including New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia, Lieutenant Governor Charles Poletti, District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey and former New York Governor Alfred E. Smith. He was the subject of a biography by Nat Ferber, A New American, published in 1938.
Throughout his life, both as a legislator and judge, he earned a reputation for compassion with the underprivileged and social activism which put that compassion to work. According to New York Governor Alfred E. Smith in his introduction in Cotillo's biography, Cotillo "introduced a new era in social relations between the immigrant and native or older Americans".
For Italian-Americans, Cotillo did not emphasize being American, but emphasized voting: "Become citizens," Cotillo said, "You will then have the right to take part in the government. This is a system of self-government. You Italians, more than others, should understand this. For so long as you leave it to others you will be oppressed by these others," he said, "the longer you remain inarticulate and inactive, by so much longer will you be looked upon as not merely alien in blood and temperament, but in thought and moral philosophy. You will be looked upon as outlaws. Do not delay, for the longer you are held in low esteem, so much the longer will it require to establish yourself as worthy citizens in the eyes of those who today look down on you."
In the obituary of The New York Times, Cotillo was described as "a leader of the Italian Americans in New York". He defended ethnic Italians against the stereotyping by Americans not of Italian descent, but also urged the need for "Americanization" of the Italian community. As such, he stood between the mores of the Italian ethnic ghetto and the judgment and norms of American society. |
34,653,691 | Lola Baldwin | 1,161,570,403 | Policewoman in Portland, Oregon, US (1860–1957) | [
"1860 births",
"1957 deaths",
"American people of Irish descent",
"American women educators",
"American women police officers",
"Burials at River View Cemetery (Portland, Oregon)",
"People from Elmira, New York",
"People from Rochester, New York",
"Portland Police Bureau officers",
"Schoolteachers from Nebraska"
] | Aurora "Lola" Greene Baldwin (1860 – June 22, 1957) was an American woman who became one of the first policewomen in the United States. In 1908, she was sworn in by the City of Portland as Superintendent of the Women's Auxiliary to the Police Department for the Protection of Girls (later renamed the Women's Protective Division), with the rank of detective.
Baldwin grew up in Rochester, New York, and taught in nearby public schools. She relocated to Lincoln, Nebraska, where she taught, then married. She, her husband, and their two sons later lived in several U.S. cities, where Baldwin engaged in volunteer social work related to unwed mothers and other young women in trouble. In 1904, when Baldwin was 44, the family moved to Portland, where her husband continued his dry goods career.
Women's groups such as the Travelers Aid Society, concerned that the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, scheduled for 1905 in Portland, posed a danger to single women working at the fair, hired Baldwin to supervise a project to protect girls and women. Success at the fair led to similar work thereafter, and eventually to her hiring in 1908 as a police officer. Throughout her policing career, Baldwin stressed crime prevention and favored reform over incarceration. She promoted laws to protect women, advised other jurisdictions about women's law-enforcement issues, and demonstrated by example that women could be effective police officers. After her retirement from the police in 1922, she gave public lectures for the Oregon Social Hygiene Society and served on the board of the Hillcrest School of Oregon, the Oregon Parole Board, and the National Committee on Prisons and Prison Labor. Baldwin, sometimes referred to as a "municipal mother", died in Portland on June 22, 1957, at the age of 97.
## Early life
Born Aurora "Lola" Greene in 1860, in Elmira, New York, Baldwin grew up largely in Rochester, where her family moved when she was quite young. Her parents, of Irish Protestant heritage, enrolled her in the city's Christ Church Episcopal School for Girls, and she later attended Rochester High School. When her father died in 1877, she was forced to withdraw from school and seek work, finishing her high school studies on her own. She passed the New York State qualifying exam for teachers, and taught near Rochester until 1880 when she moved alone to Lincoln, Nebraska, a city that was seeking teachers. After passing the Nebraska qualifying exam, she taught for three years at Lincoln Preparatory High School.
By 1884, she had met and married LeGrand M. Baldwin, a dry goods merchant originally from Vermont. As was expected then of single women teachers who married, Baldwin resigned her job at the high school. During her remaining years in Lincoln, she found paid clerical work, and volunteered as a social worker focused on helping "wayward" girls. She also gave birth to two sons, Myron and Pierre.
After they left Lincoln in 1893, over the next 10 years the Baldwins lived variously in Boston, Yonkers, Norfolk, and Providence, Rhode Island, as LeGrand pursued his dry goods career. He eventually joined E. P. Charlton & Company, which had a chain of more than 50 stores across the United States. In each city the family moved to, Baldwin continued her volunteer work, including serving on the boards of two Florence Crittenton Homes. They were part of a national network of rescue homes for "unfortunate lost girls", which at the time meant rescued prostitutes and unwed mothers. In 1904, the Charlton Company sent LeGrand to Portland to open its first store in the Pacific Northwest. Baldwin worked in the store's business office and joined the board of the city's Florence Crittenton Home.
## Lewis and Clark Exposition
In 1904, Portland officials were preparing for the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. Among their concerns was a possible influx of non-resident criminals to the city. Officials feared some would target young women and girls, and lure or coerce them into sexual activity, including prostitution. As part of the exposition preparations, women's groups, including the Travelers Aid Society, the YWCA, and many local secular and religious organizations, made plans to prevent the sexual exploitation of young women during the fair.
The Portland YWCA hired Baldwin as project supervisor with funds provided partly by the national Travelers Aid committee. She and her associates compiled lists of local lodging and working places they deemed safe for young women. When the exposition opened on June 1, 1905, volunteers met young women at Union Station and other entry points to the city and offered advice about lodging and employment, and in some cases other aid such as meal vouchers. Volunteers patrolled the exposition, especially venues such as risque sideshows, dimly lit structures, the beer garden, and the shooting gallery (carnival game), all of which they considered sexually dangerous. In her final report on the exposition, Baldwin reported that Travelers Aid had helped 1,640 women and girls in various ways, including finding safe jobs for more than 500.
After the fair ended, Baldwin retained a position with the local Travelers Aid branch, based at the YWCA. Over the next three years, she continued the kinds of work she had done during the exposition, often helping runaways and young women with legal troubles. Supported by Mayor Harry Lane and the Portland police, she eventually convinced the City Council to create and fund what was formally named the Women's Auxiliary to the Police Department for the Protection of Girls, later renamed the Women's Protective Division (WPD). On April 1, 1908, she was sworn in as superintendent of the auxiliary with the rank of detective.
Depending on the definition of "policewoman", Baldwin was the first except for Marie Owens, thought to have begun her policing career in Chicago in 1891. Another candidate for the title of "first" is Alice Stebbins Wells, who joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 1910. All three specialized in law enforcement related to women and children. Louise Bryant, writing about Baldwin for Sunset magazine in 1912, described her as a "municipal mother".
## Women's Protective Division superintendent: 1908–22
Baldwin's police work, centering on the protection of women, continued through 1922. It took various forms, such as lobbying for laws to protect women, urging state officials to open a home for troubled women, and advising other states and cities on women's law-enforcement issues. Through her accomplishments, she demonstrated that women could be effective police officers.
The social hygiene movement as well as the social purity movement, which sought to maintain traditional 19th-century Victorian morality through the Progressive Era, were major influences on Baldwin's work. At the turn of the century Portland was "rampant with vice and corruption". An elaborate system supported the business of prostitution, which flourished in brothels, hotels, rooming houses, saloons, and other places, especially in the red-light district north of Burnside Street in the central city. Baldwin was one of 15 commissioners appointed to the Portland Vice Commission in 1911 to study the problem of venereal disease (VD) and its relation to the commercial sex trade. The commission estimated that nearly 25 percent of the cases being seen by the city's physicians involved VD. A commission review of 547 Portland establishments thought to harbor prostitutes confirmed that 431 supported acts that were "immoral". Another commission study conducted between mid-1911 and late 1912 found that police had raided 216 vice establishments and made 1,900 prostitution arrests during the prior 18 months. Baldwin and other city officials worked in many ways to reduce the personal and social dangers related to commercial sex:
> The goal was to cleanse and uplift the evil city, and make it morally and physically safe for families, single working women, and children. Advocates believed that the police power should be utilized to attack a broad range of concerns. Under pressure from social hygienists, many of whom were physicians, municipalities initiated sanitation and public health programs, venereal disease control, vice and prostitution abatement, commercial amusement reform, and other correctives for situations perceived as dangerous to the public welfare.
Targets for elimination from the city included "any business that exploited young women". During the years that Baldwin led the WPD, this included not only brothels but also fortune-telling establishments, massage parlors, shooting galleries, and dance halls. Preferring prevention to jail time for young women, Baldwin helped single mothers connect to social services, persuaded city officials to keep women out of saloons, and established an after-care system for delinquent girls.
## Later life
Troubled by changing cultural norms after World War I, Baldwin retired from the police force in 1922. In her 1921 annual report, she expressed dismay at what she viewed as a general lowering of moral standards. She said this was evidenced by such things as tobacco smoking by women, increased juvenile delinquency, and the rise of the flapper "bad girl" mode of dress and behavior.
After her official retirement at age 62, Baldwin continued to lecture on venereal disease and vice for the Oregon Social Hygiene Society, served on the board of the Hillcrest School of Oregon, traveled to other cities to encourage formation of women's police divisions, served on the Oregon Parole Board as well as the National Committee on Prisons and Prison Labor, and continued to support the Women's Protective Division of the Portland police.
During her retirement, she also assisted her husband and sons in running a bakery. LeGrand Baldwin died in 1941; Lola Baldwin died in 1957, at the age of 97. One hundred years after Baldwin became a policewoman, Portland Mayor Tom Potter proclaimed April 1, 2008, to be Lola Greene Baldwin Centennial Day in honor of her achievements.
## See also
- Lola's Room
- Penny Harrington, first female chief of the Portland Police Bureau
- Sybil Plumlee, police officer who served in the Women's Protective Division from 1947 to 1967 |
31,226,949 | The Darkness II | 1,151,357,254 | 2012 first-person shooter game | [
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"2K games",
"Dark fantasy video games",
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"First-person shooters",
"MacOS games",
"Multiplayer and single-player video games",
"Organized crime video games",
"PlayStation 3 games",
"Superhero video games",
"Take-Two Interactive games",
"Video game sequels",
"Video games about demons",
"Video games based on Top Cow Productions",
"Video games developed in Canada",
"Video games set in New York City",
"Video games with cel-shaded animation",
"Windows games",
"Xbox 360 games"
] | The Darkness II is a 2012 first-person shooter video game developed by Digital Extremes and published by 2K. The game is the sequel to The Darkness (2007) and based on the comic book series published by Top Cow Productions. The player controls Jackie Estacado, a mafia hitman who possesses a mysterious power called "the Darkness" that grants him supernatural abilities and a pair of Demon Arms. The game features elements found in role-playing video games such as skill trees, experience, and a four-player cooperative mode. The player must rescue the soul of Jackie's dead girlfriend, which was trapped by the Darkness in Hell, and confront the Brotherhood, a group of armed cultists trying to take the Darkness away from Jackie.
Digital Extremes replaced the first game's developer Starbreeze Studios, though Paul Jenkins returned to write the script for the sequel. While the main narrative was envisioned to be a personal journey for Jackie, developers described the cooperative multiplayer mode as a "dark comedy". Singer Mike Patton returned to voice the Darkness, and Brian Bloom provided the voice for Jackie Estacado, replacing Kirk Acevedo. The development artists hand-painted the majority of the game's assets to create a comic book-influenced visual style.
The Darkness II was released for Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in February 2012. The game received positive reviews upon release, with critics praising the gameplay, story, pacing, and art style. Criticisms were directed at the game's short length, technical issues, and lack of replay value. The game debuted as the third best-selling game in its first week of release in the United Kingdom.
## Gameplay
Jackie can use various firearms, such as submachine guns, shotguns, and assault rifles, and has the ability to dual wield some of these weapons. Additionally, he is armed with a pair of Demon Arms, which resemble tentacles and can be used to slash enemies or pick up various items within the environment (parking meters, car doors, etc.) to use as projectile weapons or shields. The Demon Arms can rip out the heart of fallen enemies and devour them for health, pick up enemies for execution, or throw them. The player is guided by a Darkling, a goblin-like creature that assists in combat and gathers weapons and ammo. At several points, the player can directly control the Darkling, allowing them to squeeze into tight spaces that Jackie cannot enter and execute enemies from behind. When exposed to light, Jackie's health regeneration and Darkness abilities are disabled. In addition, his vision will become blurred and he will experience a ringing sound when exposed. The player can disable these sources by shooting them, causing them to malfunction.
The game features elements found in role-playing video games. Killing enemies, devouring hearts and performing executions earn the player Essence, which can be used to purchase upgrades at various talent shrines. Collecting relics, which serve as collectibles, earns a small amount of Essence. The skill tree is divided into four main aspects: Hitman, Execution, Darkness Powers, and Demon Arm. The Hitman aspect consists of passive upgrades that improve the weapon's reload time and magazine size. The Execution tree allows each execution to net more benefits, such as gaining a massive amount of health, ammo or a shield. Darkness Powers and the Demon Arms grant players access to active abilities, some of which have a brief cooldown after use. These abilities include Gun Channeling, an ability that gives the player unlimited ammo and enhanced damage for a short time; Swarm, which distracts enemies; and Black Hole, which triggers a large area of effect attack that sucks enemies into a vortex.
The game features a cooperative multiplayer campaign called "Vendettas" that runs parallel to the main campaign and allows up to four players to play together. The story involves four hitmen working for Jackie as they attempt to stop the Brotherhood from obtaining the Spear of Destiny. Each character has different Darkness powers and is armed with a unique special weapon. For instance, Inugami is a character who uses a Darkness-infused samurai sword, while Shoshanna uses a blunderbuss which can shoot without bullets. Although the mode can be played solo, the experience is significantly more difficult. There is an arcade mode called "Hit List" that allows players to replay certain Vendetta missions and complete challenges.
## Plot
Jackie Estacado (Brian Bloom) has become head of the Franchetti family, and has learned to suppress the Darkness (Mike Patton), an ancient demonic force in his bloodline. Jackie is haunted by the memory of his murdered girlfriend, Jenny Romano (Stephanie Frame). Jackie and his crew are attacked in a restaurant by a rival gang. Wounded, Jackie restores his powers using the Darkness. Aided by the Darkling (Peter Newman)—a goblin-like familiar—Jackie pursues his attackers into the subway. A vision of Jenny appears, then Jackie is apparently hit by a train. Jackie seemingly awakens to find himself in a mental institution, where various members of his crew are patients and staff. Among them is estranged occultist Johnny Powell, who tells Jackie to find him.
Reawakening with his men, Jackie plans a counterattack. Jimmy the Grape (Frank Ashmore), provides a lead that points to Swifty, a crime boss. Swifty is subdued; he explains that a shady group at the Brimstone Club brothel paid him to put the hit on Jackie. The Darkness murders Swifty to silence him. Vinnie (Rick Pasqualone) enlists his contact at Brimstone to help them. At the club, Jackie encounters armed cultists of the Brotherhood, a secret society who ordered the hit and wish to use the Darkness for themselves. They ambush Jackie with blinding lights that inhibit the Darkness, and Jackie is knocked out. Waking up, he finds himself crucified and a device (the Siphon) draining his dark power. He is greeted by Victor (William Salyers) who offers to take the Darkness from him in exchange for the lives of his family. Refusing, he loses consciousness and finds himself in Hell where the Darkness keeps Jenny's soul.
Jackie breaks free but Victor threatens to murder Jackie's Aunt Sarah (Bridger Fox). As the club burns, the Darkness offers Jenny's soul in exchange for the Siphon. Jackie and his men retake the penthouse, but Jackie is shot by Bragg, a Brotherhood enforcer, who murders Sarah. Jackie awakens in a psychiatric ward where Jenny and his crew are staff and patients. They tell him that his mob stories are delusions. At Sarah's funeral, the Brotherhood launches another attack. Jackie subdues Bragg, who says Victor is based in an abandoned theme park. Victor shuts Jackie in an iron maiden; he loses consciousness. Again, he wakes in the ward, but the janitor (his Darkling) explains that the asylum is a trap to keep him away from Jenny.
Victor drains the Darkness from Jackie. The Darkling helps Jackie escape and retake a small portion of the Darkness. Jackie pursues Victor through a mansion once owned by Carlo Estacado, Jackie's father. Jackie learns from Victor that Carlo had promised the Darkness to the Brotherhood to keep Jackie free. Jackie kills Victor and impales himself with the Siphon, regaining the Darkness and killing himself to rescue Jenny from Hell. Jackie once again wakes up in the psychiatric ward where the staff offer to take him to Jenny. The Darkling sacrifices himself to help Jackie escape. Jackie is confronted by Victor, Jenny, and an orderly who attempt to convince Jackie that his life as a mob boss is a delusion.
On the roof, the player is given a choice to stay with Jenny in the ward, or reject the asylum and attempt to reach Hell. If the player chooses to stay, Jenny and Jackie slow dance, and the game ends. Otherwise, Jackie jumps from the roof and falls into Hell. The Darkness sends demons to stop Jackie, but Jackie releases Jenny from her bindings and the couple embraces. In a post-credits scene, Jenny is revealed to have become the new host for the Angelus, who has seen the destruction Jackie and the Darkness have caused. Jackie is too powerful and must remain trapped in Hell; leaving him screaming as the screen fades.
## Development
Publisher 2K Games approached Canadian developer Digital Extremes to develop The Darkness II, replacing Starbreeze Studios which worked on the first game. Digital Extremes worked on the title for three years. Paul Jenkins returning as the title's writer. According to Starbreeze's CEO Mikael Nermark, the company was not given the option of working on the sequel and was already busy working on Syndicate when The Darkness II was announced.
According to director Sheldon Carter, Digital Extremes agreed to assume development responsibilities as the team wanted to create a shooter with a large emphasis on the story. Both Jenkins and the team at Digital Extremes worked closely, with the team making adjustments to Jenkins' script to suit the gameplay. Carter called the narrative a "love story", which he felt "[balanced] the adrenaline of the action", while the first part of the game's three-act plot was about "survival" since Jackie was attacked by an opposing mob. The team spent a lot of time working on the tone of Jackie. Carter compared Jackie to Tony Soprano, a "badass" character who has to face a lot of internal struggles. The team hoped that the story could make the players sympathize with Jackie. According to designer Tom Galt, while Jackie was a mob boss on the surface, "in his heart he is human and a good-natured guy". With the game's large focus on narrative, the Darkling was given a personality and played a huge role in the story. The game does not cut to third-person so that a limited extent of control can be granted to players even in cinematics. While the game has a heavy narrative focus, all cutscenes and cinematics can be skipped for players who only want to enjoy the gameplay. One of the biggest requests from players of the first game was to have Mike Patton return to voice the Darkness. Nolan North served as a stand-in voice actor for Jackie during the game's pre-production, before Brian Bloom was chosen to voice the character.
The Darkness comic was a large inspiration for the team. The team read the comic and decided to adopt a comic book-influenced "graphic noir" art style, as they believed the comic's use of high contrast colors contributed to its success. The team used some of the assets made by Starbreeze as a reference, and created new ones using their own internal proprietary game engine named the Evolution Engine, which powered the studio's previous game Dark Sector (2008). The development artists hand-painted the majority of the game's assets, though this idea was initially met with resistance within the art team due to the huge amount of workload such an approach would create.
The team decided to make the title more action-orientated in an attempt to differentiate itself from its predecessor. The shooting mechanic was refined, and the concept of "quad-wielding", which allows players to engage in combat using both the Demon Arms and duel-wielding weapons, was introduced. Carter explained that they saw the Demon Arms as an opportunity to make the combat more "up close and personal". The team changed the game's abilities to supplement this, such as turning the ability of Black Hole into a random drop from enemies. The quad-wielding mechanic enabled the combat to have more variety, allowing players to approach the same scenario with different combat styles and encourages players to experiment with different tactics. The gameplay was designed to be violent, with some execution animations being removed for being not "extravagant" enough. To ensure the game was not too easy, the team disabled Jackie's powers when he is exposed to light and created various enemy types to challenge the player in different ways.
The game's cooperative mode Vendetta features a story that runs parallel to the game's main narrative. The team envisioned Vendetta as a dark comedy with over-the-top characters. It is tonally very different from the main game, and the team hoped that players would use the Vendetta mode to "blow off some steam" after experiencing Jackie's story in the main narrative. The team used the mode to explore other characters and elements in the universe, and Jenkins has written more than 10 pages of backstory for each of the four playable characters.
2K unveiled the game in May 2011. The game was initially set to be released in October the same year, but was delayed until February 2012. Players who pre-ordered the game would have upgraded to the Limited Edition, which included gameplay bonuses, illustration drawn by Marc Silvestri, and digital download for The Darkness Origins Volume 1 and Volume 2. 2K provided extensive marketing for the game, launching a four-week promotion program on Kerrang Radio, partnering with Forbidden Planet for window displays and in-store promotions, and placing TV advertisements on both SyFy and Horror Channel. A demo for the game was released in January 2012 on Steam, Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.
## Reception
The game received generally positive reviews from critics upon release, according to review aggregator Metacritic. It was the third best-selling retail game in its week of release in the UK, surpassed by Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Final Fantasy XIII-2.
The story received critical acclaim from players. Mikel Reparaz from GamesRadar described the narrative as "part mob drama, part surreal comedy, and part supernatural revenge romance", though he disliked the cliffhanger ending. While the game focuses on the relationship between Jackie and Jenny, Reparaz noted that the supporting characters were "endearing", and remarked that they were well-written and well-acted. He stated he liked the combinations of gun-play and Demon Arms gameplay, which he felt turned Jackie into "an unstoppable dynamo of horror". He also enjoyed the execution animations, which he felt were "brutal" and "never quite get old", though he felt that the gun-play became repetitive by the end of the game. Anthony Gallegos from IGN felt that the story was not as immediately interesting as the first game and noted that it reused some of its predecessors' plot devices, but remarked that some of the scenes with Jenny were "touching", which made the story more "personal" for the player. He further commented that the game's story focus enabled the title to have better pacing. Rich McCormick from PC Gamer praised the story for being "involving", and that the title "plays with concepts of unreliable narration in a way that only games allow". Conrad Zimmerman from Destructoid felt the narrative was fairly average, but the game's storytelling was "handled remarkably well". Andrew Reiner from Game Informer remarked that unlike the original game, the title is more of a fast-paced shooter than a supernatural thriller, and he felt that the story and the characters were inferior when compared to the first game. Kevin VanOrd from GameSpot praised the character development and the game's pacing. He described the story as "unusual" and "creepy", and added that the game's narrative excels when it "plays with your expectations and has you wondering".
The gameplay received a positive response from critics. Daniel Bischoff from Game Revolution called the gun-play "responsive" and the Demon Arms "fun to control". He particularly liked the combat variety and enemy types, which put the players in various combat scenarios, but was disappointed by the game's length, which lasted for only seven hours. Zimmerman agreed that the game was short, but said the title was fun throughout. Dan Whitehead from Eurogamer also praised the Demon Arms and added that it helped "opening up combat possibilities that other shooters can't hope to compete with". He further praised the developer for making the combat faster and refining the gameplay of the original. Gallegos praised the combat for being "vastly superior" to the first game and said that Jackie's overpowered nature made the game more exciting as players could focus on fun ways to kill enemies. He also liked the skill trees, which he felt have reinvigorated the combat during the later sections of the game. McCormick noted that the game's control was not too overwhelming for players despite needing to control multiple limbs at once. He was disappointed by the final levels, which he felt was a "slog" to play through. Reiner praised the game for making players feel powerful, but he felt that the game was repetitive due to the lack of combat variety and remarked that combat "relies on reflexes more than strategy". Most reviewers thought that the cooperative multiplayer mode was fun and that it provided extra gameplay for an otherwise short title, though both Ben Gilbert from Joystiq and Zimmerman thought the combat not as exciting as the main game since the playable characters in the Vendetta mode do not have Demon Arms. Whitehead noted that the mode was "basic to the point of being crude", though he felt the secondary story was "enjoyable".
The game's presentation received mixed reviews. Gilbert praised the art direction, calling it "gorgeous" and "impressive". Zimmerman liked the cel-shaded graphics, which he felt was "evocative of the comic books from which these games originate" and made the game "surprisingly easy to get sucked in". Reiner, however, felt that the new art style did not capture the eerie feeling of the original game. Gallegos noted that the reviewed copy suffered from software bugs, broken animations, glitches, and frame rate issues and felt that the game was marred by polish issues. |
10,649,427 | Abbotsford Bridge | 1,153,604,617 | Bridge in New South Wales, Australia | [
"1928 establishments in Australia",
"Allan truss bridges",
"Borders of New South Wales",
"Borders of Victoria (state)",
"Bridges completed in 1928",
"Bridges in the Riverina",
"Crossings of the Murray River",
"Road bridges in New South Wales",
"Vertical lift bridges in Australia",
"Wentworth Shire"
] | Abbotsford Bridge is a steel Allan truss-type road bridge that carries the Silver City Highway across the Murray River, between in New South Wales, and in Victoria, Australia. It is the only remaining steel truss bridge with a lift span that crosses the Murray. Opened in 1928, the bridge was built by the NSW Department of Public Works and was designed by Percy Allan. It was the second last vertical-lift bridge to be built over the river, the last being the Nyah Bridge, which opened in 1941.
The bridge was constructed over a three-year period from 1925. The project was not originally planned to take as long, but there were delays due to problems with a contractor, and industrial action. The bridge was designed to carry the Mildura railway line over the Murray River and into New South Wales, to service significant cross-border traffic arising from the fruit-growing industry, but the line was never extended beyond the terminus at Yelta. The bridge currently carries a single lane of road controlled by traffic lights.
In 1931, there was a major accident at the bridge when a paddle steamer clipped the lift span, tearing apart the upper deck of the boat.
## Description
Abbotsford Bridge is a steel Allan truss bridge that is about 240 m (790 ft) in length. The bridge also contains a single lift span about 20 m (66 ft) in length, which is still in working order. It is two lanes wide through most of its length, but the lift span is only capable of carrying a single lane. The entire bridge has been marked with a single lane and has traffic lights on both ends to control vehicular flow.
The bridge was completed in 1928 by the NSW Department of Public Works and, although opened as a traffic bridge, it was designed to carry the loads required for a railway, once the Mildura railway line had been extended over the bridge. The line was never extended beyond Yelta, where the terminus remains to this day. The location of the bridge was thought to be convenient, as it provided a link to the Sturt Highway without travelling farther upstream to Mildura. It is the only remaining steel truss bridge with a lift span on the Murray, although other lifting bridges still exist along the river. The bridge was built after the decline in commercial river traffic on the Murray. Due to its significance to the local area, it has been listed on the NSW State Heritage Register.
## History
The nearby town of Wentworth was an important river port from which wool was shipped to the coast, and as such there was a variety of traffic in the area. In the 1890s, irrigated farming greatly expanded in Sunraysia region which is known for its fruit production, and traffic volumes increased further. It was decided to install a punt at this location (then known as Abbot's Ford).
New South Wales and Victoria had signed an agreement towards constructing bridges for railways over the Murray to serve the settlements on the northern side. In 1923, a report was released that recommended going ahead with the building of four bridges, one of those being the future Abbotsford Bridge. It was said a bridge in this area would benefit Curlwaa, Wentworth, and a proposed irrigation scheme to the north. The cost was estimated at £78,000. It had been considered that it might be appropriate to combine these four bridges with locks, but this idea was rejected due to siting concerns.
In 1924, residents of nearby settlements urged construction of the railway line to the proposed bridge site, but they were told this extension of the line was to be delayed. Within that year it was decided that a bridge was to be constructed due to increased traffic volume, and tenders were let for manufacture of the bridge spans, construction of abutments and piles, and transport of materials to the future construction site.
Early in 1925, a foundation pile and some tents could be found at the site of the future bridge. Men in the region were also awaiting employment on the structure, and by the middle of the year unemployment problems were becoming a serious issue. Similarly government debt was increasing, although it was still expected the railway line to Abbotsford Bridge would be completed. In November, construction started and it was expected that the bridge would be opened around 25 September the following year.
During May 1926, the approach road between Wentworth and the bridge was being progressively metalled, but could not be completed in its entirety until construction of the bridge itself was complete. In June, construction was halted due to contract requirements not being met.
By February the next year, construction had resumed. On 8 April 25 men working on the bridge went on strike. This was of concern due to time dependent concreting being undertaken at that time. As the construction was considered unemployment relief, the constructing authority began to look for men who would do the work in their places. By 13 April, further details had emerged; the number of the men on strike was actually 32, and it had been caused by the alleged wrongful dismissal of three men who had left for their lunch break early. The strike continued until at least 21 April. Work had resumed by early May, and the bridge was reported as being a little over half completed at that time.
It was reported in mid-May that construction work was in progress on the last two piers of the bridge, though low river levels meant that staging could not be installed to allow further work on the bridge framework. The estimated time of completion at this point was by the end of the year. It was noted in early September that the extension of the railway from Yelta was expected to occur once the bridge was completed.
The bridge was still under construction in January 1928, and at that time the estimated date of completion was only a month away. The bridge finally opened to traffic on 14 April. The official opening of the bridge by the NSW Governor Dudley de Chair occurred on 10 July, and was celebrated by the cutting of the ribbon and an opening of the gates at each end of the lift span. In return he was presented with a silver cigarette case.
A major accident occurred at the bridge in August 1931. The paddle steamer E.R.O. struck the lift span of the bridge. The span had not been raised to a high enough level, causing it to clip the top of the steamer's funnel and rip apart the upper deck. High pressure steam was released during the accident causing some onlookers to believe the boat was on fire. It was at first thought the captain would be found amongst the wreckage of the upper deck, but he had been navigating the boat from the lower deck at that time. The captain displayed considerable skill; he immediately realised that further raising of the span despite being given the all clear meant it was not quite high enough. And through his actions as the boat progressed downstream caught in the current, he prevented the boat becoming stuck at the bridge.
Much like in its early days, the bridge still carries a lot of traffic related to the fruit production industry, especially during picking and harvesting seasons. Bridge lifts are timed to try and avoid traffic delays. Some in the local community consider that the capacity of the bridge is inadequate and impedes commercial activity.
## See also
- List of bridges in Australia
- Transport in Australia |
31,164,641 | I Wanna Go | 1,167,413,192 | 2011 single by Britney Spears | [
"2011 singles",
"2011 songs",
"Britney Spears songs",
"Dance-pop songs",
"Jive Records singles",
"Music videos directed by Chris Marrs Piliero",
"Number-one singles in Israel",
"Song recordings produced by Max Martin",
"Song recordings produced by Shellback (record producer)",
"Songs written by Max Martin",
"Songs written by Savan Kotecha",
"Songs written by Shellback (record producer)"
] | "I Wanna Go" is a song by American singer Britney Spears from her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale (2011). It was written and produced by Max Martin and Shellback, with additional writing by Savan Kotecha. Spears first posted on her Twitter account a link to a clip of the song in February 2011, a month prior to the album's release. Following a poll on her official website, "I Wanna Go" was chosen as the third single of the album, and Jive Records released it on June 14, 2011.
"I Wanna Go" is a dance-pop and Hi-NRG song that features a heavy bassline and drum fills reminiscent of English rock band New Order. The pre-chorus has a whistled hook that received comparisons to the music of Bob Sinclar and Frankie Knuckles. The lyrics of "I Wanna Go" feature Spears singing about losing inhibitions. The song received favorable reviews from critics, some praised it for being effective and highlighted its hook, while others dismissed the processed vocals. The song was treated with different remixes, including a Bollywood mix with guest vocals by Sonu Nigam and another one by DJ Frank E and Alex Dreamz.
After the release of Femme Fatale, "I Wanna Go" charted due to digital sales in the upper end of the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian Hot 100, and also topped the South Korean International chart. Following its release as a single, the song reached the top ten in several music markets, including Canada, France, Finland and the United States. In the United States, "I Wanna Go" made Femme Fatale the first album by Spears to have three top ten singles and with Spears' best radio airplay performance.
An accompanying music video for the song, directed by Chris Marrs Piliero, premiered on June 22, 2011. It depicts Spears daydreaming at a press conference about a series of events, including being chased by paparazzi cyborgs and being rescued by actor Guillermo Díaz. Piliero described the video as "a ridiculous, exaggerated rumor about her life and career". The video references the films Half Baked, Crossroads, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Michael Jackson's Thriller. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised its fun spirit. Spears has performed "I Wanna Go" on her Femme Fatale Tour (2011) and during her Las Vegas residency show Britney: Piece of Me (2013–2015).
## Background and artwork
"I Wanna Go" was written and produced by Max Martin and Shellback, with additional writing by Savan Kotecha. The song was written in 2009 and registered on Broadcast Music Incorporated under the legal title "I I I Wanna Go O O". On February 22, 2011, Spears posted on her Twitter account a link to a 29-second clip of the song, while calling Martin "amazing". In an interview with Rolling Stone, Spears stated that the song's signature whistle gets her "every time [she] hears it", adding that Martin's melodies are "Incredible ... Who would have thought of that? There is nobody I feel more comfortable collaborating with in the studio." Kotecha told Digital Spy in May 2011 that the song was likely a contender for third single due to positive reaction. On May 11, 2011, a poll was launched on Britney.com in which fans could choose the third single of the album. Two days later, "I Wanna Go" was officially announced as the third single from Femme Fatale by Jive Records through a press release after winning the poll. The cover art was revealed on June 6, 2011, and featured Spears on set of the music video, wearing colored hair extensions and a top with a skeletal Mickey Mouse.
## Composition
"I Wanna Go" is a dance-pop and hi-NRG song, which features a heavy bassline and drum fills; the latter are reminiscent of English band New Order's song "Blue Monday" (1983). Spears squeals and chuckles throughout the song, and her vocals are processed. In the pre-chorus, she draws out the "e"'s in lines such as "Shame on me / To need release / Uncontrollably." The section also has a whistled hook, which was compared by Rich Juzwiak of The Village Voice to the music of French recording artist Bob Sinclar and American recording artist Frankie Knuckles. In the chorus, Spears stutters "I-I-I wanna go-o-o/All the wa-a-ay/ Taking out my freak tonight". Ryan Brockington of the New York Post compared "I Wanna Go" to the music of her fifth studio album Blackout (2007). In the lyrics, Spears sings about losing inhibitions, as evident in lines such as "I-I-I wanna sho-o-ow/All the dir-ir-irt/I got (sic) running through my mind.", while playfully apologizing for her need for sexual release. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times stated that she sings about "the scrum that surrounds her" in "Lately people got me all tied up / There's a countdown waiting for me to erupt". According to the sheet music published by EMI Music Publishing, "I Wanna Go" is written in the key of D minor, with an electropop beat infused metronome of 130 beats per minute. Spears' vocals range from the low note of D<sub>3</sub> to the high note of D<sub>5</sub>.
## Critical reception
"I Wanna Go" received generally favorable reviews from music critics. A reviewer for Samesame.com.au called "I Wanna Go" Spears' best song since "Toxic", and added that "I’d go so far as to say that it is probably the best song that she has ever recorded. [...] How the decision was made that 'Hold It Against Me' would be a better first single over this is baffling". Parker Bruce of the Washington Square News stated that the song functions as "a sort of formal declaration and mission statement" for Femme Fatale, saying that "It is not an innovative song, but it is fantastically effective and endlessly enticing with its liberating, toss-your-cares-away, dance-like-a-complete–and-utter-fool cathartic chorus, repeated words and typically saucy Britney lyrics". The Daily Collegian writer Hannah Rishel said "I Wanna Go" would have been "another good lead single", while The Washington Times's Andrew Leahey said that along with "Till the World Ends", they are "bass-heavy tributes to club culture."
Robert Copsey of Digital Spy called it "anthemic" and noted the song would become a future single. Rich Juzwiak of The Village Voice called "I Wanna Go" the highlight of the album, and said "get ready for [it] to score your summer". However, Juzwiak went on to note that Spears' vocals are heavily manipulated to maximize the chorus's potential, even though "the joy she sings about is palpable". The Chicago Sun-Times journalist Thomas Conner also noted that the singer's vocals were processed to the point "these songs could be sung by anyone", exemplifying I Wanna Go' tweaks her up so high she could be Jackie Evancho". Andy Gill of The Independent also criticized the singer's vocals on Femme Fatale, stating that they sounded more programmed than natural, with "even the little whistling hook in 'I Wanna Go' has a synthetic character about it".
Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine noted that "If not for its infectious pre-chorus whistle, 'I Wanna Go' would be just another song off the Max Martin assembly line". The Guardian contributor Alexis Petridis gave the song a negative review, and said that although most of tracks of the album are "genuinely exciting [...] there's certainly some unremarkable stuff on offer, notably 'Seal It With a Kiss' and 'I Wanna Go'". Evan Sawdey of PopMatters also noted that "I Wanna Go" is the point of the album in which "things stop being fun and start becoming intensely repetitious", criticizing specifically "[the] utterly stupid set of syllables repeated ad nauseam for no reason whatsoever? [..] the 'ably' part of 'uncontrollably' gets recycled far beyond the point where it just sounds stupid". Nicholas Hautman, from Us Weekly, called it "so beyond AutoTuned at points that it could be Ozzy Osbourne singing for all we know". In September 2011, "I Wanna Go" topped Rolling Stone's reader's poll of The Best Songs of the Summer.
## Chart performance
On the chart issue of April 3, 2011, "I Wanna Go" debuted at number 73 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and at number 52 on the Hot Digital Songs component chart due to strong digital sales. The song debuted at number 60 on the Canadian Hot 100 on the chart issue of April 16, 2011. It also debuted at number one on South Korea's Gaon International Chart, and remained on the same position for three consecutive weeks. After its release as a single, the song debuted at number 37 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart on the chart issue of July 2, 2011. It also re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 89. The following week, it surged up to number 29 on the Hot 100 due to the premiere of the music video, with sales of 67,000 copies (up 282% from the previous week). "I Wanna Go" became Spears's 21st top-forty single, the third-highest female total since her first week on the chart on November 21, 1998, and only behind Taylor Swift with 27 and Rihanna with 22.
On the chart issue of August 4, 2011, the song climbed from number 11 to number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, making Femme Fatale the first album by Spears to achieve three top ten singles. It became her fifth top ten single in a row, and her twelfth top ten entry overall, the third-highest female total since her first week on the chart, behind Rihanna with eighteen and Beyoncé Knowles with fifteen. "I Wanna Go" peaked at number seven on the Hot 100 on the chart issue of August 24, 2011. The song peaked atop the Pop Songs chart on September 24, 2011, becoming Spears' sixth single to top the chart, and setting a record for the longest span of number-one singles by an artist (12 years, seven months and four days). Spears scored her first number-one single on the chart with "...Baby One More Time" on the chart issue of February 20, 1999. She also tied Mariah Carey and Knowles for the third-highest female total of number-one singles. As of July 2016, "I Wanna Go" has sold 1,780,000 digital downloads in the United States. It is her eighth best-selling digital single in the country.
In Australia, "I Wanna Go" debuted at number 33 on the ARIA Singles Chart on the chart issue of July 10, 2011. It peaked at number 31 three weeks later, on July 31, 2011. The song became the third lowest peaking single of Spears' career in the country, after "Radar" (2009) at 46 and "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart" (1999) at 37. It spent nine weeks on the chart. It has since been certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for sales of 35,000 units. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 25 on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and peaked at number 22 the following week. It became her lowest peaking single since "Radar", and her sixth single to not enter the top twenty. The song spent 10 weeks on the chart. On July 7, 2011, "I Wanna Go" debuted at 41 on the Irish Singles Chart. It became her first single to not chart in the inside the top 100 in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 138 on the chart issue of June 9, 2011. Across Europe, the song has peaked at number five on Belgium (Flanders) and France; number 10 in Finland; the top twenty in Belgium (Wallonia), Norway and Denmark; and the top forty in Czech Republic and Sweden.
## Music video
### Development
The music video for "I Wanna Go" was directed by Chris Marrs Piliero and filmed in Los Angeles, California. Spears first contacted Piliero and asked him to put together a concept for the video. The main idea for Piliero came from the lyric "be a little inappropriate", which stood out for him, but he did not want to make a video about sexual inappropriateness. Piliero wrote the opening press conference scene as a tribute to the film Half Baked (1998), which he is a fan of. He explained, "That scene resonates with everyone as the epitome of the greatest way to quit your job, and just blow people off. [...] I felt like that would just be such a perfect way for her to tell the reporters to eff off." Marrs Piliero first asked actor Kellan Lutz to co-star the clip with Spears; however, Lutz turned down the role, saying that "there were a couple of weird things about the part that didn't make sense", including the scene where he was going to pour milk on himself. Piliero then thought of asking one of the stars of Half Baked, Guillermo Díaz, to be part of the video, explaining that it "would make it come full circle." Piliero watched all of Spears' videos and wanted to pull what he loved from them, but also give it something fresh. Piliero felt that all of her references to the paparazzi in her previous videos had been more of a statement than an action, and for "I Wanna Go", he wanted her to have the opportunity to fight back.
Piliero had the concept nearly finished by the time he met with Spears. Both wanted to explore fun ways for Spears to be inappropriate in the video, who had several ideas, such as a cop frisking her. Having seen Spears on How I Met Your Mother and Saturday Night Live, Piliero felt that none of her videos had really taken advantage of her comedic timing, saying, "She never had a music video where she could show her acting chops and have fun with comedy while being super badass. That was my goal from day one: I wanted her to be funny, badass and super cool." During the first day of the shoot, he requested Spears to "have as much fun as possible over these next two days". Piliero also stated that the Crossroads (2002) reference "[i]s a fun Easter egg for fans. Plus, Die Hard 2: Die Harder is the most ridiculously awesome way to title a sequel. It just felt like the right thing to do. When Britney saw it, she loved it."
### Synopsis
The video begins at a press conference where Spears, wearing a cropped Mickey Mouse Skull top by Mila Fargo (paying homage to her days in The New Mickey Mouse Club), is being asked inappropriate questions by news reporters, such as "Is it true you banned junk food, smiles, candy, sunshine and laughter from your Femme Fatale Tour?" and "Is it true that you hate puppies?" Angered by the questions, Spears replies (albeit censored): "Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, you're cool, fuck you – I'm out", referencing a scene from the film Half Baked. After leaving the press conference, Spears walks out of the building and out into the street, wearing a white leather jacket and a black skirt with matching with studded combat boots. She signs a fan's copy of Femme Fatale and then blows a kiss to a baby as he whistles the melody of the chorus. As Spears walks along the street, she flashes several men, including a policeman (played by Adrien Galo). As a criminal offence, the policeman searches Spears, feeling up and down her legs, as she is bent over a car. Spears later walks away from the policeman, swinging handcuffs around her finger while he buttons his shirt.
She continues walking down the street, where she smashes the camera of a paparazzi photographer who takes pictures of her. More paparazzi appear as she runs away and jumps on top of a taxi. Spears then stands atop of it, wielding the microphone as a weapon against the paparazzi who are hassling her. Across the street, a marquee of the cinema besides her reads Crossroads 2: Cross Harder, referencing her film debut Crossroads. After all the paparazzi, revealed to be cyborgs, have been knocked to the floor, they start crawling back with their eyes glowing red and their faces bursting with wires, reminiscent to a scene in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). A car suddenly pulls up near to Spears, and the driver Guillermo Díaz tells her to get inside. In the next scene, Spears dances in the passenger seat in a pink bikini top, as Guillermo drives. He attempts to drink some milk while driving but pours the carton of milk over his face. His chest starts to spark, and Spears pulls open his jacket to reveal that he too is a cyborg. The video then cuts back to the press conference, indicating that Spears was daydreaming, due to being asked monotonous and inappropriate questions. Guillermo steps in and leads Spears out of the room following him putting seashells in Spears' hand. Then, he turns to the camera with his eyes glowing red, and his laugh is heard, referencing Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983).
### Release and reception
On June 17, 2011, Jive Records announced through a press release that an exclusive 30-second teaser would premiere on June 19, 2011, on Bravo's Watch What Happens: Live and on VEVO simultaneously. The full length video was revealed to premiere on MTV and Vevo on June 22, 2011. Following the premiere, the video was played hourly on MTV, during video hours, and on VH1's Best Morning Buzz Live. Jen McDonnell of Dose said, "damn if [the video] doesn't rock. [...] It all sounds very weird – and it is. But it's also buckets of fun." Megan Gibson of Time stated that the video is "random, weird and intended to be funny" and that despite the lack of dancing "Britney seems pleasantly energetic and spunky in 'I Wanna Go' which is a comforting change from her usual blank-eyed look." Sarah Anne Hughes of The Washington Post commented that the video "shows a much livelier Britney than the world has seen since the 'Toxic' years."
Jason Lipshutz of Billboard said that the video continues the visual representation of Spears' relationship with the paparazzi and her public image, as previously seen in the videos for "Everytime" (2004) and "Piece of Me" (2008), but "the new clip is arguably her most playful yet." Amos Barshad of New York stated the video "is awe-inspiring in almost exactly the way it intended to be" and that "the spirit of the song, as reflected in the video, is that of free will and dream fulfillment in the face of a repressive society." Jocelyn Vena of MTV commented that "Britney displays the sass and charm fans fell in love with a decade ago during performance shots, where she flirts with the camera, her eyes as big and wide as her smile." An editor for VH1 called the video "fan-freakin'-tastic" and compared it favorably to the music video for Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" (2011), saying that "they share a silly temperament, a flirty star, and funny cameos. Upon closer examination, though, Britney's video blows Katy Perry's out of the water."
Devin Brown of CBS News called it her best video from Femme Fatale, and added that unlike "Piece of Me", I Wanna Go' offers a bevy of pop culture references meant to ridicule the rumors about the star – and finally no 'dancing.'" An editor from Rolling Stone said "The weirdness seems very calculated, but that doesn't make the video any less delightful." Another critic from Rolling Stone noted that the press conference "is hysterical because she's one of the least media-accessible singers in the world. It's easier to get a sit-down with Bob Dylan than it is with Britney." Becky Bain of Idolator called the video "delightful" and "flat out funny", explaining that Spears "focuses her energy on being too darn cute (and deliciously naughty) instead of having to worry about dancing, [she] is in on the joke and loving it all." The video was Spears' first to be Vevo Certified, which means that it was the first of her videos to have received over 100 million views on Vevo.
## Live performances, remixes and other versions
Though the song has never been performed live as part of a televised performance, "I Wanna Go" was featured on the set list of the Femme Fatale Tour (2011). Spears and her dancers bring fans onstage and dance with them throughout the performance. Shirley Halperin of The Hollywood Reporter stated that "[the] mid-tempo numbers [...] seemed to stall out quickly, where faster offerings like 'Womanizer,' 'I Wanna Go' and 'Toxic' had the sold out crowd jumping in place and pumping their number twos in the air." Shaunna Murphy of Entertainment Weekly said, "Of the newer songs, 'How I Roll' and 'I Wanna Go' were standouts, the former for its bubblegum fun and the latter for the uproarious fan participation on stage." Spears also included the song on her residency show in Las Vegas, Britney: Piece of Me. After a rendition of "Circus", a performance of "I Wanna Go" followed, where Spears dances with six mirror images of herself. The mirrors, that are moved around by her dancers, are screens showing pre-recorded images of the singer. Keith Caulfield from Billboard considered the performance "cool".
"I Wanna Go" was remixed with guest vocals by Indian singer Sonu Nigam and released on the DesiHits website in June 2011. In the remix, Sonu mirrors Spears' vocals in Hindi over Indian instruments. Spears said about the song, "I'm so excited about having Sonu on I Wanna Go. His vocals add such a different feel, which I love! Watch out Bollywood – it's Britney and Sonu!". A remix done by DJ Frank E and Alex Dreamz removes the whistled hook and adds an extra beat to the song. The accompanying video for the remix contains footage of the music video for the song with a glowing yellow tint.
## Track listings
French CD single
1. "I Wanna Go" (main version) – 3:30
2. "I Wanna Go" (DJ Frank E & Alex Dreamz radio remix) – 3:18
German CD single
1. "I Wanna Go" (main version) – 3:30
2. "I Wanna Go" (Gareth Emery remix) – 5:26
Digital download
1. "I Wanna Go" – 3:30
Digital download (Desi Hits! remix)
1. "I Wanna Go" (Desi Hits! remix) – 4:37
Digital download (EP)
1. "I Wanna Go" – 3:30
2. "I Wanna Go" (Gareth Emery remix) – 5:25
3. "I Wanna Go" (Moguai remix) – 7:11
4. "I Wanna Go" (video) – 4:33
Digital download (UK remixes)
1. "I Wanna Go" (Gareth Emery remix) – 5:25
2. "I Wanna Go" (Vada remix) – 7:39
3. "I Wanna Go" (Moguai remix) – 7:11
4. "I Wanna Go" (Pete Phantom remix) – 3:18
Digital download (remixes)
1. "I Wanna Go" – 3:30
2. "I Wanna Go" (Captain Cuts club mix) – 4:43
3. "I Wanna Go" (Alex Dreamz radio edit) – 4:07
4. "I Wanna Go" (OLIVER extended remix) – 4:57
5. "I Wanna Go" (Deluka BS radio remix) – 3:15
6. "I Wanna Go" (Wallpaper extended remix) – 4:03
7. "I Wanna Go" (Smash Mode radio remix) – 3:49
8. "I Wanna Go" (Disco Fries radio remix) – 3:34
9. "I Wanna Go" (Jump Smokers radio remix) – 4:51
10. "I Wanna Go" (Desi Hits! remix) – 4:36
## Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Femme Fatale booklet liner notes.
- Britney Spears – lead vocals
- Max Martin – songwriter, producer and keyboards
- Shellback – songwriter, producer, guitars, keyboards and bass
- Savan Kotecha – songwriter and background vocals
- Chau Phan – background vocals
- John Hanes – engineering
- Tim Roberts – engineering
- Serban Ghenea – audio mixing
## Charts
### Weekly charts
### Year-end charts
## Certifications and sales
## Release history
## See also
- List of Billboard Dance Club Songs number ones of 2011 |
13,624,656 | Colin Grainger | 1,171,487,557 | English footballer (1933–2022) | [
"1933 births",
"2022 deaths",
"Association football scouts",
"Barnsley F.C. non-playing staff",
"Bury F.C. non-playing staff",
"Doncaster Rovers F.C. players",
"England men's international footballers",
"English Football League players",
"English Football League representative players",
"English autobiographers",
"English columnists",
"English football managers",
"English male singers",
"English men's footballers",
"Huddersfield Town A.F.C. non-playing staff",
"Leeds United F.C. non-playing staff",
"Leeds United F.C. players",
"Macclesfield Town F.C. players",
"Mansfield Town F.C. non-playing staff",
"Men's association football midfielders",
"Men's association football player-managers",
"Oldham Athletic A.F.C. non-playing staff",
"People from the City of Wakefield",
"Port Vale F.C. players",
"Sheffield United F.C. non-playing staff",
"Sheffield United F.C. players",
"Sunderland A.F.C. players",
"Woolley Miners Welfare F.C. players",
"Wrexham A.F.C. players"
] | Colin Grainger (10 June 1933 – 19 June 2022) was an English footballer, as well as being a former singer and recording artist. As a footballer he played as an outside left and had a 16-year career in the Football League from 1950 to 1966. He came from a footballing family: brother Jack Grainger, brother-in-law Jim Iley, and first cousins Dennis Grainger, Jack Grainger and Edwin Holliday all played professionally. He got married in 1956 and had two children.
Raised in the mining village of Havercroft, he was working as a car mechanic when he was signed on apprentice forms at Third Division North club Wrexham in July 1949. He turned professional the following year and made his first-team debut in February 1951. Though National Service prevented him from establishing himself at the club he still managed to build a reputation as an exciting young prospect and was purchased by Sheffield United for a £2,500 fee in June 1953. A regular in the starting eleven in the First Division, he was called up for the first of his seven England caps in May 1956. His international career lasted just 11 months, though he did score two goals against Brazil and one against West Germany. He was also twice selected for The Football League XI.
His career then declined as he struggled with an ankle injury sustained on England duty and he was sold on to Sunderland for £17,000 plus Sam Kemp (valued at £6,000) in February 1957. Sunderland were relegated out of the First Division at the end of the 1957–58 season and he was sold on to Leeds United of the Second Division for a club record £15,000 in July 1960. His damaged ankle hindered his form at Leeds and he was sold on to Third Division side Port Vale in October 1961 for £6,000. He helped Vale to knock former club Sunderland out of the FA Cup the following January, but missed the end of the season with a groin injury that dogged him for the remainder of his time at Vale Park. He was not retained at the end of the 1963–64 season and signed with Fourth Division side Doncaster Rovers in August 1964. He made 41 appearances across the 1964–65 campaign, though was dropped the following season and was released in summer 1966. He then had a brief spell with Macclesfield Town in the Cheshire County League, before retiring to focus on his singing career. He later spent 1969 to 1972 as player-manager of non-League village team Newmillerdam, before playing for Woolley Miners Welfare in the Yorkshire League from 1972 to 1978.
Grainger performed his first professional music gig in 1956, supporting the Hilltoppers. He appeared on television and radio, and also had a ghostwritten column in the Sport Express. He was signed with the HMV label and released "This I Know"/"Are You" as a single in 1958. His footballing career restricted his singing opportunities, though he did share a bill with the Beatles in June 1963. He ended his singing career in August 1970 in order to focus on his new career in sales. He also supplemented his income scouting for a succession of clubs: Barnsley, Leeds United, Huddersfield Town, Oldham Athletic, Bury and Sheffield United.
## Early and personal life
Born in the mining village of Havercroft on 10 June 1933, his father – Daniel Grainger (1894–1967) – was a coal miner at Monckton Colliery. He had five older brothers: Leslie (born 1920), George (born 1922), Jack (born 1924), Eric (born 1926) and Horace (born 1929), though Leslie and George both died before he was born from diphtheria. His mother, Lily Grainger (née Holliday; 1900–79), gave birth to a total of seven children, with the one daughter also named Lily (born 1935). He represented Barnsley boys' team during the 1946–47 season, alongside future Munich air disaster victim Tommy Taylor and cricket umpire Dickie Bird. He attended Ryhill Junior, Ryhill Middle School, and then Felkirk Secondary School. After leaving school at the age of 15, he was employed as a car mechanic on wages that initially started on £1-a-week.
Grainger came from a footballing family and his younger brother, Jack, spent ten years at Rotherham United just after World War II. His younger sister, Lily, went on to marry Jim Iley, who played as a wing-half for Sheffield United, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest. His cousin, also named Jack Grainger, played in the Football League for Barnsley and Southport in the 1930s. Jack's younger brother, Dennis, played for Leeds United and Wrexham in the late 1940s. Another cousin, Edwin Holliday, went on to represent England whilst playing for Middlesbrough in 1959.
Grainger married Doreen Rowe on 3 January 1956. They had a son, Colin Junior, born on 3 July 1956. A daughter, Kim, followed on 27 February 1964. Grainger wrote his autobiography, The Singing Winger, which was published by deCoubertin Books on 17 October 2019.
## Club career
### Wrexham
Grainger spent his youth with South Elmsall Boys, before being invited for a trial at Wrexham in July 1949. He impressed Wrexham manager Les McDowall enough to earn a professional footballing apprenticeship on wages of £5-a-week. He spent the 1949–50 season playing for the reserve team in the Cheshire County League. McDowall moved on to manage Manchester City in June 1950 and invited Grainger to take a tour of Maine Road in an attempt to poach him away from Wrexham, an attempt that was thwarted when the Wrexham board heard of the news and reassured Grainger that he would be sold on to a bigger club if he first proved himself at Wrexham. However he was called up for National Service in 1951 and spent the next two years serving in the Royal Air Force. He turned professional with Wrexham on his 17th-birthday, seeing an increase in wages to £8-a-week, in addition to a £10 signing-on fee. He made his first-team debut on 24 February 1951, taking Billy Tunnicliffe's spot at outside-left in a Third Division North match against Hartlepools United at the Racecourse Ground, which ended in a 1–0 home victory. His National Service limited his first-team chances under manager Peter Jackson, and he failed to make an appearance in the 1951–52 season, before playing just four games of the 1952–53 campaign.
### Sheffield United
On 27 June 1953, Grainger was signed by Second Division champions Sheffield United for a fee of £2,500. United manager Reg Freeman had signed his brother Jack at Rotherham United six years previously. He was placed on the maximum wage of £20-a-week and received a £10 signing-on fee. Demobbed from National Service in October, he made his first-team debut in a 1–1 draw with Charlton Athletic at Bramall Lane on 14 November, taking the place of Derek Hawksworth at outside-left. He played with his wrist in plaster as he suffered a fracture just before his demobilisation. He featured in only two further First Division matches in the 1953–54 season.
He scored his first goal in the Football League in a 4–1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur on 30 October 1954, having got the better of right-back Alf Ramsey, with one journalist reporting that "Ramsey never even attempted to match [Grainger] in speed". He scored his second goal for the "Blades" in a 3–0 home win over Manchester United two weeks later, this time getting the better of right-back Bill Foulkes. United went on to secure their First Division status with a 2–1 victory at Blackpool on 30 April, with Grainger scoring one of the goals. Another goal on the final day of the 1954–55 season took his tally to six goals in 25 appearances and helped to secure a 5–2 win over Portsmouth to leave United 13th in the table.
Freeman died of cancer in August 1955 and the team struggled at the start of the 1955–56 campaign. However Grainger scored both goals in a 2–0 home victory over Tottenham Hotspur on 5 September, providing Joe Mercer his first win as a manager. He impressed Birmingham City manager Arthur Turner sufficiently in a 2–0 Christmas Eve victory that Mercer was forced to reject a transfer offer, as he told the press that "The answer [to enquiries for Grainger] will always be the same: no!" However United struggled in the second half of the season and were relegated with a 3–1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on 28 April, Grainger scoring United's goal before centre-back Howard Johnson was forced off with injury to leave United with only ten men.
United opened the 1956–57 Second Division campaign away at Rotherham United, the first match where the two Grainger brothers would play on opposite teams, and it was the away side who claimed a 4–0 victory, with Grainger scoring two goals. As an England international playing in the second tier he found the league relatively easy, and on 1 September he secured his first career hat-trick in a 6–1 win at Barnsley after taking the bus to Oakwell as it was near the family home in Havercroft. However an injury picked up on England duty caused him to miss six weeks going into the new year and upon his recovery Mercer informed him that the club's directors had ordered him to sell Grainger for the best possible price as quickly as possible. Wolverhampton Wanderers made an offer of £23,000, but could not pay the full amount immediately, and so Sheffield United instead accepted an offer of £17,000 plus Sam Kemp (valued at £6,000) from Sunderland. Grainger was firmly against the move, but the Sheffield United board of directors were determined to bring in a large fee to pay off creditors and Mercer illegally handed him £300 as recompense.
### Sunderland
Grainger's arrival at Sunderland's Roker Park in February 1957 came at a difficult time as Bill Murray's 18-year reign as manager was coming to an end. The club was freely spending money, paying out £22,000 for Don Revie in addition to the £23,000 fee for Grainger, but were struggling near the bottom of the First Division. Sunderland spent the second half of the 1956–57 season in the bottom four and lost their final three matches, but avoided relegation as they ended the season one position and three points ahead of relegated Cardiff City. Sunderland were also charged by The Football Association with making illegal payments to players and chairman Bill Ditchburn was handed a lifetime ban from football whilst the club were fined £5,000 and Murray resigned his post.
Murray's successor as manager, Alan Brown, alienated senior players such as Billy Bingham, Don Revie and Len Shackleton, leaving Grainger to later comment that "Brown's presence had created discordance out of harmony, anxiety out of tranquillity" and "football felt like work and training felt like prison". Having been dropped to the reserves a month in the 1957–58 season, Grainger and goalkeeper Ray Daniel requested transfers. However he stayed on Wearside and despite beating Portsmouth on the last day of the season, Sunderland occupied the final relegation place after finishing level on points with Portsmouth but with an inferior goal average; it was the first relegation in Sunderland's history since they became founder members of the Football League in 1890 and was the last time Grainger would play in the top-flight.
Grainger scored the club's first goal in the Second Division on 23 August 1958, in a 3–1 defeat at Lincoln City. He broke his collarbone in a 1–0 win over Huddersfield Town, causing him to miss five matches at a crucial time when his form was good and he was being considered again for the England squad. He totalled three goals from 37 games in the 1958–59 campaign, finding that he gelled well with new signing Ernie Taylor.
He played 41 of the club's 42 league matches in the 1959–60 season, missing only a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion on 2 January, but Sunderland laboured to a 16th-place finish. Grainger become further disillusioned and handed in a transfer request after the board of directors rejected his request of a loan in order to invest in a newsagent's shop in South Shields. He refused to play any matches for Sunderland in the 1960–61 season, leaving him labelled as a "rebel footballer" in the press, whilst Stan Anderson, Ernie Taylor, Alan O'Neill and Reg Pearce also demanded interviews with the board of directors to voice their dissatisfaction in the running of the club.
### Leeds United
Grainger was sold to Leeds United for a club record fee of £15,000 in July 1960, a team that had just been relegated into the Second Division, and he was given an illegal signing-on fee. Manager Jack Taylor freed him of any defensive responsibilities, with left-back Grenville Hair fit and competent enough to not need any assistance from his outside-left. However Grainger was not able to take full advantage of this tactic as his right ankle had deteriorated to the point that it needed heavy strapping and he suffered a lack of speed and confidence as a result. He did though show promising form early into his brief time at Elland Road, scoring his first goal for the club in his fourth game, a 4–4 draw at Bristol Rovers, following up with his second goal five days later in a 4–2 win at Southampton. With the maximum wage abolished in January 1961, he signed a new contract of £20-a-week. Don Revie succeeded Jack Taylor as manager in March and Grainger was in the starting eleven for Revie's first game as manager, a 3–1 loss at Charlton Athletic. However he was dropped after suffering a knee injury and then worsened the injury in a reserve team game against Derby County. A surgeon discovered tissue damage underneath the kneecap and removed the cartilage, leaving Grainger to recover over the summer. He was still out of action at the start of the 1961–62 campaign, and with the club desperate for funds and Albert Johanneson performing well in his absence, Revie made Grainger available for transfer.
### Port Vale
Grainger signed with Third Division side Port Vale when manager Norman Low paid £6,000 for his services in October 1961. Second Division Preston North End were also willing to pay the £6,000 fee, but refused to pay a signing-on fee, whilst Port Vale offered Grainger wages of £30-a-week with bonuses and a £300 signing-on fee as they wanted to match Potteries derby rivals Stoke City's ambition in re-signing Stanley Matthews. His debut was described as a 'triumphant' one as he scored in a 4–1 win over Torquay United at Vale Park on 21 October. On 27 January, he helped his new team to a 0–0 draw at former club Sunderland in the FA Cup fourth round and before the match gave his teammates placebo pills in order to boost their confidence. Four days later they completed the giant-killing with a 3–1 win at home and Grainger later commented that it was his best performance either playing for or against Sunderland. The club failed to replicate this form in the league however and Grainger picked up a groin injury during one of coach Eric Jones's notoriously strenuous fitness sessions. He took a cortisone injection to get him through the fifth round defeat at Fulham on 17 February and then ruled himself out of action for the rest of the 1961–62 season; Vale went on to end the campaign in a disappointing 12th-position.
Low preferred Stan Edwards at outside-left at the start of the 1962–63 campaign, but Grainger was returned to the starting line-up for the third match of the season, and scored in a 2–0 win over Reading. A harshly cold winter known as the "Big Freeze" savaged the footballing season and Vale went from 22 December to 2 March without fulfilling a league fixture; however this aided Grainger as he was able to rest and heal his groin problem rather than rely on cortisone injections to mask the pain. He was however in conflict with new manager Freddie Steele, who told him the pain in his groin was just psychological. The Big Freeze's resulting fixture congestion was too much for Grainger to cope with and he again injured his groin in a 2–1 defeat to Barnsley on 29 March and could only feature in three of the club's final fifteen games as Vale went on to finish in third-place, four points shy of a promotion spot.
He started the opening game of the 1963–64 season, a 1–0 defeat at Shrewsbury Town, but then missed the next seven months due to his groin injury, and Ron Smith was signed as a long-term replacement on the left-wing. Grainger played two games in March and then again returned to reserve team football. He was not offered a new contract in the summer.
### Doncaster Rovers
Grainger signed with Doncaster Rovers on 7 August 1964, having been signed by outgoing manager Oscar Hold on £30-a-week wages and a £1,000 signing-on fee. Whilst training with Barnsley over the summer, chairman Joe Richards had offered to match Doncaster's contract offer, but Grainger declined as he already had a verbal agreement with Doncaster. New player-manager Bill Leivers gave debuts to Grainger and five other new signings on the opening day of the 1964–65 season, a 5–2 defeat away at Bradford (Park Avenue). However their form soon improved and Grainger was able to manage his groin injury well enough to make 41 appearances throughout the campaign. This was despite his reputation as a former England international bringing him rough treatment from opposition defenders, so much so that he reacted to Brighton & Hove Albion winger Wally Gould's late tackles by punching Gould in the face, earning himself a red card and 21 day suspension. He then lost his first-team place at Belle Vue and featured just six times during the 1965–66 season, but turned down an offer from Football League chairman Alan Hardaker to represent Irish club Drumcondra in the European Cup. Grainger played an official game in the Football League for the final time on 15 October, away at Tranmere Rovers, but did start in another game seven days later that was abandoned because of fog. He was made available for transfer in December. Doncaster won the Fourth Division title, though Grainger was not eligible for a medal as he had only played five league games of the 1965–66 season and he was not retained in the summer.
### Later career
Grainger was offered a contract by Yorkshire League club Bridlington Town, Wellington Town of the Cheshire County League, and Southern League side Poole Town. However he instead chose to sign with Cheshire County League side Macclesfield Town after agreeing a contract of £17-a-week and £300 signing-on fee from manager Albert Leake. However he played just four matches at Moss Rose before asking to be released in October in order to focus on his singing career. After retiring from football in 1966, he became a sales representative and later an area manager in Yorkshire. He did however go on to serve non-League Newmillerdam as player-manager from 1969 to 1972 and went on play for Woolley Miners Welfare in the Yorkshire League from 1972 to 1978, helping the club to win promotion from Division 2 in the 1972–73 campaign and featuring in both the FA Trophy and FA Vase competitions.
In 1978, Grainger accepted an offer from Billy Bingham to scout for Mansfield Town in the North East and recommended Chris Waddle to the club, though they did not act on his recommendation. He later scouted for Allan Clarke at Barnsley and Leeds United, for Mick Buxton at Huddersfield Town and for Neil Warnock at Oldham Athletic, Bury and Sheffield United.
## International career
On 25 April 1956, Grainger was selected for a Football League representative match against the Irish League in Belfast, which ended in a 5–2 defeat. He earned his first England cap on 9 May 1956 in a friendly with Brazil at Wembley Stadium. He scored within the opening minutes with his first touch of the ball and in the 83rd-minute headed in England's fourth. Of his debut against Brazil, Grainger said: "When you think of the talent in that England team, with Duncan Edwards, Billy Wright and Stanley Matthews, you delight in what might have been. We will never know how good the team could have been because Munich cheated us. But in 1956, we scored four against Brazil at Wembley and we even missed two penalties. That was how superior we were that day. Two years later, Brazil won the World Cup." He picked up two further caps in a tour of Scandinavia, in a 0–0 draw with Sweden and 5–2 victory in Finland. It was during this tour that his reputation as a singer became established after Nat Lofthouse asked him to sing at a bar attended by football journalists. The tour ended in a trip to Berlin to face West Germany on 26 May, the World Cup champions of 1954, a game England won 3–1 and that won Grainger praise from the British and German press, with England manager Walter Winterbottom effusing that "I was extremely pleased with Colin Grainger".
Grainger was selected for the British Home Championship match in Belfast against Northern Ireland on 6 October 1956 and forced goalkeeper Harry Gregg into some excellent saves to keep the game as a 1–1 draw. He was again selected for The Football League XI v Irish League match on 31 October despite suffering from a toe injury, scoring in what ended as a 3–2 victory at St James' Park. He won a sixth England cap in a 3–1 victory over Wales on 14 November, but was forced to leave the game early with a twisted ankle after stretching to receive a pass from Johnny Haynes. His seventh and final cap for England came against Scotland at Wembley on 6 April 1957, the final game of the 1956–57 British Home Championship, which ended in a 2–1 victory to secure the title for England. He provided the cross for Derek Kevan to score England's first goal of the game but otherwise felt he performed poorly and was never selected again. He never fully recovered to the standard he was at before his ankle injury, and the outside-left spot at the 1958 FIFA World Cup was taken by Alan A'Court.
## Musical career
Grainger signed a contract with talent agent Len Young in 1956. His first gig was as a support act to American group the Hilltoppers in Sheffield, for which he was paid £50, singing three songs from the back catalogues of Al Jolson, Nat King Cole and Billy Eckstine. Due to his footballing career he was forced to turn down the offer to join the Hilltoppers on a financially lucrative tour of the US. His performance earned him a television appearance on ITV and a regular column in the Sport Express that was written by Brian Glanville. In summer 1957 he toured England and received vocal training from talent agent Joe Collins, father of actress Joan Collins. He then performed with Jack Hylton and his orchestra on ITV's After Hours show, presented by Hughie Green, and also did a television show for the BBC with Winifred Atwell, Eric Robinson and Matt Monro. He went on to be signed to the HMV label, releasing "This I Know"/"Are You" as a single in 1958.
In February 1958, he signed a contract with MCA on £250-a-week for the summer. He was offered the opportunity of touring Australia with comedian Nat Jackley in summer 1960, but turned it down as it would interfere with his pre-season training for football. On 13 June 1963, he shared a bill with the Beatles in Stockport, who received the same £50 fee as Grainger after having agreed to the gig some months earlier before their recent chart success with "Please Please Me" and "From Me to You". He gave his final performance in Leeds in August 1970 when he retired from performing in order to focus on his career in sales.
During his time as a footballer he was known as 'the singing winger' due to his vocal talent and the fact that he performed at pubs and clubs. Of his singing career, Grainger said: "I was far more nervous before a gig than before a match. In football, you're one man of 11, but in singing, you're one man of one." Entertainment magazine The Stage described him as "a very pleasing vocalist, notable for a small style and ability to sustain long notes".
## Later life
He became a widower and moved into a care home in Kirklees in March 2020, which led to the local council leader stating that "I was amazed when I heard that we have such a footballing legend who is in our care". He died on 19 June 2022, aged 89.
## Career statistics
### Club
### International
## Honours
England
- British Home Championship: 1956–57
Woolley Miners Welfare
- Yorkshire League Division 2 promotion: 1972–73 |
33,126,545 | The Litigators | 1,153,381,731 | Novel by John Grisham | [
"2011 American novels",
"American thriller novels",
"Doubleday (publisher) books",
"Hodder & Stoughton books",
"Legal thriller novels",
"Novels by John Grisham",
"Novels set in Chicago",
"Novels set in courtrooms"
] | The Litigators is a 2011 legal thriller novel by John Grisham, his 25th fiction novel overall. The Litigators is about a two-partner Chicago law firm attempting to strike it rich in a class action lawsuit over a cholesterol reduction drug by a major pharmaceutical drug company. The protagonist is a Harvard Law School grad big law firm burnout who stumbles upon the boutique and joins it only to find himself litigating against his old law firm in this case. The book is regarded as more humorous than most of Grisham's prior novels.
The theme of a young lawyer being fed up with a giant law firm and bolting away to a less lucrative but more satisfying career is shared with The Associate. The theme of a lawsuit against a giant corporation appeared in The Runaway Jury, but in the present book, the corporation is vindicated and proven to have been unjustly maligned (at least on the specific drug which is the subject of the lawsuit) and the mass tort lawyers are seen as greedy and unscrupulous, ultimately bolting and leaving the protagonist's tiny Chicago firm in the lurch.
Critical reviews were mixed for the book, with several opinions noting a lack of suspense. Nonetheless, the book has achieved both hardcover and ebook \#1 best seller status on various lists, including both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. However, since some services do not separate fiction and non-fiction books, it did not debut as a \#1 bestseller on certain lists, such as the USA Today. Some reviewers noted that this story would lend itself to an adapted screenplay.
## Background
Having sold 250 million copies of his previous 24 novels in 29 languages, Grisham had produced an international bestseller with each prior book. Including the release of The Litigators, Grisham has produced 23 adult fiction novels and 2 children's fiction novels as well as a short story collection. In addition, he has produced one non-fiction book.
In the first of a two-part interview with The Wall Street Journal, Grisham claimed that although he usually attempts to include humor in his submitted drafts, it is usually removed during the editorial process. However, in this case much of the humor survived editing. In the second part of the interview the following week, Grisham noted that his inspirations for the book included television advertisements and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
## Plot
Oscar Finley and Wally Figg are ambulance chasers at a small law firm in the South Side of Chicago. Their constant bickering is often mediated by Rochelle, their highly competent African-American secretary. Meanwhile, David Zinc, a Harvard Law School graduate, is completely fed up with the grinding and dehumanizing – though well-paid – life of an associate in the high-powered law firm of Rogan Rothberg. David suddenly breaks away, goes on a drinking binge and by chance finds himself at the Finley & Figg office, where he willingly relegates himself to working for the two disreputable street lawyers.
Wally gets involved in a new scheme, finding claimants for a federal class action lawsuit against Krayoxx, a cholesterol-lowering drug developed by the fictional pharmaceutical company Varrick Labs. Users across the country, both dead and alive, appear to have developed toxic reactions to the drug. Though the firm is out of its depth, Wally gains the assurance of a South Florida lawyer, Jerry Alisandros, that Alisandros will handle the case and reach an out-of-court settlement, and everybody will get rich. However, complications that no one anticipated arise, including Varrick's hiring of Nadine Karros, Rogan Rothberg's ace litigator who never loses a case, and the growing evidence that there is nothing fundamentally wrong with Krayoxx. The drug works as advertised, has no ill effects, and is unjustly maligned. Varrick pushes to have the case tried in the jurisdiction of Chicago federal judge Harry Seawright, with whom Rogan Rothberg has ties. The case is expedited on Seawright's docket, with Finley & Figg's claim singled out of the tort claimants. Alisandros pulls out as co-counsel, leaving Finley & Figg to litigate the case themselves. The resulting trial brings the firm's usual cast of shady witnesses to the stand in a desperate attempt to get through the trial and avoid being sued for legal malpractice and saddled with frivolous lawsuit sanctions.
In a subsidiary plot, David Zinc stumbles on a lead poisoning brain damage case involving the child of Burmese immigrants. His efforts to identify the American company which imported the child's toxic toys from China, and reach a settlement with the importer, help him survive the demise of Finley & Figg and open his own successful law firm with Rochelle as his legal secretary.
## Publication
Leading book retailers such as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart released the book in hardcover format in the United States as a Doubleday publication on October 25, 2011. In the United Kingdom, the book was published with different cover art by Hodder & Stoughton on the same date. Random House published the paperback version on June 26, 2012.
The book is also available as an audiobook, narrated by Dennis Boutsikaris, and in ebook format. Other formats available on October 25, included large-print, compact disc and abridged compact disc. A limited edition will be available on November 22, 2011. An excerpt from the book was included in some editions including the iTunes Store edition of The Confession, which was his prior adult novel.
## Critical review
The Litigators is said to be "an amusing and appalling look into the machinations of a nationwide class-action suit," according to Tobin Harshaw of Bloomberg L.P. The Wall Street Journal'''s Christopher John Farley noted that the book is lighter than Grisham's other works. Publishers Weekly called it a "bitingly farcical look at lawyers at the bottom of the food chain". CNN described the book as an original perspective of "the best and worst the American system of justice has to offer". Louis Bayard of The Washington Post, who described himself as someone who abandoned Grisham after his first three novels, noted that this book might be a good starting point for those who have tired of Grisham. Andrea Simakis of The Plain Dealer describes the book as a "heartier meal" than Grisham's usual "potato-chip fiction". Publishers Weekly also notes that the fairy tale ending is not really in keeping with the introduction's dark humor. Rick Arthur of The United Arab Emirates publication The National describes the book unfavorably as a cross between prior Grisham works The Street Lawyer and The King of Torts and similarly describes the protagonist unfavorably to those of The Firm and The Rainmaker.
The book has been derided for its lack of suspense. Carol Memmott of USA Today says that Grisham's latest attempt to capture the spirit of the legal David and Goliath story is missing "the ratcheting-up of suspense" that he has employed successfully in recent adult and youth novels. Harshaw claims that the book is lacking in the suspense that made The Firm so successful. Arthur finds elements of the plot implausible and the story unsuspenseful as well as unsatisfying. Although the book is somewhat predictable, Bayard notes that "Grisham swerves clear of the usual melodramatic devices. Corporations aren’t intrinsically venal; plaintiffs aren’t lambent with goodness. And best of all, no one is murdered for stumbling Too Close to the Truth."
Some sources noted that the book has potential to become an adapted screenplay. Irish Independent describes Grisham's new book as "following his usual route to the bestsellers list" and projects it as a candidate to be his next Hollywood film. Although it is standard Grisham fare, Independent noted that it provides the usual thrills in Grisham's comfortable legal world and should be a gripping read for his usual fans. The Sunday Express noted that the book could be readily converted to a screenplay, but its critic, Robin Callender Smith, viewed the "ambulance chasing" ethos as a foreign thing that Brits might have to worry about in the near future.
Simakis praised the book for having more depth of character than Grisham's novels customarily do. She compares the protagonist to Mitch McDeere from The Firm and Rudy Baylor from The Rainmaker. Memmott says that most of the claimants that they find are unsympathetic, but a few are from somewhat sympathetic immigrant families. Simakis notes that Wally trades sex for legal services with one claimant. Harshaw says that the book is a bit sentimental and comparatively lacking in terms of secondary character development for Grisham. Larry Orenstein of Canada's The Globe and Mail notes that on the dramatic scale this book has instances of laugh out loud humor that make it more like Boston Legal than The Practice, which Boston Legal was spun off from.
## Commercial success
According to The Huffington Post, this book is the ninth best-selling fiction book of the year in 2011, while according to the USA Today this was the 16th best selling book overall in 2011. According to Amazon.com the book was the number eight overall best seller.
### Hardcover
It immediately was listed as the Publishers Weekly \#1 best-seller among fiction hardcover books according to Reuters. It was also listed as the \#1 best-seller by The New York Times in the November 13, 2011 book review section for the week ending October 29, 2011 for Hardcover Fiction, E-Book Fiction, Combined Hardcover & Paperback Fiction, and the Combined Print and E-Book Fiction. It dropped from the \#1 position in its second week on the list. It remained on the Combined Hardcover & Paperback Fiction list until the February 19, 2012 list (15 weeks) for the week ending February 4. It remained on both the Hardcover Fiction list and the Combined Print and E-Book Fiction list until the February 26 list (16 weeks) for the week ending February 11. It remained on the E-Book Fiction list until the March 11 list (18 weeks) for the week ending February 25.
The Wall Street Journal announced that on Saturday October 29, it would begin incorporating digital book sales in its best seller lists. When the book debuted in The Wall Street Journal list on November 5 for the week ending October 30, it was listed first in Hardcover Fiction, Fiction E-Books and Fiction Combined. It retained the hardcover lead the following week, but lost the other leads. After two weeks it was surpassed on the hardcover list as well. It remained on The Wall Street Journal Hardcover Fiction, Fiction E-Books and Fiction Combined best seller lists until the January 7 listing for the week ended on January 1, 2012.
The book was released the day after Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, entitled Steve Jobs, was released by Simon & Schuster. Jobs had died on October 5 and the release date was moved forward. The Jobs book's release had been moved forward twice; It had been moved from spring 2012 to November 21 after Jobs stepped down and then to the October 24 date after his death. When The Litigators debuted on November 3 on the USA Today best-seller list, which does not separate fiction and non-fiction, it debuted at number 2 behind the Jobs book.
### Paperback
It debuted at \#1 on the New York Times Paperback Mass-Market Fiction Best Sellers list on July 15, 2012 (reflecting sales for the week ending June 30, 2012). The book remained at \#1 until the August 12 list (reflecting sales of the week ending July 28, 2012), making a five-week run. It continued to appear on the list until the January 13, 2013 list (reflecting sales for the week ending December 29, 2012). On the USA Today'' list, which include fiction and non-fiction as well as hardcover and paperback, it debuted at \#10 in the week of July 5, following its paperback release. |
24,084,810 | Construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System | 1,147,429,375 | null | [
"1970s in the environment",
"1975 in Alaska",
"1976 in Alaska",
"1977 establishments in the United States",
"1977 in Alaska",
"Construction in the United States",
"Energy infrastructure completed in 1977",
"History of Alaska",
"Trans-Alaska Pipeline System"
] | The construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System included over 800 miles (1,300 km) of oil pipeline, 12 pump stations, and a new tanker port. Built largely on permafrost during 1975–77 between Prudhoe Bay and Valdez, Alaska, the \$8 billion effort required tens of thousands of people, often working in extreme temperatures and conditions, the invention of specialized construction techniques, and the construction of a new road, the Dalton Highway.
The first section of pipe was laid in 1975 after more than five years of legal and political arguments. Allegations of faulty welds drew intense scrutiny from local and national observers. A culture grew around the unique working conditions involved in constructing the pipeline, and each union that worked on the project had a different function and stereotype. Thirty-two Alyeska Pipeline Service Company employees and contract workers were killed during the project. The main construction effort lasted until 1977; the first barrel of oil was delivered on July 28 of that year. Several more pump stations, added as oil flow increased, were completed through 1980.
## Survey and design
Intensive geological sampling and survey work of the pipeline route started in spring 1970. Aerial photographs were taken, examined, and a preliminary route was detailed. Small survey parties physically visited the route and hammered stakes into the ground. The work was difficult; animal dangers forced the crews to be armed, and they also had to cope with the remote area and limited infrastructure. In places, the foliage was so dense that trees had to be cut down and progress was limited to 20,000 feet (6.1 km) per day. The surveyed route passed through several mountain passes: Atigun Pass, Isabel Pass, Thompson Pass, and Keystone Canyon. In the latter location, surveyors had to rappel down cliffs in order to perform their work.
Surveyors and planners also had to deal with the Denali Fault, a major cause of earthquakes, and with large amounts of permafrost. In 1969, the unincorporated Trans-Alaska Pipeline System group drilled a series of core samples north of the Brooks Range that demonstrated how ubiquitous the permafrost was along the route. This forced the design of an elevated pipeline, which was tested in a 1,000 feet (300 m) loop built near Barrow. This elevation required the pipeline to be insulated, since extreme cold temperatures caused the metal to become brittle, even when hot oil was being pumped through the pipeline.
After ecological objections forced subterranean pipeline crossings (in order to allow caribou to cross), engineers developed a system by which the ground near the pipeline would be refrigerated by chilled brine. These refrigerated sections also would be placed in Styrofoam-lined trenches and covered with gravel for their insulation value. Altogether, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of the pipeline was designed to be built underground in this way. In other places, a lack of permafrost meant it could simply be placed underground without a special refrigeration plant. Large amounts of gravel were needed for all sections of the pipeline as insulation to keep the heat of above-ground structures from melting the permafrost. Gravel also was needed to build the construction and maintenance road, and surveyors located 470 sites across Alaska where the needed 65,000,000 cubic yards (50,000,000 m<sup>3</sup>) of rock could be located.
The Pipeline Authorization Act required the pipeline to be able to withstand the maximum earthquake ever recorded in the area it was built. When crossing the Denali Fault, Teflon-coated sliders were designed to allow the pipeline to move side-to-side in an earthquake. To protect against forward-and-backward shocks and to allow for thermal expansion, the pipeline wasn't designed as a straight line. Instead, it was intended to be laid in an S-shape, and the bends would allow for expansion and movement without breaking.
Because most of the pipeline was built above permafrost, each of the pipes holding up the raised sections of pipeline contained a sealed tube of ammonia. As the permafrost below the pipeline warms, the ammonia absorbs the heat and rises to a radiator on top of each stanchion. The ammonia is cooled by the outside air, condenses, and falls back to the bottom of the tube, where the process repeats.
The surveyed route crossed hundreds of streams and rivers. To cross these with the pipeline, engineers designed concrete "jackets" to surround the pipe and weight it down so it would sink to the bottom of the stream or river. Because oil is lighter than water, the pipeline would float without the concrete jackets. Dredging rivers and burying the pipeline in the streambed was not allowed due to environmental concerns. In several places—either out of fear of disturbing the river or because of the river's characteristics—pipeline bridges were constructed. The most notable of these are over the Yukon River and the Tanana River. To protect against corrosion in these wet environments, the pipeline was designed with cathodic protection.
In terms of spill prevention, the pipeline was designed with one-way valves (so oil moving ahead could not leak out of a hole behind a certain point), computer-aided leak detection, and other features. The pipeline was designed to be pressurized, so any leak would be instantly detected by a loss of pressure at one of the pump stations, which could sound an alarm and halt the flow of oil quickly.
The original pipeline proposal called for an initial capacity of 0.6 million barrels per day (95,000 m<sup>3</sup>/d), then an increase to 1.2 million barrels per day (190,000 m<sup>3</sup>/d) after two years, and then a further increase to 2 million barrels per day (320,000 m<sup>3</sup>/d) at an indeterminate time thereafter. The events of the 1973 oil crisis caused a review of these plans, and the initial capacity was revised upwards to 1.2 million barrels per day (190,000 m<sup>3</sup>/d). This in turn required that eight pumping stations (instead of the originally-planned five) be ready at startup, greatly increasing the construction manpower required.
### Valdez Marine Terminal
The Valdez Marine Terminal, the southern end of the pipeline, was planned for a site across the Port Valdez fjord from Valdez proper. Initial studies predicted bedrock would be six feet below the surface of the ground, but when excavation began, it was discovered that bedrock was actually sixty feet down, requiring the removal of 15,000,000 cubic yards (11,000,000 m<sup>3</sup>) of overburden. The terminal itself was designed to be built with four tanker berths and space for a fifth, should it become necessary. Holding tanks were planned that had a capacity equal to that of the pipeline, allowing the whole pipeline to be emptied if required. As required by the Pipeline Authorization Act, a ballast-water filtration system had to be designed as well. This system removes oil from tankers' ballast water so it is not released into Prince William Sound—something fishermen feared when the pipeline was proposed.
## Preparation
Shortly after the permit was signed, convoys of equipment on snow tractors began heading north, using hardened snow roads and an ice bridge over the Yukon River to reach the seven construction camps that had been dormant since 1970. In the 83 days from mid-January to the time the snow and ice melted in mid-April, 680 workers moved 34,000 short tons (31,000,000 kg) to the seven camps, and built five more camps and five temporary airstrips.
In February, as the ice bridge and snow road were carrying tracked vehicles north, Alyeska awarded a contract to design the construction and maintenance road, Michael Baker, Jr., Inc., a firm in Pennsylvania, was awarded the contract. For the road and pipeline to cross the Yukon River, the state of Alaska designed the E. L. Patton Yukon River Bridge and paid two-thirds of its cost. The remaining third was paid by Alyeska, and the bridge was built by Manson-Osberg-Ghemm. On April 5, the contracts to build the road were picked. In total, the new Dalton Highway cost \$185 million to build, and four companies shared that cost. Construction of the Dalton Highway started on April 29, and at the peak of the effort, Alyeska and the four subcontractors had more than 3,400 workers deployed from the Yukon River to Prudhoe Bay. A massive airlift was created to supply the road construction effort; more than 700 flights per day—170,000 in total—were required before the road was finished on September 29. In just 154 days, a 360-mile gravel road had been built. Final grading had to be done and more than 20 small permanent bridges had to be built, but by November, the road was open to traffic crossing the Yukon River on another ice bridge.
### Management
To supervise the construction of the pipeline, Alyeska appointed two construction management contractors to oversee all the other subcontractors in the project. Bechtel Corporation, from San Francisco, was named the management contractor for the pipeline itself. Fluor Alaska Inc., a division of Fluor Corp., was named the management contractor for the pumping stations and Valdez Marine Terminal, which was the most complex single section of the pipeline, since it involved the transfer of oil from the pipeline to seagoing oil tankers.
Neither of those two companies actually did the construction work. That job was handed off to a series of subcontractors, each of whom had responsibility on one (or two) of six sections of the pipeline (seven, if the marine terminal is included). Bidding on the subcontracting jobs opened at the end of March, and the contracts were announced on June 12, 1974.
On Section One, which ran 153 miles (246 km) from Valdez to the Sourdough pipeline camp, River Construction Corporation, a division of Morrison–Knudsen, was given the contract. For Section Two, which covered 149 miles (240 km) from Sourdough to north of Delta Junction, Perini Arctic Associates, a joint venture of Perini Corporation, Majestic Construction, Wiley Oilfield Hauling Ltd., and McKinney Drilling Company. Section Three covered 144 miles (232 km) from Delta Junction, past Fairbanks, and almost to the Yukon. The contract for this section was given to H.C. Price, a group formed by H.C. Price Company (usually known as PPCO), R.B. Potashnick, Codell Construction Company, and Oman Construction Company.
Section Four was 143 miles (230 km) from south of the Yukon to Coldfoot. It was contracted to Associated-Green, a group formed by Associated Pipeline Contractors, Inc. and Green Construction Company. The group also was one of the main contractors for construction of the Dalton Highway. Section Five covered the distance from Coldfoot to Toolik pipeline camp, and Section Six went from Toolik to Prudhoe Bay. Together, the two sections covered 210 miles (340 km), and they both were under the supervision of Arctic Constructors, a venture of Brown & Root Inc., Ingram Corporation, Peter Kiewit Sons Inc., Williams Brothers Alaska, Inc., and H.B. Zachry Company.
In Valdez, where Fluor had supervision, the work also was divided among several contractors. Site preparation work was done by Morrison-Knudsen. Chicago Bridge & Iron Company built the tank farms, the tanker berths were built by Kiewest (a venture of Peter Kiewit Sons and Willamette-Western Corporation), and General Electric insulated the pipes. Fluor also had supervision of the construction of the pumping stations, which were generally built by the contractors working on a specific section of the pipeline.
### Pipeline camps
When the contracts were announced, Alyeska already had 12 pipeline construction camps either built or under construction. These camps were all north of the Yukon, however, and camps had to be built along the entire length of the project. Alyeska planned for 29 construction camps, but 31 were created. Seven were built along the pipeline south of the Yukon, and one was built at each of the 12 pump stations along the length of the route.
The camps were built on thick beds of gravel laid down to insulate the underlying permafrost and to prevent pollution. At the conclusion of the construction project, the gravel was removed, theoretically removing oil leaks and other pollution with it. Atop the gravel were prefabricated modular buildings either flown to the site or trucked across the Dalton Highway. The standardized structures could house 28 people, and two typically were bolted together to create two "wings". All were one-story, except at Valdez and at the pump station camps, where modules were laid atop one another because of space concerns. In addition to the gravel insulation, both buildings and utility conduits were raised above the ground to avoid heating permafrost.
The camps housed from 250 people (at each pump station) to 3,500 people (at Valdez). A typical pump station camp cost \$6 million to build, while the typical mainline camps cost about \$10 million to build. The camps had beds for 16,500 workers and were collectively referred to as "Skinny City" by workers. The name came from the fact that the "city" was 800 miles (1,300 km) long, but only a few hundred feet wide.
Overall construction headquarters was at Fort Wainwright near Fairbanks, where Alyeska leased land and buildings from the U.S. Army. Vacant barracks were converted into housing, and vacant offices were given to oil workers. As air traffic increased, Alyeska arranged for the use of Fort Wainwright's airfield to relieve the burden on Fairbanks International Airport. The camp at Wainwright was the only one that did not use prefabricated buildings.
## Workers
The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System was built entirely with unionized labor. Because construction was slumping in the United States at large, the pipeline drew workers from across the country. These workers had to follow a strict hiring process based on union seniority and the labor that was needed. Priority was given to hiring Alaska residents and Alaska Natives, as well as females, who were considered a minority, and no strikes were permitted by a labor agreement between Alyeska and the unions. In exchange for abiding by these restrictions, workers were paid extremely well and received fringe benefits. According to the labor contract, every worker was guaranteed 40 hours' pay per week, even if weather made work impossible. In addition, subcontractors had cost-plus contracts with Alyeska for staffing, so there was no incentive to keep staffing levels low. These factors often led to more people being assigned to a job than there was work to do in an attempt to make up time lost to weather delays. At the peak of construction in fall 1975, more than 28,000 people were working on the pipeline. Fourteen to 19 percent of the workers were minorities, and 5 to 10 percent were women. Because of the high turnover on the project, more than 70,000 people worked on at least a part of the pipeline.
### Welders
The welders who worked on the pipeline itself came from Pipeliners Local 798 out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which specialize in providing welders for large-scale pipeline projects. Members of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing, Pipefitting and Sprinkler Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada performed all welding that was not a part of the pipeline itself, including pump stations, feeder pipelines, and work at the Valdez Marine Terminal. The welders were the highest paid of all the workers on the pipeline, with a normal rate of \$18.25 per hour. To be hired on the pipeline project, welders had to go through an intensive certification process that involved a series of test welds. If a welder failed any of the test welds, he was not hired and was not allowed to try again for several weeks.
Most 798ers were characterized by a Southern accent, cowboy boots, and unique welder's hats. They were the only people to weld the 48-inch (120 cm) pipe of the main pipeline, and outside observers characterized them as arrogant and "redneck". An example of their attitude was how they dealt with the situation regarding lunch, in late 1975. Alyeska had said they would provide hot lunches wherever possible, and in reality this ended up being whoever was working closest to the camps, while those working further away carried bagged lunches to their worksite. After complaints of how this was unfair (since certain unions were far more favored than others by this policy), Alyeska decided that no one would get hot lunches. But then the welders from 798 starting cooking their own lunches (against camp rules) using steaks taken from the kitchen freezers on makeshift grills whose burners were their acetylene torches. As a fellow welder stated at the time, "Take your typical 798 pipeline welder and feed him a few drinks, and he'll probably tell you that he's God's greatest gift to welding." This attitude generated resentment from other pipeline workers, and the conflict caused large-scale brawls. In some instances, Alaska State Troopers had to be flown to pipeline camps in order to break up small riots. Toward the end of the pipeline project, a series of bumper stickers was produced with the slogan "Happiness is 10,000 Okies going south with a Texan under each arm".
### Teamsters
The Teamsters Union was by far the largest and most notable contributor of workers to the pipeline project. Teamsters worked in the transportation and supply aspects of the project. All trucks were driven by Teamsters, supply warehouses were run by Teamsters, and the buses that transported workers from camps to job sites were run by Teamsters. Teamsters Local 959, with more than 23,000 employees at its peak, was by far the most dominant labor force on the pipeline project. There were frequent allegations of corruption by Teamsters on the project, and the Anchorage Daily News won a Pulitzer Prize for a 15-part series on the rise of Local 959 and its influence on state politics. Repeated allegations of links to organized crime were never backed up by evidence, but two Teamsters leaders were murdered in 1976 while investigating drug activity on the pipeline project. Teamsters workers strongly denied any involvement with organized crime, and pointed to the fact that 80 percent of the Teamsters in the project had college degrees or professional and management experience.
The Teamsters' control of tools and equipment in warehouses they ran led to conflicts with other workers. In a few instances, Teamsters were assaulted by workers from other unions. In other instances, the Teamsters used their position to extract concessions from Alyeska and the subcontractors. Although they were forbidden from striking, they were allowed to halt work for safety meetings, and this excuse was used on a handful of occasions. The most notable of these was in February 1975, after a series of serious truck accidents on the Elliott Highway, which connected to the newly built Dalton. The Elliott, which had not been upgraded, was a treacherous drive for trucks hauling 80 feet (24 m) of pipe. After his attempts to get Alyeska to upgrade the road were rebuffed, Teamster leader Jesse Carr stopped all truck traffic in the state for four days of safety meetings. Alyeska and the state promised upgrades to the road, and the traffic resumed.
### Operators
The International Union of Operating Engineers (called Operators for short) represented the men and women who sat at the controls of the heavy equipment used on the construction of the pipeline. This equipment included bulldozers, cranes, drilling rigs, and sidebooms—a cross between a bulldozer and a crane that could lay a section of pipe in a trench parallel to its tracks. Because most of the heavy equipment was unheated, six operators were typically assigned to each piece of equipment, allowing for frequent breaks. A popular joke on the pipeline was that the sole qualification to be an Operator was, "Must be able to sit on a sideboom at 40 below and not freeze up." More seriously, one laborer wrote, was that there was nothing more terrifying than to be in a trench and have a drunken or unskilled Operator handling the pipe that was being laid in the trench.
### Laborers
The Laborers International Union represented the bulk of the less-skilled labor on the project. Laborers, as they were commonly known, did most of the odd jobs on the project: digging trenches in areas inaccessible by heavy equipment, drilling holes for the pipeline's Vertical Support Members, spreading gravel, crushing rock, and moving supplies by hand. Laborers Local 942 out of Fairbanks was the most prominent Laborers group on the project, and because no special skills were required for the jobs it filled, the Laborers Union attracted most of the people who came to Alaska specifically for the pipeline project. As one Laborer put it, they were people "simply looking for the easiest way possible of getting through the day."
Because the Laborers had more applicants than jobs available, the process for getting a job on the pipeline through Laborers Local 942 was a multi-tiered process. There were multiple levels of eligibility, based on the amount of seniority a person had. A-level members had the first pick of jobs, but they had to have worked at least 800 hours with the union in the previous year. B-level members had to have worked between 100 and 800 hours with the union. C-level members had to have at least two years of experience outside of Alaska or be an Alaska resident for at least one year. D-level was for everyone else, and D-level people rarely got jobs. That didn't stop people from trying. At 11 a.m. on January 1, 1974, shortly before the pipeline right-of-way was signed, more than 100 people spent the night outside the Fairbanks office of the Laborers Union, waiting for the first choice of jobs when the office opened.
### Pipeline life
Life during the pipeline construction project was characterized by long hours, poor conditions, and limited entertainment compensated by excellent benefits and pay. Each worker was handed a small booklet of 23 camp rules, but the rules (including no alcohol or smoking) were frequently broken and became the target of ribald humor.
Within the living quarters, the atmosphere resembled that of a college dormitory. Housekeeping and laundry services were provided, but the quarters were small and little entertainment was available. Television broadcasts were delayed two days because of the need to fly tapes from California, and most workers had to develop their own forms of entertainment. In the winter, some took to skiing or sightseeing; in the summer, some went hiking. In general, however, little time was available for recreation because of the long hours worked by most people.
In the first years of the project, workers were regularly treated to prime rib, steak dinners, and other exotic fare due to a cost-plus contract between the food preparers and the subcontractors. In later years, these cost-plus contracts were replaced, and institutional cooking and box lunches became common, but the food on the project was still prized by many workers. As soon as the haul road, later named the Dalton Highway, was built, the food and the overtime for some unions changed. The highway construction was charged to the federal and state governments and was supposed to be cost plus. There were no more steak nights one to two times a week and the Australian rock lobster tails disappeared. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) LU 1547 was one union that had overtime on Sundays changed from double time to time-and-one-half upon completion of the haul road.
In 1976, workers' pay averaged between \$11 and \$18 per hour, depending on the position. With workweeks averaging between 70 and 84 hours per week, the problem for many workers became what to do with so much extra money. Teamster Jerry Thornhill, a typical worker, wrote to Money magazine, asking for advice. Thornhill detailed a pay rate of \$57,000 per year at a time when members of Congress earned \$42,500 annually, professional football players averaged \$40,000, and U.S. vice president Nelson Rockefeller earned \$62,500. The large amounts of money in the pipeline camps and a lack of entertainment caused frequent gambling games that sometimes involved tens of thousands of dollars. Instead of gambling, other workers saved their money for monthlong vacations to Hawaii or other warm climates, then returned to work with no money remaining.
## Laying pipe
The first section of the Trans-Alaska pipeline was laid on March 27, 1975, in the Tonsina River. Several forty-foot sections of pipe were welded together and coated in concrete prior to the ceremony. Twelve sidebooms (bulldozers with side-mounted cranes) together lifted 1,900 feet (580 m) of pipe, which was laid in a trench dug perpendicular to the riverbed. Bulldozers filled in the exposed trench with gravel, restoring the river's original contours. This process was repeated a few miles south, where the pipeline crossed the Little Tonsina River. By the end of April, the first 1,800 feet (550 m) of elevated pipeline also was built in the same area.
In 1975, the first year of pipelaying, Alyeska set a goal of completing 45 percent of the 800-mile route. This would not be laid in a straight line, since it was expected that river crossings would take longer to complete than portions of the pipeline on dry land. Work on the pumping stations and the Valdez Marine Terminal, which had begun in the fall of 1974, also was expected to take longer than laying pipe. Conversely, work on those two projects could proceed during the winter, when pipelaying could not take place due to the frozen ground.
Laying pipe took several stages. First, the right of way had to be cleared with chainsaws, bulldozers, and scrapers who followed the rough route laid out by the initial surveyors. These crews were followed by another group of surveyors and engineers who determined whether the pipeline could be laid in the planned spot, or if it had to be moved because of permafrost, soft ground, or other considerations. State and federal surveillance officers, working with the engineers, could give the OK to move the path of the pipeline as much as 200 feet to the right or left in order to avoid obstacles.
After the path was finalized came the augers and drillers for the holes that served as foundations for the Vertical Support Members that held up the pipe. These holes were drilled and filled with a mix of water, gravel and dirt before a VSM was dropped into each hole. Because of the frozen ground, the gravel and dirt froze as hard as concrete, sealing the VSMs in place. The VSMs were laid in parallel, two at a time, and each had a semicircular rest for the pipeline segments. These were carried in 40-foot or 80-foot segments by crane or sideboom to the appropriate location, lowered into place, then welded together. The welds were then inspected via X-ray by quality control engineers who followed the welders.
The construction progressed under the management of Frank Moolin Jr., an engineer who had worked on refinery projects in Singapore and the construction of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system prior to being named senior project manager. Moolin became known for his work ethic and his hard-driving style. It was said that he was the first person in the office and the last to leave at the end of the day. The Engineering News-Record reported "He demands total dedication, saying, 'Your wife had a baby; so what?'" when it named him the construction industry's Man of the Year in 1976. To spur progress on the pipeline, he started the "Alyeska Sweepstakes", in which each of the five contractors working on the pipeline were compared to each other based on how much of their share they completed on time. In his biggest decision, he canceled Bechtel's contract as management contractor because he felt the company was adding too much bureaucracy between Alyeska and the pipeline contractors. A historian later called the decision "one of the most humiliating defeats" in the history of Bechtel.
In October, snow and cold weather brought most of the pipeline laying to a halt for the year. Employment rose from 12,000 workers in the spring to more than 21,000 in the summer and down to 7,000 at Christmas. Alyeska estimated that the pipeline laying was about 50 percent complete: 390 miles (630 km) of pipeline were welded and in place. But work on the pump stations and in Valdez lagged; the project as a whole was only 35 percent complete when the pumps were factored in.
## Speeding up construction
During the winter of 1975–1976, Moolin pronounced himself dissatisfied with progress, but promised improvements. "We've learned an awful lot. This year (1975) was a pull-ourselves-up-by-our-bootstraps operation. We didn't really have our organization set until July, and it wasn't working at top effectiveness until October." To take advantage of that "top effectiveness", Moolin set an ambitious goal for 1976 construction: "We're expecting to have all of the line installed, insulated, and hydro-tested by November 1", he said in January. That goal was ambitious, because most of the work that had been done to that point was on floodplains and flat terrain. Still left to tackle were difficult construction projects in Atigun Pass and Keystone Canyon. "In some areas, we did eat our cake last year", Moolin said.
Even though winter shut down all pipelaying on the right of way, work on the pump stations and in Valdez continued without stop. At Pump Station 1, in Prudhoe Bay, temperatures reached lower than −70 °F (−57 °C), but the work continued. Because the pump station was the origin point for the main pipeline, it also had to process the feeder lines coming from oil wells. The pump station camp had a population of 270 workers through the winter, and it would peak in the summer with 430 workers.
### Welding controversy
As the weather warmed and work resumed on the main pipeline, Alyeska administrators were occupied by a controversy about pipeline welds that had been done the previous year. In September 1975, a former employee of Ketchbaw Industries filed suit against the company, alleging that he had been laid off because he would not participate in a conspiracy to falsify quality control X-rays of pipeline welds. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline was unique among pipeline projects to that point in that it required all welds of the main pipeline to be verified by X-ray. This was a time-consuming process, and the quality-control procedures continually lagged behind the welders.
At the end of 1975, Alyeska terminated Ketchbaw's contract and took responsibility for analyzing weld X-rays itself. The controversy continued, however, as Kelley's lawsuit moved forward, a Ketchbaw manager was found dead of cyanide poisoning, and photographs of welds were stolen from a pump station construction camp. Alyeska began a review of all 30,800 welds that had been done in 1975, and submitted its report to the Interior Department in April 1976. In May, it submitted its technical analysis and a report on repair work under way. The review produced a list of 3,955 questionable welds—10 percent of 1975's work.
Alyeska reported that about half were too minor to affect the running of the pipeline, but questions lay with more than a thousand welds that might be dangerous. Re-examining the welds would be extremely difficult, since those sections of pipeline were sealed (and in many cases buried). By July, the U.S. Congress began holding hearings into the welding problems. President Gerald Ford sent a team to Alaska to oversee and examine Alyeska's work. At the recommendations of this team and to avoid further investigations, Alyeska began repairing the welds on its own. By September, more than 3,000 of the questionable welds had been redone or certified as safe. Alyeska asked for waivers on the remaining 612 welds, and more hearings resulted. By the end of November, only 34 welds were still at issue. The leader of Ford's team ordered 31 of the welds to be dug up and re-done. Waivers were granted for the other three welds only, all of which were buried 17 feet (5.2 m) under the Koyukuk River south of the Brooks Range. Proof of the integrity of those three questionable yet inaccessible welds were evaluated by a unique solution in Section Five north of the Brooks Range. On either side of the Sagavanirktok River, the above ground pipeline was cut and 48 inch fans installed to circulate air. Then a team of 12 men and inspectors riding on wheeled sleds pulled by a modified John Deere lawnmower entered the pipe. Welds were counted during the passage. After arriving at the questionable weld under the Sagavanirktok River, an ultrasound was taken on the inside of the pipe. Then the team exited the pipe on the opposite side and the ultrasound was taken back to camp for evaluation. Alyeska estimated the total cost of redoing the welds to be \$55 million.
### Atigun, Keystone, and Sag River
Many of the suspected faulty welds were in Section Five of the pipeline construction project—the northernmost 200 miles (320 km). This area also included two of the major problems encountered during the 1976 construction season: Atigun Pass and the Sagavanirktok River (also known as Sag River). The pipeline had been laid in a trench beneath the river in the late fall of 1975. Because it had been laid so late in the season, the trench fill material had frozen and it was impossible to fill the submerged trench containing the pipeline. Spring snowmelt flooded the river and battered the submerged portion of pipe. In June, the battered pipeline broke free of its moorings and a 1,700-foot (518 m) section of concrete-coated pipe floated to the surface of the river. Because doing repair work would interfere with the migration of Arctic char, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game allowed only 24 hours for the project. After preparing the site, it took just four hours for a replacement trench to be dug, a pipe welded and laid in the trench, and the trench to be filled in.
At Atigun Pass, to the south of the Sag River, workers had to deal with a different set of challenges. In 1975, surveyors discovered the pass was filled with permafrost and glacial soils. But because the pass is the site of frequent avalanches, an elevated pipeline was not possible. The solution was to design a reinforced, insulated ditch to lay the pipeline in. The result was a 6,000-foot (1.83 km) long concrete box lined with 21 inches (53 cm) of Styrofoam. The problem then became one of building it before the first snow started falling in October.
At the opposite end of the pipeline, just north of Valdez, engineers coped with the difficulties posed by Keystone Canyon. The canyon was the only route to Valdez, but it was occupied by the Richardson Highway and the Lowe River; no room was available for the pipeline. The only solution was to avoid the canyon by building the pipeline through the Chugach Mountains and at the rim of the canyon. Winter work was made impossible by the more than 300 inches (760 cm) of snow that fell in the winter of 1975-1976, and when the snow melted, construction workers had to figure out how to travel up a 60 percent grade, then lay the pipeline on it. A rock-crushing plant was built at the canyon's rim to avoid the need to carry gravel up the steep grade, but problems still persisted. Not even bulldozers could traverse the grade without a team of two helping each up the grade in turn. A bulldozer had to be modified to carry 80-foot (20.4-meter) sections of pipe up the grade, but even then, most of the sections and equipment had to be lifted by helicopter to the canyon rim. Similar techniques had to be used at nearby Thomson Pass, and both sections required the entire 1976 construction season to complete.
### Pump stations and marine terminal
Work at the pump stations and marine terminal, which had not stopped during the winter, continued throughout the 1976 construction season. Pump Station 6, just south of the Yukon River, had to be redesigned after excavation revealed permafrost below the site. Five pump stations needed at startup (when throughput was lower) received their pumps, turbines, and piping. As they were completed, the pump stations received hydrostatic testing, in which portions of pipe were filled with water and subjected to pressures in excess of the eventual operating conditions. Following this testing, the initial five pump stations were disconnected from the main pipeline and had oil run through them on a continuous loop. "It's very similar to your new automobile", one worker said. "You drive it around for ten days so that any components that are going to fail are given time to fail." Work on additional pump stations, which would not be needed until the pipeline was brought to full capacity, was not pressed forward.
At Valdez, construction was two-thirds complete by September as 4,200 workers hurried to complete the marine terminal. Because of loose soil found at the job site, enormous retaining walls had to be constructed to secure the ground below some of the 58 structures that were completed by the end of the year. During the first week of November, the first ship docked at the newly built Valdez quays. It was not a tanker but a ship bringing more construction material. In December, the first signal was sent from the Valdez operations center—where two new control computers had been installed—to Pump Station 2 on the North Slope.
Although the project made strides toward completion in 1976, it did not meet Moolin's goal of having all pipe installed, insulated, and tested by winter. The final section of main pipeline was welded in place on December 6, but not all of the pipeline was tested before winter set in. At the end of 1976, the project was 92 percent complete. The pipeline was 97.5 percent complete, the pump stations were 92 percent done, and the marine terminal stood at 83 percent. Because the terminal was the lagging portion of the project, its full work crew continued operations through the winter and into 1977.
## Finishing the line
Few tasks were left to complete when the 1977 construction season began. Most of the pump stations had been turned over to operating personnel by construction workers, and environmental mitigation and cleanup was in full swing as Alyeska repaired tundra damage caused by construction. Associated-Green, which had performed its construction tasks well, was assigned the job of finishing the final touches on the main pipeline. The last 160 miles of hydrostatic testing were done, 33 remedial welds were completed, and 45 miles of pipe were insulated, among other tasks. Because the pace of construction was much slower than in 1976, fewer workers were needed. Fewer than 11,000 were employed at the peak of 1977 work, about half of 1976's total. On May 31, the final pipeline weld took place.
Additional tasks remained still to be completed, but the pipeline could be put into operation without them. The 2,290-foot (700 m) E. L. Patton Yukon River Bridge was not completed until October 1979; until then, traffic utilized a series of ferries across the river. Additional pump stations also were constructed between 1977 and 1980, as oil flow increased.
### Camp cleanup
As part of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act, Alyeska was required to remove most traces of the 31 pipeline construction camps. Seven camps closed in November 1976, and six more closed before the 1977 construction season started. All told, 20 camps went up for sale. One was sold to the University of Alaska for use as an Arctic research facility, while another was converted for use as a truck stop and motel.
In addition to removing its camps, Alyeska also had to dispose of the heavy equipment used to build the pipeline. In January 1977, Alyeska listed more than 20,000 pieces of equipment for sale. The New York Times called the auction of surplus equipment "one of the biggest going-out-of-business sales in history."
## Turning on TAPS
In April 1977, Alyeska filed a notice that it intended to start filling the pipeline sometime between June 20 and July 1. Engineers had to face several problems when filling the pipeline. First was the need to balance temperatures: Filled by air, the steel pipeline was about 20 °F (−7 °C) degrees. The oil emerging from wells at Prudhoe Bay was more than 120 °F (49 °C) degrees, and there was a danger that if it was introduced before intermediate warming, the pipeline could crack because of thermal expansion. The second problem came when the pipeline needed to be purged of air in order to reduce the danger of fire or explosion. Usually, a pipeline is filled with water first, and the oil pushes the water ahead of it, purging the pipeline as it goes. In Alaska, there was a fear that the water would freeze in the pipeline, damaging it. This problem was solved when pressurized nitrogen was used instead of water.
On June 20, 1977, the first section of pipeline was pressurized with nitrogen, and oil was introduced behind it. Because of the cold temperature of the pipeline and the slow rate at which oil was introduced, it took 31 days for the first oil to travel from Prudhoe to Valdez. "As oil cools down, it becomes thicker", explained one worker. "Our oil at first had a viscosity very similar to asphalt." Another problem was faced when the oil traveled downslope from Atigun Pass. To avoid a situation where the oil front could gain momentum from the downhill slope and rapidly crash into a pipeline section or pump and damage it, regulator valves were used to slow the rate at which the nitrogen ahead of the oil could move. This procedure was used at the other downhill slopes at startup.
As the oil advanced through the pipeline, it was paced by a series of inspectors who traveled along the pipeline route to ensure the weight of the oil did not cause the pipeline to settle or create problems on bridges as the unbalanced weight of the oil front passed over them. This first inspection crew was followed by a second, and others patrolled the pipeline regularly as the oil front passed down the line. The first oil arrived in Valdez on July 28, 1977, at 11:02 p.m. The oil was only 45 °F (7 °C), but it gradually warmed as the system reached a thermal equilibrium. After the initial startup, the pipeline was intended to run continuously. Said an engineer: "We start up this pipeline once ... It will stay onstream then forever ... 'forever' being the life of the oil field."
The startup was not without incident. On July 4, a nitrogen leak was detected at milepost 489.2. The flow of oil stopped for three days as workers repaired a pipe elbow that cracked because of the temperature difference between the pipe and the supercooled nitrogen. On July 8, oil flowed through a shut-off pump at Pump Station 8 as workers replaced a strainer. The resulting spray mixed with ambient air and was ignited by a stray spark. One worker was killed and five others were injured in the resulting explosion, which also shut down the station until March 1978. On July 19, a heavy equipment accident caused a pipeline break that leaked 1,800 barrels per day (290 m<sup>3</sup>/d) of oil.
The startup process and construction as a whole came to an end on August 1, 1977, when the tanker ARCO Juneau sailed out of Valdez with the first load of oil from the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System.
## Cost
When the TAPS group initially proposed the pipeline in 1969, the proposed cost was \$900 million, and the pipeline would be completed by 1972. By January 1970, the projected cost had risen from \$900 million to \$2 billion. In October 1973, Alyeska further refined its figures and anticipated a cost of between \$3.1 billion and \$3.5 billion, with the potential for a billion more. One year later, Alyeska released its most detailed cost estimate to that point: \$5.982 billion. By June 1975, that figure had again risen to \$6.4 billion. At the time, it was estimated that \$3 billion of the cost rise to that point was due to inflation, while another \$2 billion was due to environmental costs. In July 1976, amid the second year of construction, the project's cost was raised to \$7.7 billion. The increase, Alyeska reported, was due to material and freight costs, repairs needed to poorly built sections of pipeline, and contingency estimates.
The final construction cost was tallied at \$8 billion, but this figure does not include interest on loans or the cost of improvements and repairs after 1977. The Valdez Marine Terminal alone cost \$1.4 billion. The percentage of the pipeline owned by various companies has changed over time, but as of 2009, the primary owner was BP, which controls 46.93 percent of the pipeline. Second is ConocoPhillips Transportation Alaska Inc. with 28.29 percent, followed in order by ExxonMobil (20.34 percent), Koch Alaska Pipeline Company (3.08 percent), and Unocal Pipeline Company (1.36 percent).
The pipeline also has had a human toll. Thirty-two Alyeska or contract workers were killed during the construction project. That figure does not include common carrier fatalities. Since the pipeline began operating in 1977, 10 people have been killed while working for Alyeska or one of its contractors.
## Additional sources
- Allen, Lawrence J. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Vol 1: The Beginning. Vol 2: South to Valdez. Seattle; Scribe Publishing Co. 1975 and 1976.
- Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. Alyeska: A 30-Year Journey. Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., 2007.
- Dobler, Bruce. The Last Rush North. Boston; Little, Brown and Co., 1976.
- Fineberg, Richard A. A Pipeline in Peril: A Status Report on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Ester, Alaska; Alaska Forum for Environmental Responsibility, 1996.
- Hanrahan, John and Gruenstein, Peter. Lost Frontier: The Marketing of Alaska. New York; W.W. Norton, 1977.
- Kruse, John A. Fairbanks Community Survey. Fairbanks; Institute of Social and Economic Research, 1976.
- Lenzner, Terry F. The Management, Planning and Construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. Washington, D.C.; Report to the Alaska Pipeline Commission.
- McGinniss, Joe. Going to Extremes. New York; Alfred A. Knopf, 1980.
- McPhee, John. Coming Into the Country. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1976.
- Romer, John and Elizabeth. The Seven Wonders of the World: A History of the Modern Imagination. New York; Henry Holt and Co., 1995.
### Video
- Armstrong, John. Pipeline Alaska. Pelican Films, 1977.
- Davis, Mark. The American Experience: The Alaska Pipeline. PBS, Season 18, Episode 11. April 24, 2006.
- World's Toughest Fixes: Alaska Oil Pipeline. National Geographic Channel. Season 2, Episode 10. August 20, 2009.
[Trans-Alaska Pipeline System](Category:Trans-Alaska_Pipeline_System "wikilink") [Construction in the United States](Category:Construction_in_the_United_States "wikilink") [1975 in Alaska](Category:1975_in_Alaska "wikilink") [1976 in Alaska](Category:1976_in_Alaska "wikilink") [1977 in Alaska](Category:1977_in_Alaska "wikilink") [History of Alaska](Category:History_of_Alaska "wikilink") [Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, Construction](Category:Energy_infrastructure_completed_in_1977 "wikilink") [Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, Construction](Category:1977_establishments_in_the_United_States "wikilink") [1970s in the environment](Category:1970s_in_the_environment "wikilink") |
438,527 | Blackadder II | 1,173,619,633 | Second series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder | [
"1980s British sitcoms",
"1986 British television series debuts",
"1986 British television series endings",
"Alternate history television series",
"BBC black comedy television shows",
"BBC television sitcoms",
"Blackadder",
"British parody television series",
"Cultural depictions of Elizabeth I",
"English-language television shows",
"Television series set in the 16th century",
"Television set in Tudor England",
"Television shows set in London"
] | Blackadder II is the second series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986. The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603), and sees the principal character, Edmund, Lord Blackadder, as a Tudor courtier attempting to win the favour of the Queen while avoiding execution by decapitation, a fate that befell many of her suitors.
The series differed markedly from The Black Adder, notably with Ben Elton replacing Rowan Atkinson as the second writer, filming in studio sets, rather than on location, the introduction of a Machiavellian "Blackadder" character and a less intelligent Baldrick.
## Plot
The series is set during the Elizabethan era (1558–1603). The principal character, Edmund, Lord Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson), is the great-grandson of the original Black Adder, and is now a member of the London aristocracy. Unlike his forefather, he is both dashing and intelligent, although he is still scheming and cynical in his outlook. The series follows his attempts to win the favour of the childish Queen Elizabeth I (Miranda Richardson). As before, he is aided, and often hindered, by two less-than-intelligent sidekicks, his servant Baldrick (Tony Robinson), and Lord Percy Percy (Tim McInnerny), heir to the Duchy of Northumberland, with whom Blackadder has a grudging friendship.
Throughout the series, Blackadder's chief rival is Lord Melchett (Stephen Fry), the Queen's pretentious and grovelling Lord Chamberlain. Melchett fears upsetting the Queen, and thus attempts to outdo Blackadder by supporting the Queen in whatever current fad she is interested in. Comic relief in the Court is provided by the Queen's demented former nanny, Nursie (Patsy Byrne).
Baldrick, who in the first series was the most intelligent of the main trio, became more stupid, an idea proposed by Ben Elton to make him "the stupidest person in the history of...human beings", and to act as a foil to Blackadder's new-found intelligence. The series was also the originator of Baldrick's obsession with the turnip, although this apparently arose from a botanical error on the part of Elton, who confused the vegetable with the "amusingly shaped" parsnip.
Lord Percy remained similar in character to the original series, as a foolish sidekick in Blackadder's plots and predicaments. In this respect, McInnerny said the character resembled Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. As with The Black Adder, the series featured many tongue-in-cheek references to Shakespeare's plays; Shakespeare is mentioned as a contemporary Elizabethan, and his famous quotations are twisted for comic effect. The first episode "Bells", follows a similar plot to Twelfth Night.
## Episodes
The series aired for six episodes broadcast on Thursdays on BBC 1 at 9.30pm between 9 January 1986 and 20 February 1986.
"Head" was originally intended to be the first episode and was first to be filmed. This resulted in the small continuity error of Lord Percy still having a beard in "Head" which he shaves off in "Bells". In addition, during the early scenes of "Head", the principal characters are introduced to the audience with Baldrick's stupidity highlighted.
## Production
### Development
Due to the high cost of the first series, Michael Grade (the then controller of programming of BBC 1) was reluctant to sign off a second series without major improvements and cost-cutting, leaving a gap of three years between the two series.
Rowan Atkinson did not wish to continue writing for the second series, so writer and stand-up comedian Ben Elton was chosen to replace him. According to producer John Lloyd, Ben Elton was particularly keen on the choice of the Elizabethan age for the series, because it was "a sexy age that the kids can relate to." As a stand-up comic, Elton often acted as the studio warm-up comic to amuse the audience before filming began. The scripts were also tightened up during principal rehearsals with the actors; according to Richard Curtis, an entire script for a murder mystery-style episode was dropped because the writers felt it did not work.
### Filming
To make the show more cost-effective, it was principally filmed on specially designed small sets at BBC Television Centre created by designer Tony Thorpe. The sets were de-constructed and rebuilt during the period of studio filming, as was normal for studio series then. In particular, the Queen's throne room and Blackadder's front room were featured in every episode, with only two further unique sets per episode, including an execution chamber in "Head" and a Spanish dungeon in "Chains". Only one outside location shoot was used in the whole series, which took place before principal filming on Thursday 30 May 1985 at Wilton House, Wiltshire. These outdoor scenes were Blackadder's courting scene in "Bells" and the end title sequences. Studio recordings shot in front of a live audience began on Sunday 9 June 1985 with the recording of "Head". Subsequent episodes were filmed on a weekly basis in the sequence "Bells", "Potato", "Money", "Beer" and "Chains". Director Mandie Fletcher was keen for the action to be shot spontaneously and was averse to complex costume changes or special effects which required recording to be halted. She is reputed to have said filming it was "a bit like doing Shakespeare in front of an audience – it's not at all like doing sitcom."
### Cast
The size of the principal cast was reduced compared to the previous series, with a fixed number of characters appearing in every episode. Richard Curtis has been quoted as saying that due to the familiar cast, the series was the happiest for him to work on, comparing it to a "friendly bunch of school chums".
- Rowan Atkinson as Lord Edmund Blackadder
- Tim McInnerny as Lord Percy Percy, Heir to the Duchy of Northumberland
- Tony Robinson as Baldrick
- Miranda Richardson as Queen Elizabeth I of England
- Stephen Fry as Lord Melchett, the Lord Chamberlain
- Patsy Byrne as Nursie
The series also featured at least one significant cameo role per episode. Notable appearances include Rik Mayall as the debonair Lord Flashheart in "Bells"; Tom Baker and Simon Jones as Captain Redbeard Rum and Sir Walter Raleigh, respectively, in "Potato"; Ronald Lacey as the Baby-Eating Bishop of Bath and Wells in "Money"; Miriam Margolyes, who had appeared in the previous series, as the puritanical Lady Whiteadder in "Beer"; and Stephen Fry's comedy partner Hugh Laurie, who appears twice, first as the drunken Simon Partridge in "Beer" and in the final episode as the evil Prince Ludwig. Laurie was later given a larger role as George in the next two series. Also Bob, played by Gabrielle Glaister, a former classmate of Ben Elton's, made her first appearance. Several of the characters were seen in similar guises in later series.
### Music and titles
The opening titles are accompanied by a mock-Elizabethan arrangement of Howard Goodall's Blackadder theme played on a recorder and an electric guitar, and feature a black snake slithering about on a marble table. The snake, non-compliant to the wishes of its handler, is eventually removed and replaced with something related to the episode title, which in this series is always a single noun. The opening ominous string crescendo and imagery are a parody of the opening credits of I, Claudius, the 1976 BBC television adaptation of Robert Graves' novel of the same name.
The closing titles use a different arrangement of the theme, sung by countertenor Jeremy Jackman, with lyrics (usually insulting Blackadder) that reflect the events of the preceding episode. The song is played over a shot of Blackadder strolling through a formal garden and being annoyed by the lute-wielding minstrel (Tony Aitken). This sequence was incorporated as a separate subplot, with Blackadder constantly attempting to apprehend the musician each time with limited success. At the end of the final episode, Blackadder catches the minstrel and repeatedly dunks him in a fountain.
## Releases
The complete series of Blackadder II is available as a Region 2 DVD from BBC Worldwide, as well as in a complete box-set with the other series, most recently as a remastered edition including a commentary on selected episodes. An earlier VHS release of the series was also produced in 1996. The series is also available in Region 1 DVD in a box-set of the complete series. In addition, an audio recording taken from the television episodes is available on cassette and compact disc.
### VHS releases
- In about October 1989, BBC Enterprises Ltd released all six episodes of Blackadder II on two single videos; they were re-released on 7 September 1992 in 'Complete', a double-VHS box set. All six episodes were re-released on a single video on 2 October 1995.
### DVD releases |
5,893,195 | The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch | 1,164,705,599 | null | [
"2006 debut albums",
"Albums produced by Matt Squire",
"Cute Is What We Aim For albums",
"Fueled by Ramen albums"
] | The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch is the debut studio album by American rock band Cute Is What We Aim For. Following the band's formation in early 2005, they posted demos on Myspace and PureVolume. These demos soon garnered attention from record labels. After a period of time, the group received a call from major label Fueled by Ramen founder John Janick, who signed the band in November. In February 2006, the band began recording The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch with producer Matt Squire at Salad Days Studios in Beltsville, Maryland. During the album sessions, several of the demos the band had previously posted had been re-recorded. Prior to the album's release, "The Curse of Curves" was made available for streaming in March. Following the song's availability, the band went on a couple of tours in the U.S.
The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch was released on June 20 through Fueled by Ramen. The band went on multiple supporting tours following its release. "There's a Class for This" was released as a single in September. A month later, bassist Fred Cimato left the group, and was replaced by Jack Marin of October Fall. In early 2007, the band went on a UK tour, and released "Newport Living" as a single in February. Following this, the band went on a headlining tour across the U.S. in February and March. The group then co-headlined the Alternative Press tour with Circa Survive in March and April. In early April, Marin left the band, and was replaced temporarily by Cimato. Also in April, "The Curse of Curves" was released as a single. The band appeared at the 2007 edition of Warped Tour, and supported Fall Out Boy towards the end of the year.
The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch received mostly unfavourable reviews with several reviewers criticizing the album's lyrical content and comparing the band negatively to My Chemical Romance and Panic! at the Disco. The album peaked at number 75 on the Billboard 200 upon its release. It became Fueled by Ramen's fastest selling debut album and has since sold over 210,000 copies. "The Curse of Curves" peaked at number 191 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2013, the album was released on vinyl for the first time. In 2016, to celebrate the album's 10th anniversary, the band performed the album in full on tour.
## Background
Shortly after forming in January 2005, Cute Is What We Aim For began releasing demos through Myspace and PureVolume, which helped the band gain initial exposure. Guitarist Jeff Czum said their success was due to another band's street team: "The street team leader from Hawthorne Heights reposted it on Myspace. Literally overnight we got like 10,000 fans on Myspace and started to get attention from labels." In the following months, the group continued to record and play shows, increasing their fan base and declining advances from record labels.
In summer 2005, the band received a phone call from major label Fueled by Ramen founder John Janick, who wished to see the group perform live. The group had a meeting with Janick, before leaving to record demos in New York City. Eager to hear the material, Janick visited the group while they were recording in late July with Shep Goodman. On November 29, it was announced that the band had signed to Fueled by Ramen. Vocalist Shaant Hacikyan said of the label: "There's such an amazing sense of community about the label. ... From the outside looking in, I just wanted to be a part of it so bad." In December, the band mentioned that they were writing material for their debut album and were planning to record later in winter.
## Production and composition
Despite an Alternative Press news report shortly after signing with Fueled by Ramen that the band was recording, they did not start the album until February 2006. Recording took place at Salad Days Studios in Beltsville, Maryland. The group made a brief list of producers they wished to work with, the first being Matt Squire. One of the band's main reasons for wanting to work with Squire was the label's rapport with him as a result of the success of Panic! at the Disco's debut, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005). Janick sent Squire a demo of "Teasing to Please (Left Side, Strong Side)." Shaant Hacikyan recalls Squire was "really excited about it. I knew right away that that we could make a great record together."
Hacikyan described Squire as "a guiding light. He has this confidence that he inspires in others. This record wouldn't be what it is without him." According to Squire, the group wanted to make a "very natural sounding record." As such, the band and Squire spent a "lot of time" working on pre-production. After finishing the pre-production process, drums were recorded. On previous records, Squire had used Beat Detective to keep drums "perfectly in time." However, for The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch Squire did not use it as he wished to "preserve the 'groove'" of Tom Falcone's drumming. After this, bass and guitars were recorded during the day, and vocals during the night. Squire purposefully staggered the instruments "so that every song [could] have a unique feel."
During the sessions, the band recorded "Finger Twist & Split," "Lyrical Lies" and "Teasing to Please (Left Side, Strong Side)" – all songs that had previously been released in demo form. Hacikyan said that the band initially wanted to "pull away" from the songs, but "at the same time, we understand that most people haven’t heard them yet." While preparing a mix, Squire would typically "trigger" the drums, a technique he uses to give the drums a thicker sound. However, the group was against the idea. Squire found it a "fun challenge" making the drums "sound punchy without them." Squire spent a few days doing a mixing draft of the album, with assistance from Paul Leavitt. Then he asked for feedback from both the label and the group. After incorporating the feedback, he finalized the mixes, and sent the album for mastering. Ue Nastasi mastered the recordings at Sterling Sound.
Discussing the album's title, Czum said: "we’re nothing ground-breaking [music-wise] but we just like putting our own touch on it". All of the music was written by Cute Is What We Aim For, while all of the lyrics were written by Hacikyan. Typically, when Hacikyan wrote lyrics he had a melody in mind, which the band fit the music around. Hacikyan described the album as being about "the everyday ins -and -outs of social cliques. It’s about the pressure that they put on you, to live up to something that you’re not, to be somebody that someone else wants you to be." The Academy Is... vocalist William Beckett provides guest vocals on "There's a Class for This," while All Time Low performed group vocals on "Teasing to Please (Left Side, Strong Side)" and "Sweet Talk 101." Hacikyan described Beckett as "definitely an idol of mine." Beckett was unable to come to the studio to record his part as he was on tour at the time. Instead, his part was recorded at the back of a tour bus and sent to the band.
## Release
On March 22, 2006, the single "The Curse of Curves" was made available for streaming via the band's PureVolume account. In April, the band went on tour with labelmates Punchline, Valencia and New Atlantic, alongside the Audition and appeared at the HFStival. In June, the band went on a brief U.S. tour with Anberlin, Jonezetta, and Blackpool Lights. The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch was released on June 20 through Fueled by Ramen. The Japanese edition included an electric version of "Lyrical Lies" as a bonus track. A music video for "There's a Class for This," directed by Jay Martin, premiered on mtvU on July 17. In August and September, the band supported Paramore on their tour of the U.S. On September 4, "There's a Class for This" was released as a single. On September 18, the album was released in the UK. In October, the band performed a few headlining shows in the UK, before supporting Paramore on their UK tour.
On October 18, it was announced that bassist Fred Cimato had left the band to return to school. His position was filled by Jack Marin of October Fall. In October and November, the band supported Hellogoodbye on their tour of the U.S. In January and February 2007, the band toured the UK. On February 5, "Newport Living" was released as a single. From mid-February to mid-March, the band went on a headlining U.S. tour with support from This Providence and All Time Low. On February 26, the music video for "The Curse of Curves," directed by Lex Hallaby, premiered via AbsolutePunk. From mid-March to late April, the band co-headlined the Alternative Press tour with Circa Survive, with support from As Tall as Lions and Envy on the Coast.
On April 4, it was announced that Marin had left the band and been replaced by Cimato, who was filling in temporarily. A day later, Marin revealed that he was "having some personal issues with another member. I've tried to just ignore the problems, but the truth is, I'm just not happy at all." On April 9, "The Curse of Curves" was released as a single, before being released to radio on April 30. From late June to late August, the band went on the 2007 edition of Warped Tour. For the tour, Dave Melillo joined the band as an additional guitarist. From mid-October to early December, the band supported Fall Out Boy on their U.S. tour. A music video was released for "Newport Living" on October 31. On November 20, a MVI version of the album was released containing karaoke tracks for every song on the album, live performances, and bonus tracks.
## Critical reception
The album's reception by reviewers was generally unfavorable. AllMusic reviewer Corey Apar wrote that the album "is basically a vapid product of the MySpace generation ... The whole album just seems so contrived and pointless that any sporadic moment of disposable hooky bliss is quickly overshadowed by annoying wordplay." Apar concluded by calling the album the musical equivalent of "an ironic trucker hat: even if it catches on with the masses for a time, that doesn't make it right." Ben Marwood of Drowned in Sound wrote that the album contained "little substance of any kind – emotional or otherwise." He went on to call the band "a low-rent" My Chemical Romance or "a lesser" Panic! at the Disco because of Hacikyan's vocals. FasterLouder writer Victoria Jack wrote that there were "some unique moments" on the record, noting the band's upbeat sound. Despite mentioning the group can be "more insightful," Jack said they "usually lack depth in their typical commentary on 'scenes' and 'cliques' and being a 'sell out'." Kate Parkin of Gigwise listed "Newport Living" and "There's a Class for This" as being "songs built for The O.C." Adding in songs about "High School tribulations and illicit snogging ... something is lacking." Parkin noted that the group was missing "the arrogant defiance" of My Chemical Romance and "the relentlessly catchy choruses" of Panic! at the Disco.
Writing for musicOMH, Tom Woods felt the album would "attract swarms of internet love, but this unstable foundation, built upon the fleeting dreams of thirteen year-olds" would restrict the band's lifetime. Woods compared the band to Panic! at the Disco "without the bounce or the creativity" saying the album "takes the bastardisation of honest musical forms to new heights." Dan MacIntosh of PopMatters felt the songs as "sound[ed] like high school gossip." He went on to note the album has: "Over-the-top drama" combined with "stripped-down, pop-rock hooks," which for the most part "prevent overbearing emotional mood swings." He concluded by mentioning the band has "much to say, but lacks the right words to say it all." The Skinny reviewer Billy Hamilton noted the album was "Brimming with slickly produced pre-pubescent punk-pop" that made "Blink 182 seem like nihilists." He considered the sound as being "faux-guitar music for a generation yet to move on from the tweeny-rock of Busted." In an artist spotlight for Spin, writer Alyssa Rashbaum described the album as "energetic, youthful power-pop about high schoo\|Bustedl cliques, drama-loving girls, and fake IDs."
## Commercial performance and legacy
The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch debuted at number 75 on the Billboard 200 on its release, becoming the fastest-selling debut in Fueled by Ramen's history. "The Curse of Curves" reached number 191 on the UK Singles Chart. A month after its release, the album had sold over 28,000 copies. It has since sold over 210,000 copies.
In December 2014, the album was released on vinyl for the first time through independent label Enjoy the Ride. To celebrate the album's 10 year anniversary in 2016, the band went on tour performing the album in full. Hacikyan said: "Growing up, none of us thought we'd ever release a full length album, let alone have the chance to fly across the earth to headline a ten-year anniversary tour." The band initially went on an Australian tour in August, which they hoped would lead to interest in a U.S. tour. Following contact with promoter Chris Ring, the band was hired by him as the first partner for his company Fanbassador. Fanbassador allowed the band to map out cities they could play based on audience demand. Eventually, they performed the album in 33 cities across the U.S. in October.
## Track listing
All music by Cute Is What We Aim For, all lyrics by Shaant Hacikyan.
## Personnel
Personnel per booklet.
Cute Is What We Aim For
- Jeff Czum – guitar, piano, MIDI
- Tom Falcone – drums
- Fred Cimato – bass, guitar
- Shaant Hacikyan – vocals
Additional musicians
- William Beckett – guest vocals on "There's a Class for This"
- All Time Low – group vocals on "Teasing to Please (Left Side, Strong Side)" and "Sweet Talk 101"
Production
- Matt Squire – producer, mixing, engineer
- Paul Leavitt – assistant engineer
- Ue Nastasi – mastering
- Pale Bird Design Studio – art, layout
## Chart positions |
452,993 | California State Route 55 | 1,171,610,459 | Highway in California | [
"Costa Mesa, California",
"Newport Beach, California",
"Roads in Orange County, California",
"Southern California freeways",
"State highways in California",
"Transportation in Anaheim, California"
] | State Route 55 (SR 55) is an 18-mile (30-km) long north–south state highway that passes through suburban Orange County in the U.S. state of California. The portion of the route built to freeway standards is known as the Costa Mesa Freeway (formerly the Newport Freeway). SR 55 runs between Via Lido south of Pacific Coast Highway (SR 1) in Newport Beach and the Riverside Freeway (SR 91) in Anaheim to the north, intersecting other major Orange County freeways such as SR 22, SR 73, and Interstate 405 (I-405).
SR 55 was first added to the state highway system in 1931, known as part of Legislative Route 43, and was routed on surface streets. It was renumbered SR 55 in 1959, and the construction of the freeway portion began in the 1960s and continued until 1992. Due to congestion, several alternatives are being discussed to expand the freeway portion past its current end in Newport Beach. SR 55 received the first carpool lane in Orange County in 1985, and the first direct carpool ramp in 1995.
## Route description
Starting at Via Lido on Newport Boulevard in Newport Beach, 0.3 miles (0.48 km) south of SR 1, SR 55 (Newport Boulevard) is a four-lane expressway for approximately 0.75 miles (1.21 km) to its intersection with 17th Street in Costa Mesa. It then follows a traditional street routing through a retail and commercial section of Costa Mesa until its intersection with 19th Street. The segment on Newport Boulevard includes a limited-access interchange at SR 1. Following the 19th Street intersection, SR 55 becomes an eight-lane below-grade freeway that bisects the northbound and southbound lanes of Newport Boulevard until the Mesa Drive undercrossing.
North of Fair Drive, SR 55 is an at-grade or above-grade freeway, with the exception of a 1 mile (1.6 km) stretch between the 1st Street/4th Street exit and the 17th Street exit in Santa Ana, which is below-grade. SR 55 intersects SR 73 and I-405 next to John Wayne Airport. The freeway continues north into Santa Ana and Tustin, where there is an interchange with I-5. Southbound SR 55 does not have a direct link to northbound I-5.
SR 55 continues north into Orange, where it meets the eastern terminus of SR 22. Following this, the freeway continues almost due north until reaching its northern terminus at SR 91 near the Santa Ana River. After the last exit, Lincoln Avenue and Nohl Ranch Road, there is an entrance to the 91 Express Lanes from the HOV lane.
Today, SR 55 is a heavily travelled corridor linking southern Orange County with SR 91, the main corridor between the Inland Empire and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, as well as I-5, the main north–south corridor for California. A HOV lane has been built along the entire freeway portion from I-405 to SR 91, with some direct access ramps, including one for I-5. However, congestion is still very prevalent throughout the day, as is the norm with many Orange County freeways; Route 55 experiences a peak daily traffic volume of 262,000 vehicles and 17,292 trucks.
SR 55 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System, and is part of the National Highway System, a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration. SR 55 from SR 91 to Costa Mesa is known as the Costa Mesa Freeway, as named by Assembly Concurrent Resolution 177, Chapter 86 in 1976.
## History
SR 55 was built in 1931 and originally numbered Route 43. It was built from the southern terminus of SR 1 (the Pacific Coast Highway, or "PCH") and continued northbound on roughly the same route it follows today, following Newport Road (today Newport Boulevard) northeast to Tustin, and then Tustin Avenue north to near its current terminus at SR 91. From here, Route 43 continued east on what is now SR 91 towards Riverside. In 1959, the highway was renumbered as Route 55, and its route was shortened from Route 1 to the also-renumbered Route 91. The freeway portion from Chapman Avenue to SR 91 opened on January 18, 1962, at a cost of \$4.6 million (equivalent to \$ in ). The segment between SR 73 and Chapman Avenue opened in 1966.
SR 55 was the first freeway in Orange County to receive carpool lanes, opened in October 1985 between I-405 and SR 91. The stretch of SR 55 between Mesa Drive and 19th Street in Costa Mesa was opened in 1992; plans to extend SR 55 freeway south from 19th Street to State Route 1 were never realized due to community opposition, fueling an amendment to the city charter to prevent this extension.
In 1995, the direct carpool lane ramps between I-5 and SR 55 were completed; these were the first in Orange County. The year also saw further widening of SR 55 between SR 22 and McFadden Avenue. Between 1996 and 2002, the fifth lane in both directions was constructed between I-5 and SR 91, funded with a sales tax of half a cent approved by Measure M. In April 2007, the Orange County Transportation Authority approved funds to study the feasibility of extending the Costa Mesa Freeway south to 17th Street via tunnels or flyover ramps. The segment of SR 55 from Finley Street to the Newport Channel bridge was legally authorized to be turned over to the city of Newport Beach in 2009.
In the mid 2000s, Caltrans began adding the city of Anaheim as a control city on State Route 55 North. Signs that mention State Route 55 North would have the newer reflective posting pasted over the button sign or would be replaced with a new one that says "Anaheim/Riverside" to reflect this change.
SR 55 was formerly called the Newport Freeway. In 2010, the stretch between Chapman and Katella Avenues in the City of Orange was renamed the Paul Johnson Freeway for longtime local radio and television traffic reporter Paul Johnson, who died the same year.
On May 21, 2021, a road rage incident occurred in which the perpetrator fatally shot 6-year-old Aiden Leos, a passenger in his mother's car as it was traveling on the 55 Freeway. On June 6, Marcus Anthony Eriz and Wynne Lee were arrested in connection with the death. Both suspects pleaded not guilty in court on June 18.
## Exit list
## See also |
13,347,259 | The Tic Code | 1,157,618,389 | null | [
"1990s American films",
"1990s English-language films",
"1990s musical drama films",
"1998 drama films",
"1998 films",
"1998 independent films",
"American independent films",
"American musical drama films",
"Films about Tourette syndrome",
"Films directed by Gary Winick",
"Jazz films"
] | The Tic Code (also known as Lessons in the Tic Code) is a drama film directed by Gary Winick and written by Polly Draper. It tells of a single mother, the relationship she forms with a jazz musician who has Tourette syndrome, and her young son—a piano prodigy—also with the disorder. The musician and the boy form a friendship, and the film is loosely based upon the experiences of Draper's jazz musician husband Michael Wolff, who provided the film's score. Draper, known for her role in Thirtysomething, portrays the mother; Gregory Hines plays the musician; and Christopher George Marquette stars as the young boy.
Principal photography took place in 1997 in New York City. The Tic Code appeared at several film festivals in 1998 and 1999, where it won a number of awards. It received a limited theatrical release in the United States on August 4, 2000, and a DVD release in February 2001. Critical response to the film was generally favorable.
## Plot
Miles Caraday is a jazz piano prodigy who has Tourette syndrome. Miles has a school friend, Todd who seems not to be bothered by Miles' condition. Miles wants to become a jazz pianist against the wishes of his classical-oriented instructor Miss Gimpole. At a local nightspot, Miles becomes friends with a jazz saxophonist, Tyrone Pike, who also has Tourette's but learned ways to cover up his condition.
In the film, Tyrone tells Denny Harley who bullies Miles that the reason they both tic is:
Tyrone: [...] because we both know the code.
Denny: [...] Code, what code?
Tyrone: [...] 'the tic code'.
Denny: So you and Miles made this whole thing up?
Tyrone: No, the C.I.A. did; a lot of people know about it now.
## Cast
- Gregory Hines plays Tyrone Pike, a jazz saxophonist and Laura's boyfriend. Hines also studied Wolff to imitate his ticcing and develop the character. During filming, Hines committed himself to spending a full day as a Touretter; after being stared at by a taxi driver, Hines reflected that he had not considered how embarrassing the disorder could be. He also studied tapes of Alex Foster to learn how to finger the saxophone.
- Polly Draper plays Laura Caraday, a single mother.
- Christopher Marquette plays Laura's son Miles Caraday, a young jazz piano prodigy with Tourette Syndrome. Marquette learned how to play the piano from Wolff. He also studied ticcing from Wolff and watched videotapes, including the documentary Twitch and Shout, to perfect his technique. In preparation for the role, Marquette practiced ticcing in public.
The film also features Desmond Robertson as Todd, Miles' friend; Carol Kane as Miss Gimpole, Miles' music instructor and teacher; Robert Iler as Denny Harley, a bully; Bill Nunn and Tony Shalhoub as bartenders Kingston and Phil; Camryn Manheim as Mrs. Lily Swensrut, one of Laura's customers; and James McCaffrey as Michael Caraday, Laura's ex-husband. Wolff cameos as Sound Engineer \#2.
## Filming
The Tic Code was in development for five years before finally being made. Principal photography took place on location in New York City in 1997, on a budget of US\$2 million. The film was directed by Gary Winick, who took over after original director Norman René died during pre-production. It was written by Polly Draper, who also produced alongside Karen Tangorra, Midge Sanford, Sarah Pillsbury and Larry Meistrich. Draper based the screenplay on the experiences of her jazz musician husband Michael Wolff, who has Tourette syndrome. Wolff's involvement as co-producer ensured the cooperation of jazz club The Village Vanguard, which granted the production permission to use its name and exterior shots of the building. Herman Leonard loaned his collection of photographs of famous jazz musicians, and the Blue Note jazz club allowed its name to be used on fake fliers. Wolff provided the film's score and played the piano. Alex Foster also contributed to the soundtrack for scenes of Hines playing the saxophone.
## Post production
The Tic Code appeared at the first Newport International Film Festival in June 1998. It was subsequently shown at the Wine Country Film Festival in July–August 1998, and at the Hamptons International Film Festival in October 1998. The film also appeared at several film festivals in 1999, including the Vancouver Reel to Real Festival on March 3, 1999, the Berlin International Film Festival, and the Giffoni Film Festival. On April 2, 1999, it aired on the Starz! television network. The distribution rights were subsequently picked up by insurance company-backed film library Chaross Pictures, which buys independent films that have run into financial difficulty before it was sold to Lions Gate Entertainment in May 1999. Lions Gate gave The Tic Code a limited theatrical release in the United States, opening on August 4, 2000. It grossed US\$205,000 from nine theaters and closed on October 5, 2000.
## Awards and reception
The Tic Code received generally favorable reviews from film critics. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 77% of critics gave the film a positive write-up, based upon a sample of 26, with an average score of 6.6/10. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film received an average score of 64, based on 17 reviews.
In 1998, the film won the Audience Award for Most Popular Feature at the Hamptons International Film Festival. It also received a "special recognition" award from the festival jury. Polly Draper won the Bronze Gryphon award for Best Actress at the Giffoni Film Festival, and Christopher George Marquette obtained the Bronze Gryphon award for Best Actor. In 1999, the film earned the Crystal Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival. The film also took the Best Overall Film award at the first Vancouver Reel to Reel Festival. |
21,780,286 | Malé Friday Mosque | 1,167,624,231 | Mosque in Malé, Kaafu, Maldives | [
"1658 establishments in Asia",
"Grand mosques",
"Maldivian culture",
"Mosques in Malé",
"Religious buildings and structures completed in 1658"
] | The Malé Friday Mosque or the Malé Hukuru Miskiy (Dhivehi: މާލެ ހުކުރު މިސްކިތް) also known as the Old Friday Mosque is one of the oldest and most ornate mosques in the city of Malé, Kaafu Atoll, Maldives. Coral boulders of the genus Porites, found throughout the archipelago, are the basic materials used for construction of this and other mosques in the country because of its suitability. Although the coral is soft and easily cut to size when wet, it makes sturdy building blocks when dry. The mosque was added to the tentative UNESCO World Heritage cultural list in 2008 as unique examples of sea-culture architecture.
Master carpenters of the Malé Hukuru Miskiy were Ali Maavadi Kaleyfaanu and Mahmud Maavadi Kaleyfaanu from Kondey, Huvadu.
The calligrapher was Chief Justice Al Faqh Al Qazi Jamaaludheen.
It took 2 years to construct the mosque. In terms of artistic excellence and construction technique using only interlocking assembly, it is one of the finest coral stone buildings of the world.
## Location
The mosque is opposite to the Medhu Ziyaaraiy and the Muliaage in the capital Malé. The Medhu Ziyaaraiy is the tomb of a Sunni Muslim visitor named Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari who introduced Islam to the Maldives in 1153 AD. Malé Friday Mosque was built in 1656, this is the oldest mosque in Maldives.
## History
The mosque was built in 1648, during the reign of Ibrahim Iskandar I (1648–1687). It was built over an earlier mosque constructed in 1153 by the first Muslim Sultan of Maldives, Dhovemi, after his conversion to Islam. Although the older mosque was reportedly refurbished by Ahmed Shihabuddeen in 1338, there are no written records attesting this. In 1656, Iskandar began building a new mosque when the old one became too small to accommodate the increasing number of devotees. Its construction, which took one-and-a-half years, was completed in 1658. Built primarily of coral, the mosque originally had a thatched roof (common during the period). After his 1668 Hajj, Ibrahim I began building a munnaaru (minaret) and a gate at the southern end of the mosque. The minaret, patterned on those at the entrance to Mecca, is surrounded by a 17th-century cemetery with intricately-carved tombstones and mausoleums.
In 1904, Muhammad Shamsuddeen III (1902–1934) replaced the thatched roof and southern gateway with corrugated-iron sheeting. Further renovations were made in 1963, converting the roof supports to teak wood and replacing the corrugated-iron sheeting with aluminium. In 1987 and 1988, an Indian team from the National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property and the National Centre for Linguistic and Historical Research in Malé did conservation work on the mosque.
The mosque has been in continuous use since it was built. The mosque was reportedly built over an ancient temple which predated Islam; the original temple faced the setting sun, rather than Mecca.
## Features
The Malé Friday Mosque is oriented west. Its prayer carpet is angled towards the mosque's northwest corner, so worshippers can face Mecca while they pray. Devotees enter the mosque from either of the two entrance gates that lead to the mosque's dhaala.
It has intricate carvings, with inscriptions in Quranic script. The mosque, in a walled enclosure, is made of interlocking coral blocks with its hypostyle roof supported by cut-coral columns. With three entrances, the mosque has two prayer halls surrounded by antechambers on three sides. Its vaulted, decorated ceiling is indented in steps. Local master carpenters, known as maavadikaleyge, fashioned the mosque's woodwork, roof and interior, and its wall panels and ceilings have many culturally-significant examples of traditional Maldivian woodcarving and lacquerwork. The mihrab, with a mimbar (pulpit) at one end, is a large chamber. The main building, used for daily prayers, is divided into three sections: the mihtab (used by the imam to lead the prayers), the medhu miskiy (the mosque's central area) and the fahu miskiy (the rear of the mosque). A long, carved 13th-century panel memorializes the introduction of Islam to Maldives.
The mosque's adjoining large, round blue-and-white minaret (built in 1675) resembles a wedding cake, with a wide base similar to a ship's funnel. Built of coral stones, it is braced with metal strips. The minaret is surrounded by a graveyard with carved coral tombstones distinguishing males, females, sultans and their families. Women's tombstones have rounded tops; men's have pointed tops, and inscriptions for royalty are gilt. For family members, small mausoleums with intricately-decorated stone walls were built.
This mosque and the other Maldives coral mosques were added to the cultural UNESCO World Heritage tentative list in 2008 for meeting criteria two (use of sea cultures for creating unique architecture), three (a historic cultural tradition with no parallel elsewhere in the world), four (the tongue-in-groove technique shows a highly developed building level for the period) and six (the buildings are associated with both religious and social practices of cultural significance). According to the UNESCO appraisal, "The architecture, construction and accompanying artistry of the mosque and its other structures represent the creative excellence and achievement of the Maldivian people".
### Lacquerwork details |
267,482 | Al-Birwa | 1,155,602,794 | Former palestinian village | [
"Arab villages depopulated during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War",
"District of Acre",
"Former populated places in Israel"
] | Al-Birwa (Arabic: البروة, also spelled al-Birweh) was a Palestinian Arab village, located 10.5 kilometers (6.5 mi) east of Acre (Akka). In 1945, it had a population of 1,460, of whom the majority were Muslims and a significant minority, Christians. Its total land area consisted of 13,542 dunams (13.5 square kilometers). The village was depopulated during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
The settlement at Al-Birwa was started in the Roman era, and reached a peak in the Byzantine era. In the mid-11th century CE Al-Birwa was mentioned by the Persian geographer Nasir Khusraw and it was known to the Crusaders as "Broet". The village came under Mamluk rule in the late 13th century, and in the early 16th century, it was conquered by the Ottomans, who ruled it for four centuries. Travelers' reports from the late 19th century documented that al-Birwa had a mosque, a church and an elementary school for boys (a girls' school was built in 1942).
During British Mandate rule in Palestine, al-Birwa was home to local power brokers, who mediated disputes in neighboring villages. Al-Birwa became a center of rebel operations during the 1936–1939 revolt against British rule. By the 1940s, many of the village's agrarian inhabitants lost their lands due to debt, and shifted to labor jobs in nearby cities, such as Haifa. However, the majority of the residents—men and women—continued to engage in farming, selling their olives, grains and other crops in the markets of Acre. Al-Birwa was captured by the Israelis in early June 1948, after which its local militia recaptured the village. Al-Birwa was then permanently occupied by the Israelis in late June. Afterward, its inhabitants, including future Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, fled to nearby villages or Lebanon. The Jewish communities of Yas'ur and Ahihud were established on al-Birwa's lands in 1949 and 1950, respectively.
## Geography
Al-Birwa stood on a rocky hill overlooking the plain of Acre, with an average elevation of 60 meters above sea level. It was situated at the intersection of two highways—one led to Acre and the other towards Haifa. Located 10.5 kilometers east of Acre, the other nearest localities to al-Birwa included al-Damun (depopulated in 1948) to the south, and the Arab towns of Jadeidi to the northwest, Julis to the north, Sha'ab to the east, and Majd al-Kurum to the northeast.
Al-Birwa's total land area consisted of 13,542 dunams (13.42 hectares), of which 59 dunams were built-up areas. Cultivable land accounted for 77% of the total land area. Orchards were planted on 1,548 dunams of which 1,500 were used for olive groves, and 8,457 dunams were allotted to grains. The residents of the town sold 536 dunams to Jews, and most of the rest was Arab-owned.
### Archaeology
Several excavation has been conducted at the site of al-Birwa after year 2000. Finds included a large building, numerous potsherds from the Late Roman period, a bronze coin from the 1st or 2nd century CE, remains of an ancient olive press, glass vessels such as a wine goblet and bottles dated to the Late Byzantine and Umayyad periods (7th and first half of 8th centuries CE) and an underground water reservoir. A few potsherds from the Crusader and Mamluk periods were also found.
In 2008, the remains of a large olive oil refinery dating from the Byzantine era was uncovered, together with items belonging to a church. The excavators believed that the olive press could be situated inside a Byzantine monastery.
## History
### Antiquity
The more ancient site, Tel Birwa (variant: Tel Berweh), lies about one mile southwest of the Arab village by the same name, and is said to be a mound measuring 600 paces in circumference at the top, and 75 feet high. The mound abounds with Graeco-Roman potsherds, showing that it was occupied down to Roman times when it was abandoned, as no distinctively Arab pottery could be found there. Conder and Kitchener thought that Al-Birwa preserves in its name the more ancient name of Beri (Hebrew: בירי), mentioned in the Jerusalem Talmud (Pesahim iv.1 [26a]), seeing that both it and Kabul are mentioned together. According to Josephus, the villages in the immediate vicinity of Kabul were pillaged and burnt during the First Jewish revolt against Rome.
### Middle Ages
Al-Birwa was mentioned in 1047 CE, during Fatimid rule, when it was visited by the Persian geographer, Nasir Khusraw. He describes it as lying "between Acre and Damun", and reports having visited what he described as the tombs of Simeon and Esau there. The Crusaders wrested control of Palestine from the Fatimids in 1099. They referred to al-Birwa as "Broet". In 1253, John Aleman, the Crusader lord of Caesarea, sold al-Birwa, along with several other villages, to the Knights Hospitaller. Al-Birwa was mentioned as part of the Acre-based Crusaders' domain in the 1283 hudna (truce agreement) with the Mamluks under Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun. In the late 13th century, the Mamluks defeated and conquered the last Crusader outposts along Palestine's northern coastline.
### Ottoman Empire
Al-Birwa came under Ottoman rule in 1517, along with all of Palestine. In 1596, al-Birwa was a small village in the Akka Nahiya (Subdistrict of Acre), part of the Safad Sanjak (District of Safed). The village paid taxes on wheat, barley, fruit, beehives, and goats. According to Ottoman tax registers, al-Birwa had 121 residents in 1596. A map from Napoleon's invasion of 1799 by French cartographer Pierre Jacotin depicted al-Birwa as "Beroweh", though its location on the map was misplaced.
In the late 19th century, al-Birwa grew to be a large village, with a well in its southern area. To the north lay "beautiful olive-groves and fruitful wheatfields," as they were described by one Western traveller to the region in the mid-19th century. American biblical scholar Edward Robinson visited al-Birwa in 1852 and noted that it was one of 18 villages in Palestine with an operating Christian (Eastern Orthodox) church. By 1859, British Consul Edward T. Rogers recorded that al-Birwa had approximately 900 inhabitants. The French explorer, Victor Guérin, who visited in 1875, described the Christians of Birwa as Greek Orthodox, and noted that they had a "fairly new" church.
A population list from about 1887 showed that al-Birwa had about 755 inhabitant, of whom 650 were Muslims and 105 were Christians. In 1888, the Ottomans built an elementary school for boys.
### British Mandate
In 1917, during World War I, British forces drove out the Ottomans from Palestine and in 1920, the British Mandate of Palestine was established. In the 1922 British census, al-Birwa had a population of 807, consisting of 735 Muslims and 72 Christians. The Christians were mostly Orthodox with five Anglicans. By the 1931 census, the population had increased to 996, of which 884 were Muslims and 92 were Christians, living in a total of 224 houses. Cement roofs became widely used in al-Birwa in the 1930s, during a time of significant expansion in the village.
A number of al-Birwa's inhabitants participated in the 1936–1939 Arab revolt against British rule and mass Jewish immigration in Palestine. A commander of the revolt for the Nazareth-Tiberias region, Sheikh Yihya Hawash, was from al-Birwa. He was arrested by the British and sentenced to life imprisonment. The British also executed eight residents of al-Birwa who had participated in the revolt. Other rebel commanders and participants in the revolt from al-Birwa included Asad Atallah, Mahmoud al-Joudi, Saleh Mahmoud Me'ari-Abu Sa'ud, Abd al-Hamid Daher Me'ari, Muhammad al-Hajj Ali, Yusef Taha, Fadil Eid, Yousif Mai and Abbas al-Shattawi. A number of women from al-Birwa participated in the revolt by transporting arms, water and food to rebels positioned among the hills in the vicinity. Elderly refugees from al-Birwa interviewed in 2003–2004 recalled that during the revolt, local rebels set off a mine that hit a British military jeep on a road adjacent to al-Birwa in August 1937, prompting the British to launch punitive measures against the village. These included gathering men from al-Birwa and forcing them to cut cactus plants near Acre and then placing the men on top of the cactuses, leaving the women of the village to tend to their wounds.
In the 1945 statistics, al-Birwa's population was 1,460, of which 130 were Christians. Prominent families and landowners in the village included the Saad, Darwish, Abdullah, Kayyal, Sakkas, al-Wakid, al-Joudi, Najm, al-Dabdoub, Khalid, Akawi, Hissian, Hawash and al-Sheikha families. Socio-economic status in the village was largely determined by land ownership. About 140 residents of the village were tenant farmers who worked for the major landowning Moughrabi, al-Zayyat and Adlabi families. According to intelligence gathered by the Haganah (a Jewish paramilitary organization in Palestine), the traditional, local power brokers of the central Galilee were residents of al-Birwa, who "resolved all conflicts in the nearby villages". Haganah intelligence also reported that al-Birwa's inhabitants were "long-lived, the majority reaching an age of over 100 years".
By the 1940s, al-Birwa had three olive oil presses, a mosque, a church, and approximately 300 houses. In addition to the Ottoman-era boys' school, an elementary school for girls was established in 1943. By this time, many of the inhabitants lost all or part of their lands due to debts, and concurrently, men and women from al-Birwa increasingly worked in public projects, such as road construction and the Haifa oil refinery, or in British military installations, to compensate for lost income. However, the main source of income remained agriculture, and the village's principal crops were olives, wheat, barley, corn, sesame, and watermelons. In 1944–45, residents of the village owned a total of 600 cattle, 3,000 goats and 1,000 chickens. Women, particularly young women from smaller landowning families, participated alongside the men of their family in working the land, while many women from landless families drew income as seasonal workers on other village residents' lands. There were general, gender-based divisions of labor, with women collecting well water, raising livestock, curdling milk, transporting goods to markets in Acre and collecting herbs; men typically plowed and sowed seeds, and both men and women picked olives and harvested crops.
### Israel
Israeli forces from the Carmeli Brigade first captured al-Birwa and positions overlooking it on 11 June 1948 as part of Operation Ben-Ami, a day before the first truce of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. During the fighting, 45 elderly residents hid in the church with the priest. The defenders of the village surrendered after losing men and running out of ammunition. The residents took refuge in nearby villages for thirteen days. Nevertheless, clashes continued during the truce. According to local militiamen from al-Birwa, 96 men from the village armed with rifles, and an equal number of men armed with non-firearms and unarmed women assembled near the front lines of the Arab Liberation Army (ALA). The rifle-armed force charged first across the front lines, followed by the men armed with axes, shovels, and sticks, and then the women who carried water to assist the wounded. Al-Birwa's ad hoc militia took the small force of Haganah soldiers (who became part of the Israel Defense Forces on 26 May) by surprise and forced them back a kilometer west of al-Birwa. Afterward, al-Birwa's residents harvested their crops. They remained in the village until 24 June, when ALA commanders suggested that they join their families in the nearby villages. The militiamen claimed that the ALA stood by during the clashes because they did not receive orders from their superiors.
The Israelis announced that they had battled ALA units in the area, inflicting 100 casualties on 25 June. The New York Times reported that there was fighting in the village for two days and that United Nations (UN) observers were there investigating truce violations. It added that "a small Israeli garrison held al-Birwa prior to the [first] truce", but it fell to ALA troops based in Nazareth who launched a surprise attack. Some residents camped in the outskirts of the village and occasionally managed to enter and gather personal belongings. After the end of the first truce in mid-July, al-Birwa was captured by Israel during Operation Dekel. The ALA fought the Israelis to recapture al-Birwa, but by 18 July, the village was firmly behind Israeli lines.
On 20 August 1948, the Jewish National Fund called for building a settlement on some of al-Birwa's lands, and on 6 January 1949, Yas'ur, a kibbutz, was established there. In 1950, the moshav of Ahihud was inaugurated on the village's western lands. According to Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi, one of al-Birwa's schools, two shrines for local sages, and three houses remained standing as of 1982. One of the shrines was domed and built of stone. Most of the structures stood amid cacti, weeds, olive and fig groves, and mulberry trees. Most of al-Birwa's inhabitants fled to nearby Arab towns and villages, including Tamra, Kabul, Jadeidi, Kafr Yasif, and other localities. In Jadeidi the refugees of al-Birwa mostly resided in a neighborhood called al-Barawneh after their village of origin or alternatively al-Kayyali after the Kayyal family, many of whom lived in the neighborhood and one of whom, Afif Kayyal, was elected mayor in the 1990s and in 2003. Some fled to Lebanon, and ended up in the Shatila refugee camp, in the outskirts of Beirut, where Palestinian historian Nafez Nazzal interviewed them in 1973. Among the refugees of al-Birwa was Mahmoud Darwish, who was born in the village in 1941 and lived part of his childhood there.
In 1950, Tawfik Toubi, an Arab member of the Knesset, raised the issue of the internally displaced refugees of al-Birwa in the Knesset, demanding that they be allowed to return to their homes. Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion replied in the negative, stating, "The questioner presented the facts inaccurately. Birwa is an abandoned village which was destroyed in the fighting. Its inhabitants cooperated with Kaukji's gangs. The Israel Defense Forces and the government did not treat them as they deserved, but permitted them to remain in villages near Birwa, and to become residents of Israel. The government of Israel treats them as it does the other residents of Israel and those lacking means of subsistence. A special body was established to deal with these refugees, to resettle and rehabilitate them, not necessarily in their former villages, and the resettlement of the refugees in Nazareth has already begun." In December 1951, the village site was declared a closed military zone.
## See also
- Depopulated Palestinian locations in Israel |
8,325,437 | Jennifer Brunner | 1,172,703,582 | American attorney, politician and judge | [
"1957 births",
"20th-century American lawyers",
"20th-century American women lawyers",
"21st-century American judges",
"21st-century American politicians",
"21st-century American women judges",
"21st-century American women politicians",
"Capital University Law School alumni",
"Judges of the Ohio District Courts of Appeals",
"Justices of the Ohio Supreme Court",
"Lawyers from Columbus, Ohio",
"Living people",
"Miami University alumni",
"Ohio Democrats",
"Politicians from Columbus, Ohio",
"Secretaries of State of Ohio",
"Whetstone High School (Columbus, Ohio) alumni",
"Women in Ohio politics"
] | Jennifer Lee Brunner (born February 5, 1957) is an American attorney, politician and judge. She is currently an associate justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, a position to which she was elected after serving as a judge on Ohio's Tenth District Court of Appeals. On June 8, 2021, Brunner announced her candidacy for Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court in the November 8, 2022, general election. Brunner is a member of the Democratic Party who served as the Ohio Secretary of State; Brunner was the first woman to serve in this capacity. She took office after sixteen years of Republican control, which included two four-year terms by her predecessor J. Kenneth Blackwell, who oversaw the 2000 and 2004 United States elections. Brunner served only a single term as Secretary of State. When it came time for re-election in 2010, she instead made an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate. Prior to being elected Secretary of State, Brunner worked in the Ohio Secretary of State's Office and served as a County Judge in Franklin County, Ohio. She also owned her own private practice; during her private practice career, she focused on election law and campaign finance law. She represented a broad range of candidates, businesses, political parties and committees before the Ohio Elections Commission on quasi-criminal matters.
As Secretary of State, Brunner was actively involved in evaluating and adjusting statewide election systems. Her efforts focused on correcting the procedural election difficulties that Ohio was known for. She evaluated voting mechanisms and instituted policy changes. She argued policy regarding same day voting, privacy of social security information, and foreclosure-related voter eligibility.
In 2008, she earned a Profile in Courage Award for her reform of the voting systems. During the 2008 United States elections, Brunner was involved in several court cases in the Ohio State Supreme Court and United States Supreme Court regarding voter registration, provisional ballots and absentee ballots.
On February 17, 2009, she announced that she would run for the 2010 United States Senate election in Ohio, coincident with the retirement of incumbent George Voinovich and the end of her term as Secretary of State. Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher announced his candidacy on the same day and defeated her in the Democratic primary on May 4, 2010.
Brunner announced on February 18, 2014, that she was certified by the Franklin County Board of Elections as the Democratic candidate for the Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals. Brunner defeated incumbent Judge Amy O'Grady in the general election.
On August 17, 2019, Brunner announced she would be a candidate for the Ohio Supreme Court in 2020, in opposition to current Justice Judith L. French. She went on to win the general election on November 3, 2020.
## Career
Brunner was born in Springfield, Ohio, and spent her formative years in Columbus, Ohio. She earned a B.A. in sociology-gerontology, cum laude, from Miami University in 1978 and a J.D. from Capital University Law School with honors in 1982. Subsequently, Brunner worked in the Ohio Secretary of State's Office as a deputy director and legislative counsel to the Ohio General Assembly during the administration of Sherrod Brown from 1983 to 1987. In four years of service under Brown, Brunner's responsibilities included working with state legislators on finance-reporting laws for campaign committees and laws for election procedures.
### Private practice
She then began a statewide law practice where she worked on election law and campaign finance from 1988 to 2000. She briefly served as a member of the Franklin County Board of Elections, appointed by Republican Secretary of State, Bob Taft. In 1988, Brunner represented the Ohio Pesticide Applicators for Responsible Regulation, when the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency held hearings about testing Ohio water supplies for pesticides that were not against federal regulations. Her clients, including lawn care chemical companies, agreed that testing standards should be higher, but that such standards should not be mandated. She expressed an interest in public service when a seat on the Columbus City Council became available following the April 29, 1988 death of John R. Maloney. The list of candidates who applied included at least 20 applicants.
Brunner has litigated various ballot propositions. In 1988, she represented a client who contested the validity of a ballot proposal to halt the sale of alcohol at the Cuyahoga Falls entertainment center. She was treasurer of a citizens group that attacked the financial reports related to a Westerville, Ohio school district tax levy on the November 1988 ballot. Later in 1989, she represented property owners in a rezoning referendum. Brunner represented Ohioans Against Casino Gambling in its dispute over the wording of the 1990 ballot issue on "games of chances".
Brunner's private practice was not exclusively about ballot issues. She served as treasurer of Choice '90, a political action committee that ran television commercials about the abortion positions of 1990 Ohio's gubernatorial candidates (Anthony J. Celebrezze Jr. (D) and George Voinovich (R)) but that was funded primarily by the Ohio Democratic Party. Brunner represented Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Eugene Branstool in battles with the Ohio Republican Robert Bennett and Canton, Ohio industrialist William R. Timken over the state redistricting following the 1990 Census. Brunner successfully brought a claim by Ohio House of Representatives Seventh District representative Rocco J. Colonna against Brook Park Mayor Thomas Coyne in 1991 for circulating campaign literature containing false statements.
Brunner was also involved in a drawn out case involving the rights of Hamilton County bars to serve alcohol in glass containers. The bars she represented were effectively put out of business by neighborhood residents' passage of an ordinance. Brunner challenged petition signatures on a similar matter in Franklin County. However, the case in Franklin County was dismissed. The Hamilton County plaintiffs were granted a stay preventing the Ohio Liquor Control Commission from receiving the certified May 7 results. This stay allowed their case to be heard. Meanwhile, Brunner won another related case in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The case overturned a state law allowing liquor licenses to be revoked by popular referendum. This ruling bolstered the case of the other four bars she represented. In 1992, Franklin County Democratic Party chairwoman Fran Ryan approached Brunner about becoming a judge, but Brunner declined.
Brunner successfully defended Ohio House of Representatives member C.J. Prentiss when her position on the ballot was challenged in the May 1994 primary. In 1998, she successfully represented House Rep. Charleta Tavares when her petition signatures were challenged during her candidacy to replace J. Kenneth Blackwell as Ohio Secretary of State.
In 1994, she represented the Delaware County Amphitheater Action Committee, a group that attempted to block the state Liquor Department from issuing a beer permit. When their case was dismissed, they appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court. At the same time, she represented vendors whose liquor licenses were about to be cancelled following a vote where poll workers allegedly acted with bias. Brunner got her clients a September 1994 ruling that the poll workers had, in fact, attempted to influence voters. That same month, she was unable to get a pair of liquor option questions removed from the November 1994 ballot.
In 1994, Brunner also represented neighbors of an adult video store that was being razed to make way for a McDonald's store in an affluent neighborhood. She obtained a 14-day restraining order to halt issuance of a zoning certificate and demolition and building permits. The Bexley, OH neighborhood hosts the Ohio Governor's Mansion and mansions once owned by Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and The Limited chairman Les Wexner. She got citizens to appear before the zoning appeals board to attempt to stop the construction. The Citizens were unsuccessful in convincing the Board of Zoning Appeals to change their earlier decisions. After the citizens were unsuccessful with the zoning board, they pursued remedy in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. In addition to the court proceedings, the citizens sought the attention of the City Council in attempt to preserve the neighborhood by keeping the video store from being converted into a McDonald's. On April 7, 1995, Brunner gained a verdict for her clients that in the interest of avoiding traffic congestion and pedestrian dangers, the McDonald's would not be allowed to build. The developer attempted to appeal the decision by obtaining friend-of-the-court briefs from surrounding municipalities. The Franklin County Appeals Court overturned the lower court ruling making way for the construction of the McDonald's. Brunner's clients appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court. However, the Supreme Court declined to hear the case. A few other cases against the developers remained in some lower courts. However, these were unsuccessful. After the lower court zoning victory, in May 1995, she was hired to oppose a 259-acre (1,050,000 m<sup>2</sup>) project.
In 1995, Brunner again applied for a vacant seat on the Columbus City Council. That year, Brunner represented the AFL-CIO in their battle against proposed rule changes related to new Ohio campaign finance laws. Also, in 1995, she was hired to handle several elections law cases. She successfully represented Franklin County Democratic Party Chairman Dennis White in a 1996 case about whether his primary campaign mailings violated Ohio election laws. She also was involved in a residency challenge in 1996. She represented a Seneca County constituent of then State Representative (current State Senator) Karen Gillmor who felt the Franklin County home where Gillmor's family resides is her true residence. The challenge failed.
Brunner was involved in a hanging chad controversy when in a 14,696-ballot November 4, 1997 election in Licking County an income tax issue which had failed by four votes subsequently passed by thirteen on a November 26 automatic recount. Brunner was present for a court-ordered second January 6 recount to evaluate whether chads remained hanging by one, two, or three hinges or whether they were sufficiently indented to count.
Brunner represented the Save The Doves Committee, an animal rights group that attempted to ban the hunting of mourning doves in Ohio via a ballot initiative. The group had previously attempted to petition the state to have the doves removed from the state game list. Ohio had formerly had a history of protecting mourning doves dating back to 1917, but hunting them was legalized starting in 1995. The doves had an Ohio population of 5 million and were legal prey in 38 states. A pro hunting wildlife group, unsuccessfully challenged the committee's petitions. The actual wording of the ballot issue, which became "No person shall take or hunt a mourning dove," was contentious. Some found the issue wording confusing because a "Yes" vote meant support for "No hunting". Television ads opposing the ballot issue also were hotly contested. This issue was the only statewide issue on the 1998 ballot. The ban proposal failed.
Brunner represented pro-gambling interests in an off-track betting ballot issue in Stark County. After the Canton City Council allowed a new betting parlor, the Stark County Board of Elections deadlocked along party lines on whether to allow a county-wide referendum against off-track betting. Republican Secretary of State Taft, broke the tie allowing the referendum on September 14. Brunner appealed the Board's decision to allow the voters the chance to overrule the city council.
In 1998, she represented the Ohio Democratic Party when they challenged 1998 Ohio gubernatorial election candidate Bob Taft's ad campaign. On various occasions, during the race she obtained probable cause determinations by the Ohio Elections Commission that there were improprieties in Taft's television commercials. While the dispute was being resolved, one of Taft's ads was ordered to be pulled off the air via a restraining order on October 10. The restraining order was lifted three days later. On October 16, the Ohio Elections Commission rebuked Taft for lying in his commercials. After the ruling, the candidates continued to contest other campaign ads for a few days. Then they signed a code of ethics. During the same election period, she represented Mark L. Mallory in a similar ad campaign battle when he unseated State Senator Janet Howard. In another campaign advertising case, she represented Richard Cordray who charged his opponent, Betty Montgomery with money laundering of campaign advertising funds. Brunner felt Montgomery should have been disqualified in the election.
Brunner also represented a pair of judge candidates who were charged with misconduct during the 1998 elections. She was able to get charges dismissed against Judge Deborah P. O'Neill of Franklin County Common Pleas Court. However, a disciplinary panel of the Ohio Supreme Court recommended Stark County Common Pleas judge candidate Elizabeth Burick to pay a \$5,000 fine for actions that "demeans the judiciary".
In 1999, she represented a pair of individuals whose published election-related literature was challenged. She represented Northland Mall owner in his attempts to block funding for roads to the planned Polaris Fashion Place mall. Her client was able to get a ballot issue placed to oppose the special financing. Television ad regarding this issue were hotly contested. The voters failed the proposal before the Franklin County prosecutors decided whether to take actions following the Ohio Election Commission's determination that the ads were false.
In one of her final cases in private practice, Brunner returned to represent interested parties in Bexley. Although she was campaigning for her own November 2000 election at the time, she represented a restaurant at risk of losing its Sunday liquor license. After several years of representing controversial parties in elections issues, Brunner, a principal of Brunner, Kirby & Jeffries Co., ran a non-controversial campaign. Brunner, who was making her first run for elective office, opposed incumbent John F. Bender who had been appointed by Governor Taft in April 2000 to replace the retiring James J. O'Grady. The race was the only contested race in the general division of Franklin County Common Pleas Court. During the campaign, Bender outpaced Brunner in fundraising by a \$76,613 to \$58,145 margin.
### Early elective career
In 2000, Brunner was elected to an unexpired term on the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. She was reelected in 2002. The Court of Common Pleas judges tested, approved and created a separate drug court to reduce addiction-related recidivism. Judges recommend repeat offenders who have been charged with non-violent felonies stemming from their drug or alcohol addictions for the program, which targets those repeatedly charged with theft, receiving stolen property, writing bad checks, prostitution or drug possession, which are all addiction related crimes. Brunner started the court in April 2004 after several years of research.
In December 2001, she approved a US\$22 million settlement between Georgia-Pacific and 6,000 residents that resulted from a 1985 and a 1997 explosion. The settlement became controversial when several residents remained uncompensated nearly a year later. She handled cases ranging from a drug-related firebomb death, a former-Columbus Division of Policeman's intramarital shooting and Interstate 71 highway chase, and an Ohio State University student Drive-by shooting death, to an international kidnapping case, alcohol service suspensions, domestic abuse, a sex offender rights case, a federal fugitive case, and a state construction contract case. After Brunner's May 30 ruling in the contract case, which involved the Ohio School Facilities Commission and their \$2 billion school construction program, Ohio Governor Bob Taft forced the commission to review its contracts for a five-year retroactive period. Brunner had ruled that a three-person commission review contracts instead of just the commission's director, Randall Fischer. Approximately 1,800 contracts were reviewed. The 10th Ohio District Court of Appeals in Franklin County overturned her ruling. The Ohio State Supreme Court refused to hear appeals. Despite having been overturned, Brunner was supported by the Ohio Inspector General who found ethics violations. Brunner was also involved in a controversy for jailing a lawyer who she claimed was in contempt of court that resulted in op-ed page debate.
Brunner resigned from the Court on September 1, 2005, to run for Secretary of State. She ran unopposed in the May 2, 2006 Democratic Primary. On November 7, 2006, she defeated Republican Greg Hartmann in the 2006 general election by a 55%–40% margin and took office on January 8, 2007. Since the office is one that serves as a keeper of public records, the histories of the two candidates' vigilance against identity theft was an important issue. The campaign also included mudslinging. She also received significant support from the Secretary of State Project, which "helped me toward the election".
### Secretary of State
Ohio had complaints of voting irregularities in the 2000 and 2004 elections. The state had hours-long lines at polling places in its major cities in 2004 and a fraud scandal in Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland, that led to the convictions of two elections workers on rigging recounts and Ms. Brunner's takeover of the county board of elections. In September 2007, Brunner announced extensive efforts to identify and correct serious problems with the security and reliability of voting machines in time for the March 4, 2008 Ohio Democratic and Republican primaries. In a US\$1.9 million federally financed study released December 14, 2007, Brunner reported the results of tests of all five voting systems used in Ohio. All systems had major flaws. The study focused on security; reliability of the equipment and the systems; the software configuration; and procedures of the local officials. Security and procedures were seen to be serious problems. The security level of the computer equipment did not match the contemporaneous levels of security used in other information-sensitive industries.
She has advocated the replacement of all Ohio voting machines, including the direct-recording electronic (DRE) touch-screen ones used in more than 50 of Ohio's 88 counties. Brunner supports a move to paper ballots, which would use optical scanning. As a result of the study, during the March 2008 primaries, paper ballots were supposed to be available at all polling places for voters who preferred them. The paper ballots also served as a backup for machine failures. Brunner mandated a paper ballot election for the November 2008 general election. This was due both to the study and problems faced during the 2007 election with touch screen electronic voting machines. However, the Republican-controlled Ohio General Assembly has not addressed the subject of funding an all-paper ballot. Consequently, Brunner focussed on addressing the procedures instead of the inherent lack of technical security.
In January 2007, Brunner proposed a plan that would allow counties to recruit poll workers by mail, who would then undertake two paid training days, and work a paid eight-hour shift at the polls on Election Day. Brunner explained the plan in an interview:
> In terms of Ohio and what happened in the 2004 presidential election, there has been a crisis in confidence in our election system in Ohio, both nationally and in our state. One of the quickest ways to repair that is to make sure that we have adequate numbers of poll workers. ... We suggested this as one tool that the boards of elections would have available to them for recruiting poll workers. We would be looking to do this similar to how we recruit jurors, only jurors are recruited for two weeks of service whereas we'd only be asking for three days. It would also allow us to offer split shifts to poll workers. In Ohio the polling places are open for thirteen hours, so essentially a poll worker works at least fourteen hours; with the average age of our poll workers at 72, that's a tough day for anyone, no matter what their age is. ... It's an option, and we can even include a trigger, so that a county has to be deficient by a certain percentage of poll workers to even be able to use this.
In the initial proposal it was not yet decided what wages would be paid, and whether refusing recruitment would result in penalties. The proposal will be decided by the Ohio General Assembly.
Brunner has established the Voting Right Institute (VRI) to improve voter access to elections in Ohio. The VRI has instituted a "Grads Vote" program which supplies voter registration forms to all graduating high school seniors. The VRI has also partnered with the U.S. Postal Service to include voter registration forms in government moving packets and with the Overseas Vote Foundation to improve online absentee ballot applications for overseas and military voters.
She has also moved to shield social security information and other private information from public view for millions of online records and coordinated with the Ohio General Assembly to prevent the filing of private information.
Brunner worked with Ohio's 88 county boards of elections and thousands of poll workers to ensure record voter turnout in the March presidential primaries. Despite the record turnout, the primary was marred by paper ballot shortages, bomb threats, ice storms and power failures. In addition, flooding forced the relocation of some polling places in southeastern Ohio. 21 precincts in the Cleveland metropolitan area were held open for an extra 90 minutes due to paper ballot shortages. Brunner claimed that in Clermont and Summit Counties ballots ran out because of the number of Republicans who voted in the Democratic primary and that only Democratic ballots ran out.
Brunner has spoken out against election officials taking voting machines home with them in the days before an election. Such actions could allow hacking even though it makes transport and delivery to the eventual polling place simpler. Some elections officials say they feel the system is better if elections officials keep an eye on machines the days before the elections. Brunner says poll workers have sometimes cast ballots on machines in their homes. She issued the following directive on the matter: "We want Ohio's voters and the rest of the nation to see that we have prepared a transparent process of transporting voting equipment, ballots and supplies. That begins with security practices at boards of elections and polling places, documented chain of custody, and now procedures to make secure voting machine delivery." She has ordered bipartisan transport teams and proscribed storage conditions such as humidity. The federal government will subsidize the cost of her mandate.
### 2008 general election
#### Same-day voter registration
In 2008 Ohio experienced an unintended consequence of a new statute that resulted in a brief period of overlap voting, when absentee voting has started and before the close of voter registration. This period ran from September 30 until October 6, due to the newly instituted early voting policy. On August 13, 2008, Brunner ordered county election board officials to establish procedures to enable voters who register to be immediately issued an absentee ballot. Because a voter could show up with only a cell phone bill, give any four digits and claim they were the last four digits of his or her Social Security Number, and then immediately vote and have such ballots put into the same pool as other votes with no procedure for more rigorous scrutiny of their validity, the Republican Party opposed the same day voting plan and fought it in several Ohio Courts. Ohio Republican Party officials and Republican voters argued in separate lawsuits that Ohio law requires voters to be registered for 30 days before they cast an absentee ballot. On September 29, 2008 (a day after lower state and federal courts overruled GOP objections to same-day registration and voting or GOP requests for mandated ballot segregation and verification) the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati, Ohio rejected Republican efforts to stop the plan. United States district court judge James Gwin in Cleveland, Ohio also ruled against the Republicans and issued a restraining order to enforce Brunner's plan. In Columbus, Ohio, U.S. District Judge George Smith declined to rule on another statewide challenge, deferring to the state Supreme Court's decision. The rulings, which opened a window to register and vote on the same day until the absentee ballot deadline on October 6, 2008, was upheld by the Ohio Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision in which two Republican jurists who were on the November 2008 ballot recused themselves and were replaced by one Republican and one Democrat by Chief Justice Thomas Moyer. The normal roster of Ohio Supreme Court jurists is all Republican and the lone Democrat replacement, William H. Wolff Jr., cast the tie-breaking vote. The dissenters noted that Ohio's Constitution requires that a person register to vote 30 days in before voting. Brunner ordered segregation of same-day-registration ballots and verification of them before counting them on Election Day, November 4, 2008. In related proceedings on September 30, 2008, Judge Smith of The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in Columbus had granted an Ohio Republican Party request for a restraining order that would mandate election observers during early voting. Brunner prevailed in the appellate court which ruled that the district court "abused its discretion" in granting the restraining order.
The same-day registration ballots are subject to the standard Ohio notification card protocol whereby a postcard is sent to the newly registered address to assist in determining the validity of the address. A card that comes back marked return to sender is questioned and marked on the voter rolls. Additionally, the boards of elections submit new voter registrations into a database in the office of the Ohio Secretary of State. The information is matched with driver's licenses on an Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles database and failing a match there it is sent to the Social Security Administration to pursue a match.
#### Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
Ohio (along with Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada and North Carolina) is one of six states expected to be heavily affected by compliance with the 2002 Help America Vote Act, which mandates that states corroborate voter registration applications with government databases. Due to the disproportionate voter registration by Democrats it is anticipated that much of the confusion at the polling places will be for challenges to newly registered Democrats who have been delisted from the ranks of registered voters.
It appears that Ohio is using social security information to verify new voter registration, even though "[u]nder federal law, election officials are supposed to use the Social Security database to check a registration application only as a last resort, if no record of the applicant is found [within the state's own] databases," according to a New York Times article. Michael J. Astrue, commissioner of the Social Security Administration, alerted the United States Department of Justice and sent letters to six states including Ohio to ensure compliance with federal law. Brunner has stated that the filing of paperwork by Republican officials may be an attempt to establish grounds for contesting ballots on Election Day. The paperwork requires use of provisional ballots by persons with discrepant registrations. On October 9, 2008, the Republicans also were granted an order against Brunner by Judge Smith requiring that Brunner must perform voter registration verification according to the Help America Vote Act. Matching new registrants' information against Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles or the Social Security Administration databases is one of the requirements. Challenges to mismatched registrations, which force the use of provisional ballots, must be filed twenty days prior to the election. Legal expert Greta Van Susteren viewed the ruling as a significant breaking news story and interviewed Brunner on her show On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren the day it was made. Van Susteren interpreted the ruling as a statement that Brunner has not been taking sufficient steps to prevent voter fraud. Democracy Now! also interviewed Brunner on that day, but they did so before the final verdict.
Between January 1, 2008, and mid-October 2008, over 666,000 Ohioans registered to vote either for the first time or with updated voter information, and over 200,000 of them provided driver's licenses or Social Security numbers that do not match government records. Over 20% of these voters are from Cuyahoga County, which is heavily Democratic. Also, many of the newly registered voters were the result of voter registration drives to register voters for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the March 4, 2008 Ohio Democratic primary. The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, in a 9-6 decision, ruled against Brunner on October 14, 2008, in deciding that extra steps must be taken to authenticate these registrants and Jeffrey Sutton's majority opinion suggested that these misregistered voters cast provisional ballots. Historically, 20% of provisional ballots have been thrown out. As a result of the ruling, Brunner's Office of the Ohio Secretary of State must provide each county with a list of registrants with mismatching information and provide direction on a proper course of action. There are federal laws barring purging voters from the election rolls within 90 days of an election. This issue is considered to be a partisan one with Republicans favoring greater scrutiny, and the justices voted almost along party lines based on the United States President that appointed them.
On October 17, 2008, in Brunner v. Ohio Republican Party, 07A332, the United States Supreme Court overturned the 6th Circuit Decision requiring Brunner to provide lists of improperly registered voters to each county election board. The ruling means that Brunner can instruct the 88 county boards of elections to ignore public record requests by the Ohio Republican Party made to challenge registrants with information mismatched between their registration and their driver's license or social security number. The Republican Party claimed that the ruling was based on a technicality rather than the merits of the arguments. Bennett said that "The justices did not disagree with our argument that Jennifer Brunner has failed to comply with federal election law. They merely said we don't have a right to bring a private challenge against her under this particular provision." The McCain-Palin campaign said "...the United States Supreme Court does not address violations of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. Rather, the Court ruled that Congress had likely not authorized private individuals or political parties to bring suit under the section of HAVA requiring voter registration verification through data-matching." Since the ruling did not directly address the issues that the Republicans wanted determined, they filed a similar case in the Ohio Supreme Court. However, they withdrew the case.
#### Other issues
One month before the 2008 United States election, 5% of Ohio mortgages were either severely delinquent or in foreclosure. There were 67,658 foreclosure actions in the first half of 2008. An editorial in The New York Times purported that Republicans may try to use foreclosure lists to block voters. Brunner warned all election boards that involvement in a foreclosure is not, by itself, sufficient basis for challenging enfranchisement.
On entering office, Brunner took immediate action against Republican county elections officials, including Robert T. Bennett, Ohio Republican Party Chairman. At the time, while writing for The Cincinnati Enquirer, columnist Peter Bronson described Brunner as "the most partisan state official in Ohio". More recently, she has been accused of partisanship by her former Secretary of State opponent in the 2008 general election. He claims that she set policy in order to throw out absentee ballots likely to be cast for the John McCain-Sarah Palin ticket. The Ohio State Supreme Court supported the Republican argument. Other sources claim that ACORN advises and influences Brunner.
The 2008 general election was expected to be marred by Diebold electronic voting machines that had malfunctioned on vote transfers from the local precinct machines to the county election board headquarters. Brunner is suing Diebold for other types of vote-dropping malfunctions. Fifty-three of eighty-eight counties used the problematic touch screen electronic voting machines. The machines had also mysteriously crashed and their printers had jammed in the 2007 elections. Brunner feels that electronic machines should be avoided until they achieve the same security standards as the computer equipment in the banking and communications industries. She issued a report that both Premier Election Solutions (a Diebold subsidiary) and Hart and Election Systems & Software produce electronic voting systems with severe security flaws.
Brunner has made several specific efforts to alleviate some of the past voting difficulties. 2008 was the first Ohio election that permits absentee voting as a matter of preference without any justification for need. This resulted in a record number of absentee ballots. Additionally, voting machine redistribution has been closely studied with the hope of alleviating long waits in problem areas. Redistribution is based on past turnout, new registrations, any recent purges under the National Voter Registration Act, and the number of ballot issues in the district. Each precinct has been supplied with sufficient paper ballots to accommodate 25% number of voters who voted in the previous presidential election.
Brunner has noted that only incarcerated convicted felons become ineligible to vote in Ohio. Thus, persons incarcerated for misdemeanors and persons detained in prisons awaiting new trials can vote directly from prison.
In fall of 2008, Brunner was challenged in a pair of cases involving the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. In September, in Project Vote (on behalf of Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless) v. Madison County Board of Elections, No. 1:08-cv-02266 (N.D. Ohio), Judge Garvin enjoined the Madison County Board of Elections from adhering to its September 5 announcement that it would disregard Secretary Brunner's directives to issue an absentee ballot to anyone who has not already been registered for 30 days. The Board had threatened an action that the judge determined would violate Section 202 of the Voting Rights Act causing irreparable injury to registered voters who will be unable to receive absentee ballots. On October 27, 2008, in the case The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless v. Brunner, Case No. C206- 896, U.S. District Judge Edmund Sargus ruled that in concert with Ohio Revised Code § 3503.02(I) which states: "If a person does not have a fixed place of habitation, but has a shelter or other location at which the person has been a consistent or regular inhabitant and to which the person has the intention of returning, that shelter or other location shall be deemed the person's residence for the purpose of registering to vote." The order mandated that Brunner as Secretary of State "instruct the County Boards of Elections that provisional ballots may not be rejected for failing to list a building address on the provisional ballot envelope if the voter resides at a location that does not have an address." This ruling states that all Ohio counties must allow homeless voters use non-building locations such as park benches as their addresses. At the same time, the court ruled that poll worker error is not a valid reason to reject a provisional ballot. Time said that these rulings brought uniformity in handling provisional ballots to the counties that did not previously exist.
On October 20, 2008, Brunner had to temporarily shut down the Ohio Secretary of State website after it was hacked. The offense was placed under the jurisdiction of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. At the time of the announcement Ohio Governor Ted Strickland noted that Brunner has been the subject of threats and Brunner noted that her office has been assaulted with threats and actual delivery of abuse.
In November 2008, Brunner became involved in a legal battle against two Steve Stivers supporters that relates to the validity of a 1000 provisional ballots in the race for Ohio's 15th congressional district that at the time of recounting had a 149-vote margin and 27,000 absentee ballots to be counted. The case was consolidated with other cases in the United States District Court upon Brunner's request. On December 5, 2008, Stivers' supporters won a ruling in the Ohio Supreme Court that the 1,000 provisional ballots that lacked signatures or had names and signatures in the wrong places be thrown out.
### 2010 campaign for U.S. Senate
Brunner's term as Ohio Secretary of State ended in 2011 and she was up for re-election in 2010 along with other Ohio statewide offices. In January, rumors that were eventually confirmed began circulating that second term Republican United States Senator George Voinovich would not run for re-election in 2010. Brunner's name was mentioned as a potential Democratic candidate for the seat. On January 23, 2009, Brunner and Ohio Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher met to discuss the possibility that either of them would run, but did not confirm any decision or leanings to the media.
On February 17, 2009, Brunner announced that she would be a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010. She ran against Fisher for the Democratic nomination. In September 2009, DSCC Chairman Bob Menendez, who supported Fisher and had been trying to clear the field for him, stated he would actively work against any underfunded candidate, in which Brunner eventually responded "I'm not scared of you" at a fundraiser in Washington D.C. in December of that year. By February 2010, she had significantly less cash on hand than Fisher or likely general election opponent Rob Portman (who would eventually win the seat), but claimed, "I only need enough money to win," adding, "And frankly, in this economic environment, it's rather obscene when people start crowing about how many millions they have on hand." Polling in late 2009 and January 2010 showed Brunner to be more competitive than Fisher in a general election matchup against Portman, while Fisher and Brunner were deadlocked in Democratic primary polling. Her budget-spirited campaign employed "Rosie the Riveter" imagery and the use of an old school bus called "The Courage Express" to travel across the state. During the campaign Fisher faced accusations of being afraid of Fox News and being too staged and not genuine. The final Quinnipiac Poll released at the end of April showed Brunner leading Fisher among men 38-24% and defeating Portman 40-36%.
Brunner lost to Fisher in the May 4, 2010 party primary, 55% to 45%.
### 2014 campaign for Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals
Brunner was certified as the sole Democratic candidate running for the Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals seat occupied by incumbent judge Amy O'Grady, who was appointed to the seat by Governor John Kasich in 2013. The 2014 judicial elections are notable for the number of judges on the ballot, with The Columbus Dispatch stating that it was the first time 12 contested judicial seats would appear on the ballot in Franklin County, Ohio. She was the only Democratic nominee for the appellate seat, running against incumbent judge Amy O'Grady. Brunner defeated O'Grady and was elected to a two-year term as Franklin County appeals judge unexpired term in the General Election.
## 2020 campaign for Ohio Supreme Court
In August 2019, Brunner announced her candidacy to be a justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio, challenging incumbent Judith L. French. On November 3, 2020, she went on to win the general election with 55% of the vote.
## 2022 Campaign for Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court
On June 8, 2021, Brunner announced her candidacy for Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court in the November 8, 2022, general election. In a virtual news conference on September 13, 2021, Brunner released a campaign platform that includes support for a statewide criminal sentencing database, a proposal for a permanent Commission on Fairness and Equality in Ohio’s Courts and Legal System, expansion of specialized dockets like drug courts, and what the Cleveland Plain Dealer called "good-government reforms."
## International work
Brunner worked with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) of the US Department of State as a consultant on campaign finance, elections, and ballot issues in the Republic of Serbia during 2012. Brunner also served as an adviser to Serbian misdemeanor court judges on outreach strategies to rebuild the public's confidence in elections systems. The project, named Judicial Reform and Government Accountability, also aims to enable the Serbian government to better detect and prevent corruption in the government. She has been engaged to serve as an adviser through USAID four times, with a trip to Serbia in 2013 assisting the Serbian Minister of Justice with judicial reform.
Brunner also served as an international election observer in Egypt for the 2014 Egyptian constitutional referendum.
Judge Brunner is a Member of the Board of Advisors of the Berlin, Prague and Sydney-based Global Panel Foundation - a respected NGO which works behind-the-scenes in conflict areas around the world.
## Personal
Brunner is a resident of Columbus, Ohio. She and her husband, Rick, have been married since 1978 and have three adult children. They have also been foster parents to three children. Brunner is an alumna of Whetstone High School in the Clintonville neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. Brunner served on the Ohio Student Loan Commission, a nine-member group that guarantees loans for college students, for a term that ended in 1992. Republican Governor John Kasich appointed her to a Democratic seat the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission in 2011, which was legislated out of existence in 2013. In October 2012, Kasich also appointed her to the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board. Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman appointed Brunner to the Central Ohio Transit Authority Board in 2013.
In March 2008, Brunner was given the Profile in Courage Award by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. She earned the award for challenging the reliability of electronic voting in order to protect the right to vote in Ohio. The award was announced on March 18, 2008. She received the award May 12, 2008. Brunner assumed office in 2007 and ordered paper ballots be provided to any voter who requested one in the March 2008 primary and called for the replacement of all the state's electronic voting systems by the November 2008 presidential election. Her overhaul of the Ohio voting system was considered costly and reckless by some, but after the election her risk was heralded in the press as successful.
## General election results |
18,724,055 | Thomas Crump | 1,161,912,517 | English cricketer | [
"1845 births",
"1907 deaths",
"Cricketers from Shropshire",
"English cricketers",
"Somerset cricketers"
] | Thomas Crump (12 March 1845 – 18 January 1907) was an English clergyman and amateur cricketer. After graduating from Oxford University, Crump held various ecclesiastical roles in the Herefordshire and Shropshire areas before moving to Somerset in 1880. He remained in Somerset until his death in 1907.
He was a keen cricketer, and played county cricket for both Herefordshire and Shropshire, before making his solitary first-class cricket appearance for Somerset in 1885, aged 40: he scored eight runs in his only innings.
## Life and ecclesiastical career
Thomas Crump was born on 12 March 1845, in Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire. His father, also Thomas Crump, was described by the cricket historian Stephen Hill as "a man of means who described his occupation as 'gentleman'". The younger Thomas Crump attended Lucton School, an independent school near Leominster in Herefordshire, and then went up to Wadham College, Oxford. He graduated from Wadham in 1868, and became curate in Bitterley, Shropshire. Three years later, he was made vicar of Leintwardine, Herefordshire, where he remained for five years. In 1876, he married Josephine Helen Colvin, the daughter of Colonel John Colvin of Leintwardine House, and became vicar of the nearby Downton-on-the-Rock.
He remained in the Leintwardine area for another four years, before he was appointed as rector of Corfe, near Taunton, Somerset. One of the senior members of the Church of England in the Taunton area, A. C. Ainslie, was a cousin of Josephine, and often visited the family at Leintwardine House. Hill suggests that the appointment of Crump to Corfe was an example of the "nepotism ... in the Church of England". Crump served as rector of Corfe until 1897, when he became vicar of East Pennard, near Shepton Mallet, Somerset. He had two sons and three daughters, and remained vicar of East Pennard until his death on 18 January 1907 from a long illness.
## Sporting career
Before his move to Somerset, Crump had played county cricket for both Herefordshire and Shropshire (the latter in one match in 1871), though neither played first-class cricket, and club cricket for Ludlow. He continued to play cricket after his move, and was praised in the Taunton local press for scoring 120 runs for Fullands against Taunton in 1882.
In 1885, at the age of 40, Crump made his only first-class cricket appearance, playing for Somerset County Cricket Club against Hampshire, scoring eight runs in the only innings in which he batted. Somerset's cricket during the 1885 season was so poor that they were stripped of their first-class status, and did not regain it until 1891. Crump remained involved with the county club, appearing for the "Somerset Club and Ground" team whose fixtures were designed to supplement the club's income, and often involved some members of the county's first team. Later, Crump became a member of Somerset's committee. As well as cricket, he became a keen golfer, and was a member of the Burnham and Berrow Golf Club. |
30,418,582 | Félix Delahaye | 1,125,290,702 | French Gardener, explorer (1767–1829) | [
"1767 births",
"1829 deaths",
"18th-century French botanists",
"18th-century explorers",
"19th-century French botanists",
"19th-century explorers",
"Botanical collectors active in Australia",
"Explorers of Australia",
"French explorers",
"French horticulturists"
] | Félix Delahaye (born 1767 and died 1829) was a French gardener who served on the Bruni d'Entrecasteaux voyage (1791–93) that was sent by the French National Assembly to search for the missing explorer Jean-François La Perouse. He was also one of the earliest European gardeners to work in Australia.
Delahaye was one of many gardener-botanists employed on European colonial voyages of scientific exploration in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Their duty was to assist with the collection, transport, cultivation and distribution of economic plants. They worked with the naturalists on these expeditions, but gave particular assistance to the botanists by collecting live plants and seed, as well as plant specimens for herbarium collections. They often maintained journals and records of their collections and made observations on the vegetation encountered during the voyage. On this particular expedition, Delahaye assisted the naturalist and botanist Jacques-Julien Houtou de Labillardière—who accumulated one of the largest herbarium collections of that era and published what was, in effect, the first Flora of Australia based on the collections he made on the New Holland (Australian) leg of the expedition. Delahaye also made numerous botanical collections of his own.
On returning to France Delahaye eventually became Head Gardener to Empress Josephine at the Château de Malmaison.
## Early life
Félix Delahaye was the son of Normandy labourer Abraham Delahaye and his wife Marie-Anne-Élisabeth Sapeigne who lived in the village of Caumont (Seine-Maritime) about 20 kilometres from Le Havre. At the age of 17 he left his parents’ farm and was employed as an apprentice gardener at the botanical garden of the Académie des Sciences in Rouen, historic capital of Normandy, under the direction of a Monsieur Varin. Just before the French Revolution in 1788, at the age of 20, he commenced work with André Thouin at the Jardin du Roi in Paris as a junior gardener, rising through the ranks to become Director of Horticulture at the city's new school of horticulture (Ecole Nationale d’Horticulture). His mentor, Thouin, was professor of horticulture in the Botany School of the Jardin du Roi. After the French Revolution this garden assumed its present name, the Jardin des Plantes. Thouin was also treasurer to the prestigious Société d’Histoire Naturelle and is commemorated by the name Thoin Bay in Tasmania.
## Bruni d’Entrecasteaux expedition
The La Pérouse's expedition was last seen on 10 March 1788 as it left Botany Bay in New Holland, Australia. It had been observed by ships of the First Fleet of convicts from England under the command of Arthur Phillip who was just leaving for Port Jackson after deciding that Botany Bay was unsuitable for settlement. In 1791 France’s National Assembly decided to send out a search mission led by Bruni d’Entrecasteaux. With Thouin’s recommendation Delahaye, who was at this time principal assistant gardener at the botany school of the Jardin du Roi, was invited to join the expedition's team of "savants" (more than ten scientists, engineers and artists) as the expedition's gardener. Thouin described Delahaye as " ... strong, vigorous and well-suited for voyages. Gentle, honest and of an exact probity. Active, hard-working and passionately loving his calling. Knowing by theory and by practice the processes of gardening and knowing very well the plants cultivated in the Jardin du Roi." Delahaye's annual salary on the expedition, paid by the navy, was 1000 livres (24 livres were equivalent to the gold coin, the Louis d'or), and he was reimbursed 1,236 livres for equipment. As a lowly gardener he was not permitted accommodation with the savants or to dine with the officers. Throughout the expedition he worked with diligence and honesty, keeping meticulous horticultural notes in his journal. Thouin wanted Delahaye to improve his schooling on the expedition and recommended that Delahaye study Latin, try to translate the works of Linnaeus and to read and write in French. His reading included Pierre Bulliard's Dictionairre Elementaire de Botanique (1783) and the works of Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau (1700–1782) who published works on forestry, naval architecture (especially relating to timber), agriculture, fruit tree cultivation, seed conservation and insect pests affecting seeds. Delahaye arrived in Brest, ready for the ship's departure, with four cases of garden seeds, one of fruit tree nuts, one containing gardening tools and another gardener's clothing.
### Landfalls
The expedition consisted of two frigates, Recherche and Espérance. The first landfall was the Canary Islands, then the Cape of Good Hope followed by Van Diemen’s Land (in Recherche Bay, Tasmania, named by d'Entrecasteaux after the flagship of his expedition ), then New Caledonia, Admiralty Islands, the Dutch colony of Ambon (where Delahaye exchanged seeds with the Dutch governor) then to south-western Australia discovering and naming Esperance Bay (d'Entrecasteaux now commemorating his second ship). With water running low the ships then returned to the safety of Recherche Bay, thus completing a counterclockwise circumnavigation of the continent. The next destination was Tonga where Delahaye collected breadfruit for transport to the Isle de France (now Mauritius), then to New Caledonia (where Kermadec, captain of the Espérance died), past Vanikoro Island (unaware that this is where La Pérouse had been shipwrecked) then through the Solomons, Trobriand Islands and finally, just before the death of d’Entrecasteaux in July 1793 from scurvy, surveyed the coasts of eastern New Guinea and northern New Britain. The expedition was now under the new command of d’Auribeau the ships arriving at Sourabaya, Java, in 1793, to be told that France was now at war with European countries including Holland, Britain and Spain, also that Louis XVI had been guillotined and a French republic was now declared. The Dutch seized the ships. With one exception all the savants appeared to have revolutionary sympathies. They were interned at Semerang and the scientific collections confiscated to be eventually captured later by the British from a French ship returning them to France. Under the benign auspices of Joseph Banks, these were returned to France. Delahaye was not, like Labillardiere, interned at Semerang but was permitted to tend the breadfruit trees destined for the Isle de France. In the course of the expedition, and under the guidance of Labillardière, Delahaye had made a numbered collection of 2,699 dried plant specimens as well as many collections of seed.
### A European vegetable garden
In 1792 over the 25 days of the first landfall in Recherche Bay, Tasmania, Delahaye established a European vegetable garden. Its purpose was as a source of food and propagation material for the indigenous people, and also as a supply of provisions for future visiting European vessels. This was the first European garden on mainland Tasmania, planted just north of where the ships were anchored and, until recently, was last sighted by Lady Jane Franklin in the 1840s. Offshore, on Bruny Island, a small orchard had been planted a few months previously by Englishman William Bligh's expedition, presumably planted by Bligh's gardener David Nelson. Delahaye's journal reports that he planted celery, chervil, chicory, cabbages, grey romaine lettuce, different kinds of turnip, white onion, radishes, sorrel, peas, black salsify and potatoes; he also had large quantities sewn in the woods, thrown at random where they might grow. Returning on 21 January 1793 the garden had not been productive, the seed having been planted in dry and sandy soil. This time Delahaye tried explaining to the Aboriginal people, referred to today as the Lyluequonny, that the tubers, when cooked in fire embers, made fine eating. Calling in on the Adventure Bay side of Bruny Island Delahaye examined and tended the two pomegranate, one quince and three fig trees planted by Bligh’s expedition in 1792.
### Rediscovery of garden in 2003
On 4 February 2003, situated in the north-eastern peninsula of Recherche Bay, environmental activists Helen Gee and Bob Graham found moss-covered stones forming a rectangle roughly 9m x 7.7m subdivided into four rectangles and enclosing a "plinth" (suggested as a support for barrels of water) measuring 1.8m x 1.7m. This seemed the possible remains of the garden established by Delahaye in 1792. The site ("NE peninsula") was placed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register on 20 February 2003. The discovery was an important element in a protracted campaign to preserve the site and, indeed, the whole peninsula, which was then in private ownership, and under threat of being logged.
### Heritage listing entry
In 2006 an archaeological survey of this site and others relating to the d'Entrecasteaux expedition concluded that:
> The geophysical and archaeological study of the area around the stone feature as well as the soil sampling strategy and the close observation of the 1792-93 maps of the area suggest that the stone layout cannot be the garden of Delahaye. This study also indicated that the location of the garden shown on the maps is in a dry and rocky environment which does not fit he description of the French ... The stone layout found in 2002 is probably an uncompleted structure associated with the late 19th and early 20th century development of the area. It is obviously one of the few remaining witnesses of this part of the history of Coal Pit Bight and needs to be protected and further researched.
Archaeological work had failed to find artefacts and recognizable phytoliths, also the site seemed too close to the sea – even though the dimensions, layout and orientation approximated published descriptions by both Delahaye and Labillardière.
The study also resulted in a Provisional Entry to the Tasmanian Heritage Register of 1 April 2010 D’Entrecasteaux Expedition Sites Recherche Bay & Adventure Bay:
> 1792 Garden (Lot 2). Exact location has not been identified. It is believed to be located in woodland near an intermittent stream, approximately 1 km north of Bennetts Point and 120 m inland (approx AGD66 E492782 N5180132), which is about 70-100 metres to the south-east of the stone structure discovered in 2002 (Galipaud et al 2007: 58 and 129). The site of the 1792 garden is thought to be an area of flat land near to a small stream, with deep and clayish soil (Galipaud 2007:58). Traces of the garden might today be covered by alluvial deposits (Galipaud et al 2007:58).
## Transporting breadfruit to the French West Indies
After several weeks of productive botanising in Recherche Bay, in 1793 the expedition ships set sail for Tongatapu (main island in the kingdom of Tonga) where Delahaye had specific instructions to collect quality breadfruit plants for transport to the Isle de France. The plants he selected were maintained in specially designed rectangular wooden chests with drainage holes and a frame that would hold glass or grills to assist temperature regulation. Accordingly, in Tonga he collected 200 breadfruit plants, emulating similar work of David Nelson, gardener-botanist to British Captain Bligh on the Bounty. By the time the French reached Sourabaya in Java only 14 plants survived and this was reduced to 10 when Delahaye moved to Semarang about another 300 kilometres away. By careful care and layering (a means of propagation) he managed to double the number of plants before leaving Java in January 1797 for the Isle de France on the frigate Régénérée. He then cared for the plants at sea eventually delivering them to Jean-Nicolas Céré at the Jardin des Pamplemousses on the Isle de France. Here they prospered under his care until he returned to France. Thanks to Delahaye’s careful husbandry the breadfruit was subsequently successfully introduced to the French West Indies. Between March and April 1797 on the Isle de France he had collected 280 separately numbered plant specimens and these were added to his specimens and seed collected in Java and seed collected in Australia. When he left the island in May 1797 among his collections were a selection of live ornamental plants that he had collected from gardens on the Isle de France.
When the collections from the expedition were finally returned to Paris they filled 36 trunks and among the living plants brought back were two breadfruit trees.
## Subsequent work
Delahaye had departed Mauritius in May 1797, arriving in France and on 9 July to be appointed as an official on a commission sent to Italy to plunder the libraries and museums of northern Italy in the wake of Napoleon’s victories there. On his return he was appointed head gardener, first at Trianon in 1798 and then, in 1805, on the Empress Joséphine’s estate at Malmaison. A Scotsman, Alexander Howatson, had been appointed Head Gardener at Malmaison. Napoleon did not like having an Englishman as an employee and being presented with an excessive bill by Howatson for transportation of shrubs to Malmaison, Napoleon had an opportunity to dispense with his services. The post of Superintendent of the Château de Malmaison gardens was given to the botanist Charles de Mirbel. It was through de Mirbel that Delahaye had obtained the position of Head Gardener at Malmaison, based on his successful restoration of the gardens at Le Trianon and also Marie Antoinette's old garden at Versailles. This garden was probably the most important collection of living Australian plants in Europe in this period. For several decades Delahaye was the only gardener in Europe who had actually seen the plants from New Holland growing in their natural habitat, and many of the plants he grew he had collected himself. Although tensions developed between Delahaye and Empress Josephine's chief botanist, Aimé Bonpland, Delahaye continued to work for Empress Joséphine until her death in 1814 after which he entered business (possibly in 1826 when Malmaison was sold) as manager of a successful private nursery at Montreuil, near Versailles, which also occupied his wife and sons. Here he kept a collection of natural history specimens and an extensive herbarium together with seeds and ethnographic specimens brought back from his voyage.
Delahaye died at his home, 6 rue Symphorien, Versailles on 20 August 1829, aged 62, and was buried in the cemetery at Montreuil. He was survived by his wife, Anne Serreaux, two sons and a daughter. His daughter married Pierre Bertin who took over the business, handing it on to his son Émile Bertin who, in turn, passed it on to Jean-Jaques Moser.
## Plant collections
An extensive collection of living and dried plants was returned to Paris by Delahaye but these were scattered after his death, herbarium specimens now being housed in Paris, Geneva, Mauritius and Java. His original herbarium of 2,699 plants included specimens dated and numbered in his journal as follows: New Ireland (Bismarck Archipelago, Jul 17–24 1792, collection numbers 699-786); Ambon (Sept 6 – Oct 12, 1792, nos. 787-1113), Boeroe (Sept 3–5, 1793, nos 1517-1669), Sourabaya, East Java (Oct 29 1793–Aug 1794, nos 1670-1962), Java (from 1794–96, nos 1963-2296), Batavia, west Java (Jun 1796–Jan 1797, nos 2297-2419) and the remainder from Isle de France.
On 16 August 1879 the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle purchased his herbarium, 84-folio catalogue and journal from the antiquarian bookseller Pironin for 295 francs. A small collection of seeds was also donated to the L'École Nationale Supérieure d'Horticulture by Delahaye’s grandson Émile Bertin. A manuscript of his seed collections is held in the Museum library (‘Notes des graines récoltées dans le voyage autour du monde’).
## Honours
The name "Lahaie" is commemorated on the Liénard obelisk in the Jardin des Pamplemousses, Mauritius. D’Entrecasteaux named an island in Port Espérance (Tasmania) in Delahaye’s honour, but it is now known as Hope Island. He was also commemorated by d'Entrecasteaux in a cape in the D'Entrecasteaux Islands.
## See also
- List of gardener-botanist explorers of the Enlightenment
- European and American voyages of scientific exploration |
23,492,454 | Grey's Anatomy (season 6) | 1,163,526,549 | Season of television series | [
"2009 American television seasons",
"2010 American television seasons",
"Grey's Anatomy (season 6) episodes",
"Grey's Anatomy seasons"
] | The sixth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, commenced airing on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on September 24, 2009, and concluded on May 20, 2010. The season was produced by ABC Studios, in association with Shondaland Production Company and The Mark Gordon Company; the showrunner being Shonda Rhimes and head writer Krista Vernoff. Actors Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, and Justin Chambers reprised their roles as surgical residents Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang, Izzie Stevens, and Alex Karev, respectively. Heigl was released from her contract in the middle of the season, while T. R. Knight did not appear as George O'Malley, because Knight was released from his contract at the conclusion of season five. Main cast members Patrick Dempsey, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr., Sara Ramirez, Eric Dane, Chyler Leigh, and Kevin McKidd also returned, while previous recurring-star Jessica Capshaw was promoted to a series-regular, and Kim Raver was given star-billing after the commencement of the season.
The season follows the story of surgical interns, residents and their competent mentors, as they experience the difficulties of the competitive careers they have chosen. It is set in the surgical wing of the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, located in Seattle, Washington. A major storyline of the season is the characters adapting to change, as their beloved co-worker Stevens departed following the breakdown of her marriage, O'Malley died in the season premiere—following his being dragged by a bus, and new cardiothoracic surgeon Teddy Altman is given employment at the hospital. Further storylines include Shepherd being promoted to chief of surgery, Seattle Grace Hospital merging with the neighboring Mercy West —introducing several new doctors, and several physicians lives being placed into danger—when a grieving deceased patient's husband embarks on a shooting spree at the hospital, seeking revenge for his wife's death.
The series ended its sixth season with 13.26 million viewers, ranking \#17 in terms of ratings, the lowest the series had ever ranked up to then. The season received mixed-to-positive critical feedback, with the season's premiere and finale given heavier critical acclaim, in contrast to the middle. The season was one of the least acclaimed in terms of awards and nominations, being the show's only season not to warrant a Primetime Emmy nomination. Despite the polarizing aspects of ratings and awards, the season managed to receive a spot on Movieline's top 10 list. Buena Vista released the season onto a DVD box-set, being made available to regions 1 and 2.
## Episodes
The number in the "No. overall" 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" is the number of Americans in millions who watched the episodes live. The sixth season's episodes are altogether 1032 minutes in length. Each episode of this season is named after a song.
## Cast and characters
### Main
- Ellen Pompeo as Dr. Meredith Grey
- Sandra Oh as Dr. Cristina Yang
- Katherine Heigl as Dr. Izzie Stevens
- Justin Chambers as Dr. Alex Karev
- Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey
- James Pickens Jr. as Dr. Richard Webber
- Sara Ramirez as Dr. Callie Torres
- Eric Dane as Dr. Mark Sloan
- Chyler Leigh as Dr. Lexie Grey
- Kevin McKidd as Dr. Owen Hunt
- Jessica Capshaw as Dr. Arizona Robbins
- Kim Raver as Dr. Teddy Altman
- Patrick Dempsey as Dr. Derek Shepherd
### Recurring
- Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery
- Sarah Drew as Dr. April Kepner
- Jesse Williams as Dr. Jackson Avery
- Jason George as Dr. Ben Warren
- Nora Zehetner as Dr. Reed Adamson
- Robert Baker as Dr. Charles Percy
- Leven Rambin as Sloan Riley
- Jeff Perry as Thatcher Grey
### Notable guests
- Demi Lovato as Hayley
- Sara Gilbert as Kim Allen
- Marion Ross as Betty
- Mandy Moore as Mary Portman
- Ryan Devlin as Bill Portman
- Nick Purcell as Doug
- Michael O'Neill as Gary Clark
- Danielle Panabaker as Kelsey
- Adrienne Barbeau as Jodie Crawley
- Héctor Elizondo as Carlos Torres
- Cody Christian as Brad Walker
- Mark Saul as Dr. Steve Mostow
- Martha Plimpton as Pam Michaelson
- Loretta Devine as Adele Webber
- Debra Monk as Louise O'Malley
- Mitch Pileggi as Larry Jennings
- Courtney Ford as Jill Meyer
- David Ramsey as Jimmy Thompson
- Nicole Cummins as Paramedic Nicole
- Frankie Faison as William Bailey
- Brandon Scott as Dr. Ryan Spalding
- Sarah Utterback as Olivia Harper
- Steven W. Bailey as Joe, the Bartender
- J. August Richards as Young Richard Webber
- Sarah Paulson as Young Ellis Grey
- Emily Bergl as Trisha
- Amy Madigan as Dr. Katherine Wyatt
- Missi Pyle as Jasmine
- Joel Grey as Dr. Singer
## Production
### Development and writing
The season was produced by Touchstone Television ABC Studios, The Mark Gordon Company, Shondaland and was distributed by Buena Vista International, Inc. The executive producers were creator Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon, Krista Vernoff, Rob Corn, Mark Wilding, Joan Rater and James D. Parriott. The regular directors were Shonda Rhimes, Krista Vernoff, Stacy McKee, William Harper, Debora Cahn, Allan Heinberg and Peter Nowalk. At the conclusion of season 5, T. R. Knight was released from his contract, following a disagreement with Rhimes. When asked to make a 'flashback' appearance in season six, Knight declined. Heigl's appearances in the season were sporadic, seeing Stevens depart and return twice. Although she was scheduled to appear in the final 5 episodes of the season, Heigl requested that she be released from her contract 18 months early, and made her final appearance on January 21, 2010. Heigl explained that she wanted to spend more time with her family, and did not think it would be respectful to Grey's Anatomy viewers to have Izzie return and depart yet again. The season's 2-hour opener showed the doctors of Seattle Grace Hospital, grieving the loss of their deceased friend, O'Malley. The special's writer, Vernoff, commented: "It's heartbreaking. I fell in love with George, like many of you did, in season one."
The ninth episode of the season, "New History", saw the arrival of Altman, which ended up forming a love-triangle between her, Hunt, and Yang. Raver commented on this: "She was in Iraq with Owen. She's a cardiac surgeon. She's really good at what she does. There'll be some interesting stuff between Teddy, Owen and Cristina." The episode's writer, Heinberg, offered his insight:
> "Teddy's arrival at Seattle Grace unleashes all manner of complications for Owen, Cristina, and herself. Cristina's immediately suspicious that Owen and Teddy were more than friends during their time together in Iraq. Teddy confesses to Owen that she apparently misread their mutual history, and walks away from him, mortified. And Owen's left haunted by Teddy's confession, now forced to re-examine his own history -- and his feelings for both Teddy and Cristina.
"I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" saw the departure of Stevens, following the breakdown of her marriage with Karev. Series' writer Joan Rater commented on this: "Izzie getting the clean scan back gives Alex the freedom to leave. Because he never would have left her when she was sick, he's a good guy. And I'm not saying that Alex ever consciously thought, I can’t leave her while she's sick, but now that she's not, now that she seems like she's going to get better, it just comes to him. He deserves more. He's a good guy and he deserves more. But loving Izzie showed him that he can be good, is good. So it was a little gift. And when he tells Izzie he's done, he's not bitter or angry, he's just done."
The writing of the 2-part season 6 finale, caused struggle to Rhimes. She elaborated on this:
> It hurt to write this finale. It literally hurt me. Because in order to write these episodes, I had to walk in the shoes of [the shooter]. I had to think like a shooter. A person who would shoot Reed and Alex and Charles. A person who would shoot Derek. By the time I finished writing part one, I was sick. And depressed. Because my McDreamy was lying on my beloved catwalk dying. Mer is screaming and he is dying. And, before you have me shot up with Thorazine and placed in a strait jacket, yes, I DO I know it's only a TV show, I'm not insane, but dude...it felt too real. It felt WAY too real.
### Casting
The sixth season had 13 roles receiving star-billing, with 12 of them returning from the previous season, 1 of whom previously in a recurring guest capacity. The regulars portray the surgeons from the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital as new rivalries and romantic relationships begin to develop after the hospital's merger with Mercy West. Meredith Grey, a surgical resident and the protagonist of the series, is portrayed by Ellen Pompeo. Fellow third-year residents Cristina Yang, Izzie Stevens and Alex Karev are portrayed by Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl and Justin Chambers, respectively. Attending general surgeon Miranda Bailey was portrayed by Chandra Wilson whose main storylines throughout the season focus on her divorce and the development of new romantic relationships. Seattle Grace Hospital's Chief of Surgery and general surgeon Richard Webber was portrayed by James Pickens, Jr., who returns to alcoholism after being sober for 20 years.
Sara Ramirez acted as bisexual orthopedic surgeon Callie Torres, Eric Dane played womanizer plastic surgeon Mark Sloan, Chyler Leigh portrayed Meredith's half-sister and second-year surgical resident Lexie Grey, Kevin McKidd appeared as trauma surgeon Owen Hunt, and Patrick Dempsey featured as chief of neurosurgery Derek Shepherd. After having previously appeared in a multi-episode arc in a guest-star capacity in the show's fifth season, Jessica Capshaw began receiving star-billing in the season's premiere episode in the role of attending pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins. The ninth episode of the season marked the introduction of the new chief of cardiothoracic surgery Teddy Altman, portrayed by Kim Raver, whose mysterious romantic past with Hunt develops into one of the season's main stories. Starting with the nineteenth episode of the season, Raver began receiving star-billing.
The sixth season introduces several new recurring characters who start to develop progressive and expansive storylines throughout the season. Mercy West surgical residents Reed Adamson, Charles Percy, April Kepner and Jackson Avery were portrayed by Nora Zehetner, Robert Baker, Sarah Drew and Jesse Williams, respectively. Jason George portrayed Miranda Bailey's love-interest, anesthesiologist Ben Warren. Thatcher Grey (Jeff Perry) and Sloan Riley (Leven Rambin) have been part of the season's main story arcs, while numerous episodic characters have made guest appearances: Demi Lovato as Hayley, Sara Gilbert as Kim Allen, Marion Ross as Betty, Mandy Moore as Mary Portman, Ryan Devlin as Bill Portman, Nick Purcell as Doug, Michael O'Neill as Gary Clark, Danielle Panabaker as Kelsey, Adrienne Barbeau as Jodie Crawley, Héctor Elizondo as Mr. Torres, Cody Christian as Brad Walker, Amy Madigan as Dr. Wyatt, and Missi Pyle as Jasmine. Former series-regular Kate Walsh returned to the series as a special guest-star, portraying neonatal surgeon and obstetrician-gynecologist Addison Montgomery.
## Reception
### Ratings
The sixth season opened up to 17.04 million viewers with a 6.7/17 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic. Although the rating was a 1% decrease from season five's opener, it managed to rank first for its time-slot and the entire night, in terms of both ratings and viewership, and served as the season's most viewed episode. "Sympathy for the Parents" was the season's least viewed episode, and up to that point, the series' as well, garnering only 9.87 million viewers. The season's finale garnered 16.13 million viewers, and received a 6.2/18 rating, ranking first for its time-slot and the entire night, in terms of both ratings and viewership. Although the finale was a success for the night, it was a 1% decrease from season five's finale, but served as the season's second most viewed episode. Overall, the season ranked at \#17 for the year, and had an average of 13.26 million viewers, a 5% decrease from the previous season's ranking.
### Critical response
The season received mixed-to-positive reviews among television critics. Speaking of the premiere, Glenn Diaz of BuddyTV noted that the special foreshadowed a "very dark" season, adding: "The talk between George's mom and one of the surgeons [Torres] proved to be one of the more heart-breaking scenes in an episode that in itself is heartbreaking enough." In contrast, Kelly West of TV Blend was critical of the premiere, writing: "I don’t think based on the first episode that we can say that Grey's is headed in a new direction, nor do I think the writers are making much of an effort to bring the series back to the greatness that was its earlier seasons. That said, this is Grey's Anatomy and with that comes the usual drama, sex, love and whacky medical mysteries thrown in the mix to keep things moving. If that's what you’re looking for, I think you’ll enjoy the season premiere just fine." Capshaw's performance this season was praised, with The TV Addict calling her "immensely likeable". Although "Sympathy for the Parents" was the least viewed episode, TV Fanatic called the episode "touching", praising Chambers' performance. TV Fanatic'''s reaction to the season was fairly mixed, with Steve Marsi saying that Grey's Anatomy was facing an identity crisis after viewing "Give Peace a Chance". He said that: "Still popular but lacking its past magic, it's trying to decide what to become. All we can say is that if it becomes what we saw 12 hours ago, we are all for it. Last week saw the doctors plunging into ER-style chaos with 12 different doctors giving 12 different accounts of one case. Last night, we saw something else equally unusual." He praised Patrick Dempsey's performance, saying: "Again, it was a single case that took up the entire hour, but instead of 12 doctors' version of events, the focus was largely on just one, and the best one: Dr. Derek Shepherd. Patrick Dempsey's McDreamy character may be eye candy, but he's got substance. Last night's episode proved that in spades, and was one of the series' best in some time."
The season's finale Death And All His Friends was highly praised. Marsi gave the episode five stars, and expressed that it may have been the best episode of the series, adding: "The writing and acting were absolutely stellar, and may lead to many Emmy nominations, but even more impressively, despite a killing spree, it remained distinctly Grey's. Some of the back-and-forths between the characters were truly memorable, and some of the developments so heartbreaking that we don't even know where to begin now. Seriously, the Season 6 finale left us laying awake afterward thinking about everything, a feeling we haven't had from Grey's in years and rarely achieved by any program." John Kubicek of BuddyTV also noted that the finale was the best episode, adding: "[It was] two of the best hours of television all year. It was certainly the best Grey's Anatomy has ever been, which is saying a lot since I'd written the show off for the past few years. No show does a big traumatic event like Grey's Anatomy, and the shooter gave the show license for heightened drama with five major characters being shot over the two hours. It was emotional, expertly paced and had me in tears for most of the finale." Entertainment Weekly wrote, "At any rate, now you can at least see where it all began. And while you’re still pondering how Grey's can still be so damn good sometimes,"
### Accolades
The season was one of the least acclaimed of the series, in terms of awards and nominations. Despite not being nominated for a Primetime Emmy, the show received two Creative Arts Emmy Awards: Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup For A Series, Miniseries, Movie Or A Special for "How Insensitive" and Outstanding Makeup For A Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) for "Suicide is Painless". The season also received a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series at the GLAAD Media Awards. Wilson was awarded the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Directing in a Dramatic Series for her directing in "Give Peace a Chance". The season also ranked at \#10 on Movieline'''s top ten list.
## DVD release |
1,849,011 | The Notorious Byrd Brothers | 1,171,479,129 | null | [
"1968 albums",
"Albums produced by Gary Usher",
"CBS Records albums",
"Columbia Records albums",
"Demon Music Group albums",
"Embassy Records albums",
"The Byrds albums"
] | The Notorious Byrd Brothers is the fifth album by the American rock band the Byrds, and was released in January 1968, on Columbia Records. The album represents the pinnacle of the Byrds' late-‘60s musical experimentation, with the band blending together elements of psychedelia, folk rock, country, electronic music, baroque pop, and jazz. With producer Gary Usher, they made extensive use of a number of studio effects and production techniques, including phasing, flanging, and spatial panning. The Byrds also introduced the sound of the pedal steel guitar and the Moog modular synthesizer into their music, making it one of the first LP releases on which the Moog appears.
Recording sessions for The Notorious Byrd Brothers took place throughout the latter half of 1967 and were fraught with tension, resulting in the loss of two members of the band; rhythm guitarist David Crosby was fired in October 1967 and drummer Michael Clarke left the sessions midway through recording, returning briefly before finally being dismissed after completion of the album. Additionally, original band member Gene Clark, who had left the group in early 1966, rejoined for three weeks during the making of the album, before leaving again. Author Ric Menck has commented that in spite of these changes in personnel and the conflict surrounding its creation, The Notorious Byrd Brothers is the band's most cohesive and ethereal-sounding album statement.
The Notorious Byrd Brothers reached number 47 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and number 12 on the UK Album Chart. A cover of the Gerry Goffin and Carole King song "Goin' Back" was released in October 1967 as the lead single from the album to mild chart success. Although The Notorious Byrd Brothers was critically praised at the time of its release, it was only moderately successful commercially, particularly in the United States. The album later came to be widely regarded as one of the Byrds' best album releases, as well as their most experimental and progressive. Byrds expert Tim Connors has described the album's title as evoking a gang of outlaws from the American Old West.
## Background
The recording of The Notorious Byrd Brothers, during the latter half of 1967, was marked by severe internal dissolution and acrimony. The Byrds began the recording sessions as a four-piece band, consisting of Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke—the same line-up that had recorded their two previous albums. By the time of the album's release, however, only McGuinn and Hillman remained in the group. The first line-up change occurred when drummer Michael Clarke quit the sessions after having played on several songs, over disputes with Crosby and the other band members over his playing ability and his apparent dissatisfaction with the material the three songwriting members of the band were providing. Though he remained a band member and continued to honor his live concert commitments with the group, Clarke was temporarily replaced in the studio by noted session drummers Jim Gordon and Hal Blaine.
David Crosby was then fired by McGuinn and Hillman and replaced by a former member of the Byrds, Gene Clark, who stayed on board for just three weeks before leaving again. Prior to finishing the album, Michael Clarke also returned from his self-imposed exile to co-write and play on the track "Artificial Energy", only to be informed by McGuinn and Hillman that he was an ex-Byrd after the album was completed. Amid so many changes in band personnel, McGuinn and Hillman needed to rely upon outside musicians to complete the album. Among these hired musicians was Clarence White, who had also played on the group's previous album, Younger Than Yesterday. His contributions to these and the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo album, along with his friendship with Hillman, eventually led to his being hired as a full-time member of the band in 1968.
### David Crosby's dismissal
David Crosby was fired by McGuinn and Hillman in October 1967, partly as a result of friction arising from Crosby's displeasure at the band's wish to record the Goffin–King composition "Goin' Back". Crosby felt that recording the song was a step backwards artistically, especially when the band contained three active songwriters. Another factor that contributed to Crosby's dismissal was his controversial song "Triad", a risqué composition about a ménage à trois that was in direct competition with "Goin' Back" for a place on the album. He later gave the tune to Jefferson Airplane, who included a version of the song on their 1968 album Crown of Creation. Although the Byrds did record "Triad", the song's subject matter compelled McGuinn and Hillman to prevent it from being released at the time. The track was first issued on the band's 1987 archival compilation album, Never Before, and was later added to The Notorious Byrd Brothers as a bonus track on the 1997 Columbia/Legacy reissue.
Crosby had also annoyed the other members of the Byrds during their performance at the Monterey Pop Festival when he gave lengthy in-between-song speeches on several controversial subjects, including the JFK assassination and the benefits of giving LSD to "all the statesmen and politicians in the world". He further irritated his bandmates at Monterey by performing with rival group Buffalo Springfield, filling in for ex-member Neil Young.
His stock within the band deteriorated still further following the commercial failure of his song "Lady Friend", when it was released as the A-side of a Byrds single in July 1967. His absence from many of the recording sessions for The Notorious Byrd Brothers was the final straw for McGuinn and Hillman. Crosby received a generous severance package and began to collaborate with his new musical partner, Stephen Stills. It has been suggested that the horse on the cover of the album was unkindly intended to represent Crosby, although this has been denied by both McGuinn and Hillman.
Much to Crosby's chagrin, McGuinn and Hillman reworked his unfinished song "Draft Morning" following his departure and included it in the final running order for the album, giving themselves a co-writing credit. Crosby ended up playing on around half of The Notorious Byrd Brothers: on his own three songs, along with "Change Is Now" and "Old John Robertson". He also appears on several bonus tracks on the 1997 reissue, including "Triad", "Universal Mind Decoder" and an early version of "Goin' Back".
### Gene Clark's temporary return
Following Crosby's departure, Gene Clark was asked to rejoin the band. Clark had originally left the Byrds in early 1966 due to his fear of flying and his tendency towards anxiety and paranoia. His debut solo album (co-produced by the Byrds' then current producer, Gary Usher, with both Clarke and Hillman playing on it) had been a critical success, but a commercial failure and Clark was currently inactive. Clark rejoined the Byrds in October 1967 for three weeks, during which time he and the band performed on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour television program, lip-syncing "Goin' Back" and "Mr. Spaceman". The Byrds also played several live dates with Clark during a tour of the Midwest. Following the final concert of the tour, Clark's fear of flying again became a problem when it prevented him from taking a flight to New York with his bandmates and, as a result, he left the band soon after.
It has been debated by biographers and band historians just how involved Clark was in the recording of The Notorious Byrd Brothers. Clark himself claimed during a 1988 interview for radio station KBSG 97 that he was involved in the recording of "Goin' Back" and some other songs from the same period, although he didn't specify what his contributions might have been. There is also studio documentation and eyewitness accounts to suggest that Clark contributed backing vocals to "Goin' Back" and "Space Odyssey". One of those eyewitnesses, John Noreen of the L.A. folk rock band the Rose Garden, has stated in an interview that he clearly remembers being at Columbia Recording Studios during sessions for the album and seeing Clark record his backing vocals. This has been corroborated by the Rose Garden's drummer, Bruce Bowdin, who has claimed that Clark's voice can be heard most clearly on the mono mix of "Goin' Back" which was released as a single. Conversely, the Rose Garden's bass player William Fleming, who was also there, recalled that although Clark was in the studio he didn't participate in any recording. Author and musician Ric Menck has remarked that if Clark is present on either "Space Odyssey" or "Goin' Back", his contributions are not obvious and must have been buried very low in the mix by producer Gary Usher.
The Byrds' lead guitarist, Roger McGuinn, cannot remember whether Clark contributed to the album or not, but he has admitted that it is possible. McGuinn has, however, gone on record as stating that he wrote the song "Get to You" with Clark, and that the writing credits on the album are mistaken; they should have read McGuinn/Clark, rather than McGuinn/Hillman. However, in an interview published in the November 2012 edition of Uncut magazine, Hillman stated that he definitely had a hand in writing the song with McGuinn, although he was unsure whether Clark also contributed to it or not.
## Music
### Production
Despite its troubled genesis, the album contains some of the band's most gentle and ethereal music, as well as some of its most progressive and experimental. In a 2002 interview, McGuinn said it was "kind of Beatles-inspired" and cited their album Revolver as an influence. Lyrically, it attempted to deal with many contemporary themes such as peace, ecology, freedom, drug use, alienation and mankind's place in the universe. The album, as a whole, represented the apex of the McGuinn–Crosby–Hillman songwriting partnership, and took the musical experimentation of the original Byrds to its farthest logical extreme, mixing folk rock, country, psychedelia and jazz, often within a single song. The band and producer Gary Usher also used a number of innovative studio-based production techniques on the album, in particular making heavy use of phasing, spatial panning, and rotary speaker effects.
The band also began experimenting with the Moog modular synthesizer on a number of tracks, making The Notorious Byrd Brothers one of the first rock albums to feature the instrument. McGuinn had first discovered the Moog during the Monterey Pop Festival, where the instrument's inventor, Robert Moog, had set up a booth to demonstrate his new creation to the musicians who were performing at the festival. Being something of an electronics buff, McGuinn was eager to experiment with the synthesizer in the recording studio, although reportedly, Hillman failed to share his enthusiasm for the instrument. Although McGuinn and Usher played the Moog parts on the song "Space Odyssey" themselves, they ceded the instrument's other appearances on the album to electronic music pioneer and session musician Paul Beaver.
The album also featured the pedal steel guitar playing of session musician Red Rhodes, which represented the first use of the instrument on a Byrds' recording. This use of pedal steel, along with Clarence White's countrified guitar playing, foreshadowed the country rock direction that the band would explore on their next album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
### The songs
The album's opening track, "Artificial Energy", features a prominent horn section and, as such, can be seen as a stylistic relative of "Lady Friend" and "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star", two earlier Byrds' songs that made use of brass. The song deals with the dark side of amphetamine use and it was Chris Hillman who initially suggested that the band should "write a song about speed". The title was suggested by drummer Michael Clarke, and his input in the creation of the song was sufficient to afford him a rare writing credit. Although the song's lyrics initially seem to be extolling the virtues of amphetamines, the tale turns darker in the final verse when it becomes apparent that the drug taker has been imprisoned for murdering a homosexual man, as evidenced by the song's final couplet: "I'm coming down off amphetamine/And I'm in jail 'cause I killed a queen." Although the press had accused the Byrds of writing songs about drugs in the past, specifically with "Eight Miles High" and "5D (Fifth Dimension)", when the band finally did record a song unequivocally dealing with drugs it was largely ignored by journalists.
"Artificial Energy" is followed on the album by the poignant and nostalgic Goffin–King song "Goin' Back". With its chiming 12-string Rickenbacker guitar and polished harmony singing, band biographer Johnny Rogan has described the song as providing a sharp contrast to the negativity and violence of the opening track. The song's lyrics describe an attempt on the part of the singer to reject the cynicism that comes with being an adult in favor of the innocence of childhood. Thematically, the song recalled the title of the Byrds' previous album, Younger Than Yesterday, and the understated pedal steel guitar playing of Red Rhodes gives the track a subtle country flavor.
A second Goffin–King composition, "Wasn't Born to Follow", also displays country and western influences, albeit filtered through the band's psychedelic and garage rock tendencies. The song's country leanings are underscored by the criss-crossing musical dialogue between the electric guitar and pedal steel. The rural ambiance is further heightened by the striking imagery of the lyrics which outline the need for escape and independence: a subject perfectly in keeping with the hippie ethos of the day.
Another song on the album that deals with the need to escape the confines of society is David Crosby's "Dolphin's Smile". The song was an early example of Crosby's penchant for using nautical imagery in his songs, a thematic trait he would utilize in future compositions, including "Wooden Ships" and "The Lee Shore". The theme of unfettered idyllic bliss is further explored in the Hillman-penned "Natural Harmony". Like "Goin' Back", "Natural Harmony" conveys a sense of longing for the innocence of youth, albeit filtered through the awareness-raising properties of psychedelic drugs. It has been suggested by some commentators that the song exhibits the strong influence of Crosby's writing style, with its laid-back, jazzy feel and dreamy, high tenor vocal part.
The McGuinn and Hillman composition "Change Is Now", with its lyrics advising the listener to live life to the full, represents a celebration of the philosophy of carpe diem (popularly translated as "seize the day"). Within this context, the song's lyrics explored a number of other themes, including epiphenomenalism, communalism, and human ecology. The quasi-philosophical nature of the song prompted McGuinn to flippantly describe it in a 1969 interview as "another one of those guru-spiritual-mystic songs that no-one understood". An early instrumental recording of the song, listed under its original working title of "Universal Mind Decoder", was included as a bonus track on the 1997 reissue of The Notorious Byrd Brothers. "Change Is Now" is notable for being the only song on the album to feature both Crosby and future Byrd Clarence White together on the same track.
"Draft Morning" is a song about the horrors of the Vietnam War, as well as a protest against the conscription of men into the military during the conflict. The song was initially written by Crosby, but he was fired from the Byrds shortly after he had introduced it to the rest of the band. However, work had already begun on the song's instrumental backing track by the time of Crosby's departure. Controversially, McGuinn and Hillman decided to continue working on the song, despite its author no longer being a member of the band. Having only heard the song's lyrics in their original incarnation a few times, McGuinn and Hillman couldn't remember all of the words when they came to record the vocals and so decided to rewrite the song with their own lyrical additions, giving themselves a co-writing credit in the process. This angered Crosby considerably, since he felt, with some justification, that McGuinn and Hillman had stolen his song. Despite its troubled evolution, "Draft Morning" is often considered one of Crosby's best songs from his tenure with the Byrds. Lyrically, it follows a newly recruited soldier from the morning of his induction into the military through to his experiences of combat and as such, illustrates the predicament faced by many young American men during the 1960s. The song also makes extensive use of battlefield sound effects, provided for the band by the Los Angeles comedy troupe the Firesign Theatre.
Another of Crosby's songwriting contributions to the album, "Tribal Gathering", was, for many years, assumed to have been inspired by the Human Be-In: A Gathering Of Tribes, a counter-culture happening held in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park on January 12, 1967. However, in the 2000s, Crosby revealed that the song was actually inspired by another hippie gathering held at Elysian Park near Los Angeles on March 26, 1967. Played in a jazzy, 5/4 time signature, the song's vocal arrangement was greatly influenced by the music of the Four Freshmen, a vocal group that Crosby had admired as a youngster.
Another song on the album that uses a 5/4 time signature, albeit with occasional shifts into 3/4 time, is "Get to You". The song recounts a plane trip to London, England, just prior to the advent of autumn, but the identity of the enigmatic "you" mentioned in the song's title is not specified in the lyrics and thus, can be interpreted as either a waiting lover or as the city of London itself. Although it has been claimed by McGuinn that Clark co-wrote the song, he had left the Byrds again by the time it was recorded and therefore does not appear on the track.
"Old John Robertson", which had already been issued some six months earlier as the B-side of the "Lady Friend" single, was another country-tinged song that looked forward to the band's future country rock experimentation. The song was inspired by a retired film director who lived in the small town near San Diego where Hillman grew up. According to Hillman, John S. Robertson was something of an eccentric figure around the town, regularly wearing a Stetson hat and sporting a white handlebar moustache, which gave him the appearance of a character out of the old American West. In the song, Hillman recalls the children of the town and their cruel laughter at this colorful figure, as well as the combination of awe and fear that he elicited in the townsfolk. During the recording of the song, Crosby switched instruments with Hillman to play bass instead of his usual rhythm guitar. The track also makes liberal use of the studio effects known as phasing and flanging, particularly during the song's orchestral middle section and subsequent verse. The version of "Old John Robertson" found on the B-side of the "Lady Friend" single is a substantially different mix from the version that appears on The Notorious Byrd Brothers album.
The final track on the album, "Space Odyssey", is a musical retelling of Arthur C. Clarke's short story "The Sentinel", which was also the inspiration for Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The song makes extensive use of the Moog modular synthesizer and features a droning, dirge-like melody reminiscent of a sea shanty. Since "Space Odyssey" predates the release of 2001: A Space Odyssey, McGuinn and his co-writer, Robert J. Hippard, composed lyrics that referred to a pyramid being found on the Moon, as was the case in "The Sentinel". However, the pyramid was replaced by a rectangular monolith in both the film and the accompanying novelization.
## Release and reception
The Notorious Byrd Brothers was released on January 15, 1968, in the United States (catalogue item CL 2775 in mono, CS 9575 in stereo) and on April 12, 1968, in the UK (catalogue item 63169 in mono, S 63169 in stereo). However, there is some debate about the U.S. release date, with some sources suggesting that it may have been brought forward to January 3, 1968. Regardless, the album's appearance during the first month of 1968 surprised many fans of the band, who had been led to believe by contemporary press reports that the album was still in the planning stages.
It peaked at number 47 on the Billboard Top LPs chart, during a chart stay of 19 weeks, but fared better in the United Kingdom where it reached number 12, spending a total of 11 weeks on the UK chart. The album's front cover photograph was taken by Guy Webster, who had also been responsible for the cover of the Byrds' Turn! Turn! Turn! album. The "Goin' Back" single was released ahead of the album on October 20, 1967, and reached number 89 on the Billboard Hot 100, but failed to chart in the UK. The album is notable for being the last Byrds LP to be commercially issued in mono in the United States, although subsequent albums continued to be released in both mono and stereo variations overseas.
The album was almost universally well received by the music press upon release, with Jon Landau in the newly launched Rolling Stone magazine noting that "When the Byrds get it together on record they are consistently brilliant." Landau went on to praise the Byrds' musical eclecticism, before stating: "Their music is possessed by a never-ending circularity and a rich, child-like quality. It has a timelessness to it, not in the sense that you think their music will always be valid, but in the sense that it is capable of forcing you to suspend consciousness of time altogether." Crawdaddy! magazine was also enthusiastic in its praise of the album, with Sandy Pearlman describing it as "enchantingly beautiful". Pete Johnson, in his review for the Los Angeles Times, summed up the album as "11 good songs spiked with electronic music, strings, brass, natural and supernatural voices, and the familiar thick texture of McGuinn's guitar playing".
In a contemporary review published in Esquire, music critic Robert Christgau described The Notorious Byrd Brothers as "simply the best album the Byrds have ever recorded". Christgau grouped it with contemporary releases by Love (Forever Changes) and The Beach Boys (Wild Honey), remarking: "[i]t's hard to believe that so much good can come out of one place [i.e. Los Angeles]." In the UK, Record Mirror gave the album a rare five-star rating, commenting "Hard though it was for the Byrds to follow up their near-perfect Younger Than Yesterday album, they've done it with this fantastic disc." Melody Maker was also complimentary about the album, describing it as "A beautiful selection, representing US pop at its finest." Beat Instrumental concluded their review by stating "It's true to say that the Byrds are one of the two best groups in the world. Nobody can say any different with the proof of this album."
In 1997, Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke described the album as the Byrds' "finest hour" and "the work of a great rock & roll band, in every special sense of the word". On his official website, Robert Christgau again commented on the album, declaring that The Notorious Byrd Brothers (along with its follow-up, Sweetheart of the Rodeo) is "[one] of the most convincing arguments for artistic freedom ever to come out of American rock". Parke Puterbaugh, writing for the Rolling Stone website in 1999, remarked on the presence of "burbling Moog synthesizers and purring steel guitars" on the album, which he ultimately described as "a brilliant window onto an unforgettable place and time".
## Legacy
Over the years, The Notorious Byrd Brothers has gained in reputation and is often considered the group's best work, while the contentious incidents surrounding its making have been largely forgotten. The album managed to capture the band at the height of their creative powers, as they pushed ahead lyrically, musically and technically into new sonic territory. Band biographer Johnny Rogan has written that the Byrds' greatest accomplishment on the album was in creating a seamless mood piece from a variety of different sources, bound together by innovative studio experimentation. Although the album is widely regarded as the band's most experimental, its running time of a little under 29 minutes also makes it their briefest.
The album was voted the fourth-best album ever in a 1971 ZigZag magazine readers' poll and the 1977 edition of the Critic's Choice: Top 200 Albums book ranked it at number 154 in a list of the "Greatest Rock Albums of All-Time". A subsequent edition of the book, published in 1988, ranked the album at number 75. The album was included in Robert Christgau's "Basic Record Library" of 1950s and 1960s recordings, published in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981). In 1995, Mojo magazine placed the album at number 36 in their list of "The 100 Greatest Albums Ever Made". In 2003, the album was ranked at number 171 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time", maintaining the rating in a 2012 revised list. It also ranked number 32 on the NME's list of the "100 Best Albums". In 2004, Q magazine included the album in its list of "The Music that Changed the World". It was voted number 158 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).
The Notorious Byrd Brothers was remastered at 20-bit resolution as part of the Columbia/Legacy Byrds series. It was reissued in an expanded form on March 25, 1997, with six bonus tracks, including Crosby's controversial ballad "Triad", the Indian-influenced "Moog Raga", and an instrumental backing track for the outtake "Bound to Fall". The final track on the CD extends to include a hidden track featuring a radio advertisement by producer Gary Usher for the album, as well as a recording of an in-studio altercation between the band members.
Following the release of the album, the Byrds' recording of "Wasn't Born to Follow" was used in the 1969 film Easy Rider and included on the accompanying Easy Rider soundtrack album. In addition, the song "Change Is Now" has been covered by the progressive bluegrass band The Dixie Bee-Liners, on the tribute album Timeless Flyte: A Tribute to The Byrds — Full Circle, and by rock band Giant Sand, on Time Between – A Tribute to The Byrds. Ric Menck, best known for being a member of the band Velvet Crush, has written a book about the album for Continuum Publishing's 331⁄3 series.
## Track listing
- Sides one and two were combined as tracks 1–11 on CD reissues.
### Single release
1. "Goin' Back" b/w "Change Is Now" (Columbia 44362) October 20, 1967 (Billboard chart number 89)
## Personnel
Adapted from So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star: The Byrds Day-By-Day (1965–1973), The Notorious Byrd Brothers (331⁄3 series), and the compact disc liner notes.
- Roger McGuinn – vocals, lead guitar, Moog synthesizer
- David Crosby – vocals, rhythm guitar on "Change is Now", "Tribal Gathering", "Dolphin's Smile", "Triad", and "Goin' Back" (alternate); rhythm guitar on "Draft Morning", "Bound to Fall" and "Universal Mind Decoder"; vocals, electric bass on "Old John Robertson"
- Chris Hillman – vocals; electric bass all tracks except "Old John Robertson"; guitar on "Old John Robertson"; mandolin on "Draft Morning"
- Michael Clarke – drums on "Artificial Energy", "Draft Morning", "Old John Robertson", "Tribal Gathering", "Dolphin's Smile", and "Universal Mind Decoder"
- Gene Clark – possible backing vocal on "Goin' Back" (master) and "Space Odyssey"
Additional personnel
- James Burton, Clarence White – guitars
- Red Rhodes – pedal steel guitar
- Paul Beaver – piano, Moog synthesizer
- Terry Trotter – piano
- Gary Usher – Moog synthesizer, percussion, backing vocals
- Barry Goldberg – organ
- Dennis McCarthy – celeste
- Jim Gordon – drums on "Goin' Back", "Natural Harmony", "Wasn't Born to Follow", "Bound to Fall", and "Triad"
- Hal Blaine – drums on "Get to You" and "Change Is Now"
- Curt Boettcher – backing vocals
- William Armstrong, Victor Sazer, Carl West – violins
- Paul Bergstrom, Lester Harris, Raymond Kelley, Jacqueline Lustgarten – cellos
- Alfred McKibbon – double bass (bowed)
- Ann Stockton – harp
- Richard Hyde – trombone
- Roy Caton, Virgil Fums, Gary Weber — brass
- Jay Migliori – saxophone
- Dennis Faust – percussion
- Firesign Theatre – sound effects on "Draft Morning"
- unknown musicians – trumpet on "Draft Morning"; string quartet and additional fiddle on "Old John Robertson"
## Release history
### Single release
1. "Goin' Back" b/w "Change Is Now" (Columbia 44362) October 20, 1967 (Billboard chart number 89) |
2,165,153 | Khanjar | 1,171,789,958 | Traditional dagger originating from Oman | [
"Arab inventions",
"Blade weapons",
"Daggers",
"Indo-Persian weaponry",
"Omani culture"
] | A khanjar (Arabic: خنجر, Kurdish: xencer, Bengali: খঞ্জর, romanized: khôñjôr Turkish: hançer, Persian: خنجر, Urdu: خنجر, Serbo-Croatian: handžar, Kazakh: qanjar) is a traditional dagger originating from Oman, although it has since spread to the rest of the Middle East, South Asia and the Balkans. Worn by men for ceremonial occasions, it is a short curved blade shaped like the letter "J" and resembles a hook. It can be made from a variety of different materials, depending on the quality of its craftsmanship. It is a popular souvenir among tourists and is sold in souqs throughout the region. A national symbol of the sultanate, the khanjar is featured on Oman's national emblem and on the Omani rial. It also features in logos and commercial imagery by companies based in Oman.
## History
Although it is not known when the Omani khanjar was first created, rock carvings epitomizing the dagger were found on gravestones located in the central part of the Ru’us al Jibal region. These are believed to have predated the Wahhabi revival, which occurred in the late 1700s. They were also mentioned in an account by Robert Padbrugge of the Dutch Republic, who journeyed to Muscat in June 1672.
The Ottoman Empire spread further the use of this type of knife. In the Balkans, where it was known as Handschar, such knives were regularly carried by Ottoman policemen, and it remained in local use also after the end of Ottoman rule. During the Second World War, the knife's name was bestowed on the 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian), composed of Bosnian Muslims (ethnic Bosniaks) with some Catholic Croat soldiers, the knife also appeared on the division's emblem. The word خنجر (xandʒar) appears to be the arabized version of the Persian word خونگر (xūngar).
## Usage and symbolism
### Composition and manufacturing
Depending on the quality of its craftsmanship, the Omani khanjar can be made using a variety of different metals and other materials. Gold or silver would be used to make khanjar of the finest quality (e.g. for royalty), while brass and copper would be used for daggers made by local craftsmen. For instance, a sheath adorned with gold was historically limited to the Omani upper class. White or Ivory handled and sheathed ones are preferred by the Sayyids or Hashemites symbolising their status in society. Najeeb Altarfayn Saadah in Oman and Arabia usually carry two of them. Traditionally, the dagger is designed by its future owner himself, with the craftsman taking into account the "specifications" and "preferences" stipulated by the former. The time it takes to manufacture a khanjar can range from three weeks to several months.
The most elemental sections of the khanjar are its handle and blade, with the material used in the former playing a significant role influencing the final price of the dagger. Rhinoceros horn and ivory were once the common standard, as it was "considered the best material" to make the hilt out of. However, with the international ban on the ivory trade and rhinoceros horn, the usage of other materials such as wood, plastic, and camel bone has become more prevalent. Typically, the top of the hilt is flat, but the one designed for the royal family is in the shape of a cross.
### Custom
The Omani khanjar is tucked underneath a waist belt and is situated at the front and centre of the wearer's body. It used to form part of everyday attire; however, it is now carried as a "ceremonial dagger", and worn only for formal events and ceremonies – such as weddings, parades, meetings, and diplomatic functions – among many other occasions. Labelled a "ubiquitous sign of masculinity" by John M. Willis in The Arab Studies Journal, the khanjar is a symbol of "manhood, power and authority", as well as serving as a status symbol for the person wearing it. As a result, it is sometimes given by families to their sons when they reach adolescence, and is a common wedding gift to the groom.
Although the khanjar was originally created as a weapon to attack and defend, it is used solely for ceremonial and practical purposes today. The latter situation would occur in the desert, where it is used as a tool for hunting and skinning animals, as well as for slicing ropes. Because of this development, it is now considered a "social taboo" in Oman to pull out one's khanjar from its scabbard without blooding it, since the only time men would do this would be to seek vengeance or to defend oneself.
### Distribution
While the khanjar is most prevalent in Yemen where the majority of the Northern men wear it every day. In Oman it is given its symbolic status there, it is also worn by men in the United Arab Emirates, forming an integral component of "traditional dress" in those countries. It can also be found and is sold in other states in Eastern Arabia, such as the Souq Waqif in Doha, Qatar. The khanjar is a popular keepsake among tourists, and is the Sultanate's best-selling memento.
### Other uses
#### Official government
As the khanjar is a national symbol of Oman, it is featured on the sultanate's national emblem. It has been a symbol on the royal crest of the Al Said dynasty since the 18th century, which subsequently became the national emblem. It is also depicted on the Omani rial – the country's currency – specifically on the one rial note, as well as on postage stamps issued by the sultanate. Furthermore, there are statues of khanjar on buildings housing government ministries and at various roundabouts throughout the country.
### Commercial
The khanjar was previously shown prominently on the logo and planes of Oman Air – the country's flag carrier – until it was removed under a rebranding in 2008. The logo of Omantel also illustrates a stylized khanjar; it was retained in the logotype's motif after the telecommunications company merged with Oman Mobile in 2010. Moreover, the perfume company Amouage, which is owned by the Sultan of Oman and his royal family, incorporates the dagger into the design of its bottles. The cap on its Gold for Men perfume bottle resembles the handle of a khanjar, complementing the Gold for Women cap which evokes the dome of Ruwi Mosque.
## See also
- Janbiya
- Khanda
- Firangi
- Jile
- Keris
- Sabre
- Pulwar
- Shamshir
- Kilij
- Saif
- Zulfiqar |
38,108,093 | 1932 Florida–Alabama hurricane | 1,170,502,435 | Category 1 Atlantic hurricane in 1932 | [
"1932 Atlantic hurricane season",
"1932 in Alabama",
"1932 in Florida",
"1932 natural disasters in the United States",
"Category 1 Atlantic hurricanes",
"Hurricanes in Alabama",
"Hurricanes in Florida"
] | The 1932 Florida–Alabama hurricane was a tropical cyclone that made two separate landfalls on the United States, causing devastation in affected areas. The third named storm and hurricane of the 1932 Atlantic hurricane season, it developed from a tropical disturbance north of Hispaniola on August 26. Slowly moving towards the west-northwest, the system intensified to tropical storm strength before making landfall on South Florida early on August 30. After crossing the Florida peninsula and entering the Gulf of Mexico, the system reached peak intensity as a Category 1 hurricane, before subsequently making its final landfall near the Mississippi–Alabama border on September 1. Over land, the hurricane weakened, and after becoming an extratropical cyclone on September 2, merged with another extratropical system over Quebec on September 4.
At the storm's initial landfall in southern Florida, heavy rains and strong winds caused extensive damage to crops, particularly to avocado and citrus. As the strengthening hurricane moved to the northwest through the Gulf of Mexico, it generated strong surf that caused severe damage to coastal areas across western Florida. At its second landfall, hurricane force winds were produced across a wide swath of the coast. Agricultural lands in coastal regions of Mississippi and Alabama were damaged by strong winds and heavy rain. The hurricane caused one indirect death and \$228,500 in total damages across its path.
## Meteorological history
A tropical disturbance was first noted southeast of Puerto Rico on August 24. Moving to the northwest at 10 mph (15 km/h), the area of disturbed weather eventually crossed the island. The Atlantic HURDAT database first lists the system as a tropical depression at 1800 UTC on August 26 while located north of Haiti, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h). Steadily intensifying, the depression intensified to tropical storm strength at 1800 UTC on August 27. The strengthening tropical storm passed to the south of Andros Island during the evening of August 29, before making its first landfall 35 mi (55 km) south of Miami, Florida on Key Largo at 0400 UTC the next day as a strong, compact tropical storm with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h). A weather station located at the Fowey Rocks Light recorded a peak wind gust of 89 mph (143 km/h). In the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project, it was evidenced that the storm may have been a hurricane upon landfall on Florida. After slightly weakening over land, the tropical storm entered the Gulf of Mexico in the early morning hours of August 30, while located 30 mi (48 km) south of Fort Myers.
After entering the gulf, the tropical storm proceeded to organize, strengthening into hurricane intensity early on August 31. As it curved more towards the north, the hurricane eventually made landfall near the Mississippi–Alabama border, west of Fort Morgan, Alabama, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (137 km/h), a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale. A ship located offshore of Mobile, Alabama recorded a minimum barometric pressure of 979 mbar (28.9 inHg). After making landfall, the hurricane gradually weakened over land as it curved towards the northeast, weakening to tropical storm strength at 1200 UTC on September 1. The weakening system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone over northern Mississippi the following day, after subsequently developing frontal boundaries. The extratropical system strengthened slightly as it accelerated towards the northeast, but was later absorbed by a larger extratropical system over Quebec by 1800 UTC on September 4.
## Preparations, impact, and aftermath
### Florida
Prior to the storm's first landfall in southern Florida, the Weather Bureau issued hurricane warnings beginning on August 29 for areas of Florida's east coast from Palm Beach south to Key West, while storm warnings were issued from Key West to Boca Grande on the peninsula's western coast. Electrical power was purposely stopped in Miami as a precautionary measure prior to the storm's landfall. Two Red Cross officials were sent to Miami to monitor the area during the storm's passage. Other relief agencies were also preparing supplies in the event of an emergency. In Pahokee and Belle Glade, an estimated 2,000 people evacuated to Okeechobee, fearing a repeat of the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane.
Most of the damage associated with the tropical storm's first landfall in Florida was confined south of 27 °N. Recently planted seed beds were washed away by heavy rains associated with the storm. A Miami weather station reported 10.24 in (260 mm) of rain in a 24-hour period ending on August 30, setting a record for that station. A portion of the MacArthur Causeway, which connects Miami to Miami Beach, was washed out due to the winds, but did not affect traffic. Rainfall in St. Petersburg measured 3.79 in (96 mm), while Fort Myers measured 6.52 in (166 mm) of rain. The heavy rains also flooded streets in parts of Sarasota, Florida, and strong winds caused minor power outages. Communication lines between Fort Myers and Everglades, Florida also went down during the storm. Strong winds were responsible for destroying 2–25% of avocado and citrus trees along the path of the tropical storm. Grapefruit crops also suffered loses due to strong winds. Firefighters in Hollywood were forced to stop extinguishing a fire after winds damaged their equipment. The fire would eventually cause \$20,000 in damages. Offshore, a 60 ft (18 m) long boat that was towed out of Biscayne Bay for dredging operations partially sank due to the rough seas.
Before the hurricane's second landfall, another hurricane warning was issued for portions of the state, for areas of the coast from Panama City westward. Boats from Naval Air Station Pensacola were taken to nearby bayous ahead of the storm. Other ships were also sheltered as a precautionary measure. As the hurricane moved towards the Gulf Coast region, the hurricane caused strong storm surge and generated rough seas, disrupting coastal and marine activities. In Madeira Beach, the passing hurricane caused above-average tides that moved 15–20 ft (4.6–6.1 m) further inland than normal. Offshore, two fishing boats attempting to cross Tampa Bay had to be rescued after they became stranded in the rough seas generated by the tropical storm. In Dog Island, nine people were rescued from the Cuban schooner Asturias after it washed up on the island shore. Off of Apalachicola, nine fishing boats sunk due to the waves. The tide height offshore Apalachicola at the time was 4.5 ft (1.4 m) above average, causing damage to small craft moored at the wharves. The strong surf alone was responsible for about \$1,000 in damages. Strong storm surge off of Pensacola caused water levels that were the highest in the area in several years. Sections of a pier at Pensacola Beach were washed away by the strong waves. Five fishermen were initially reported drowned after their fishing boat struck a reef and was swamped by the storm surge in Pensacola Bay. However, the men were later reported safe at a coast guard life saving station. The misreport was likely due a lack of communication with the station. Another three men went missing after they departed in a small boat in aid of another boat offshore Pensacola.
Inland effects of the hurricane's second landfall in Florida were mostly confined to areas of the Florida Panhandle west of Apalachicola. Cotton crops in Okaloosa and Escambia counties were damaged due to the wind and rain effects of the hurricane. Numerous pears were also blown off of trees by the strong winds. The highest rainfall totals in the panhandle region were concentrated around the Panama City area, where rain totals were estimated to be in excess of 5 in (130 mm). Property damage in Pensacola was relatively minor, and was limited to awnings, windows, and signboards. In Pensacola Beach, communications were disrupted due to the storm. A 12–year old boy in Pensacola died after touching an active electric wire that had fallen during the storm. Total damages in the Pensacola area were estimated to amount to around \$100,000.
### Mississippi and Alabama
Hurricane warnings were posted by the Weather Bureau for the entire Alabama coast, and portions of the Mississippi coast from Biloxi eastward prior to the storm. Merchants in potentially affected areas prepared their stores ahead of the hurricane. The potential storm surge threat forced boats in Biloxi to be taken to shelter in a nearby landlocked harbor.
Hurricane force winds were felt in both states when the storm made landfall. Pear and pecan trees were severely damaged by the strong winds caused by the hurricane, while orange trees were defoliated along coastal regions. Winds also extensively damaged cotton and corn crops. Heavy rains also helped to damage crops. Rainfall peaked at 9.1 in (230 mm) in Mobile, Alabama. Other reports of at least 3 in (76 mm) of rain were common along the Mississippi–Alabama border. Sections of the Mobile waterfront were submerged by the hurricane's storm surge. The high surf also flooded Bayou LaBatre and Bayou Coden in Mobile. Total property damage in the city amounted to \$105,000 in damages. In Gulfport, Mississippi, damage was confined primarily to trees, communication lines, and small craft. Further inland, the hurricane spawned an F2 tornado 3 mi (4.8 km) southwest of Troy, Alabama on September 1. The tornado destroyed two homes and several barns and injured four people in its 6 mi (9.7 km) path, causing \$2,500 in damages.
## See also
- Hurricane Five (1936)
- Hurricane Erin (1995)
- Hurricane Four (1901) |
52,505,761 | Jeff Allen (defensive back, born 1958) | 1,167,308,415 | American gridiron football player (born 1958) | [
"1958 births",
"American football cornerbacks",
"BC Lions players",
"Canadian football defensive backs",
"Living people",
"Miami Dolphins players",
"Players of American football from Indiana",
"Players of Canadian football from Indiana",
"San Diego Chargers players",
"San Francisco 49ers players",
"Sportspeople from Richmond, Indiana",
"Toronto Argonauts players",
"UC Davis Aggies football players"
] | Jeffrey Allen (born July 1, 1958) is a former American and Canadian football defensive back. He was drafted in the eight round (212th overall) in the 1980 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins. He played college football at UC Davis. He also played for the San Diego Chargers, and San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL), as well as one game for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He went on to appear in 25 career NFL games, while making nine starts.
## Early career
Allen played college football at the University of California, Davis for the Aggies. In his final year with the Aggies (1980), he was awarded the Colby E. "Babe" Slater Award, which is awarded to the male athlete of the year.
## Professional career
Allen was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the eighth round (212th overall) of the 1980 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Allen played in all 16 regular season games for the Dolphins, where he was used primarily as a cornerback. He remained on the team through the off-season but was waived in mid-August.
The Toronto Argonauts were struggling heavily by August 1981 after losing eight consecutive games. Along with five other cut NFL players, Allen was signed in an attempt to improve the team. Allen and Elbert Roberts were expected to replace Marcellus Greene and Hank Williams. The Argonauts instead started Allen at safety for his CFL debut against the Calgary Stampeders on September 7, 1981. He was released the following week after starting only one game for the Argonauts. The Argonauts later re-signed Allen and traded him to the BC Lions for running back Calvin Murray, although Allen played no games for the Lions.
Before the 1982 season, the San Diego Chargers signed Allen. He played in the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. The secondary unit was praised for allowing only 3 points despite fielding two new starters, Allen and Andre Young. He went on to start in nine regular season games with the Chargers. Allen intercepted a pass from Terry Bradshaw intended for Lynn Swann in the Chargers' first round playoff win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Chargers lost in the second round to the Miami Dolphins. Prior to the 1983 season, the Chargers traded Allen to the San Francisco 49ers for a draft pick, but Allen was cut during the preseason and never played for the 49ers. |
39,584,916 | Gorilla (song) | 1,169,100,988 | 2013 single by Bruno Mars | [
"2010s ballads",
"2012 songs",
"2013 singles",
"American soft rock songs",
"Atlantic Records singles",
"Bruno Mars songs",
"Music videos directed by Cameron Duddy",
"Pop ballads",
"Rock ballads",
"Song recordings produced by Emile Haynie",
"Song recordings produced by Jeff Bhasker",
"Song recordings produced by Mark Ronson",
"Song recordings produced by the Smeezingtons",
"Songs written by Ari Levine",
"Songs written by Bruno Mars",
"Songs written by Philip Lawrence (songwriter)"
] | "Gorilla" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars from his second studio album Unorthodox Jukebox (2012). The song was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, and Ari Levine, who produced the song under the name of the Smeezingtons, with Emile Haynie, Jeff Bhasker and Mark Ronson. Atlantic Records serviced the track to Contemporary hit radio in the United States on September 10, 2013, as the fourth single from Unorthodox Jukebox. Its official remix (G-Mix) features American singers Pharrell Williams and R. Kelly, and was released in Canada and US on November 12. "Gorilla" is a midtempo arena-rock, rock and soft rock song with a power pop hook, "epic" guitars and a Phil Collins-esque synth/percussion combination. Its style has drawn comparisons to Prince's 1984 single "Purple Rain".
The single received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its resemblance to early 1980s arena rock, but was criticized for its explicit lyrical content, which addresses the subject of making love like wild animals. The song reached number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 62 on the UK Singles Chart, being unable to achieve the same success of the previous singles. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting sales and streaming figures of over a million copies in the US. Mars performed "Gorilla" live at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards and at the 2013 MTV Europe Music Awards. The song was included on the set list of his second world tour, The Moonshine Jungle Tour (2013–14) as the final act, usually performed as an encore and was performed in some shows of the 24K Magic World Tour (2017–18).
## Background
"Gorilla" was the first song written for the album, setting "the tone for the entire project and it kind of became the mascot". This was the reason behind the gorilla on the cover of the album, as Bruno Mars explained in an interview with MTV News. In another interview, this time for GQ, Mars revealed the song's conception, saying that "it was just painting a picture—some animalistic sex". When asked about what the meaning is for "making love like a gorilla", Mars replied aggressively "What does that sound like to you? Come on...What is this, 1933? We can't talk about this?". Regarding the line "I got a body full of liquor with a cocaine kicker", Mars said that his inspiration came "just because the room was dark" and he felt like Johnny Cash.
On the same interview, he was asked if his perfect idea of encounter was the same as described in the track, one in which your partner is screaming to you, "Give it to me, baby, give it to me, motherfucker" and having attracted the attention of the cops due to the violent noises you are making with your partner outside while "trying to get in". To this question Mars said "It definitely sounds awesome. Right? Isn't that what matters? It's an awesome song! I don't know how to tell you that more". In another interview, this time for Rolling Stone, he explained that the track is about "good old animalistic sex". When the interviewer asked if Mars was concerned with the verses "Got a body full of liquor with a cocaine kicker" due to his 2010 drug bust, he replied "To take that line out would dilute my art", since the recording "needs a sense of danger. When I was a kid, pop could be dangerous but still massive. Michael Jackson would grab his crotch. Prince would rock assless chaps".
A demo of the song, only featuring the vocals and an acoustic guitar, was exclusively released as a bonus track on the Target edition of the album, on December 11, 2012. Almost a year later, on November 5, 2013, the demo of the song was also included on the deluxe edition of the album, released in various countries. Upon the release of the remix of the song (G-Mix), on November 12, 2013, Mars commented that it featured "two of [his] favorite artist[s]", Pharrell Williams and R. Kelly.
## Production and release
"Gorilla" was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine, and produced by the Smeezingtons, Mark Ronson, Jeff Bhasker and Emile Haynie. The same producers have contributed to Mars 2012 single "Locked Out of Heaven" for his second album Unorthodox Jukebox. "Gorilla" was recorded at Levcon Studios in Los Angeles, California and Avatar Studios in New York City, New York by Levine, ALALAL and Ronson, the latter two assisted by Bob Mallory and Tyler Hartman. The track's engineering was additionally provided by Charles Moniz. "Gorilla" was mixed by Manny Marroquin at Larrabee Sound Studios in North Hollywood. Steve Jordan played the drums, while Sharrod Barnes was responsible for the guitar and Bhasker handled the keyboards. Ronson was the performer of beats and Artie Smith was the technician of gear and served as a performer of vibes. It was mastered by David Kutch at The Mastering Place.
On August 25, 2013 at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, Mars unveiled the fourth single taken from Unorthodox Jukebox, "Gorilla" during the performance of the same. On September 10, Atlantic Records serviced "Gorilla" to Contemporary hit radio stations in the United States. It also impacted US Rhythmic contemporary radios on September 17. On September 24, "Gorilla" was sent for radio airplay in Italy by Warner. BBC Radio 1Xtra began adding the song onto their playlists on October 21. Later, on November 12, the official remix of the song was made available for purchase in the United States and Canada. It features American singers Pharrell Williams and R. Kelly. In both countries, two versions were made available; a clean and an explicit one being released in the same day in both countries. Capital FM radio considered the single artwork one of the best of 2013.
## Composition and lyrical interpretation
"Gorilla" is an arena-rock, soft rock, pop rock, and rock song. The track opens with a stark, insinuating beat and Mars's bleating vocals. As it progresses, monstrous drums burst. A guitar, a piano, keyboards and a backbeat are also part of the instrumentation. The song features jungle noises in the background along with a pop hook. According to the digital sheet music, the song was composed in common time and in the key of B minor with a tempo of 70 beats per minute. Mars's vocals range spans from the low note of B3 to the high note of A5.
Billboard'''s magazine reviewer, Jason Lipshutz, called the track "an ambitious...sex jam". It is often noted that "Gorilla" is a song rich of instruments that create a 1980s sound similar to Prince's, with the keyboards overwhelming the instrumental backbeat. On the song, Mars performs multiple high-range falsettos. Matt Dihel for Rolling Stone said that the recording features a "thundering, Def Leppard-huge thump and risqué subject matter".
The song has gained attention due to its explicit lyrics. The song begins with the lyrics "I got a body full of liquor and a cocaine kicker", during the song "a slew of f-bombs" can be heard, and varied graphic descriptions such as: "You got your legs up in the sky with the devil in your eyes / Let me hear you say you want it all" and the chorus "You and me, baby, making love like gorillas!". Overall, the lyrics portray the subject of having a "romantic evening" of making love like wild animals (gorillas), despite being high from cocaine and drunk from liquor. On September 11, 2013, The Daily Telegraph reported that Dannielle Miller, co-founder of Enlighten Education, decided to appeal to mainstream radio in order to ban "Gorilla", due to its sexual and violent lyrics towards women.
## Critical reception
"Gorilla" received mixed reviews by most music critics. Some of them praised its musical structure, while others complained for its lack of lyrical depth. In a review of Unorthodox Jukebox, Slant Magazine's Andrew Chan wrote that it is the album's highlight being the most energetic track on the album and found it "most infectious bedroom anthem of the year." Likewise, Lauren Kreisler from the Official Charts Company, described the song as an apparent bedroom antics. Kreisler found that the lyrics' concept simply "baffled" anyone, while ultimately described the song as "intriguing (and anthemic) enough to make us listen again, and again, and again, to work it out." About.com critic Bill Lamb rated the song 3 out of 5 stars, praising the musicality, since the singer recaptures "the musical spirit of Prince's arena sized ballad "Purple Rain" and "the pounding keyboards and crunchy guitar will invite a live audience to sway along in time to the music". On the other hand, the "erotic connection" is misguided because "the words about alcohol and cocaine fueled rough sex, it is difficult to see the song as truly erotic", making the lyrics "tasteless" and lacking concept.
Writing for The Washington Post, Allison Stewart opined that the track describes an eccentric night of romance, beginning with "a body full of liquor with a cocaine kicker" and ending with "you and me/Making love like gorillas". She concluded, "for all its awfulness" the song is the "image shifter Mars needs". Idolator's Emily Tan commented "the libidinous lyrics are disguised with epic guitars and Phil Collins-esque heavy drum combinations...strong enough to soundtrack a scene in a drama series". Jason Lipshutz of Billboard magazine similarly felt that the "drums and keyboards are nicely overwhelming, but the overall concept floats too far away to make a dent on the listener". Day Hyman of Spin thought that the lyrics on the album "desperately needed kick in the pants" mainly noticed on "Gorilla". He also drew comparisons on the "Prince-channeling" vibe. On the critical side, Amy Dawson of Metro described it as a "Phil Collins-esque low point" in the album, "the singer makes plans to go at it in the same way as said giant ape...by the time the jungle noises kick in, you think he surely must be in on the joke."
Kory Grow of Rolling Stone's magazine reviewed the remix of the song, in the song "Pharrell opens the track with a salacious rap", setting "the thematic pace for track", in the end of his verse the original "steamy" verses of Mars begin. He further added that R. Kelly's appearance makes the song a "sort of sex jam" and only him has "the hubris and swagger to shout": "I'm like an anaconda in your garden/Baby girl, I'm explorin'" in the song. Reviewing for Billboard's column, Kevin Rutherford described the track as "raunchy" and if the original version was "dirty enough", then "Mars and company have a treat in store for you". The Los Angeles Times's Mikael Wood shared a similar opinion as the other reviewers, calling it a "little naughtier" than the original version thanks to Williams and Kelly. For Idolator, Mike Wass called the remix "X-rated", thanking the feature guests for that.
## Commercial performance
In the week ending of August 25, 2013, after the performance on the VMAs, the song was downloaded 20,000 times, a jump of 1,003% from the previous week when it sold 2,000 copies. In the following week, the song debuted at number 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100, selling 55,000 to 60,000 copies, as most of the songs performed at the show were still earning from the performances, including "Gorilla". The song eventually peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. On the Mainstream Top 40 chart, the single debuted at number 30 and reached its peak at number 11. The song ended two top 10 streaks, one on the Billboard Hot 100 and the other at the Pop Songs chart and it was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). "Gorilla" reached the high position of 23, on November 2, 2013, on the Canadian Hot 100 chart. The song has been certified Gold by Music Canada (MC), denoting digital downloads of 40,000 copies in Canada.
In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number 97 on the Singles Chart. On the week of November 23, 2013 the song peaked at number 62, becoming his first single in the country to miss the Top 40. It also made appearances in the Republic of Ireland debuting and peaking at number 53. Its highest chart position in European countries was in Netherlands, where it reached a peak of 31. The track was able to chart in the Belgium region, on their respective Tipparade, Ultratip Flanders reaching the peak of 11 and in the Ultratip Wallonia sitting at number 9. After its release as a single, "Gorilla" entered the Australian Singles Chart at number 68 and peaked at number 41 on September 29, 2013. It was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).
## Music video
### Background and concept
Mars had been filming the music video for "Gorilla" as he announced on his Twitter account, on October 2, 2013. He said "Sorry i've been M.I.A, I was shooting a music video. \#WinkWink \#FRIKIKIKIKI \#BangBang Wait till you see this". It was directed by Mars and regular collaborator Cameron Duddy. On October 10, 2013 it was announced on Bruno Mars's official website, leading up to the release of the video, the unveil of teasers every day via his Instagram account. The teasers included a car parked in front of a strip club, a reptile, and an angry boss played by Luis Guzmán. Duddy along with Mars sought to create "more than a standard strip-club video" by researching and going into strip clubs to appreciate the architecture of the local. Nevertheless, the search for the ideal strip club was fruitless, so Mars and Duddy decided to build one: "a joint that seemed like it was lifted straight out of Havana, dark and sweaty and seemingly untouched by time. They painted the walls themselves, and went back and forth on just what color neon they should use".
When the time came to cast someone to play a stripper, the only name was Freida Pinto's one. However, Duddy had some doubts her choice, since he considered her "safe". To this, Mars replied "it's important to use someone who hasn't been seen in this light before". All in all, Duddy confessed that he trusted Mars instincts regarding Pinto's choice for the role. Duddy explained that some scenes recorded for the video were dangerous. Pinto could have harmed herself in the scene where "she sheds her clothes among a sea of sparks", as well as Mars's guitar player "He got dangerously close to having his head burned". Muriel Villera starts as one of the jealous strippers. The official music video was set to premiere on October 14, 2013. Nevertheless, its release was delayed one day by Mars himself stating "I want it to be the best it can be. With that being said, I need one more day". The video, finally arrived on October 15, 2013 exclusively via Facebook.
### Synopsis
The music video opens with a pair of jealous strippers applying lipstick and caddying back-and-forth between backstage, in a South of the Border strip zoo named "La Jungla". Meanwhile, Mars's "Money Make Her Smile" can be heard from the room, the two of them are talking about a new girl who has been "fooling around" with someone else's man (Mr. Mars). The scene ends with one of the two women saying, "Wait 'til I tell the boss who she's sleeping with". It is shown that the new girl, Isabella, has been listening to the conversation and it's her time to dance as soon as the boss says so. The role of Isabella is portrayed by Indian actress Pinto, who after an introduction by Guzmán, the zoo owner, starts to pull off "gravity-defying spins on the pole" as Mars and his mates, who serve as the house band, perform the song. On the following scene, Isabella sheds her clothes with such rage that sparks fall from the ceiling while Mars stares at her intensely singing "You and me baby making love like gorillas". As the second verse starts, intermittent shots of Mars and Isabella "heating up the backseat of a car" along with shots of her "grinding on customers" and banging on Mars's chest as he sings the line "Bang Bang, Gorilla". The former shots are shown throughout the video. As the video continues, Isabella is shown "to drop on her knees and lick" Mars's guitar. She grabs it and pours tequila over the same, before using a lighter to set it on fire. Afterwards, the roof sprinklers come on and Isabella lets the water shower her while she stands on her underwear. The video ends in a chase scene in which Mars runs down through a dimly lit aisle, and suddenly transforms into a giant gorilla, while Isabella is seen at the end of the pathway waiting for him. The video doesn't contain any of the teasers Mars released days before the video, including the iguana shot, the outer car scene and the one with Luis Guzman listening to the intro for Isabella.
### Reception
Upon its release, the video received positive response from critics. James Montgomery of MTV News said that the video "is undoubtedly indebted to the past few decades of pop-cultural history...yet, once again, he's managed to create something entirely new, too". He added that, "thanks to Pinto's wattage, "Gorilla" goes to heights – and depths – Mars has never visited before". Billboard's Jason Lipshutz found Mars supporting "a more R-rated side" in the video, calling the cameos by Pinto and Luis Guzman unforgettable. Carl Williot of the website's Idolator thought that the new video maintained the "sweaty nightclub vibe" style from the previous video "Locked Out of Heaven". Additionally, she felt there is a story centered on Isabella, the new dancer, and Mars, which obviously upset "the club's veteran strippers". The Times of India newspaper considered the video one of the most controversial of 2013 because of "Pinto strip act". Ray Rahman of Entertainment Weekly opined that "Bruno Mars is getting real" since the video was set on a strip club and featured Pinto stripping, licking guitars and getting intimate with Mars. Lauren Kreisler of Official Charts Company praised the video concept and concluded that it was "racy as you might have expected". The video for "Gorilla" broke the 1 million views mark in just over an hour in 2013 on the exclusive Facebook program premiere, "#NowPlaying".
## Live performances and reception
Mars performed the song, aside from the tour, at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards (VMA's) and 2013 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA's). On the latter, he recreated his provocative music video with Nicole "The Pole" Williams. During these performances there was a green color scheme with a neon sign pulsating in the background with the same color. At the 2013 MTV VMA's, Mars was standing high up on a platform, while wearing a "leopard-print button-down". Whilst there was a screen with a giant gorilla face behind him and lasers firing through the stage. He kicked his mic stand over and over, while his band was jamming along. Meanwhile, some pyrotechnics "shooting off at the climax" and "blasts of fire erupted during the chorus". At the 2013 MTV EMA's, Mars had a similar style too Lou Reed and aviator sunglasses. On this performance, his face was "superimposed" over Williams dancing around a stripper pole with "acrobatic ease" and "breathtaking moves in time to the song". During the bridge of the song, the singer played a guitar solo while Williams stand in the crab position thrusting her hips towards Mars's guitar in the same tempo. The song was the final act on both set lists of The Moonshine Jungle Tour (2013–2015). It was also performed in selected shows of not only Bruno Mars at The Chelsea, Las Vegas (2013–2015), but also during the 24K Magic World Tour (2017–2018).
Regarding the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards performance, Billboard's Brad Wete said: "There's something to be said about simplicity when whatever’s simply being done is awesome. Bruno Mars never moved more than three steps in any direction during his performance. His voice soared and his passion was palpable as he performed". He concluded, "when his time came, Mars left his mark". Mathew Jacobs of The Huffington Post believes that "the jazzy new song marked one of the night's tamer moments". He praised Mars performance by saying he "offered a brand of artistry unmatched by the bulk of the telecast." Grading the performances of the show, the staff from Entertainment Weekly gave Mars's performance an A-, describing it as "The most elegantly designed and executed performance of the evening". MTV News' Brenna Ehrlich classified the 2013 MTV Europe Music Awards performance as a "show that rivaled anything you'd find in the city's famous – and infamous – Red Light District". The UK edition of The Huffington Post commented that despite Mars's voice being on top form, it was the pole-dancer performance who stole the show. Other performers, such as Ed Sheeran and Adam Lambert praised the interpretation by calling it an amazing performance and noticing Mars's vocals, respectively. Hilary Duff called "Gorilla" a "straight baby making music". Writing for Billboard magazine, Jason Lipshutz, while reviewing the tour felt that Gorilla was "an odd selection for a set closer". He further added, that Mars "lost his mind while perched upon an elevated platform with pyrotechnics blasting off behind him".
## Track listing
## Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Unorthodox Jukebox''.
- Bruno Mars – lead vocals, songwriting
- Philip Lawrence – songwriting
- Ari Levine – songwriting, recording
- The Smeezingtons – production
- Mark Ronson – production, recording, beats performer
- Jeff Bhasker – production, keyboards
- Emile Haynie – production
- Steve Jordan – drums
- Sharrod Barnes – guitar
- Artie Smith – gear technician, vibes performer
- ALALAL – recording
- Bob Mallory – recording assistant
- Tyler Hartman – recording assistant
- Charles Moniz – additional engineer
- Manny Marroquin – mixing
- David Kutch – mastering
## Charts
### Weekly charts
### Year-end charts
## Certifications
## Release history |
30,873,531 | Doro (musician) | 1,170,579,905 | German singer (born 1964) | [
"1964 births",
"20th-century German women singers",
"21st-century German women singers",
"AFM Records artists",
"Doro (musician)",
"Echo (music award) winners",
"English-language singers from Germany",
"German expatriates in the United States",
"German heavy metal singers",
"German singer-songwriters",
"German women singer-songwriters",
"Living people",
"Musicians from Düsseldorf",
"Nuclear Blast artists",
"Vertigo Records artists",
"Warlock (band)",
"Women heavy metal singers",
"Women in metal"
] | Dorothee Pesch (born 3 June 1964), known professionally as Doro Pesch or simply Doro, is a German heavy metal singer and the former frontwoman of heavy metal band Warlock. Dubbed the "Metal Queen", Doro's contributions to music and culture made her a global figure in metal culture for over three decades. The name Doro has also been associated with the touring band accompanying the singer, whose members have continuously changed in more than 20 years of uninterrupted activity, the most stable presences being those of bassist Nick Douglas and drummer Johnny Dee.
Doro started her career in garage bands in native Düsseldorf underground scene and achieved media visibility and some commercial success with Warlock in the 1980s. Warlock were starting to have an opening in the US market, when they went through many line-up changes and Pesch was left the only original member of the band. She started a solo career under the name Doro, in order to avoid legal battles between her record label PolyGram and her former manager. She released two albums in the US with producers Joey Balin and Gene Simmons, but they were not the breakthrough that she hoped.
During the rise of grunge and alternative rock in the 1990s, her record label relegated her productions only to the European region, where she continued to tour extensively. She remained a successful charting artist in Germany, despite living and producing her albums in the US. When classic heavy metal found again the favour of the public, she returned to tour around the world and her popularity as a veteran singer grew considerably, inspiring many new female metal artists. Doro is also known for her duets performed both live and in studio with other singers and musicians of the metal scene, whom she has befriended in her long-term career, and was the first heavy metal artist to perform a drive-in concert during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To this date, she has released 17 studio albums, the latest being Forever Warriors, Forever United in 2018. Doro continues her recording career and is a prolific touring artist all over the world. When not on tour, she resides in New York City.
## Biography
### Beginnings
Dorothee Pesch was born in Düsseldorf, West Germany on 3 June 1964, as the only child of Walter, a truck driver, and Barbara Pesch. Doro's first memory of rock music is the song "Lucille" by Little Richard, which she sang when she was three years old. She learned to play piano and started singing at the age of ten years, when she was exposed to the glam rock of bands like T. Rex, The Sweet and Slade. When she was sixteen and after a life-threatening form of tuberculosis, she decided to dedicate more of her time and energy to singing, without giving up her study of graphic design. In 1980, she was accepted in her first band called Snakebite, which was playing rock music in a Düsseldorf basement used as rehearsal space by many other underground groups. The first recording with Doro on vocals was a cheap 7-track demo released by Snakebite for promotion. When Snakebite disbanded in 1981, Doro went on to sing for the garage bands Beast and Attack, before forming Warlock with Peter Szigeti, Rudy Graf, Thomas Studier, and Michael Eurich in 1982.
### The Warlock years (1982–1988)
Warlock signed their first recording contract with Mausoleum Records and released their debut album Burning the Witches in 1984. Doro attracted immediately the attention of fans and press, becoming the spokesperson and the main means of promotion for the band. The mix of traditional heavy metal and power ballads, together with her voice and stage presence led Warlock to success, an exception in the 80s' metal scene dominated by male-fronted metal bands. Warlock signed a new contract with the major label Phonogram and released the albums Hellbound in 1985 and True as Steel in 1986, sharing the stage of European rock festivals with some of the best hard rock and heavy metal bands of the period. On 16 August 1986, Doro was the first woman to front a metal band at the Monsters of Rock festival in Castle Donington, England, the most important European rock meeting of the 80s. Warlock's long tours in Europe, supporting W.A.S.P. and Judas Priest, pushed Doro to give up her day job as a graphic designer to devote her life to music. In this period she also received vocal coaching.
After the completion of the tour in support of True as Steel, Doro took charge of business and went to live in New York City, where Warlock recorded their fourth and last studio album Triumph and Agony. The album was their most successful, going Gold in Germany and reaching No. 80 in the Billboard 200 US album chart. It includes the songs "All We Are" and "Für immer" (Forever), Warlock's best known tracks, also because of the intense rotation of their videos on MTV. Warlock opened for Dio in Europe and embarked on their only US tour, supporting Megadeth. At the end of the US tour, Doro remained the sole German in the band after all the other original members had quit, replaced by American musicians. In 1989, while writing material for the follow-up to Triumph and Agony, she lost a legal cause with the band's former manager for the rights to the name and merchandise of Warlock. Her record label forced her to accept the publication of new albums under the name Doro, in order to continue her career. Doro persevered in the legal battle for the Warlock name and eventually regained the rights in 2011.
### Doro in the US (1989–1990)
What was initially intended as the fifth Warlock album resulted in Force Majeure, the first Doro album, released in February 1989. It was recorded in the US by Joey Balin, and is the natural successor of Triumph and Agony, continuing the band's drift towards radio-friendly glam metal in contrast with the European power metal of Warlock's earlier works. The album sold quite well in Europe, but it had limited success in the US, lurking at the bottom of the Billboard 200 chart.
Following the tour to promote Force Majeure, the final Warlock line-up disbanded and Doro concentrated on her solo career. She decided to keep her Swiss manager Alex Grob, but renounced to be part of a band with whom to share songwriting duties and career decisions. She contacted KISS bassist and childhood idol Gene Simmons, who was taking a second career as talent scout and record producer. Simmons was willing to start a collaboration and produced the album Doro, with the help of Black 'n Blue guitarist Tommy Thayer and Pat Regan. Doro was recorded in California with large use of writers and session musicians from the KISS entourage. Doro recently declared that Simmons "was the best producer we ever had!"
A band formed by the American musicians Thomas Jude on guitars, Paul Morris on keyboards, Nick Douglas on bass and Tom Coombs on drums was assembled for the supporting tour. Doro was a more commercial offering than the previous album, but resulted in a flop in the US. On the contrary, it sold well in Europe, accelerating PolyGram's decision to interrupt the publication of Doro's albums in America, where the commercial appeal of glam metal and classic rock acts was rapidly declining in favor of grunge and alternative rock. Doro concluded 1990 playing some dates in Germany, opening for Scorpions.
### Doro in Europe (1991–1999)
The German singer experimented a new direction for her music in 1991, when she recorded the album True at Heart in country music haven Nashville, Tennessee, with local musicians and mainstream producer Barry Beckett. Dann Huff of the melodic hard rock band Giant contributed his lead guitar work to the album. New band members Michael Tyrrell on guitar, Jeff Bruno on guitar and keyboards, and Tony Mac on drums were recruited for the following European tour.
Despite living in the US and losing visibility in the English-spoken media, Doro remained very popular in Germany, where her albums always charted and where in 1991 she sang on a charity song by the "German Rock Project" called "Let Love Conquer the World".
Returning in the US after the European tour, Doro was put in contact with Jack Ponti, a mainstream songwriter and producer from New Jersey, to work on her next two albums. Ponti at the time was the producer of some minor glam metal acts and the A&R manager of Skid Row and Nelson. The album Angels Never Die, released in 1993, was produced and largely written and performed by Ponti himself and Vic Pepe with the help of various session musicians. It contains a mix of melodic hard rock songs and power ballads, typical of the commercial pop metal albums of the period. The album had limited success in Europe, but the video for the song "Bad Blood" was voted Best Anti-Racism Video during the first MTV Europe Music Awards ceremony in 1994. The tour in support of Angels Never Die introduced in the line-up of Doro's band the American musicians Joe Taylor (ex-Lita Ford Band) on lead guitar, Jimmy DiLella (ex-Waysted, Mariah and Tyketto) on guitar and keyboards, and Chris Branco on drums; Branco was soon replaced by Johnny Dee (ex-Waysted and Britny Fox) and this line-up recorded in 1993 the live album Doro Live, released also in VHS. Doro headlined her first Wacken Open Air festival on 20 August 1993.
Machine II Machine, the second album produced by Jack Ponti, was created through the collaborative efforts of musicians with very different musical backgrounds. The result is an album that explores new grounds for Doro, bringing her sound closer to mainstream rock music. Machine II Machine was mixed by Kevin Shirley and released in 1995. It was her last studio album published by PolyGram/Vertigo, finally fulfilling the ten-year contract with the label that Warlock had signed in 1985. PolyGram did not renovate her contract and Doro entered in negotiations with other record labels. Russ Irwin and Frank Ferrer replaced respectively DiLella and Dee for the following tour. In a pause of her touring schedule in October 1995, Doro made her acting debut as a guest star on the German television soap opera Verbotene Liebe (Forbidden Love). In various interviews Doro remembered how "it was pretty difficult to carry on" as a heavy metal musician in those years and how she was sometimes reduced to odd jobs like singing at weddings and private parties.
Doro signed a worldwide contract with the major record label WEA (now Warner Music Group) at the end of 1995 and started writing new material with Jürgen Engler and Chris Lietz of the German industrial metal and EBM band Die Krupps, who she had met while working on remixes of songs from Machine II Machine. Doro also worked on other songs with Jimmy Harry and Fred Maher in the US. The resulting album, titled Love Me in Black, took three years to be completed and features a massive use of electronics and drum machines, along with a heavier sound than its predecessors. WEA judged the album unsuitable for the US market and published it only in Germany. American guitarist Mario Parrillo (ex-Detente and Fear of God) joined Taylor, Douglas and the returning Johnny Dee in Doro's band for the following tour, which included another participation at the Wacken Open Air festival.
After the "Love Me in Black" tour in 1998, Doro parted ways with WEA, unsatisfied of the scarce promotion that the album had received, and signed with the German label SPV/Steamhammer. Through the decisive action of her American fan club, she also received and accepted a proposal from Koch Records for a US deal.
### The return (2000–2003)
In 2000, the album Calling the Wild was published in two different versions in Europe and in the US, with the latter containing also re-recorded and remixed versions of songs from Love Me in Black. The tracks of Calling the Wild are played by a large number of session musicians and feature contributions from Bob Kulick, Slash, Al Pitrelli and Eric Singer. The album includes the songs "Love Me Forever" and "Alone Again", recorded in California with the leader of the English band Motörhead Ian 'Lemmy' Kilminster, starting a tradition of singing duets that Doro maintained for all the 2000s and beyond. The music of Calling the Wild is straight hard rock and heavy metal, in Doro's words going "from super heavy to super sensitive with good messages", and leaves behind the experimental twists of her works of the 1990s. The song "Burn It Up" was written to be the anthem of the Düsseldorf–based NFL Europe American football team Rhein Fire.
At the beginning of the century heavy metal was regaining the favors of the public worldwide and Doro made her comeback in the US with a date at New Jersey Metal Meltdown II festival in March. She then started her first US tour in ten years supporting Dio and Yngwie Malmsteen, and received a very warm welcome from the audience. Doro's band toured also in Europe, visiting Russia for the first time, and Pesch made a guest appearance at Wacken Open Air 2001 for a duet with Sabina Classen of the German thrash metal band Holy Moses on the song "Too Drunk to Fuck".
While touring with Dio in the US in late 2000, Mario Parrillo fell ill and died a short time later from an undiagnosed form of cancer. Oliver Palotai, a young German-Hungarian classically trained musician, took his place on guitar and keyboards in Doro's band after the end of the tour.
Doro was again in a recording studio to produce her eighth studio album, titled Fight, in 2002. Before the album release, she played, among others, at the two largest German metal festivals, Wacken Open Air and Bang Your Head. The new album was the first to feature the creative contribution of all the members of her touring band, who played in all the tracks. Guest musicians on the album were Jean Beauvoir, Chris Caffery, Russ Ballard and Type O Negative singer Peter Steele, who sang in a duet with Doro on "Descent". The song "Always Live to Win" replaced "Burn It Up" as Rhein Fire's anthem, while the song "Fight" was the first of four anthems composed by Doro and used to introduce the fights of her friend and German female boxing champion Regina Halmich (the others are "She's Like Thunder", "The Queen" and a new version of "All We Are"). Because of her friendship with Halmich, Doro was involved in an exhibition match on German RTL Television, which opposed her to Michaela Schaffrath.
### Continued popularity (2003–2010)
By 2003, both fans, press and internet community had often referred to Doro with the moniker Metal Queen, to show their respect and deference for the uninterrupted career of the German singer on the heavy metal scene. During her European tour with Saxon, Bonfire and Circle II Circle, Doro organized a special concert at Phillips Halle in Düsseldorf to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of her first album, Burning the Witches, and invited many musicians that she had befriended and collaborated with in her career. On 13 December 2003, she performed in front of more than 6,000 people with guests Blaze Bayley, Udo Dirkschneider, Lemmy, Mikkey Dee, Jean Beauvoir, Claus Lessmann and members of Saxon and Circle II Circle. During the show, Doro played three songs with her former bandmates of Warlock, in their line-up of 1986. The concert was released on a double DVD in 2006 with the title 20 Years – A Warrior Soul.
The long world tour to promote Fight brought Doro for the first time in some countries of Eastern Europe, in Australia and Thailand. Live footage from that tour was published in the double DVD Für Immer of 2003, which went Gold in Germany. She also held two concerts in Germany with a full symphonic orchestra, where she converted her rock songs to new acoustic and classical versions. These new live experiences pushed her to experiment the recording of a full acoustic and symphonic album, containing both new and re-arranged songs. The production of Classic Diamonds took eight months, requiring a thirty-elements symphonic orchestra and the arranging abilities of Oliver Palotai and producer Torsten Sickert to be completed. The album was released by AFM Records in September 2004, and Doro went on tour in Europe with her usual touring band and elements of the orchestra to offer semi-acoustic shows. The tour had started with a live performance of Doro and the Classic Night Orchestra at Wacken Open Air 2004, the first time ever of a full symphonic orchestra at the renowned German metal festival. Her acoustic performance included also a duet with Blaze Bayley on the Iron Maiden song "Fear of the Dark". In the same night, Doro was reunited again with her bandmates of Warlock to perform their old songs.
The EP Let Love Rain on Me, containing single versions of songs from Classic Diamonds, was an unexpected hit in Spain, where it reached No. 7 in the Singles chart.
In 2004, Doro recorded with actor Dirk Bach a metal version of the song "Gimme Gimme Gimme" and performed it live on stage on the ABBA Mania Show of German RTL Television.
Doro Pesch was cast as the warrior Meha in the prehistoric action movie Anuk-Der Weg des Kriegers (Anuk-The Way of the Warrior), written, directed and interpreted by Luke Gasser and shot in Switzerland in 2005. The film was released in 2006 and features also Marc Storace, lead singer of the Swiss hard rock band Krokus. During the period of shooting, she wrote and recorded new songs in Switzerland with local session musicians and the production of Gasser, who used three of those songs for the soundtrack of the movie. More songs were recorded in Germany in the spare time between tours with her band and usual collaborators, and released in 2006 in the album Warrior Soul. The screenplay for a second movie with the same cast was written in the following years and Gasser finally found the funding to start production in 2012.
In the same year, Doro Pesch contributed to the benefit CD for the museum association of Borussia Dortmund the song entitled "Tief in meinem Herzen" (Deep in My Heart), a modified version of her classic "Für Immer" re-written for this purpose. She also did a live performance at the Westfalen Stadium before a game of Borussia Dortmund and was one of the first visitors in Borusseum, when it opened. Her father was a fan of Borussia, she said in an interview with the spokesperson of the BVB.
In the following tour Doro was present at various festivals around the world. Among them, the band headlined the very first female-fronted metal US festival Flight of the Valkyries on 27 June 2007 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They were also at the Summer Breeze Open Air festival in Dinkelsbühl, Bavaria in August 2007, at the fifth edition of the Metal Female Voices Fest in Wieze, Belgium on 19 October 2007, where she dueted with Sabina Classen on "All We Are", and at the Heavy Christmas Meeting on 15 December 2007 in Düsseldorf. In July 2008, they were at the Magic Circle Festival in Bad Arolsen, Germany and at Hard Rock Hell in Prestatyn, Wales on 5 December 2008. Doro's band visited for the first time China in November 2008. Chris Caffery replaced Joe Taylor on lead guitar for some US dates in 2007, and also Oliver Palotai had to be replaced in various tour dates by Italian guitarist Luca Princiotta, because of his multiple commitments with Blaze, Kamelot and Sons of Seasons.
Both Taylor and Palotai were in the band on 13 December 2008 at the more than three-hour special concert that Doro held at ISS Dome in Düsseldorf to celebrate her 25th anniversary of activity in front of 9,000 spectators. The show was introduced by performances of the bands Holy Moses, Leaves' Eyes and Arch Enemy. The main part began with songs from Doro's career, including duets with Bobby Ellsworth (Overkill), Jean Beauvoir, Chris Boltendahl (Grave Digger), Axel Rudi Pell, Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker (Scorpions), Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish), Warrel Dane (Nevermore), Liv Kristine, Floor Jansen, Ji-In Cho, Girlschool and other female singers who had sung in the single "Celebrate", issued a few months before the show. The show included another reunion of the 1986 formation of Warlock and culminated with all the guests, other musicians (like Alexander Krull, Tom Angelripper, members of Saltatio Mortis) and friends of the German singer on stage to sing "All We Are". The event was recorded and released in 2010 in the double DVD 25 Years in Rock... and Still Going Strong by Nuclear Blast, Doro's new record label.
A few days after the show and despite a precarious health state due to strong eye inflammation, Doro was in Tilburg, the Netherlands, to participate at the first edition of Christmas Metal Symphony, where she sang accompanied by a band of Dutch metal musicians and by a symphonic orchestra.
Doro's album Fear No Evil was released in January 2009 and entered in many charts all over Europe. It was her last collaboration with guitarist Joe Taylor, who left to join Cycle of Pain. His place in the band was taken by the Dutch guitarist Bas Maas (ex-After Forever). The line-up of Pesch, Maas, Princiotta, Douglas and Dee went on a world tour for most of 2009 and 2010, reaching North and South America, Russia, China and, for the first time, Japan. Doro supported Saxon in their 2009 UK tour and Motörhead in Germany in 2010. During this prolonged time on the road, guitarist Princiotta was sometimes substituted by Robert Katrikh or by Harrison Young. Doro's band appeared at festivals all over the world, including Wacken Open Air and Metal Female Voices Fest 7 (where she dueted again with Tarja Turunen) in 2009, Hellfest in France, Bang Your Head!!! in Germany and Bloodstock Open Air in Great Britain in 2010.
In 2009, she wrote the Wacken anthem "We Are the Metalheads" for the 20th anniversary of Wacken Open Air festival. The song was released as single on 30 July 2009 and was performed by Doro Pesch and Wacken-organizer Thomas Jensen's ex-band Skyline.
### Doro in the 2010s and beyond (2010–present)
On 13 March 2010, Doro celebrated her 2500th live show with a special concert in Düsseldorf with guests Krypteria, Luke Gasser, Marc Storace, Schmier (from the band Destruction), Sabina and Andy Classen. Always in 2010, Doro, Schmier, Mille Petrozza (Kreator) and Alf Ator (Knorkator) lent their voices to the German version of Metalocalypse, the US animated show about Dethklok, the world's most popular death metal band.
Doro was again on tour in 2011 and participated at Metal Female Voices Fest 9. She also toured Spain and Italy as guest vocalist for the tribute band Dio Disciples, formed by musicians of the band Dio which performed songs taken from the long career of the late Ronnie James Dio. In 2010, she had already participated in Germany to a tribute benefit concert for the Stand Up and Shout Cancer foundation for cancer research, which celebrated the life and work of Dio.
In 2012 she recorded in the US, Germany and Scandinavia songs for a new album titled Raise Your Fist, released in October. The first single "Raise Your Fist in the Air" was released in August 2012.
In June 2013, the music magazine Metal Hammer assigned Doro the Golden God Legend award.
To celebrate her 30th stage anniversary, Doro held a two-day concert at CCD Stadthalle in her hometown of Düsseldorf on 2 and 3 May 2014. She was accompanied by the Classic Night Orchestra for the first show. Guest singers included Biff Byford, Chris Caffery, Udo Dirkshneider, Blaze Bayley, Marc Storace, Tom Angelripper, Mr Lordi and Hansi Kürsch. Also the Lordi-guitarist Amen was featured on the show on 2 May.
Doro continued touring and had more celebratory shows in the following years, although with less tight schedules than in the past. She released her first album in six years, Forever Warriors, Forever United, on 17 August 2018, entering in many charts worldwide.
By November 2019, Doro had begun writing new material for her fourteenth album. Her new single "Brickwall" was released digitally on 26 June 2020, with a vinyl version to be released on 31 July. The song is expected appear on her new album, which was due for release in 2021, though it was later pushed back to 2022. In May 2023, Doro announced Conqueress Forever Strong and Proud as the title of her new album, due on October 27.
On 13 June 2020, Doro performed at the CARantena-Arena in Worms, Germany, becoming the first heavy metal artist to hold a drive-in concert during the COVID-19 pandemic. She remarked, "Over the last few weeks I've really missed my fans and also my band. The drive-in show has been a real unique experience and career highlight for me. It feels great to rock out together again. Hopefully, we can soon enjoy normal shows again as well."
## Duets
Doro Pesch is well known in the metal scene for her many duets with both expert singers and new artists. The duets started to indulge the wish of the German singer to work with artists that she admired and that had influenced her. She found the amicable availability of many musicians she had met in her career to contribute to her albums and live performances and, as an exchange of favors between singers, she appeared both in live shows and in studio albums of those same artists. This happened, for example, with Udo Dirkschneider in the rock ballad "Dancing with an Angel" and with Twisted Sister on the song "White Christmas" on their album A Twisted Christmas of 2004.
Also new bands and artists requested Doro's vocals to enhance their productions, usually with the same mechanism of reciprocity, like After Forever on the song "Who I Am" and Tarja Turunen on the song "The Seer". Both After Forever's singer Floor Jansen and Turunen appeared also as guest singers in Doro's albums and live shows. The band Krypteria, which had opened for Doro in the tours of 2009 and 2010, obtained a duet with Ji-In Cho on their song "Victoria" in a similar way.
Frequent occasions for live duets happen during tours, such as the 2010 European tour with Motörhead, when Doro and Lemmy used to perform the band's famous tunes like for instance "Killed by Death" and "Born to Raise Hell", or with Saxon in 2011 when performing Saxon's song "Denim & Leather".
More recently, Doro has contributed to the song "A Dream That Cannot Be" by Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth, on their album Jomsviking, released in 2016.
## Reception and legacy
In the 1980s the presence of women in rock, and in particular in heavy metal bands, was usually considered by press and fans more for glamour and sexual exploitation than for the musicianship showed. Doro Pesch was one of the few exceptions; her qualities as vocalist and songwriter in Warlock, her commitment in promoting their music and her avoidance of posturing as a sex symbol won the respect of a solid fan base in the expanding European metal scene of that period, ensuring a long string of favorable articles and covers on the principal European metal magazines. In an interview in 2006 Doro remembered how "we lived in paradise and had not noticed it, (...) we thought at the time, that now it goes on and on and the success would continue automatically, (...) then came the great awakening".
Warlock were starting to make a solid reputation in the US, when the taste of the audience for classic metal acts shifted in favor of grunge, leaving the singer's mission to conquer the American market incomplete. On the contrary, in her home country fans and press remained always loyal and favorable to Doro, who received in her career five nominations for the German Echo music award, which she won in 1994 as Best National Female Artist.
Her frequent European tours in the 1990s maintained her visibility in the eyes of the fans and granted her enough income to survive the bleak period. She became so popular in Spain that she was voted for 13 times Best International Singer by the readers of the music magazine Heavy Rock in their annual polls. She often declared to live and tour for the fans and said that she "would never cancel a tour and everybody knows that about me". Lemmy, in a 2003 interview, testified how professional Doro is.
With the return of heavy metal in the charts worldwide and the diffusion on the internet of hundreds of webzines and fanzines dedicated to hard rock, Doro became again a star of the metal scene, highly requested all over the world and treated by the media as a revered veteran and inspiration for new female singers. Her career and commitment are held in high esteem by the new generation of female heavy metal singers. As Floor Jansen of After Forever stated in a 2007 interview, to duet with Doro "was a huge honor and we chose her because she was a pioneer of the female fronted scene". Doro herself was apparently aware early in her career to have the role "to give other women self-confidence" in the metal world, acting as a pioneer for female fans and musicians.
As further evidence of her influence on the heavy metal scene, in December 2008 Pure Steel Records released Tribute to Steel: A Tribute to Warlock, the first official tribute album to Warlock and Doro; the album includes contributions from bands like Custard, Crystal Viper, Sabaton and Lonewolf, paying homage to the songs of Doro's first four albums with the participation of Warlock's original members.
## Personal life
Doro Pesch has always been very reserved and careful in protecting her privacy off-stage. She consciously chose to not get married or have children in order to dedicate all of her time to her musical career and her fans. The lyrics of the song "You Are My Family", which opens the album Warrior Soul, exemplify this decision. After the death of her father in 2000, her mother Barbara manages the Doro fan club.
She has homes in Düsseldorf, Germany and on Long Island, New York, where she usually resided when not on tour, until her house was destroyed by Hurricane Irene in August 2011. She received her green card to live and work in the US in 1991. Doro owns, together with former Die Krupps members Chris Lietz and Jürgen Engler, Atom H recording studios in Düsseldorf, where she has recorded some of her albums.
Doro is a vegan. Her stage clothes are handmade, following models she designs and using synthetic materials which imitate leather, in line with her relationship with PETA. She tries to support organizations that fight against injustice, particular against women and girls. Doro has been a trained Thai boxer, a sport that she started practicing in 1995. She enjoys graphic arts and painting.
## Band members
Current line-up
- Doro Pesch (1988–present) – lead vocals
- Johnny Dee (1993–1995, 1998–present) – drums, backing vocals
- Bas Maas (2009–present) – guitars, backing vocals
- Stefan Herkenhoff (2021) – bass, keyboards, backing vocals
- Bill Hudson (2021) – guitars
Former
- Chris Caffery (2014–2018) – guitars
- Jon Levin (1988–1989) – guitars
- Tommy Henriksen (1988–1989) – bass
- Bobby Rondinelli (1988–1989) – drums
- Paul Morris (1989–1990) – keyboards
- Thomas Jude (1990) – guitars
- Tom Coombs (1990) – drums
- Michael S. Tyrrell aka Michael Shawn (1991–1992) – guitars
- Jeff Bruno (1991–1992) – guitar, keyboards
- Tony Mac (1991–1992) – drums
- Chris Branco (1993) – drums
- Jimmy DiLella (1993–1995) – guitars, keyboards
- Joe Taylor (1993–2009) – guitars
- Russ Irwin (1995–1996) – guitars, keyboards
- Frank Ferrer (1995–1996) – drums
- Mario Parillo (1998–2001) – guitars, keyboards
- Oliver Palotai (2001–2009) – guitars, keyboards
- Robert Katrikh (2008) – guitars
- Harrison Young (2009–2015) – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals / 2021 - bass
- Luca Princiotta (2008–2021) – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
- Nick Douglas (1990–2020) – bass, keyboards, backing vocals
## Discography
### Studio and live albums, EPs and DVDs
- Force Majeure (1989)
- Doro (1990)
- Rare Diamonds (1991)
- True at Heart (1991)
- Angels Never Die (1993)
- DORO Live - Angels Never Die Tour '93 (1993)
- Machine II Machine (1995)
- A Whiter Shade of Pale (1995)
- Machine II Machine: Electric Club Mixes (EP) (1995)
- Love Me in Black (1998)
- Love Me in Black (EP) (1998)
- The Ballads (1998)
- Best Of (1998)
- WARLOCK - Earthshaker Rock (1999)
- Ich Will Alles (EP) (2000)
- Calling the Wild (2000)
- White Wedding (EP) (2001)
- Fight (2002)
- Doro Pesch and Warlock: Live (Dvd) (2002)
- Für Immer (Dvd) (2003)
- Let Love Rain on Me (EP) (2004)
- Classic Diamonds (2004)
- Classic Diamonds: The Dvd (2004)
- We're Like Thunder (EP) (2005)
- In Liebe Und Freundschaft (EP) (2005)
- Warrior Soul (2006)
- 20 Years – A Warrior Soul (2006)
- All We Are - The Fight (EP) (2007)
- Anthems for the Champion - The Queen (EP) (2007)
- Metal Queen – B-Sides & Rarities (2007)
- Celebrate (The Night of the Warlock) (EP) (2008)
- Fear No Evil (2009)
- Herzblut (EP) (2009)
- 25 Years In Rock... And Still Going Strong (Box) (2010)
- Merry Metal X-Mas - Doro feat. Onkel Tom Angelripper (2010)
- Under My Skin - A Fine Selection Of Doro Classics (2012)
- Raise Your Fist In The Air(EP) (2012)
- Raise Your Fist (2012)
- Doro live @ Wacken Open Air 2013 (Dvd) (2013)
- Raise Your Fist (30 Years Anniversary) (2014)
- World Gone Wild (6 Discs Box) (2015)
- Greatest Hits (2016)
- Love's Gone To Hell (2016)
- Strong And Proud - 30 Years Of Rock (Dvd) (2016)
- I Am What I Am (2017)
- Für Immer - Deutsche Songs, Balladen und Raritäten (2017)
- For Metal - Live At Rock Hard Festival 2015 (2018)
- With The Classic Night Orchestra - Classic Diamonds (2018)
- Forever Warriors, Forever United (2018)
- Backstage to Heaven (EP) (2019)
- Magic Diamonds - Best of Rock, Ballads & Rare Treasures (2020)
- Triumph And Agony Live (2021)
- Conqueress Forever Strong and Proud (2023)
### with Warlock
- Burning the Witches (1984)
- Hellbound (1985)
- True as Steel (1986)
- Triumph and Agony (1987)
## Filmography
- Soaring Highs and Brutal Lows: The Voices of Women in Metal (2015) |
80,608 | Hussein of Jordan | 1,172,426,212 | King of Jordan from 1952 to 1999 | [
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] | Hussein bin Talal (Arabic: الحسين بن طلال, romanized: Al-Ḥusayn bin Ṭalāl; 14 November 1935 – 7 February 1999) was King of Jordan from 11 August 1952 until his death in 1999. As a member of the Hashemite dynasty, the royal family of Jordan since 1921, Hussein was a 40th-generation direct descendant of Muhammad.
Hussein was born in Amman as the eldest child of Talal bin Abdullah and Zein al-Sharaf bint Jamil. Talal was then the heir to his own father, King Abdullah I. Hussein began his schooling in Amman, continuing his education abroad. After Talal became king in 1951, Hussein was named heir apparent. The Jordanian Parliament forced Talal to abdicate a year later due to his illness, and a regency council was appointed until Hussein came of age. He was enthroned at the age of 17 on 2 May 1953. Hussein was married four separate times and fathered eleven children.
Hussein, a constitutional monarch with wide executive and legislative powers, started his rule with what was termed a "liberal experiment", allowing in 1956 the formation of the only democratically elected government in Jordan's history. A few months into the experiment, he forced that government to resign, declaring martial law and banning political parties. Jordan fought three wars with Israel under Hussein, including the 1967 Six-Day War, which ended in Jordan's loss of the West Bank. In 1970, Hussein expelled Palestinian fighters (fedayeen) from Jordan after they had threatened the country's security in what became known as Black September in Jordan. The King renounced Jordan's ties to the West Bank in 1988 after the Palestine Liberation Organization was recognized internationally as the sole representative of the Palestinians. He lifted martial law and reintroduced elections in 1989 when riots over price hikes spread in southern Jordan. In 1994 he became the second Arab head of state to sign a peace treaty with Israel.
At the time of Hussein's accession in 1953, Jordan was a young nation and controlled the West Bank. The country had few natural resources, and a large Palestinian refugee population as a result of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Hussein led his country through four turbulent decades of the Arab–Israeli conflict and the Cold War, successfully balancing pressures from Arab nationalists, Islamists, the Soviet Union, Western countries, and Israel, transforming Jordan by the end of his 46-year reign into a stable modern state. After 1967 he engaged in efforts to solve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. He acted as a conciliatory intermediate between various Middle Eastern rivals, and came to be seen as the region's peacemaker. He was revered for pardoning political dissidents and opponents, and giving them senior posts in the government. Hussein, who survived dozens of assassination attempts and plots to overthrow him, was the region's longest-reigning leader. He died at the age of 63 from cancer in 1999 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Abdullah II.
## Early life
Hussein was born in Amman on 14 November 1935 to Crown Prince Talal and Princess Zein al-Sharaf. Hussein was the eldest among his siblings, three brothers and two sisters – Princess Asma, Prince Muhammad, Prince Hassan, Prince Muhsin, and Princess Basma. During one cold Ammani winter, his baby sister Princess Asma died from pneumonia, an indication of how poor his family was then – they could not afford heating in their house.
Hussein was the namesake of his paternal great-grandfather, Hussein bin Ali (Sharif of Mecca), the leader of the 1916 Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. Hussein claimed to be an agnatic descendant of Muhammad's daughter Fatimah and her husband Ali, the fourth caliph, since Hussein belonged to the Hashemite family, which had ruled Mecca for over 700 years – until its 1925 conquest by the House of Saud – and has ruled Jordan since 1921. The Hashemites, the oldest ruling dynasty in the Muslim world, are the second-oldest-ruling dynasty in the world (after the Imperial House of Japan). Hussein's maternal grandmother, Widjan Hanim, was the daughter of Shakir Pasha who was the Ottoman governor of Cyprus.
The young prince started his elementary education in Amman. He was then educated at Victoria College in Alexandria, Egypt. He proceeded to Harrow School in England, where he befriended his second cousin Faisal II of Iraq, who was also studying there. Faisal was then King of Hashemite Iraq, but was under regency since he was the same age as Hussein.
Hussein's grandfather, King Abdullah I, the founder of modern Jordan, did not see in his two sons Talal and Nayef potential for kingship, and therefore he focused his efforts on the upbringing of his grandson Hussein. A special relationship grew between the two. Abdullah assigned Hussein a private tutor for extra Arabic lessons, and Hussein acted as interpreter for his grandfather during his meetings with foreign leaders, as Abdullah understood English but could not speak it. On 20 July 1951, 15-year-old Prince Hussein travelled to Jerusalem to perform Friday prayers at the Masjid Al-Aqsa with his grandfather. A Palestinian assassin opened fire on Abdullah and his grandson, amid rumours that the King had been planning to sign a peace treaty with the newly established state of Israel. Abdullah died, but Hussein survived the assassination attempt and, according to witnesses, pursued the assassin. Hussein was also shot, but the bullet was deflected by a medal on his uniform that his grandfather had given him.
## Reign
### Accession
Abdullah's eldest son, Talal, was proclaimed King of Jordan. Talal appointed his son Hussein as crown prince on 9 September 1951. After a reign lasting less than thirteen months, the Parliament forced King Talal to abdicate due to his mental state – doctors had diagnosed schizophrenia. In his brief reign, Talal had introduced a modern, somewhat liberal constitution in 1952 that is still in use today. Hussein was proclaimed king on 11 August 1952, succeeding to the throne three months before his 17th birthday. A telegram from Jordan was brought in to Hussein while he was staying with his mother abroad in Lausanne, Switzerland, addressed to 'His Majesty King Hussein'. "I did not need to open it to know that my days as a schoolboy were over," Hussein later wrote in his memoirs. He returned home to cheering crowds.
A three-man regency council made up of the prime minister and heads of the Senate and the House of Representatives was appointed until he became 18 (by the Muslim calendar). Meanwhile, Hussein pursued further study at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He was enthroned on 2 May 1953, the same day that his cousin Faisal II assumed his constitutional powers as king of Iraq.
### First years
The teenaged king inherited the throne not only of Jordan, but also of the West Bank, captured by Jordan during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and annexed in 1950. The country was poor in natural resources, and had a large Palestinian refugee population resulting from the war – the annexation of the West Bank had made Palestinians two-thirds of the population, outnumbering Jordanians. Upon assuming the throne, he appointed Fawzi Mulki as prime minister. Mulki's liberal policies, including freedom of the press, led to unrest as opposition groups started a propaganda campaign against the monarchy. Palestinian fighters (fedayeen, meaning self-sacrificers) used Jordanian-controlled territory to launch attacks against Israel, sometimes provoking heavy retaliation. One reprisal operation by Israel became known as the Qibya massacre; it resulted in the death of 66 civilians in the West Bank village of Qibya. The incident led to protests, and in 1954 Hussein dismissed Mulki amid the unrest and appointed staunch royalist Tawfik Abu Al-Huda. The country held parliamentary elections in October 1954, while the country's parties were not yet fully organized. Abu Al-Huda lasted only a year, and the government underwent reshuffling three times within the following year.
The 1955 Baghdad Pact was a Western attempt to form a Middle Eastern alliance to counter Soviet influence and Gamal Abdel Nasser's Egypt. Jordan then found itself in the middle of Cold War tensions. Britain, Turkey, and Iraq were members of the pact, and Jordan was pressured by Britain to join. Nasserism (a socialist Pan-Arabist ideology) swept the Arab World in the 1950s, and the proposal to join the pact triggered large riots in the country. Curfews imposed by the Arab Legion did little to alleviate the situation and tensions persisted throughout 1955. The local unrest, periodically fueled by propaganda transmitted from Egyptian radios, was only calmed after the King appointed a new prime minister who promised not to enter the Baghdad Pact. Saudi Arabia found common ground with Egypt in their suspicions of the Hashemites, both in Jordan and in Iraq. The Saudis massed troops near Aqaba on Jordan's southern borders in January 1956, and only withdrew after the British threatened to intervene on Jordan's behalf. Hussein realized that the Arab nationalist trend had dominated Arab politics, and decided to start downgrading Jordan's relationship with the British. On 1 March 1956, Hussein asserted Jordanian independence by Arabizing the army's command: he dismissed Glubb Pasha as the commander of the Arab Legion and replaced all the senior British officers with Jordanians, thereby renaming it into the "Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army." He annulled the Anglo-Jordanian treaty and replaced British subsidies with Arab aid. Hussein's bold decisions were met with admiration at home and relations with Arab states improved.
### "A liberal experiment"
Egyptian President Nasser received an outpouring of support from the Arab public after the Egyptian–Czechoslovak arms deal was signed in September 1955, and his popularity in Jordan skyrocketed following the nationalization of the Suez Canal in July 1956; his actions were seen as a powerful stance against Western imperialism. Hussein was also supportive of the moves. The coinciding events in Egypt had Jordanian leftist opposition parties leaning greatly towards Nasser.
`The parliament that had been elected in 1954 was dissolved, and Hussein promised fair elections. The parliamentary election held on 21 October 1956 saw the National Socialist Party emerge as the largest party, winning 12 seats out of 40 in the House of Representatives. Hussein subsequently asked Suleiman Nabulsi, leader of the Party, to form a government, the only democratically elected government in Jordan's history. Hussein called this a "liberal experiment," to see how Jordanians would "react to responsibility." On 29 October 1956, the Suez Crisis erupted in Egypt, as Britain, France, and Israel launched a military offensive to seize control of the canal. Hussein was furious but Nabulsi discouraged him from intervening. Nabulsi's policies frequently clashed with that of King Hussein's, including on how to deal with the Eisenhower Doctrine. The King had requested Nabulsi, as prime minister, to crack down on the Communist Party and the media it controlled. Nabulsi wanted to move Jordan closer to Nasser's regime, but Hussein wanted it to stay in the Western camp.`
Disagreements between the monarchy and the leftist government culminated in March 1957 when Nabulsi provided Hussein with a list of senior officers in the military he wanted to dismiss; Hussein initially heeded the recommendations. However, Nabulsi then presented an expanded list, which Hussein refused to act upon. Nabulsi's government was forced to resign on 10 April. On 13 April, rioting broke in the Zarqa army barracks and the 21-year-old Hussein went to end the violence between royalist and Arab nationalist army units after the latter group spread rumors that the King had been assassinated. A 3,000-man Syrian force started moving south towards the Jordanian border in support of what they perceived as a coup attempt, but turned around after the army units showed their loyalty to the King. Two principal accounts emerged regarding the events at Zarqa, with the royalist version holding that the incident was an abortive coup by army chief of staff Ali Abu Nuwar against King Hussein, and the dissident version asserting that it was a staged, American-backed counter-coup by Hussein against the pan-Arabist movement in Jordan. In either case, Abu Nuwar and other senior Arabist officers resigned and were allowed to leave Jordan for Syria, where they incited opposition to the Jordanian monarchy. Hussein reacted by imposing martial law. Although he eventually relaxed some of these measures, namely military curfews and severe press censorship, Hussein's moves significantly curtailed the constitutional democracy that existed in Jordan in the mid-1950s. The alleged conspirators were sentenced to 15 years in absentia, but later on were pardoned by Hussein in 1964 as part of his reconciliation efforts with his exiled opposition, and were entrusted with senior positions in the government.
### Arab Federation between Iraq and Jordan
The 1950s became known as the Arab Cold War, due to the conflict between states led by Nasserist Egypt and traditionalist kingdoms led by Saudi Arabia. Egypt and Syria formed the United Arab Republic (UAR) on 1 February 1958, with the Republic's presidency occupied by Nasser. As a counterweight, Hussein and his cousin, King Faisal II of Hashemite Iraq, established the Arab Federation on 14 February 1958 in an Amman ceremony. The two rival entities launched propaganda wars against each other through their radio broadcasts. Jordanian and Syrian forces clashed in March along the border. UAR-inspired conspiracies started to emerge against the Hashemite federation. An officer in Jordan was arrested for plotting to assassinate Hussein. It also emerged in Jordan that the UAR was planning to overthrow both Hashemite monarchies in July 1958. Jordan reacted by arresting 40 suspected army officers, and Hussein called in Iraqi army chief of staff Rafiq Aref to brief him on the exposed plot. Aref replied, "You look after yourselves. Iraq is a very stable country, unlike Jordan. If there are any worries it is Jordan that should be worried." Although Faisal and Hussein enjoyed a very close relationship, Faisal's Iraqi entourage looked down on Jordan; Hussein attributed this attitude to Iraqi crown prince 'Abd al-Ilah's influence.
The Lebanese, pro-Western government of Camille Chamoun was also threatened to be toppled by growing UAR-supported domestic opposition groups. The Iraqis sent a brigade to Jordan on 13 July at Hussein's request. The Iraqi brigade's departure to Jordan gave the conspirators in Iraq, led by Brigadier Abd al-Karim Qasim, the opportunity to strike. On 14 July, an Iraqi unit stormed the royal palace in Iraq, executed all members of the Iraqi royal family, and mutilated the bodies of the crown prince and the Iraqi Prime Minister of the Arab Federation, Nuri Al-Said. Devastated, Hussein ordered a Jordanian expedition led by Sharif Nasser to reclaim the Iraqi throne, but it was recalled after it was 150-mile (241 km) inside Iraq. Hussein, worried about a similar coup in Jordan, tightened martial law. American troops landed in both Lebanon and Jordan as a show of support for pro-Western regimes in the region against the Nasserist tide. By October, the situation had calmed, and Western troops were recalled.
Hussein went on a vacation to Switzerland on 10 November. As he was flying his own plane over Syria, it was intercepted by two Syrian jets that attempted to attack. Hussein outmaneuvered the Syrians and survived the assassination attempt, landing safely in Amman, where he received a hero's welcome – his popularity in Jordan skyrocketed overnight. Golda Meir, an Israeli politician who would later become prime minister, was reported in 1958 as saying: "We all pray three times a day for King Hussein's safety and success." The Israelis preferred that Hussein remained in power, rather than a Nasserist regime.
In 1959, Hussein embarked on a tour to different countries to consolidate bilateral ties. His visit to the United States gained him many friends in Congress after he spoke openly against Soviet influence in the Middle East, returning with a \$50 million aid package. Sadiq Al-Shar'a, an army general who accompanied Hussein to the United States, was found to have been plotting a coup against the monarchy. News of the arrest of the conspiring officers in Jordan coincided with Hussein's visit to the US. Hussein was tipped off to Al-Shar'a's involvement, but did not reveal it until they both landed back in Jordan. Al-Shar'a was tried and received the death penalty; Hussein reduced his sentence to life imprisonment. Four years later, Al-Shar'a was pardoned and appointed director of Jordan's passport office.
### Assassination attempts
Hazza' Majali was appointed by Hussein to form a government; it consisted of loyalists who had persuaded Hussein to launch an offensive against the Iraqi government to restore the Hashemite monarchy. The expedition was cancelled amid British opposition and the weakened state of the Royal Jordanian Air Force. UAR agents assassinated Prime Minister Majali with a bomb planted in his office. Twenty minutes later, another explosion went off; it was intended for Hussein as it was expected he would run to the scene, which he did – he was a few minutes late. Hussein, persuaded by Habis Majali, Hazza's cousin and the army chief of staff, prepared for a retaliation against Syria, whose intelligence service was responsible for the assassination. He prepared three brigades in the north, but the operation was called off after combined pressures from the Americans and the British. Egyptian radios denounced Hussein as the "Judas of the Arabs."
Hussein would be subjected to several more assassination attempts. One involved replacing his nose drops with strong acid. Another plot was uncovered after a large number of cats were found dead in the royal palace; it emerged that the cook had been trying poisons to use against the king. He was later pardoned and released after Hussein received a plea from the cook's daughter. Assassination attempts against the king subsided after a successful coup toppled the Syrian regime on 28 September 1961 and the UAR collapsed. With a calmed situation in Jordan, the King issued his slogan "Let us build this country to serve this nation." But critics considered the slogan mere lip service, saying Hussein showed little interest in the economic situation of the country, unlike the military and foreign relations aspects.
In January 1962 Wasfi Tal was appointed prime minister. The young politician who worked to bring sweeping reforms resigned after Hussein sought to solidify his position following the rise of the Nasser-supporting Ba'ath party to the governments of Iraq and Syria in two 1963 coups. The first direct contacts between Jordan and Israel started in early 1960s; Hussein had a Jewish doctor named Emmanuel Herbert who acted as intermediary between the two nations during Hussein's visits to London. In the talks, Hussein highlighted his commitment to a peaceful resolution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. His secret rapprochement with Israel was followed by a public rapprochement with Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1964, which bolstered Hussein's popularity both in Jordan and in the Arab world. Hussein received a warm welcome after visiting West Bank cities afterwards. The rapprochement with Nasser happened during the 1964 Arab League summit in Cairo, where the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) were established, and where Jordan agreed to join the United Arab Command. During the summit Nasser also attempted to convince Hussein to purchase Soviet weapons, but the Americans provided Hussein with tanks and jets instead, with the understanding that they would not be used in the West Bank at Israel's request. The PLO identified itself as a representative of the Palestinian people, which clashed with Jordan's sovereignty claim over the West Bank. The PLO started to demand that the Jordanian government legalize their activities, including the setting up of Palestinian armed units to fight Israel; the requests were denied.
### Samu Incident
Hussein later stated that during one of his meetings with Israeli representatives: "I told them I could not absorb a serious retaliatory raid, and they accepted the logic of this and promised there would never be one." The Palestinian nationalist organization Fatah started organizing cross-border attacks against Israel in January 1965, often drawing Israeli reprisals on Jordan. One such reprisal was the Samu Incident, an attack launched by Israel on 13 November 1966 on the Jordanian-controlled West Bank town of As-Samu after three Israeli soldiers were killed by a Fatah landmine. The assault inflicted heavy Arab casualties. Israeli writer Avi Shlaim argues that Israel's disproportionate retaliation exacted revenge on the wrong party, as Israeli leaders knew from their coordination with Hussein that he was doing everything he could to prevent such attacks. The incident drew fierce local criticism of Hussein amid feelings he had been betrayed by the Israelis; Hussein also suspected that Israel had changed its attitude towards Jordan and had intended to escalate matters in order to capture the West Bank. Yitzhak Rabin, the then Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, later admitted the disproportionate reaction by Israel, and that the operation would have been better directed at Syria, which was supporting such attacks: "We had neither political nor military reasons to arrive at a confrontation with Jordan or to humiliate Hussein."
The events at Samu triggered large-scale anti-Hashemite protests in the West Bank for what they perceived as Hussein's incompetency for defending them against Israel: rioters attacked government offices, chanted pro-Nasser slogans, and called on Hussein to have the same fate as Nuri As-Said – the Iraqi prime minister who had been killed and mutilated in 1958 along with the Iraqi royal family. Jordanians believed that after this incident, Israel would march on the West Bank whether or not Jordan joined the war. Perception of King Hussein's efforts to come to peaceful terms with Israel led to great dissatisfaction among some Arab leaders. President Nasser of Egypt denounced Hussein as an "imperialist lackey." In a meeting with American officials, Hussein, sometimes with tears in his eyes, said: "The growing split between the East Bank and the West Bank has ruined my dreams," and, "There is near despair in the army and the army no longer has confidence in me." Hussein travelled to Cairo on 30 May 1967 and hastily signed an Egyptian-Jordanian mutual defense treaty, returning home to cheering crowds. Shlaim argues that Hussein had possessed options, but had made two mistakes: the first was in putting the Jordanian army under Egyptian command; the second was in allowing the entry of Iraqi troops into Jordan, which raised Israeli suspicions against Jordan. Egyptian general Abdul Munim Riad arrived in Jordan to command its army pursuant to the pact signed with Egypt.
### Six-Day War
On 5 June 1967 the Six-Day War began after an Israeli strike wiped out Egypt's Air Force. The Egyptian army commander in Cairo transmitted to General Riad that the Israeli strike had failed, and that Israel's Air Force was almost wiped out. Based on the misleading information from Cairo, Riad ordered the Jordanian army to take offensive positions and attack Israeli targets around Jerusalem. Jordanian Hawker Hunters made sorties but were destroyed by Israel when they went to refuel; Syria's and Iraq's air forces followed. Israel's air superiority on the first day of war proved decisive. Two Israeli jets attempted to assassinate Hussein; one was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery, and the other shot directly at Hussein's office in the royal palace. Hussein was not there, the CIA station chief in Amman Jack O'Connell relayed a message threatening the Israelis, and the attempts stopped. The Jordanians had prepared a war strategy, but the Egyptian commander insisted to build his strategy based on the misleading information from Egypt.
By 7 June fighting led the Jordanians to withdraw from the West Bank, and Jerusalem's Old City and the Dome of the Rock were abandoned after desperate fighting. Israel blew up the bridges between the two banks to consolidate its control. Jordan suffered a severe setback with the loss of the West Bank, which contributed 40% to Jordan's GDP in the tourism, industrial, and agricultural sectors. Around 200,000 Palestinian refugees fled to Jordan, destabilizing Jordan's demographics. The loss of Jerusalem was critical to Jordan, and specifically for Hussein who held the Hashemite custodianship of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. Al-Aqsa mosque is the third holiest site in Islam, believed to be where Muhammad ascended to heaven. By 11 June Israel had decisively won the war by capturing the West Bank from Jordan, Gaza and the Sinai from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Nasser and Hussein, recognizing their defeat, sought to work together towards a more moderate stance.
On 22 November 1967 the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved resolution 242, which became one of Jordan's foreign policy cornerstones. It denounced acquisition of territory by force and called on Israel to withdraw from territories occupied in the 1967 war. Israel rejected the resolution. Hussein restarted talks with Israeli representatives throughout 1968 and 1969, but the talks went nowhere – Shlaim claims the Israelis stalled and that Hussein refused to cede any West Bank territory.
### Black September
After Jordan lost control of the West Bank in 1967, Palestinian fighters known as "fedayeen", meaning self-sacrificers, moved their bases to Jordan and stepped up their attacks on Israel and Israeli occupied territories. One Israeli retaliation on a PLO camp based in Karameh, a Jordanian town along the border with the West Bank, developed into a full-scale battle. It is believed that Israel had wanted to punish Jordan for its perceived support for the PLO. After failing to capture Yasser Arafat, the PLO leader, Israeli forces withdrew or were repulsed, but not before destroying the Karameh camp and sustaining relatively high casualties. The perceived joint Jordanian-Palestinian victory in the 1968 Battle of Karameh led to an upsurge of support in the Arab World for Palestinian fighters in Jordan. The PLO in Jordan grew in strength, and by the beginning of 1970 the fedayeen groups started to openly call for the overthrow of the Hashemite monarchy. Acting as a state within a state, the fedayeen disregarded local laws and regulations, and even attempted to assassinate King Hussein twice, leading to violent confrontations between them and the Jordanian army. Hussein wanted to oust the fedayeen from the country, but hesitated to strike because he did not want his enemies to use it against him by equating Palestinian fighters with civilians. PLO actions in Jordan culminated in the Dawson's Field hijackings incident on 10 September 1970, in which the fedayeen hijacked three civilian aircraft and forced their landing in Zarqa, taking foreign nationals as hostages, and later bombing the planes in front of the international press. Hussein saw this as the last straw, and ordered the army to move.
On 17 September the Jordanian army surrounded cities that had a PLO presence, including Amman and Irbid, and began shelling the fedayeen, who had established themselves in Palestinian refugee camps. The next day, a force from Syria with PLO markings started advancing towards Irbid, which the fedayeen declared a "liberated" city. On 22 September, the Syrians withdrew after the Jordanian army launched an air-ground offensive that inflicted heavy Syrian losses, and after Israeli Air Force jets flew over Syrian units in a symbolic show of support of Hussein, but did not engage. An agreement brokered by Egyptian President Nasser between Arafat and Hussein led to an end to the fighting on 27 September. Nasser died the following day of a heart attack. On 13 October Hussein signed an agreement with Arafat to regulate the fedayeen's presence, but the Jordanian army attacked again in January 1971. The fedayeen were driven out of Jordanian cities one by one until 2,000 fedayeen surrendered after being encircled in a forest near Ajloun on 17 July, marking the end of the conflict.
Jordan allowed the fedayeen to leave for Lebanon through Syria, an event that led to the Lebanese Civil War in 1975. The Black September Organization was founded the same year, named after the conflict. The organization claimed responsibility for the assassination of Jordanian prime minister Wasfi Tal in 1971, and the highly publicized 1972 Munich massacre against Israeli athletes.
In a speech to the Jordanian parliament on 15 March 1972, Hussein announced his "United Arab Kingdom" plan. Unlike the unitary state that had existed between the West Bank and Jordan during Jordan's annexation of the West Bank (1950–1967), this plan envisaged two federal entities on each bank of the Jordan River. According to the proposal, the two districts of the federation would be autonomous, excluding the military and the foreign and security affairs that would be determined by an Amman central government. But the implementation of the plan was to be conditional upon achieving a peace agreement between Israel and Jordan. Ultimately, Hussein's proposal was ruled out after it was vehemently rejected by Israel, the PLO, and several Arab states.
### Yom Kippur War
After the 1967 war, Gunnar Jarring was appointed by the UN as a special envoy for the Middle East peace process, leading the Jarring Mission. The talks between Arab countries and Israel resulted in a deadlock. The stalemate led to renewed fears of another war between Arab countries and Israel. Worried that Jordan would be dragged into another war unprepared, Hussein sent Zaid Al-Rifai to Egyptian president Anwar Sadat in December 1972 to inquire. Sadat informed Al-Rifai that he had been planning a limited incursion in the Sinai that would allow some political manoeuvring. Sadat then invited Al-Rifai and Hussein to a summit on 10 September 1973 with him and Hafez Al-Assad, who had become president of Syria. The summit ended with a restoration of ties between Jordan, Egypt, and Syria. Sadat disclosed to Assad and Hussein his intention to initiate military action. Hussein refused Sadat's request to allow the fedayeen's return to Jordan but agreed that in case of a military operation, Jordanian troops would play a limited defensive role in assisting the Syrians in the Golan Heights.
Egypt and Syria launched the Yom Kippur War against Israel in the Sinai and in the Golan Heights on 6 October 1973 without Hussein's knowledge. Between 10 September and 6 October, Hussein secretly met with Israeli prime minister Golda Meir in Tel Aviv on 25 September. Israeli leaks of the meeting led to rumors in the Arab World that Hussein had tipped off Meir about Arab intentions. Hussein only discussed with Meir what both already knew, that the Syrian army was on alert. On 13 October Jordan joined the war and sent the 40th brigade to assist the Syrians in the Golan Heights. Some see it as ironic that it was the same brigade that had been sent to deter the Syrian invasion during Black September in 1970. Subsequent peace talks with Israel collapsed; while Jordan wanted a complete Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, Israel preferred to retain control but with Jordanian administration.
In the 1974 Arab League summit held in Morocco on 26 October, a Fatah plot to assassinate Hussein upon his arrival was uncovered by the Moroccan authorities. The plot did not deter Hussein from joining the summit, but at the end Jordan had to join all the Arab countries in recognizing the PLO as "the sole representative of the Palestinian people," a diplomatic defeat for Hussein. The relationship between Jordan and the United States deteriorated when Jordan refused to join the Camp David Accords. The Accords formed the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, and allowed the withdrawal of Israel from the Sinai. In 1978 Hussein went to Baghdad for the first time since 1958; there, he met Iraqi politician Saddam Hussein. When Saddam became president of Iraq in 1979, Hussein supported Saddam's Iran–Iraq War that stretched from 1980 to 1988. The relationship grew as Saddam provided Jordan with subsidized oil, and Jordan allowed Iraq to use the Port of Aqaba for its exports.
### Involvement in peace initiatives
When the PLO moved to Lebanon from Jordan after 1970, repeated attacks and counter-attacks occurred in southern Lebanon between the PLO and Israel. Two major Israeli incursions into Lebanon occurred in 1978, and the other in 1982, the latter conflict troubled Hussein as the IDF had laid siege to Beirut. The PLO was to be expelled from Lebanon, and Ariel Sharon, the Israeli Defense minister, suggested they be moved to Jordan where the monarchy would be toppled and Jordan would serve as an "alternative Palestinian homeland." Sharon boasted: "One speech by me will make King Hussein realize that the time has come to pack his bags." However, Arafat rejected Sharon's suggestion, and the fedayeen were transported to Tunisia under American cover.
In 1983 American president Ronald Reagan suggested a peace plan that became known as the Reagan plan, similar to Hussein's 1972 federation plan. Hussein and Arafat both agreed to the plan on 1 April, but the PLO's executive office rejected it. A year and a half later, a renewed effort by Hussein to jump start the peace process culminated in the establishment of a Jordan–PLO accord that sought a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, an unprecedented milestone for the PLO and a Jordanian diplomatic victory. The accord was opposed by Israel and garnered no international support from either the United States or the Soviet Union. Around the same time, Hussein met Israel prime minister Shimon Peres on 19 July 1985 in the United Kingdom, where Peres assented to the accord, but later the rest of his government opposed it due to the PLO's involvement. Subsequent talks between the PLO and Jordan collapsed after the PLO refused to make concessions; in a speech Hussein announced that "after two long attempts, I and the government of Jordan hereby announce that we are unable to continue to coordinate politically with the PLO leadership until such time as their word becomes their bond, characterized by commitment, credibility and constancy."
Jordan started a crackdown on the PLO by closing their offices in Amman after the Israeli minister of defense, Yitzhak Rabin, requested it from Hussein in a secret meeting. Jordan announced a \$1.3 billion five-year development plan for the West Bank, in a bid to enhance its image in the West Bank residents at the expense of the PLO. Around the same time, Hussein became troubled after he heard that Israel had been selling American weapons to Iran, thereby lengthening the conflict between Iraq and Iran, both supporters of the PLO. The relationship between Hussein and Saddam became very close – Hussein visited Baghdad 61 times between 1980 and 1990, and Saddam used Hussein to relay messages to several countries, including the US and Britain. In June 1982, after Iran's victory seemed imminent, Hussein personally carried to Saddam sensitive photographic intelligence forwarded to him by the US. In return, Saddam provided incentives for Jordanian exports to Iraq, which accounted for a quarter of all Jordan's exports, valued at \$212.3 million in 1989. Iraqi aid helped Jordan's finances; Hussein had felt it humiliating to keep asking Gulf countries for assistance. Hussein made a little-known attempt to heal the rift between the two Ba'ath regimes of Iraq and Syria in April 1986. The meeting between Hafez Al-Assad and Saddam Hussein occurred at an airbase in Al-Jafr in the eastern Jordanian desert. The talks lasted for a day, after which no progress was made. Saddam was angry at Al-Assad for supporting Iran against an Arab country, Iraq, and Al-Assad was adamant about establishing a union between Iraq and Syria, which Saddam rejected.
On 11 April 1987, after Yitzhak Shamir became prime minister of Israel, Hussein engaged in direct talks with Shamir's foreign minister, Peres, in London. After reaching an agreement between Hussein and Peres on establishing an international peace conference, Shamir and the rest of the ministers in his cabinet rejected the proposal. On 8 November 1987 Jordan hosted an Arab League summit; Hussein enjoyed good relations with rival Arab blocs, and he acted as conciliatory intermediate. He helped mobilize Arab support for Iraq against Iran, and for Jordan's peace efforts, and helped to end the decade-long Arab boycott of Egypt – a boycott that began after it unilaterally signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979. Hussein described the summit as one of the best moments in his life.
### Disengagement from West Bank
On 9 December 1987 an Israeli truck driver ran over four Palestinians in a Gaza refugee camp, sparking unrest that spread to violent demonstrations in the West Bank. What began as an uprising to achieve Palestinian independence against the Israeli occupation turned into an upsurge of support for the PLO, which had orchestrated the uprising, and consequently diminished Jordanian influence in the West Bank. Jordanian policy on the West Bank had to be reconsidered following renewed fears that Israel would revive its proposal for Jordan to become an "alternative Palestinian homeland." US Secretary of State George P. Shultz set up a peace process that became known as the Schulz Initiative. It called for Jordan rather than the PLO to represent the Palestinians; however, when Schultz contacted Hussein about the plan, he reversed his position and told him it was a matter for the PLO to decide.
The orchestrators of the Intifada were the Unified National Leadership of the Uprising, which issued its 10th communiqué on 11 March 1988, urging its followers to "intensify the mass pressure against the [Israel] occupation army and the settlers and against collaborators and personnel of the Jordanian regime." West Bank Palestinians deviation from the Jordanian state highlighted the need for a revision in Jordan's policy, and Jordanian nationalists began to argue that Jordan would be better off without the Palestinians and without the West Bank. Adnan Abu Oudeh, a Palestinian descendant who was Hussein's political advisor, Prime Minister Zaid Al-Rifai, army chief of staff Zaid ibn Shaker, Royal Court chief Marwan Kasim, and mukhabarat director Tariq Alaeddin, helped the King prepare West Bank disengagement plans. The Jordanian Ministry of Occupied Territories Affairs was abolished on 1 July 1988, its responsibilities taken over by the Palestinian Affairs Department. On 28 July Jordan terminated the West Bank development plan. Two days later a royal decree dissolved the House of Representatives, thereby removing West Bank representation in the Parliament. In a televised speech on 1 August, Hussein announced the "severing of Jordan's legal and administrative ties with the West Bank," essentially surrendering claims of sovereignty over the West Bank. The move revoked the Jordanian citizenship of Palestinians in the West Bank (who had obtained it since Jordan annexed the territory in 1950), but not that of Palestinians residing in Jordan. Nevertheless, the Hashemite custodianship over the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem was retained. Israeli politicians were stunned, thinking it was a political manoeuvre so that the Palestinians could show support for Hussein, but later realized that it represented a shift in Jordan's policy after Hussein asked his West Bank supporters not to issue petitions demanding that he relent. In a meeting in November 1988 the PLO accepted all United Nations resolutions and agreed to recognize Israel.
### 1989 riots
Jordan's disengagement from the West Bank led to a slowing of the Jordanian economy. The Jordanian dinar lost a third of its value in 1988, and Jordan's foreign debt reached a figure double that of its gross national product (GNP). Jordan introduced austerity measures to combat the economic crisis. On 16 April 1989 the government increased prices of gasoline, licensing fees, alcoholic beverages, and cigarettes, between 15% and 50%, in a bid to increase revenues in accordance with an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF agreement was to enable Jordan to reschedule its \$6 billion debt, and obtain loans totaling \$275 million over 18 months. On 18 April riots in Ma'an spread to other southern towns such as Al-Karak and Tafila, where the New York Times reported that around 4,000 people gathered in the streets and clashed with the police, resulting in six protesters killed and 42 injured, and two policemen killed and 47 injured.
Despite the fact that the protests were triggered by a troubling economic situation, the crowds' demands became political. Protesters accused Zaid Al-Rifai's government of rampant corruption and demanded that the martial law in place since 1957 be lifted and parliamentary elections be resumed. The last parliamentary election had taken place in 1967, just before Jordan lost the West Bank, and when the parliament's tenure ended in 1971, no elections could be held due to the fact that the West Bank was under Israeli occupation, but the West Bank's status became irrelevant after Jordan's disengagement in 1988. Hussein relented to the demands by dismissing Al-Rifai, and appointed Zaid ibn Shaker to form a new government. In 1986 a new electoral law was passed, which allowed the reintroduction of parliamentary elections to proceed smoothly. The cabinet passed amendments to the electoral law that removed articles dealing with West Bank representation. In May 1989, just before the elections, Hussein announced his intention to appoint a 60-person royal commission to draft a reformist document named the National Charter. The National Charter sought to set a timetable for democratization acts. Although most members of the commission were regime loyalists, it included a number of opposition figures and dissidents. Parliamentary elections were held on 8 November 1989, the first in 22 years. The National Charter was drafted and ratified by parliament in 1991.
### Gulf War
A UN-brokered ceasefire became active in July 1988, ending the Iran-Iraq war. Hussein had advised Saddam after 1988 to polish his image in the West by visiting other countries, and by appearing at the United Nations for a speech, but to no avail. The Iraqi-Jordanian relationship developed into the Arab Cooperation Council (ACC), which also included Egypt and Yemen, on 16 February 1989, serving as a counter to the Gulf Cooperation Council. Saddam's invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990 led six months later to international intervention to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait in what became known as the Gulf War. Iraq's invasion of Kuwait caught Hussein by surprise; he was the ACC chairman at that time, and a personal friend of Saddam's. After informing the American president George H. W. Bush of his intention to travel to Baghdad to contain the situation, Hussein travelled to Baghdad on 3 August for a meeting with Saddam; at the meeting, the latter announced his intention to withdraw Iraqi troops from Kuwait only if Arab governments refrained from issuing statements of condemnation, and no foreign troops were involved. On Hussein's way back from Baghdad, Egypt issued a condemnation of the Iraqi invasion. To Hussein's dismay, Egyptian president Husni Mubarak refused to reverse his position and called for Iraq's unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait. An Arab League summit held in Cairo issued a condemnation of Iraq with a fourteen-vote majority, despite calls by Jordan's foreign minister Marwan Al-Kasim that this move would hinder Hussein's efforts to reach a peaceful resolution. Both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia viewed Hussein with suspicion – they distrusted him and believed he was planning to obtain a share of Kuwait's wealth.
On 6 August American troops arrived at the Kuwait-Saudi Arabian border, Saddam's conditions were ignored, and Hussein's role as mediator was undermined. Saddam then announced that his invasion had become "irreversible," and on 8 August he annexed Kuwait. Jordan, along with the international community, refused to recognize the Iraqi-installed regime in Kuwait. The United States, seeing Jordan's neutrality as siding with Saddam, cut its aid to Jordan – aid on which Jordan depended; Gulf countries soon followed. Hussein's position in the international community was severely affected, so severe that he privately discussed his intention to abdicate. Jordan's public opinion was overwhelmingly against international intervention, and against Gulf rulers who were perceived to be greedy and corrupt. Hussein's popularity among Jordanians reached its zenith, and anti-Western demonstrations filled the streets. But Western pundits viewed Hussein's actions as impulsive and emotional, claiming that he could have dampened Jordanian public support for Iraq through better leadership. Hussein's brother, Crown Prince Hassan, also disagreed with Hussein, but the King refused to recognize Saddam's wrongdoings. In late August and early September Hussein visited twelve Western and Arab capitals in an effort to promote a peaceful resolution. He finished his tour by flying directly to Baghdad to meet Saddam, where he warned: "Make a brave decision and withdraw your forces; if you don't, you will be forced out." Saddam was adamant but agreed to Hussein's request to release Western nationals who were being held as hostages. Threats of a war between Israel and Iraq were rising, and in December 1990 Hussein relayed a message to Saddam saying that Jordan would not tolerate any violations of its territory. Jordan dispatched an armored division to its borders with Iraq, and Hussein's eldest son Abdullah was in charge of a Cobra helicopter squadron. Jordan also concentrated its forces near its border with Israel. Adding to Jordan's deteriorating situation was the arrival of 400,000 Palestinian refugees from Kuwait, who had all been working there. By 28 February 1991 the international coalition had successfully cleared Iraqi forces from Kuwait.
### Peace with Israel
Jordan participated in the imposition of economic sanctions against Iraq even though the sanctions would severely affect its economy. The effects of the Gulf War, the sanctions on Iraq, and the flow of refugees to Jordan were estimated by a UN report to be \$1.5 billion out of a gross domestic product (GDP) of \$4.2 billion in 1990, and \$3.6 billion out of a GDP of \$4.7 billion in 1991. The end of the Gulf War coincided with the end of the Cold War. This allowed the United States to play a more active role in solving the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Bush administration were still angry at Hussein for the Gulf War events but realized they needed Jordan's participation in any peace process. Hussein agreed to an American request to join an international peace conference so that Jordan could start repairing its relationship with the United States and end its political isolation. Hussein's moves towards democratization in 1989 and his stance during the 1990 Gulf War had won him considerable popularity across Jordan's political spectrum. But when Hussein replaced his conservative prime minister, Mudar Badran, with liberal Palestinian Taher Al-Masri, who was in favor of peace negotiations with Israel, the Muslim Brotherhood – Jordan's main opposition group, who at that time occupied 22 out of 80 seats in the House of Representatives, and whose members and support came mostly from Palestinians in the country – vehemently rejected the new prime minister by voting against him during the vote of confidence. The Brotherhood also refused to participate in the National Congress where the King hoped to gather support for a peace settlement.
Hussein was tasked by the United States with forming a joint Palestinian-Jordanian delegation to participate in the Madrid Peace Conference. The 28-member delegation consisted of 14 Jordanians and 14 Palestinians. Along with solving the Palestinian problem, Jordan sought to safeguard its interests in relation to security, the economy, water, and the environment. The peace conference convened on 30 October 1991, with delegations representing all parties to the conflict, the United States and the Soviet Union as co-sponsors, and the United Nations as observer. The conference set a framework for negotiations, and PLO representatives offered to accept a Palestinian state under a confederation with Jordan. At home, the Muslim Brotherhood considered Al-Masri and his government as too liberal, and the Brotherhood merged with independent Islamists and formed the Islamic Action Front (IAF), increasing its representation to 34 in the 80-member House of Representative, a force strong enough to bring down the royally appointed government with a motion of a vote of no confidence. Hussein then replaced Al-Masri with his conservative cousin Zaid ibn Shaker. Subsequent peace talks continued in Washington, D.C., stretching from December 1991 to September 1993.
Hussein could not participate in the details of the talks, a task he handed to his brother Hassan. Hussein was referred to the Mayo Clinic in the United States after having urological problems; he had his left kidney removed after tests showed his ureter contained precancerous cells. When Hussein went back healed to Jordan, he received a hero's welcome – a third of Jordan's population filled the streets to greet him. On 23 November 1992 he gave an unusually aggressive speech. He called on extremists on both the right and left of the political spectrum to end their opposition to the peace negotiations, denounced what he saw as the Gulf countries' undemocratic nature, and called on Saddam to introduce democracy to Iraq. Meanwhile, Yitzhak Rabin, under the leftist Labor Party, emerged as prime minister of Israel. Thus, the PLO and Israeli representatives were quick to reach an agreement, which culminated in the 1993 Oslo Accords. The Accords were held in secrecy between Arafat and Rabin without Hussein's knowledge, completely marginalizing Jordan and the Palestinian-Jordanian delegation in Washington.
The parliamentary elections held on 8 November 1993 were the first multi-party elections since 1956, but the proportional representation voting system was replaced by the controversial one man, one vote system. The latter system was introduced to limit the Islamist opposition's representation in the House of Representatives, by gerrymandering Palestinian majority areas and encouraging independents over partisan candidates. Consequently, the IAF's seats decreased from 34 to 21 seats out of 80. On 25 July 1994 Rabin and Hussein appeared at the White House and signed the Washington declaration, which announced the "end of the state of belligerency." Subsequent negotiations culminated in the Israel–Jordan peace treaty, signed on 26 October in a ceremony in Wadi Araba. The treaty was a culmination of over 58 secret meetings over 31 years between Hussein and Israeli leaders. The treaty recognized Jordan's role in Jerusalem's holy sites, which angered Arafat who had sought such a position. Jordan's relations with the United States greatly improved: \$700 million worth of Jordan's debt was forgiven by the United States Congress, and Bill Clinton's administration authorized a substantial flow of aid to Jordan. After 1995 Hussein became increasingly critical of Saddam's rule in Iraq.
On 4 November 1995 the Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist, who aimed to undermine Rabin's peace efforts with the Palestinians. Due to the close relationship forged with Rabin during the negotiations of the treaty, Hussein was invited to give a speech during Rabin's funeral in Jerusalem. This was the first time Hussein had been in Jerusalem since the 1967 war. Hussein drew parallels between Rabin's assassination and his grandfather's assassination in 1951: "We are not ashamed, nor are we afraid, nor are we anything but determined to continue the legacy for which my friend fell, as did my grandfather in this city when I was with him and but a boy."
Jordan's signing of a peace treaty with Israel, and other issues, were met with disdain by Syria's president Hafez Al-Assad. The CIA handed the King a detailed report in December 1995 warning him of a Syrian plot to assassinate him and his brother Hassan. A month later, the CIA sent Hussein another report warning Jordan of Iraqi plots to attack Western targets in Jordan to undermine Jordan's security due to its support for the Iraqi opposition. In Israel, Shimon Peres of the leftist Labor Party and Benjamin Netanyahu of the right-wing Likud party, were competing for the post of prime minister. Hussein's popularity in Israel had peaked after the peace treaty was signed, and he was expected to express support for a candidate. Hussein initially remained neutral, but later expressed support for Netanyahu. Efraim Halevy, then head of the Israeli intelligence agency (Mossad), claims that Hussein had preferred Netanyahu over Peres as he had deeply mistrusted the latter. The Israeli general election held on 29 May 1996 witnessed Netanyahu's ascension to the prime ministry.
### Tensions with Israel
Hussein's support for Netanyahu soon backfired. Israel's actions during the 1996 Qana massacre in Southern Lebanon, the Likud government's decision to build settlements in East Jerusalem, and the events at the Temple Mount where clashes between Palestinian and Israeli police ensued after Israeli tunnel diggings around the Mount, generated an uproar of criticism for Netanyahu in the Arab World. On 9 March 1997 Hussein sent Netanyahu a three-page letter expressing his disappointment. The King lambasted Netanyahu, with the letter's opening sentence stating: "My distress is genuine and deep over the accumulating tragic actions which you have initiated at the head of the Government of Israel, making peace – the worthiest objective of my life – appear more and more like a distant elusive mirage."
Four days later, on 13 March, a Jordanian soldier patrolling the borders between Jordan and Israel in the north near the Island of Peace, killed seven Israeli schoolgirls and wounded six others. The King, who was on an official visit to Spain, returned home immediately. He travelled to the Israeli town of Beit Shemesh to offer his condolences to the grieving families of the Israeli children killed. He went on his knees in front of the families, telling them that the incident was "a crime that is a shame for all of us. I feel as if I have lost a child of my own. If there is any purpose in life it will be to make sure that all the children no longer suffer the way our generation did." His gesture was received very warmly in Israel, and Hussein sent the families \$1 million in total as compensation for the loss of life. The soldier was determined to be mentally unstable by a Jordanian military tribunal and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, which he served entirely.
Clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian groups in Gaza and the West Bank surfaced. Hussein's wife, Queen Noor, later claimed her husband was having trouble sleeping: "Everything he had worked for all his life, every relationship he had painstakingly built on trust and respect, every dream of peace and prosperity he had had for Jordan's children, was turning into a nightmare. I really did not know how much more Hussein could take."
On 27 September 1997 eight Mossad agents entered Jordan using fake Canadian passports and attempted to assassinate Jordanian citizen Khaled Mashal, head of the Palestinian group Hamas. Hussein was preparing for a 30-year Hamas-Israel truce three days prior to the attempt, after Hamas had launched two attacks in Jerusalem. Two Mossad agents followed Mashal to his office and injected poison into his ears, but they were caught by Mashal's bodyguard. The two agents were then held by the Jordanian police, while the six other agents hid in the Israeli embassy. Furious, Hussein met with an Israeli delegate who attempted to explain the situation; the King said in a speech about the incident that he felt that somebody "had spat in his face." Jordanian authorities requested Netanyahu to provide an antidote to save Mashal's life, but Netanyahu refused to do so. Jordan then threatened to storm the Israeli embassy and capture the rest of the Mossad team, but Israel argued that it would be against the Geneva Conventions. Jordan replied that the Geneva Conventions "do not apply to terrorists," and a special operations team headed by Hussein's son Abdullah was put in charge of the operation. Hussein called American President Clinton and requested his intervention, threatening to annul the treaty if Israel did not provide the antidote. Clinton later managed to get Israel's approval to reveal the name of the antidote, and complained about Netanyahu: "This man is impossible!" Khaled Mashal recovered, but Jordan's relations with Israel deteriorated and Israeli requests to contact Hussein were rebuffed. The Mossad operatives were released by Jordan after Israel agreed to release 23 Jordanian and 50 Palestinian prisoners including Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.
Mounting opposition in Jordan to the peace treaty with Israel led Hussein to put greater restrictions on freedom of speech. Several dissidents were imprisoned including Laith Shubeilat, a prominent Islamist. A few months into his imprisonment, the King personally gave Shubeilat, his fiercest critic, a ride home from the Swaqa prison. However, the crackdown led the opposition groups in Jordan to boycott the 1997 parliamentary elections. In 1998 Jordan refused a secret request from Netanyahu to attack Iraq using Jordanian airspace after claiming Saddam held weapons of mass destruction.
## Illness, death and funeral
In May 1998 Hussein, a heavy smoker, was admitted to the Mayo Clinic, but doctors were unable to diagnose his ailment. Hussein returned to the clinic in July after suffering severe fevers; doctors then diagnosed him with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He stayed in the clinic until the end of 1998, while his brother Hassan, who had been crown prince since 1965, acted as regent. He was given six courses of chemotherapy for his lymph gland cancer over a five-month period. Hussein gained the respect of the Mayo Clinic staff for his warmth and kindness; on one occasion, a janitor cried uncontrollably after Hussein prepared a birthday party for her in his suite.
In October 1998 Bill Clinton invited Hussein, during his stay at the clinic for chemotherapy treatment, to attend the Wye Plantation talks after a stalemate was reached between the Israeli and Palestinian delegations. Hussein, who looked bald and weakened, arrived and urged both Arafat and Netanyahu to overcome the obstacles. Encouraged by his presence, the two leaders agreed to resolve their difficulties. Hussein received a standing ovation at the ceremony and praise from Clinton for interrupting his treatment and coming over.
At home, 1998 was a difficult year for Jordanians: GDP growth had slowed considerably and could not keep pace with an accelerating population growth. Other incidents included a government scandal involving contamination of the country's water supply. Samih Batikhi, the director of the General Intelligence Directorate (mukhabarat), visited Hussein during his stay at the Mayo Clinic to keep him updated. Batikhi discredited the King's brother Hassan, and often voiced his support for Hussein's eldest son Abdullah as successor. Abdullah, who was 36 years old at the time, enjoyed great support from the army. He was crown prince when he was born in 1962, but Hussein transferred the title to his brother Hassan in 1965 due to political uncertainty back then. King Hussein had changed his line of succession a total of four times: "From his brother Muhammad, to his infant son Abdullah, to his second brother Hassan, and again to his then-grown-up son Abdullah." On his way back to Jordan in January 1999, Hussein stopped in London. Doctors advised him to rest and stay in England for a few weeks, as he was still too fragile to travel. According to Jordanian government sources, Hussein stated that:
> I need very much to feel the warmth of my people around me, there is work to be done and I will get the strength from my people to finish the business.
Upon his arrival in Jordan, after a six-month medical absence from the country, he announced he was "completely cured." Hussein returned and publicly criticized his brother Hassan's management of Jordanian internal affairs. He also accused him of abusing his powers as regent and crown prince. On 24 January 1999, Hussein replaced Hassan with his son Abdullah as heir apparent. Hassan gracefully accepted the King's decision on television, and congratulated his nephew Abdullah on his designation as crown prince.
On 25 January, the day after he proclaimed Abdullah as crown prince, Hussein returned abruptly to the United States, after experiencing fevers – a sign of recurrent lymphoma. On Tuesday 2 February, the king received a bone marrow transplant, which failed. It was thereupon reported that Hussein had suffered internal organ failure, and was in critical condition. On 4 February, and at his request, he was flown to Jordan where he arrived in a coma. Fighter jets from several countries flew with his plane as it passed over their territories, including the United States, Britain, and Israel. Hussein arrived at the King Hussein Medical Center in Amman where it was raining heavily, yet thousands flocked from all over Jordan and gathered at the main entrance. The crowds chanted his name, some weeping, others holding his pictures. At 11:43 on 7 February, Hussein was pronounced dead.
Hussein's flag-draped coffin, accompanied by honor guard troops wearing Keffiyeh, was taken on a 90-minute procession through the streets of the capital city of Amman. An estimated 800,000 Jordanians braved chilly winds to bid their leader farewell. Riot police were stationed along the nine-mile-long route to try to hold back the crowds who scrambled for a glimpse of the coffin.
The UN General Assembly held an Emergency Special Session in "Tribute to the Memory of His Majesty the King of Jordan" on the same day. The King's funeral was held in the Raghadan Palace. The funeral was the largest gathering of foreign leaders since 1995, and it was the first time that Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad was in the same room with Israeli statesmen. Khaled Mashal was also in the same room as the Mossad leaders who had tried to assassinate him just two years earlier. Four American presidents were present: Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford. Bill Clinton said about the funeral: "I don't think I have ever seen a greater outpouring of the world's appreciation and the world's love for a human being than I've seen today." Hussein was succeeded as king by his eldest son, Abdullah II.
## Legacy
### Image
Israeli writer Avi Shlaim sees that the assassination of Hussein's grandfather King Abdullah I in Jerusalem was the most formative event in Hussein's life, as he had witnessed the event personally at the age of 15. Two years later, the 17-year-old schoolboy would become King. Hussein inherited the throne to a young Kingdom, whose neighbors questioned its legitimacy, along with the Jordanian-controlled West Bank. From an early age he had to shoulder a heavy responsibility. The Kingdom had few natural resources, and a large Palestinian refugee population. He was able to gain his country considerable political weight on a global scale despite its limited potential. In 1980, an Israeli intelligence report described Hussein to be as "a man trapped on a bridge burning at both ends, with crocodiles in the river beneath him." Hussein was able to survive through four turbulent decades of the Arab-Israel conflict and the Cold War, successfully balancing pressures from Arab nationalists, Soviet Union, Western countries and Israel.
Hussein considered the Palestinian issue to be the overriding national security issue, even after Jordan lost the West Bank in 1967 and after it renounced claims to it in 1988. Initially, Hussein attempted to unite both banks of the Jordan River as one people, but with the formation of the PLO in the 1960s, it became difficult to maintain such a policy. He was relentless in pursuit of peace, viewing that the only way to solve the conflict was by peaceful means, excluding his decision to join the war in 1967. The decision cost him half his kingdom and his grandfather's legacy. After the war he emerged as an advocate for Palestinian statehood. After renouncing ties to the West Bank in 1988, he remained committed to solving the conflict. His 58 secret meetings held with Israeli representatives since 1963 culminated in the signing of the Israel–Jordan peace treaty in 1994, which he considered to be his "crowning achievement."
Hussein's policy of co-opting the opposition was his most revered. He was the region's longest reigning leader, even though he was subject to dozens of assassination attempts and plots to overthrow him. He was known to pardon political opponents and dissidents, including those who had attempted to assassinate him. He entrusted some of them with senior posts in the government. On one occasion before his death, he gave his fiercest critic a ride home from prison after having ordered his release. He was described as being a "benign authoritarian."
During his 46-year-reign, Hussein, who was seen as a charismatic, courageous, and humble leader, became widely known among Jordanians as the "builder king." He turned the Kingdom from a backwater divided polity into a reasonably stable well-governed modern state. By 1999 90% of Jordanians had been born during Hussein's reign. From the very start, Hussein concentrated on building an economic and industrial infrastructure to stimulate the economy and raise the standard of living. During the 1960s, Jordan's main industries – including phosphate, potash and cement – were developed, and the very first network of highways was built throughout the kingdom. Social indicators reflect King Hussein's successes. Whereas in 1950 water, sanitation, and electricity were available to only 10% of Jordanians, at the end of his rule these had reached 99% of the population. In 1960 only 33% of Jordanians were literate; by 1996 this number had climbed to 85.5%. In 1961 the average Jordanian consumed a daily intake of 2,198 calories; by 1992 this figure had increased by 37.5% to reach 3,022 calories. UNICEF statistics show that between 1981 and 1991, Jordan had achieved the world's fastest annual rate of decline in infant mortality – from 70 deaths per 1,000 births in 1981 to 37 per 1,000 in 1991, a drop of over 47%.
Hussein established the Al-Amal medical center in 1997, a clinic specializing in cancer treatment in Jordan. Renamed in 2002 to the King Hussein Cancer Center in honor of the late King, the center is a leading medical facility in the region, treating around 4,000 patients each year.
### Criticism
The King disliked paperwork, and had no solid view for the economy. He was dubbed the "fundraiser-in-chief": throughout his reign he managed to obtain foreign aid from different sources, leaving a legacy of a foreign aid-dependent Jordan. British aid in the early 1950s, American aid from 1957 onwards, Gulf aid in the 1960s and 1970s, Arab League and Iraqi aid in the early 1980s, and, after formalizing peace with Israel, American aid in the 1990s.
He was also seen as too lenient toward some ministers who were alleged to be corrupt. The price of establishing peace with Israel in 1994 he had to pay domestically, with mounting Jordanian opposition to Israel concentrating its criticism on the King. The King reacted by introducing restrictions on freedom of speech, and changing the parliamentary electoral law into the one-man, one-vote system in a bid to increase representation of independent regime loyalists and tribal groups at the expense of Islamist and partisan candidates. The moves impeded Jordan's path towards democracy that had started in 1956 and resumed in 1989.
In 1977, Bob Woodward of The Washington Post reported that King Hussein received funds from the CIA for 20 years. This money was used by the King to establish an intelligence service but was nevertheless criticized for being handled away from the government's supervision.
## Personal life
### Marriages and issue
King Hussein was less than seventeen years old, and unmarried, when he came to the throne of Jordan in 1952. He married four times. He had eleven acknowledged children, and one alleged illegitimate child. His wives and children were:
- Sharifa Dina bint Abdul-Hamid (1929–2019), on 19 April 1955. She was an Egyptian-born third cousin of King Hussein's father, King Talal. She was a member of the Hashemite family like Hussein and a graduate of Cambridge University and former lecturer in English literature at Cairo University. The marriage was arranged. They separated in 1956 and were divorced in 1957, at which time Princess Dina became known as Her Royal Highness Princess Dina Abdul-Hamid of Jordan. She became an Egyptian citizen in 1963, and in October 1970, Princess Dina of Jordan married Lieut-Colonel Asad Sulayman Abd al-Qadir, alias Salah Ta'amari, a Palestinian guerrilla commando who became a high-ranking official in the Palestine Liberation Organization.
- Princess Alia bint Hussein (born in 1956). Married first to Nasser Wasfi Mirza, they have one child together, a son, Hussein. They divorced in 1987. She remarried in 1988 to Sayyid Mohammed Al-Saleh; they have two sons, Talal and Abdul-Hamid.
- Antoinette Gardiner ("Toni Gardiner," born in 1941), on 25 May 1961, titled Princess Muna Al-Hussein from marriage. They met when she was working in a secretarial capacity on the sets of the film Lawrence of Arabia. An award-winning field hockey player and daughter of a British army officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Percy Gardiner, she was given the title Her Royal Highness Princess Muna al-Hussein, retaining this title after they divorced on 21 December 1972.
- Abdullah II (born in 1962). The current King of Jordan. Married to Rania Al-Yassin. They have four children: Crown Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma and Prince Hashem.
- Prince Faisal bin Hussein (born in 1963). Lieutenant-General, former Commander of Royal Jordanian Air Force. Currently Deputy Supreme Commander of the Jordanian Armed Forces. Married first to Alia Tabbaa (now known as Princess Alia Tabbaa). They have four children: Princess Ayah, Prince Omar, and twins Princess Sara and Princess Aisha. They divorced in 2008. He remarried in 2010 to Sara Qabbani and divorced in 2013. He is now married to Zeina Lubadeh, with whom he has two sons, Prince Abdullah and Prince Muhammad.
- Princess Aisha bint Hussein (born in 1968, twin with her sister Zein). Brigadier-General of Jordanian Armed Forces. Married to Zeid Juma, they have two children, a son, Aoun, and a daughter, Muna. They are now divorced. She married Ashraf Banayoti in 2016 and divorced him in the same year.
- Princess Zein bint Hussein (born in 1968, twin with her sister Aisha). Married to Majdi Al-Saleh, they have two children: a son Jaafar and a daughter Jumana, and an adopted daughter called Tahani Al-Shawan.
- Alia Bahauddin Toukan, Queen Alia Al-Hussein (1948–1977), on 24 December 1972. She died in a helicopter crash in Amman, Jordan, in 1977. Jordan's main international airport is named after her, (Queen Alia International Airport). An Egyptian-born daughter of Jordan's first ambassador to the United Nations, Sayyid Baha ud-din Toukan.
- Princess Haya bint Hussein (born in 1974). President of the Fédération Équestre Internationale 2008–2014. Formerly married to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. They have two children: Sheikha Jalila and Sheikh Zayed.
- Prince Ali bin Hussein (born in 1975). Married to Rym Brahimi now known as Princess Rym al-Ali. They have two children, Princess Jalilah and Prince Abdullah.
- Abir Muhaisen, (born in 1972, adopted by Hussein and Alia in 1976).
- Lisa Najeeb Halaby (born in 1951), renamed Queen Noor Al-Hussein on her conversion to Islam, married in Amman on 15 June 1978. An Arab-American of Syrian descent, daughter of Najeeb Halaby.
- Hamzah bin Hussein (born in 1980). Married first to Princess Noor bint Asem, third daughter of Prince Asem bin Nayef, by his first wife, Princess Firouzeh Vokhshouri. Princess Noor became Princess Noor al-Hamzah upon her marriage. Together they have a daughter, Princess Haya. They divorced in 2009. He remarried in 2012 to Princess Basmah Bani Ahmad (née Al-Outom); they have four daughters and a son: Princess Zein, Princess Noor, Princess Badiya, Princess Nafisa and Prince Hussein.
- Prince Hashim bin Hussein (born in 1981). Married to Princess Fahdah (née Abunayyan). They have three daughters and two sons: Princess Halaah, Princess Rayet Al-Noor, Princess Fatima Al-Alia, Prince Hussein Haidara and Prince Mohammad Al Hassan.
- Princess Iman bint Hussein (born in 1983). Married to Zaid Azmi Mirza, together they have a son, Omar.
- Princess Raiyah bint Hussein (born in 1986). Married to Faris Ned Donovan.
From an affair with the American Jewish actress Susan Cabot, Hussein allegedly had an illegitimate son, Timothy. Susan and Timothy were supported for many years out of the Jordanian royal privy purse. In 1986, Timothy killed his mother. Timothy served a prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter and died in 2003.
### Interests
Hussein was an enthusiastic ham radio operator and an Honorary Member of The Radio Society of Harrow and a life member of the American Radio Relay League. He was popular in the amateur radio community and insisted that fellow operators refer to him without his title. His call sign was JY1, which inspired the name for Jordan's first cube-sat satellite, the JY1-SAT, which was launched in 2018.
Hussein was a trained pilot, flying both airplanes and helicopters as a hobby. In a 1999 interview Henry Kissinger described being flown by Hussein, saying that "...he was a daring pilot, and he would be zooming along at treetop level, and my wife, in order to be politely insistent would say, 'You know I didn't know helicopters could fly so low.' 'Oh!' said the King, 'They can fly lower!' and went below tree top level just skimming along on the ground. That really aged me rapidly."
Hussein was also an avid fan of motorcycles. The cover of the paperback version of Queen Noor's book Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life features a photo of the King and Queen riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The King was also a fan of race-car driving, water sports, skiing, and tennis.
## Military ranks
King Hussein I bin Talal I held the following ranks:
- Jordan:
- Admiral of the Fleet, Royal Jordanian Navy.
- Field Marshal, Royal Jordanian Army.
- Marshal of the Air Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force.
- Egypt:
- Honorary Field Marshal of the Egyptian Army – 21 February 1955.
- United Kingdom:
- Honorary Air Chief Marshal of the Royal Air Force – 19 July 1966
## Ancestry
## Writings
## See also
- King Abdullah II
- Hashemites
- List of kings of Jordan
- List of things named after King Hussein
- List of covers of Time magazine (1960s) |
65,802,294 | If Anything Happens I Love You | 1,171,870,263 | 2020 short film by Will McCormack and Michael Govier | [
"2020 animated films",
"2020 short films",
"2020s American films",
"2020s English-language films",
"2020s animated short films",
"American animated short films",
"Animated films without speech",
"Best Animated Short Academy Award winners",
"Films about child death",
"Films about grieving",
"Films about school violence",
"Works about gun politics in the United States"
] | If Anything Happens I Love You is an American 2D animated short film written and directed by Will McCormack and Michael Govier. Its story follows two grieving parents as they struggle to confront the death of their daughter, who was killed in a school shooting. From Gilbert Films and Oh Good Productions, the film was released on Netflix on November 20, 2020.
The initial idea for the film came from a meeting between McCormack and Govier at Griffith Park. The pair later wrote the script for the film throughout an entire year, with production beginning in 2018 and Youngran Nho serving as animating director. Using the short film Father and Daughter as inspiration and working closely with Everytown for Gun Safety, production concluded in February 2020.
If Anything Happens I Love You was revealed on March 4, 2020, during a private screening at the United Talent Agency in Beverly Hills, where it was presented by Jayme Lemons, Chelsea Handler, Phil Johnston, Mary McCormack, Rashida Jones, and executive producer Laura Dern. Following its release on Netflix, the short was met with critical acclaim; at the 93rd Academy Awards, it received the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
## Plot
Two parents begin to grow separated from one another following the death of their preteen daughter. Though they refuse to speak to one another in person, both parents are watched over by shadows expressing their true emotions. While the father goes outside, the mother thinks about entering her daughter's old bedroom, though she stops herself due to overpowering grief and sadness.
While doing laundry, the mother begins to cry after realizing she has washed her daughter's shirt. She sits near the washing machine, causing a soccer ball to fall down and open her daughter's bedroom, which also rolls onto a record player, playing the song "1950". The mother decides to enter the room, where she later reunites with her husband. While "1950" continues to play in the background, a shadow representing their daughter pops out of the record player, and the parents begin to remember events in their daughter's life.
In a series of flashbacks, the parents see their daughter grow up: developing a love for soccer, celebrating her 10th birthday, and experiencing her first kiss. In the final flashback, the daughter leaves her parents to attend school. Knowing what is about to happen, the shadows of the parents attempt to stop her from entering the premises, but, this being a memory, they fail. Inside the school, the daughter is shot and killed during a school shooting, with her final text to her parents being "If anything happens I love you".
As the shadows of the parents grow apart, the shadow of the daughter brings them together, forcing the real parents to see the good memories they were able to experience with their daughter when she was alive. In the present, the parents hug, and the daughter's shadow becomes a bright light in between the shadows of her grieving parents.
## Production
According to writers Will McCormack and Michael Govier, who became friends at an acting school, the initial idea for the film came from a meeting between the two at Griffith Park, where Govier thought about making a film where shadows represented emotions people could not reach. McCormack agreed, opining it is a "powerful" premise. The goal of the film was to show "the grief that still lingers on in the community, even though maybe the news cycle has left them, and what that grief looks like." To direct the film, the pair met with several parents who had lost their children to school shootings and gun violence in the United States, aware of the sensitive subject matter. The pair also worked closely with Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action, allowing the organizations to share their own feedback on the film's script and amplify its overall theme.
> From the very beginning it was always going to be an animated film. We just thought a live-action version of this would be way too intense. We thought animation was the perfect gateway to have these deep conversations about loss and grief.
To bring out their self-funded idea as an animated film, the pair first met with producer Maryann Garger. Soon after, If Anything Happens I Love You began production in late 2018, with animation taking place from April 2019 to the December of that same year. In total, twenty-eight people worked on the short film, including Youngran Nho, Haein Michelle Heo, and Julia Gomes Rodrigues, who used TVPaint Animation to animate the project. Production concluded in February 2020. To address the importance of diversity and representation in animation, the short was animated, composed, and lead-produced by an all-female crew.
The film was produced by Govier, who wrote the 12-page script for the short film with McCormack in a year. Shortly after, Nho was hired while she was attending the California Institute of the Arts to work as an animator and artistic director on the short, having been recommended by professor Maija Burnett, using the black-and-white palette from the Academy Award-winning short film Father and Daughter as inspiration. According to Nho, the film's background consisted of watercolor on paper to make the story feel "raw" and "unfinished," mentioning that the film attempted to have minimum color in its background to match the "emptiness that fills [the] grieving parents."
According to McCormack and Govier, the pair wanted to tell a story through anthropomorphic shadows, and as a result, multiple sequences were not drawn with "full technicolor" as they wanted to "illustrate and explore grief" in the short film. To keep in touch with Nho and the rest of the crew, McCormack and Govier used the software Slack to communicate, "critiquing and confirming each other's work in real-time."
Most of the film's score was composed by Lindsay Marcus, with the "Beautiful Dreamer" sequence of the film being arranged and performed by the Inner-City Youth Orchestra of LA run by Charles Dickerson. In an interview for Animation Scoop, McCormack revealed that the song "1950" was chosen for the film because the pair were listening to it while searching for music for the short. Also produced by Gary Gilbert and Gerald Chamales, the film was edited by Peter Ettinger on Adobe Premiere Pro.
## Release
If Anything Happens I Love You was first released during a private screening at the United Talent Agency in Beverly Hills on March 4, 2020, where it was presented by Laura Dern, Jayme Lemons, Chelsea Handler, Phil Johnston, Mary McCormack, and Rashida Jones. On October 14, 2020, Netflix acquired the distribution rights to the short film, which they released on their platform the following month on November 20. The movie departed Netflix globally in November 2022.
## Reception
### Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of based on critic reviews, with an average rating of .
In his review for The Independent Critic, Richard Propes gave the short film a grade rating of an A+ (also giving it four stars out of five), praising its message, animation, and characters, and calling the film "an animated masterpiece." Writing for The Montclarion, Megan Lim lauded the film's simplicity, stating that "The elimination of words, color, and polished illustration [...] dramatically communicates the anguish and void that no dialogue could ever capture." After watching the short, the crew at Decider recommended viewers to watch the film, with Anna Menta calling the short "a beautiful but excruciatingly painful portrait of a tragedy", saying it was honest and felt like a true story.
On TikTok, \#IfAnythingHappensILoveYou went viral shortly after the film's release, with content creators sharing their reactions prior to and after watching the 12-minute short.
### Accolades
On October 14, 2020, IndieWire revealed that Netflix had been considering If Anything Happens I Love You as one of its three contenders for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film to compete at the 93rd Academy Awards. In February 2021, the film was added to a shortlist of 10 films competing for the award out of 96 qualifying animated films, becoming the only Netflix film in the shortlist. In March, the film received the official Academy Award nomination alongside Burrow, Genius Loci, Opera, and Yes-People, with IndieWire writing that as "Netflix's first short entry [...] the favorite will be If Anything Happens I Love You but this is one of the most unpredictable categories." |
44,778,866 | Danganronpa: Unlimited Battle | 1,151,960,350 | Japanese action video game | [
"2015 video games",
"Action games",
"Android (operating system) games",
"Danganronpa video games",
"IOS games",
"Inactive multiplayer online games",
"Japan-exclusive video games",
"Multiplayer and single-player video games",
"Spike Chunsoft video games",
"Video games developed in Japan"
] | is an action video game in the Danganronpa series, developed and published by Spike Chunsoft. It was released in Japan for iOS and Android platforms in early 2015, and ceased operations later that year. The gameplay involved using the touchscreen to shoot the characters from the player's team, as with billiards, towards enemies in a confined arena-like area. The game is free to play, and features in-game currency purchased through microtransactions, used to gain access to new content or get advantages in gameplay.
Video game journalists questioned the choice to use the Danganronpa series to create a touchscreen-based action game, but still felt that it should be given a chance; one noted however that the game retained the style of the previous games in the series, and one called it unusually good for its genre. By May 2015, over 700,000 user accounts had been registered for the game.
## Gameplay
Contrary to the visual novels Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, Unlimited Battle is a co-operative action video game, possible to be played by one to four players at a time, and had no plot. The player would choose three Danganronpa characters, recreated in a chibi art style, and be accompanied by a fourth character from another player's game in a confined arena-like area together with a number of enemy characters. The game is split into missions, each including a number of such arenas, followed by a boss battle. When the player finished certain missions and other tasks, they were rewarded with the in-game currency Monokuma Coins. By spending such coins, the player could receive continues, gashapon-like unlockable content, refill their in-game stamina, and buy cards that were not otherwise available through playing the game.
Using touch controls, the player aims with one of their characters and shoot them towards enemies like billiards, with the character bouncing off upon contact with enemies or walls until it runs out of momentum. After the player's turn is over, the enemies do the same thing, and attack the player's characters. With a certain number of turns passed, the player can choose to activate their characters' individual special attacks.
Defeated enemies would drop two types of items: cards, which either unlocked new characters or allowed the player to boost their characters' stats when increasing their level; and bullets, which could be used on cards that had been increased to their maximum level, to transform them into higher-ranking cards. The player could also find other power-up items scattered in the arenas, which could be used to increase the speed or strength of their characters, recover health points, or make aiming easier.
## Release and reception
The game was announced in December 2014 by developer Spike Chunsoft, and received a promotional video on December 24, 2014. It was released on January 7, 2015 for iOS, and on April 17, 2015 for Android. By May 2015, over 700,000 user accounts for the game had been registered. Upon release, the game was free to play and had in-app purchases, which allowed the player to buy Monocoins. In September 2015, Spike Chunsoft announced that microtransactions would be stopped on October 13, 2015, and that the game would end service a month later, on November 13.
Richard Eisenbeis at Kotaku found the game fun, requiring skill and strategy, something he noted was unusual for its genre; he did however think that it felt repetitive. Sinan Kubba of Joystiq questioned why Spike Chunsoft would choose a series known for "story of entrapment and murder mystery" as the base for a touchscreen action game, but ultimately felt the game should be given a chance based on the pedigree of the prior games in the series. Pocket Gamer's Chris Priestman echoed these sentiments, stating that it might be the oddest game in the series yet, and called the game's action "madcap" and "explosive". Alex Carlson at Hardcore Gamer said that the game looked simple, but still thought that it retained the series' "twisted style" and "bizarre charm". |
65,643,570 | Maria Bakalova | 1,173,300,764 | Bulgarian actress (born 1996) | [
"1996 births",
"21st-century Bulgarian actresses",
"Actors from Burgas",
"Bulgarian company founders",
"Bulgarian expatriates in the United States",
"Bulgarian film actresses",
"Bulgarian stage actresses",
"Bulgarian television actresses",
"Living people",
"Motion capture actresses",
"National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts alumni"
] | Maria Valcheva Bakalova (/bəˈkɑːlɒvə/ bə-KAH-lo-və; born 4 June 1996) is a Bulgarian actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Critics' Choice Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Born and raised in Burgas, Bakalova began her career in Bulgarian cinema by starring in film productions while attending the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia. She mostly portrayed dramatic roles in films such as Transgression (2017), The Father (2019), Last Call (2020) and Women Do Cry (2021). Bakalova rose to prominence after starring as Tutar Sagdiyev in the 2020 mockumentary Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Her performance in the film earned her a nomination for an Academy Award, a first for a Bulgarian actress. She subsequently had starring roles in the comedy The Bubble (2022), the slasher film Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) and the coming-of-age drama Fairyland (2023), and voiced Cosmo the Spacedog in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
## Life and career
### 1996–2020: Early life and career beginnings
Maria Valcheva Bakalova was born on 4 June 1996 in Burgas to Rumyana Bakalova and Valcho Bakalov. She began taking singing lessons and playing the flute around age six. Bakalova enrolled in acting classes at the age of 12, majoring in drama theater and minoring in flute at the National School of Music and Stage Arts in Burgas, where she was a straight A student; she recalled, "I was a super-disciplined child. I was reading too many books. I was obsessed with Dostoyevsky, at like 15, 16." As a teenager, Bakalova developed an interest in literature, especially the works of Gabriel García Márquez, Jorge Luis Borges and Mikhail Bulgakov, as a method of escapism. She was inspired to pursue film acting after watching The Hunt, and has cited filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg as her biggest influence alongside Susanne Bier, Pedro Almodóvar, Paolo Sorrentino and Andrea Arnold as other major influences.
Bakalova later moved to Sofia where she majored in drama at the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts. As a student, she appeared in various stage productions, including Les Liaisons dangereuses, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, Kennedy's Children and The Trial. Bakalova made her on-screen debut playing a supporting part in the 2017 comedy-drama film XIIa. In the same year, she made her first headlining appearance in Transgression, where she played Yana, a young girl who has an unusual relationship with an aging rock musician. She secured the role after a classmate of hers signed her up for a blind audition during her first year at university. The film was screened at several film festivals in Europe and North America, before being released through HBO Max in 2021. In 2018, Bakalova won the award for Best Actress at Toronto's Alternative Film Festival for her performance.
In her third year of studies, she volunteered to help filmmakers Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov, who taught the only film acting class at the academy, with scheduling and other tasks, and traveled with them to the set of a film they were working on so that she could watch how they worked and learn from them. One of the directors invited her to audition for a bit in their film The Father (2019); she landed the part and filmed a brief flashback scene as the young version of one of the characters. The Father won the Crystal Globe award for Best Film at the 54th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, and was selected as the Bulgarian entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 93rd Academy Awards.
Driven by her fascination with Danish cinema—particularly with the work of Vinterberg, Lars von Trier and their Dogme 95 movement—Bakalova convinced her parents to take her on a trip to Denmark a few months before graduating. There, she visited Zentropa's headquarters, and asked if she could become a P.A. or a runner on von Trier's next film; she was told that she would have to learn Danish, which she agreed to do. She then began studying the language, before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree and moving to Los Angeles in 2019. Bakalova next starred in the 2020 comedy-drama Last Call as Alexandra, a suicidal girl who is on the verge of ending her life. Her performance was received positively by critics, and Yanko Terziev of Capital wrote that her portrayal of the character brought "warmth and lyricism" to the film.
### 2020–present: Hollywood breakthrough
In 2020, Bakalova portrayed Tutar Sagdiyev, the daughter of fictional Kazakh reporter Borat Sagdiyev, in the mockumentary Borat Subsequent Moviefilm alongside Sacha Baron Cohen. Although she was initially credited as Irina Nowak, reports later revealed her involvement. During the audition process, Bakalova had to travel to London for a callback; the secrecy around the project made her concerned that she might have become part of a human trafficking scheme. The film was lauded as "the most impactful piece of political entertainment" in the weeks leading up to the 2020 United States presidential election as a scene in which Rudy Giuliani appears to put his hands down his trousers while reclining on a bed in the presence of Bakalova's character garnered significant media attention. Critics praised her performance, with some stating it was among the year's best. Matt Fowler of IGN noted that "the film's fantastic find, Maria Bakalova, every bit Sacha Baron Cohen's on-screen equal, is who, and what, most people will be talking about." Los Angeles Times film critic Justin Chang described her performance as "terrific," praising her portrayal of her character's journey "with madcap energy and touching conviction." For her performance, Bakalova received several awards, including the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards, BAFTA Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards, and for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globe Awards. She became the first Bulgarian actress to be nominated for these awards.
Bakalova next starred as Sonja, a 19-year-old girl who discovers she is HIV positive and is in denial about her need for treatment, in Women Do Cry (2021), directed by Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova. The film premiered to positive reviews from critics at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed in the Un Certain Regard section, and received a Queer Palm nomination. The same year, Bakalova joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a member of the Actors Branch.
In 2022, she starred alongside Amandla Stenberg and Pete Davidson in A24's horror film Bodies Bodies Bodies. The film received predominantly favorable reviews; some felt that her comedic talents were wasted by playing a serious character. Her next role was in Judd Apatow's The Bubble (2022), part of an ensemble cast that included Karen Gillan, David Duchovny, Leslie Mann and Pedro Pascal. The film generated mostly negative reviews, and New York Times critic Ben Kenigsberg wrote that it "underused" Bakalova. After voicing Cosmo the Spacedog in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022), she starred in the romantic comedy The Honeymoon (2022), which marked her first production venture. The film saw her play Sarah, whose honeymoon is ruined by her husband's best friend and who is pursued by Lucas Bravo's character.
Bakalova next appeared in Andrew Durham's directorial debut Fairyland (2023), which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. She reprised her role as Cosmo the Spacedog in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Bakalova is slated to make a cameo appearance in Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story. She is also attached to star opposite Alex Pettyfer in the true crime film Branded, based on an article by David Grann for The New Yorker about the origins and expansion of the Aryan Brotherhood. Bakalova will co-produce and lead Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov's Triumph, and star in Electra alongside Daryl Wein, Jack Farthing and Abigail Cowen. In November 2022, she joined the cast of the action thriller film Dirty Angels, directed by Martin Campbell. She will also star in Madeleine Sackler's sci-fi comedy drama O Horizon.
## Public image
In 2020, Variety included Bakalova in their "10 Actors to Watch" list, while The New York Times named her as one of 2020's breakout stars. Since 2021, she has worked closely with Louis Vuitton's creative director Nicolas Ghesquière. In 2021, she appeared on two of Forbes magazine's annual 30 Under 30 lists, which recognise the 30 most influential people in Europe under the age of 30. The same year, W featured her in their annual "Best Performances" issue, and Variety named her among the women who have made an impact on the global entertainment industry. Bakalova has topped Forbes Bulgaria's "Top 70 Bulgarian Celebrities" list twice.
Bakalova is an advocate for Bulgarian and Eastern European representation in Hollywood. She is the co-founder of the production company Five Oceans, which aims to bring Bulgarian, Balkan and Slavic stories to international audiences, alongside Julian Kostov. At the 27th Critics' Choice Awards, Bakalova voiced her support for Ukraine, and called for "a new era of cultural and artistic exchange between Eastern Europe and Hollywood".
## Filmography
### Film
### Television
## Awards and nominations
Bakalova is the recipient of a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020). She has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards, BAFTA Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards, and for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globe Awards, also for her performance in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020).
## See also
- List of Bulgarian Academy Award winners and nominees
- List of European Academy Award winners and nominees |
37,996 | Niacin | 1,171,566,904 | Organic compound and a form of vitamin B3 | [
"3-Pyridyl compounds",
"AbbVie brands",
"Aromatic acids",
"B vitamins",
"CYP2D6 inhibitors",
"CYP3A4 inhibitors",
"GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators",
"GPER agonists",
"Hypolipidemic agents",
"Multiple Chemboxes"
] | Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid, is an organic compound and a vitamer of vitamin B<sub>3</sub>, an essential human nutrient. It can be manufactured by plants and animals from the amino acid tryptophan. Niacin is obtained in the diet from a variety of whole and processed foods, with highest contents in fortified packaged foods, meat, poultry, red fish such as tuna and salmon, lesser amounts in nuts, legumes and seeds. Niacin as a dietary supplement is used to treat pellagra, a disease caused by niacin deficiency. Signs and symptoms of pellagra include skin and mouth lesions, anemia, headaches, and tiredness. Many countries mandate its addition to wheat flour or other food grains, thereby reducing the risk of pellagra.
The amide derivative nicotinamide (niacinamide) is a component of the coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP<sup>+</sup>). Although niacin and nicotinamide are identical in their vitamin activity, nicotinamide does not have the same pharmacological, lipid-modifying effects or side effects as niacin, i.e., when niacin takes on the -amide group, it does not reduce cholesterol nor cause flushing. Nicotinamide is recommended as a treatment for niacin deficiency because it can be administered in remedial amounts without causing the flushing, considered an adverse effect.
Niacin is also a prescription medication. Amounts far in excess of the recommended dietary intake for vitamin functions will lower blood triglycerides and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and raise blood high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, often referred to as "good" cholesterol). There are two forms: immediate-release and sustained-release niacin. Initial prescription amounts are 500 mg/day, increased over time until a therapeutic effect is achieved. Immediate-release doses can be as high as 3,000 mg/day; sustained-release as high as 2,000 mg/day. Despite the proven lipid changes, niacin has not been found useful for decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease in those already on a statin. A 2010 review had concluded that niacin was effective as a mono-therapy, but a 2017 review incorporating twice as many trials concluded that prescription niacin, while affecting lipid levels, did not reduce all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarctions, nor fatal or non-fatal strokes. Prescription niacin was shown to cause hepatotoxicity and increase risk of type 2 diabetes. Niacin prescriptions in the U.S. had peaked in 2009, at 9.4 million, declining to 800 thousand by 2020.
Niacin has the formula C
<sub>6</sub>H
<sub>5</sub>NO
<sub>2</sub> and belongs to the group of the pyridinecarboxylic acids. As the precursor for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, niacin is involved in DNA repair.
## Definition
Niacin is both a vitamin, i.e., an essential nutrient, marketed as a dietary supplement, and in the US, a prescription medicine. As a vitamin, it is precursor of the coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP). These compounds are coenzymes for many dehydrogenases, participating in many hydrogen transfer processes. NAD is important in catabolism of fat, carbohydrate, protein, and alcohol, as well as cell signaling and DNA repair, and NADP mostly in anabolism reactions such as fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis. Vitamin intake recommendations made by several countries are that intakes of 14–18 mg/day are sufficient to meet the needs of healthy adults. Niacin or nicotinamide (niacinamide) are used for prevention and treatment of pellagra, a disease caused by lack of the vitamin. When niacin is used as a medicine to treat elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, daily doses range from 500 to 3,000 mg/day. High-dose nicotinamide does not have this medicinal effect.
## Vitamin deficiency
Severe deficiency of niacin in the diet causes the disease pellagra, characterized by diarrhea, sun-sensitive dermatitis involving hyperpigmentation and thickening of the skin (see image), inflammation of the mouth and tongue, delirium, dementia, and if left untreated, death. Common psychiatric symptoms include irritability, poor concentration, anxiety, fatigue, loss of memory, restlessness, apathy, and depression. The biochemical mechanism(s) for the observed deficiency-caused neurodegeneration are not well understood, but may rest on: A) the requirement for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) to suppress the creation of neurotoxic tryptophan metabolites, B) inhibition of mitochondrial ATP generation, resulting in cell damage; C), activation of the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) pathway, as PARP is a nuclear enzyme involved in DNA repair, but in the absence of NAD+ can lead to cell death; D) reduced synthesis of neuro-protective brain-derived neurotrophic factor or its receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B; or E) changes to genome expression directly due to the niacin deficiency.
Niacin deficiency is rarely seen in developed countries, and it is more typically associated with poverty, malnutrition or malnutrition secondary to chronic alcoholism. It also tends to occur in less developed areas where people eat maize (corn) as a staple food, as maize is the only grain low in digestible niacin. A cooking technique called nixtamalization i.e., pretreating with alkali ingredients, increases the bioavailability of niacin during maize meal/flour production. For this reason, people who consume corn as tortillas or hominy are at less risk of niacin deficiency.
For treating deficiency, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends administering niacinamide i.e., nicotinamide, instead of niacin, to avoid the flushing side effect commonly caused by the latter. Guidelines suggest using 300 mg/day for three to four weeks. Dementia and dermatitis show improvement within a week. Because deficiencies of other B-vitamins may be present, the WHO recommends a multi-vitamin in addition to the niacinamide.
Hartnup disease is a hereditary nutritional disorder resulting in niacin deficiency. It is named after an English family with a genetic disorder that resulted in a failure to absorb the essential amino acid tryptophan, tryptophan being a precursor for niacin synthesis. The symptoms are similar to pellagra, including red, scaly rash and sensitivity to sunlight. Oral niacin or niacinamide is given as a treatment for this condition in doses ranging from 50 to 100 mg twice a day, with a good prognosis if identified and treated early. Niacin synthesis is also deficient in carcinoid syndrome, because of metabolic diversion of its precursor tryptophan to form serotonin.
### Measuring vitamin status
Plasma concentrations of niacin and niacin metabolites are not useful markers of niacin status. Urinary excretion of the methylated metabolite N1-methyl-nicotinamide is considered reliable and sensitive. The measurement requires a 24-hour urine collection. For adults, a value of less than 5.8 μmol/day represent deficient niacin status and 5.8 to 17.5 μmol/day represents low. According to the World Health Organization, an alternative mean of expressing urinary N1-methyl-nicotinamide is as mg/g creatinine in a 24-hour urine collection, with deficient defined as \<0.5, low 0.5-1.59, acceptable 1.6-4.29, and high \>4.3 Niacin deficiency occurs before the signs and symptoms of pellagra appear. Erythrocyte nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) concentrations potentially provide another sensitive indicator of niacin depletion, although definitions of deficient, low and adequate have not been established. Lastly, plasma tryptophan decreases on a low niacin diet because tryptophan converts to niacin. However, low tryptophan could also be caused by a diet low in this essential amino acid, so it is not specific to confirming vitamin status.
## Dietary recommendations
The U.S. Institute of Medicine (renamed National Academy of Medicine in 2015) updated Estimated Average Requirements (EARs) and Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for niacin in 1998, also Tolerable upper intake levels (ULs). In lieu of an RDA, Adequate Intakes (AIs) are identified for populations for which there is not sufficient evidence to identify a dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of most people. (see table).
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) refers to the collective set of information as Dietary Reference Values (DRV), with Population Reference Intake (PRI) instead of RDA, and Average Requirement instead of EAR. For the EU, AIs and ULs have the same definition as in the US, except that units are milligrams per megajoule (MJ) of energy consumed rather than mg/day. For women (including those pregnant or lactating), men and children the PRI is 1.6 mg per megajoule. As the conversion is 1 MJ = 239 kcal, an adult consuming 2390 kilocalories should be consuming 16 mg niacin. This is comparable to US RDAs (14 mg/day for adult women, 16 mg/day for adult men).
ULs are established by identifying amounts of vitamins and minerals that cause adverse effects, and then selecting as an upper limit amounts that are the "maximum daily intake unlikely to cause adverse health effects." Regulatory agencies from different countries do not always agree. For the US, 30 or 35 mg for teenagers and adults, less for children. The EFSA UL for adults is set at 10 mg/day - about one-third of the US value. For all of the government ULs, the term applies to niacin as a supplement consumed as one dose, and is intended as a limit to avoid the skin flush reaction. This explains why for EFSA, the recommended daily intake can be higher than the UL.
Both the DRI and DRV describe amounts needed as niacin equivalents (NE), calculated as 1 mg NE = 1 mg niacin or 60 mg of the essential amino acid tryptophan. This is because the amino acid is utilized to synthesize the vitamin.
For U.S. food and dietary supplement labeling purposes the amount in a serving is expressed as a percent of Daily Value (%DV). For niacin labeling purposes 100% of the Daily Value is 16 mg. Prior to 27 May 2016 it was 20 mg, revised to bring it into agreement with the RDA. Compliance with the updated labeling regulations was required by 1 January 2020 for manufacturers with US\$10 million or more in annual food sales, and by 1 January 2021 for manufacturers with lower volume food sales. A table of the old and new adult daily values is provided at Reference Daily Intake.
## As lipid-modifying medication
In the United States, prescription niacin, in immediate-release and slow-release forms, is used to treat primary hyperlipidemia and hypertriglyceridemia. It is used either as a monotherapy or in combination with other lipid-modifying drugs. Dosages start at 500 mg/day and are often gradually increased to as high as 3000 mg/day for immediate release or 2000 mg/day for slow release (also referred to as sustained release) to achieve the targeted lipid changes (lower LDL-C and triglycerides, and higher HDL-C). Prescriptions in the US peaked in 2009, at 9.4 million and had declined to 800 thousand by 2020.
Systematic reviews found no effect of prescription niacin on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarctions, nor fatal or non-fatal strokes despite raising HDL cholesterol. Reported side effects include an increased risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes.
### Mechanisms
Niacin reduces synthesis of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), lipoprotein(a) and triglycerides, and increases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The lipid-therapeutic effects of niacin are partly mediated through the activation of G protein-coupled receptors, including hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA<sub>2</sub>)and hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 3 (HCA<sub>3</sub>), which are highly expressed in body fat. HCA<sub>2</sub> and HCA<sub>3</sub> inhibit cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production and thus suppress the release of free fatty acids (FFAs) from body fat, reducing their availability to the liver to synthesize the blood-circulating lipids in question. A decrease in free fatty acids also suppresses liver expression of apolipoprotein C3 and PPARg coactivator-1b, thus increasing VLDL-C turnover and reducing its production. Niacin also directly inhibits the action of diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) a key enzyme for triglyceride synthesis.
The mechanism behind niacin increasing HDL-C is not totally understood, but seems to occur in various ways. Niacin increases apolipoprotein A1 levels by inhibiting the breakdown of this protein, which is a component of HDL-C. It also inhibits HDL-C hepatic uptake by suppressing production of the cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) gene. It stimulates the ABCA1 transporter in monocytes and macrophages and upregulates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, resulting in reverse cholesterol transport.
### Combined with statins
Extended release niacin was combined with lovastatin (Advicor), and with simvastatin (Simcor), as prescription drug combinations. The combination niacin/lovastatin was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001. The combination niacin/simvastatin was approved by the FDA in 2008. Subsequently, large outcome trials using these niacin and statin therapies were unable to demonstrate incremental benefit of niacin beyond statin therapy alone. The FDA withdrew approval of both drugs in 2016. The reason given: "Based on the collective evidence from several large cardiovascular outcome trials, the Agency has concluded that the totality of the scientific evidence no longer supports the conclusion that a drug-induced reduction in triglyceride levels and/or increase in HDL-cholesterol levels in statin-treated patients results in a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular events." The drug company discontinued the drugs.
### Contraindications
Prescription immediate release (Niacor) and extended release (Niaspan) niacin are contraindicated for people with either active or a history of liver disease because both, but especially Niaspan, have been associated with instances of serious, on occasion fatal, liver failure. Both products are contraindicated for people with existing peptic ulcer disease, or other bleeding problems because niacin lowers platelet count and interferes with blood clotting. Both products are also contraindicated for women who are pregnant or expecting to become pregnant because safety during pregnancy has not been evaluated in human trials. These products are contraindicated for women who are lactating because it is known that niacin is excreted into human milk, but the amount and potential for adverse effects in the nursing infant are not known. Women are advised to either not nurse their child or discontinue the drug. High-dose niacin has not been tested or approved for use in children under 16 years.
### Adverse effects
The most common adverse effects of medicinal niacin (500–3000 mg) are flushing (e.g., warmth, redness, itching or tingling) of the face, neck and chest, headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dyspepsia, nausea, vomiting, rhinitis, pruritus and rash. These can be minimized by initiating therapy at low dosages, increasing dosage gradually, and avoiding administration on an empty stomach.
The acute adverse effects of high-dose niacin therapy (1–3 grams per day) – which is commonly used in the treatment of hyperlipidemias – can further include hypotension, fatigue, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, heartburn, blurred or impaired vision, and macular edema. With long-term use, the adverse effects of high-dose niacin therapy (750 mg per day) also include liver failure (associated with fatigue, nausea, and loss of appetite), hepatitis, and acute liver failure; these hepatotoxic effects of niacin occur more often when extended-release dosage forms are used. The long-term use of niacin at greater than or equal to 2 grams per day also significantly increases the risk of cerebral hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, gastrointestinal ulceration and bleeding, diabetes, dyspepsia, and diarrhea.
#### Flushing
Flushing – a short-term dilatation of skin arterioles, causing reddish skin color – usually lasts for about 15 to 30 minutes, although sometimes can persist for weeks. Typically, the face is affected, but the reaction can extend to neck and upper chest. The cause is blood vessel dilation due to elevation in prostaglandin GD<sub>2</sub> (PGD2) and serotonin. Flushing was often thought to involve histamine, but histamine has been shown not to be involved in the reaction. Flushing is sometimes accompanied by a prickly or itching sensation, in particular, in areas covered by clothing.
Prevention of flushing requires altering or blocking the prostaglandin-mediated pathway. Aspirin taken half an hour before the niacin prevents flushing, as does ibuprofen. Taking niacin with meals also helps reduce this side effect. Acquired tolerance will also help reduce flushing; after several weeks of a consistent dose, most people no longer experience flushing. Slow- or "sustained"-release forms of niacin have been developed to lessen these side effects.
#### Liver damage
Niacin in medicinal doses can cause modest elevations in serum transaminase and unconjugated bilirubin, both biomarkers of liver injury. The increases usually resolve even when drug intake is continued. However, less commonly, the sustained release form of the drug can lead to serious hepatotoxicity, with onset in days to weeks. Early symptoms of serious liver damage include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, followed by jaundice and pruritus. The mechanism is thought to be a direct toxicity of elevated serum niacin. Lowering dose or switching to the immediate release form can resolve symptoms. In rare instances the injury is severe, and progresses to liver failure.
#### Diabetes
The high doses of niacin used to treat hyperlipidemia have been shown to elevate fasting blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes. Long-term niacin therapy was also associated with an increase in the risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes.
#### Other adverse effects
High doses of niacin can also cause niacin maculopathy, a thickening of the macula and retina, which leads to blurred vision and blindness. This maculopathy is reversible after niacin intake ceases. Niaspan, the slow-release product, has been associated with a reduction in platelet content and a modest increase in prothrombin time.
## Pharmacology
### Pharmacodynamics
Activating HCA<sub>2</sub> has effects other than lowering serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations: antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, improved endothelial function and plaque stability, all of which counter development and progression of atherosclerosis.
Niacin inhibits cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2E1, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4. Niacin produces a rise in serum unconjugated bilirubin in normal individuals and in those with Gilbert's Syndrome. However, in the Gilbert's Syndrome, the rise in bilirubin is higher and clearance is delayed longer than in normal people. One test used to aid in diagnosing Gilbert's Syndrome involves intravenous administration of nicotinic acid (niacin) in a dose of 50 mg over a period of 30 seconds.
### Pharmacokinetics
Both niacin and niacinamide are rapidly absorbed from the stomach and small intestine. Absorption is facilitated by sodium-dependent diffusion, and at higher intakes, via passive diffusion. Unlike some other vitamins, the percent absorbed does not decrease with increasing dose, so that even at amounts of 3-4 grams, absorption is nearly complete. With a one gram dose, peak plasma concentrations of 15 to 30 μg/mL are reached within 30 to 60 minutes. Approximately 88% of an oral pharmacologic dose is eliminated by the kidneys as unchanged niacin or nicotinuric acid, its primary metabolite. The plasma elimination half-life of niacin ranges from 20 to 45 minutes.
Niacin and nicotinamide are both converted into the coenzyme NAD. NAD converts to NADP by phosphorylation in the presence of the enzyme NAD+ kinase. High energy requirements (brain) or high turnover rate (gut, skin) organs are usually the most susceptible to their deficiency. In the liver, niacinamide is converted to storage nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). As needed, liver NAD is hydrolyzed to niacinamide and niacin for transport to tissues, there reconverted to NAD to serve as an enzyme cofactor. Excess niacin is methylated in the liver to N<sup>1</sup>-methylnicotinamide (NMN) and excreted in urine as such or as the oxidized metabolite N<sup>1</sup>-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide (2-pyridone). Decreased urinary content of these metabolites is a measure of niacin deficiency.
## Production
### Biosynthesis
In addition to absorbing niacin from diet, niacin can be synthesized from the essential amino acid tryptophan, a five-step process with the penultimate compound being quinolinic acid (see figure). Some bacteria and plants utilize aspartic acid in a pathway that also goes to quinolinic acid. For humans, the efficiency of conversion is estimated as requiring 60 mg of tryptophan to make 1 mg of niacin. Riboflavin, vitamin B<sub>6</sub> and iron are required for the process. Pellagra is a consequence of a corn-dominant diet because the niacin in corn is poorly bioavailable and corn proteins are low in tryptophan compared to wheat and rice proteins.
### Industrial synthesis
Nicotinic acid was first synthesized in 1867 by oxidative degradation of nicotine. Niacin is prepared by hydrolysis of nicotinonitrile, which, as described above, is generated by oxidation of 3-picoline. Oxidation can be effected by air, but ammoxidation is more efficient. In the latter process, nicotinonitrile is produced by ammoxidation of 3-methylpyridine. Nitrile hydratase is then used to catalyze nicotinonitrile to nicotinamide, which can be converted to niacin. Alternatively, ammonia, acetic acid and paraldehyde are used to make 5-ethyl-2-methyl-pyridine, which is then oxidized to niacin. New "greener" catalysts are being tested using manganese-substituted aluminophosphates that use acetyl peroxyborate as non-corrosive oxidant, avoiding producing nitrogen oxides as do traditional ammoxidations.
The demand for commercial production includes for animal feed and for food fortification meant for human consumption. According to Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, worldwide 31,000 tons of nicotinamide were sold in 2014.
## Chemistry
This colorless, water-soluble solid is a derivative of pyridine, with a carboxyl group (COOH) at the 3-position. Other forms of vitamin B<sub>3</sub> include the corresponding amide nicotinamide (niacinamide), where the carboxyl group has been replaced by a carboxamide group (CONH
<sub>2</sub>).
## Preparations
Niacin is incorporated into multi-vitamin and sold as a single-ingredient dietary supplement. The latter can be immediate or slow release.
Nicotinamide (niacinamide) is used to treat niacin deficiency because it does not cause the flushing adverse reaction seen with niacin. Nicotinamide may be toxic to the liver at doses exceeding 3 g/day for adults.
Prescription products can be immediate release (Niacor, 500 mg tablets) or extended release (Niaspan, 500 and 1000 mg tablets). Niaspan has a film coating that delays release of the niacin, resulting in an absorption over a period of 8–12 hours. This reduces vasodilation and flushing side effects, but increases the risk of hepatotoxicity compared to the immediate release drug.
Prescription niacin preparations in combination with statin drugs (discontinued) are described above. A combination of niacin and laropiprant had been approved for use in Europe and marketed as Tredaptive. Laropiprant is a prostaglandin D2 binding drug shown to reduce niacin-induced vasodilation and flushing side effects. A clinical trial showed no additional efficacy of Tredaptive in lowering cholesterol when used together with other statin drugs, but did show an increase in other side effects. The study resulted in the withdrawal of Tredaptive from the international market.
One form of dietary supplement sold in the US is inositol hexanicotinate (IHN), also called inositol nicotinate. This is inositol that has been esterified with niacin on all six of inositol's alcohol groups. IHN is usually sold as "flush-free" or "no-flush" niacin in units of 250, 500, or 1000 mg/tablets or capsules. In the US, it is sold as an over-the-counter formulation, and often is marketed and labeled as niacin, thus misleading consumers into thinking they are getting an active form of the medication. While this form of niacin does not cause the flushing associated with the immediate-release products, there is not enough evidence to recommend IHN to treat hyperlipidemia.
## History
Niacin as a chemical compound was first described by chemist Hugo Weidel in 1873 in his studies of nicotine, but that predated by many years the concept of food components other than protein, fat and carbohydrates that were essential for life. Vitamin nomenclature was initially alphabetical, with Elmer McCollum calling these fat-soluble A and water-soluble B. Over time, eight chemically distinct, water-soluble B vitamins were isolated and numbered, with niacin as vitamin B<sub>3</sub>.
Corn (maize) became a staple food in the southeast United States and in parts of Europe. A disease that was characterized by dermatitis of sunlight-exposed skin was described in Spain in 1735 by Gaspar Casal. He attributed the cause to poor diet. In northern Italy it was named "pellagra" from the Lombard language (agra = holly-like or serum-like; pell = skin). In time, the disease was more closely linked specifically to corn. In the US, Joseph Goldberger was assigned to study pellagra by the Surgeon General of the United States. His studies confirmed a corn-based diet as the culprit, but he did not identify the root cause.
Nicotinic acid was extracted from liver by biochemist Conrad Elvehjem in 1937. He later identified the active ingredient, referring to it as "pellagra-preventing factor" and the "anti-blacktongue factor." It was also referred to as "vitamin PP", "vitamin P-P" and "PP-factor", all derived from the term "pellagra-preventive factor". In the late 1930s, studies by Tom Douglas Spies, Marion Blankenhorn, and Clark Cooper confirmed that niacin cured pellagra in humans. The prevalence of the disease was greatly reduced as a result.
In 1942, when flour enrichment with nicotinic acid began, a headline in the popular press said "Tobacco in Your Bread." In response, the Council on Foods and Nutrition of the American Medical Association approved of the Food and Nutrition Board's new names niacin and niacin amide for use primarily by non-scientists. It was thought appropriate to choose a name to dissociate nicotinic acid from nicotine, to avoid the perception that vitamins or niacin-rich food contains nicotine, or that cigarettes contain vitamins. The resulting name niacin was derived from nicotinic acid + vitamin.
Carpenter found in 1951, that niacin in corn is biologically unavailable, and can be released only in very alkaline lime water of pH 11. This explains why a Latin-American culture that used alkali-treated cornmeal to make tortilla was not at risk for niacin deficiency.
In 1955, Altschul and colleagues described large amounts of niacin as having a lipid-lowering property. As such, niacin is the oldest known lipid-lowering drug. Lovastatin, the first 'statin' drug, was first marketed in 1987.
## Research
In animal models and in vitro, niacin produces marked anti-inflammatory effects in a variety of tissues – including the brain, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and vascular tissue – through the activation of hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2), also known as niacin receptor 1 (NIACR1). Unlike niacin, nicotinamide does not activate NIACR1; however, both niacin and nicotinamide activate the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in vitro. |
73,803,399 | Irere (Alexander McQueen collection) | 1,170,746,464 | 2003 fashion collection by Alexander McQueen | [
"2000s fashion",
"2002 in Paris",
"Alexander McQueen collections",
"British fashion"
] | Irere (Spring/Summer 2003) was the twenty-first collection by British fashion designer Alexander McQueen for his eponymous fashion house. Irere was inspired by imagery from the Age of Discovery and from the people and animals of the Amazon rainforest. Its title is claimed to be an Indigenous Amazonian word for 'transformation'. The collection comprised three distinct concepts presented as a narrative sequence: shipwrecked pirates, menacing conquistadors, and tropical birds. McQueen described the collection as an effort to present a more mature point of view and surprise viewers with bold colours.
The collection's runway show was staged on 5 October 2002 during Paris Fashion Week. The models walked around a white square the size of a basketball court with a large screen for a backdrop. A film by John Maybury accompanied the show, depicting the phases of the collection's narrative. Fifty-six looks were presented. The most significant were the "shipwreck dress", the same dress worn by a model in the Maybury film, and the oyster dress, a technically complex gown with a skirt made from hundreds of individual circles of chiffon, resembling an oyster shell. A skull-printed scarf presented in Irere became a trend and then a brand signature.
Response to the collection was positive, especially towards the oyster dress, which critics regarded as evidence of McQueen's evolving skills as a designer. Although some reviewers criticised the show's narrative, most felt that the colourful dresses of the third act were a strong finale. Many in the industry named Irere as one of their favourites for the season. Ensembles from Irere appeared in several magazine spreads following the show. Various museums hold items from the collection, some of which have appeared in exhibitions like the McQueen retrospective Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty.
## Background
British designer Alexander McQueen was known in the fashion industry for his imaginative, sometimes controversial designs, and fashion shows which were theatrical to the point of verging on performance art. In 2000, McQueen sold 51 percent of his company to Italian fashion house Gucci, but retained creative control. Although he worked in ready-to-wear – clothing produced for retail sale – his work featured a degree of craftsmanship that verged on haute couture.
McQueen's personal fixations had a strong influence on his designs, especially his love of the natural world, which he referenced visually and by incorporating natural materials. McQueen felt an affinity for water and the ocean: he enjoyed swimming and diving, and later in life owned a house by the sea. This love was reflected in his career from its earliest stages. The runway shows for early collections such as Bellmer La Poupee (Spring/Summer 1997) and Untitled (Spring/Summer 1998) included water features, and the advertising campaign for Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (Autumn/Winter 2002) depicted a model suspended in a water-filled vessel.
McQueen's career roughly paralleled that of fellow British designer John Galliano, who preceded him in the industry by about a decade. The men had each graduated from Central Saint Martins art school in London: Galliano in 1984, and McQueen in 1992. Both had started their careers as independent designers before being hired by famous French fashion houses in the mid-1990s; McQueen had replaced Galliano at Givenchy when Galliano went to Dior. Their designs and shows were similarly creative and theatrical. Fashion journalists compared and contrasted their work and career choices, and they have sometimes been referred to as rivals. McQueen, who had a competitive streak, resented being compared to Galliano and often sought to emulate or outdo Galliano's ideas in his own work.
## Concept and creative process
Irere (Spring/Summer 2003) was the twenty-first collection McQueen designed for his eponymous fashion house. It was inspired by imagery from the Age of Discovery: explorers, pirates, conquistadors, as well as imagery drawn from the Amazon rainforest: the culture and garb of the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon, and the colourful plumage of tropical birds like the macaws. In depicting the conflict which occurred when European explorers encountered the Amazon, it was significantly influenced by The Mission, a 1986 period film by Roland Joffé, in which a Spanish Jesuit tries to protect a Paraguayan indigenous tribe from conquest and slavery. The word 'irere' is usually claimed to mean 'transformation' in an unspecified Indigenous Amazonian language, although Judith Watt claims that it is an "Amerindian word" referring to the white-faced whistling duck.
The collection comprised three distinct concepts presented as a narrative sequence: shipwrecked pirates, menacing conquistadors, and tropical birds. McQueen had used a three-act structure in previous shows, permitting exploration of multiple variations on a theme. For Irere, McQueen designed the tropical phase first, then worked backwards through the middle and first phases.
As was typical for McQueen, the collection had a strong historicist tendency, with elements of Elizabethan and Victorian fashion incorporated throughout. Some reviewers noted possible influence from the William Shakespeare plays Twelfth Night and The Tempest, both of which concern the survivors of shipwrecks. McQueen described the collection as an effort to show a more mature and romantic side. He sought to surprise viewers with bold colours, which he had previously avoided. He told Women's Wear Daily: "With all the terrorist incidents and talk of war, I was trying to be more politically correct for the times."
The first phase of the collection suggested the garb of shipwrecked pirates or buccaneers. The outfits featured leather layered over chiffon, Elizabethan fashion elements including corsets and jerkins, and ruffled tops. There were also loose trousers in linen. Lace and chiffon elements were distressed to accentuate the shipwrecked look. Finally, many outfits were finished with knee-high brown leather pirate boots.
The second phase included outfits with similar silhouettes and materials to the first phase except rendered entirely in black. Many items featured snakeskin or precise laser cut-outs. Author Judith Watt interpreted this section as referring to the Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors who invaded South America in the 15th and 16th centuries. Some reviewers found these items reminiscent of Christian clerical garments, while Joelle Diderich of The Courier-Mail found a resemblance to the costumes of 18th century highwaymen and modern outlaw bikers.
The final section featured jumpsuits and long chiffon dresses in bright colours echoing the plumage of tropical birds, with some outfits featuring actual feathers. Other dresses featured feather prints commissioned from designer Jonathan Saunders. One look reportedly used "26 colors and took almost five months to perfect"; it retailed for \$15,000. Kristin Knox wrote that Look 56, which combined a historical-style ruffed jacket with a modern tie-dye skirt, contrasted the masculine jacket with the feminine skirt in a way which "updates and de-contextualizes McQueen’s penchant for historical tailoring". Several outfits featured shoes with transparent block heels which had butterflies inside.
## Runway show
### Staging and design
The runway show for Irere was staged on 5 October 2002 during Paris Fashion Week, at the Grande halle de la Villette. The invite was a flipbook which depicted the face of a model transitioning gradually into that of an Indigenous Amazonian boy. Attendance was unusually high for a fashion show – there were 2,500 guests – and the seating extended up into the rafters to accommodate them all. The models walked around a white square the size of a basketball court with a 15 by 6 m (50 by 20 ft) screen for a backdrop. As usual for McQueen, headwear for the show was provided by miliner Philip Treacy, and jewellery by Shaun Leane. Val Garland styled makeup and Guido Palau was responsible for hair.
The show's soundtrack comprised what author Katharine Gleason described as "wailing and tribal music" in the first phase. In the second, tracks included covers of "Son of a Preacher Man" and "The Jean Genie". Sound design for the third phase included percussion music and bird calls.
### Show
A short film by John Maybury played during the show, depicting the phases of the collection's narrative. A young woman wearing what became known as the "shipwreck dress" swims to a tropical shore after a shipwreck. In the jungle, she evades pursuers dressed in black with glowing green eyes – conquistadors, or perhaps malevolent sprites. The final segment is presented in colourful thermal imaging: transformed by nature, the girl escapes to live among the area's indigenous people. According to Maybury, McQueen was on-set during filming, "acting as co-director and art director". Curator Susanna Brown connected the first portion of Maybury's film to underwater photographs taken by Toni Frissell in the late 1940s. She argued that Frissell's photos and Maybury's film were visually framed to make it unclear whether the women were sinking or rising.
A total of 56 looks were presented during the runway show. The first portion of the show comprised twenty outfits. Models were styled with smeared makeup and wet hair in accordance with the shipwreck concept. Look 14 was a frock coat with a koi fish design based on a tattoo McQueen had. The oyster dress appeared during this phase, as did the shipwreck dress worn in the opening film, as Looks 18 and 20, respectively. The second phase comprised eighteen outfits. Models had beehive hairstyles with black eye makeup reminiscent of domino masks. The most significant ensemble from this section was Look 32, which featured Karen Elson in a nude bodysuit covered in black glass beads in stylized designs, paired with a silver disc held in the mouth that effectively bisected her face. The third section comprised eighteen outfits. Looks 44 and 53 featured large feathered headpieces inspired by Indigenous featherwork. Look 49 was another iteration of the oyster dress, with a red bodice and the ruffled skirt in rainbow. At the end of the show, the models appeared en masse for a final turn, along with McQueen, who wore a white suit for his bow.
### Significant ensembles
The most significant design from Irere is the oyster dress, a riff on a 1987 design by John Galliano called the "shellfish dress", which McQueen had long admired and sought to emulate. McQueen's design is a one-shouldered dress in bias-cut beige silk chiffon with a boned upper body and a full-length skirt. Hundreds of individual circles of chiffon were sewn to a bias-cut base dress in dense layers, resembling an oyster shell or a mille-feuille pastry. The original beige gown appeared in the Irere runway show as Look 18, worn by Leticia Birkheuer. A version with a red bodice and the ruffled skirt in rainbow appeared as Look 49, worn by An Oort. The oyster dress is considered an iconic McQueen design, surpassing even the famed Galliano dress. McQueen returned to the concept several times throughout his career.
Look 20, the shipwreck dress, appeared in the Maybury film and was worn by Adina Fohlin in the show's pirate phase. Fashion scholar Harold Koda regarded the shipwreck dress as a reference to the himation, a wrapped garment from Ancient Greece. He argued that the styling, with the fabric draped across the torso and the shredded skirt, makes the wearer appear to be in a state of "victorious emergence from a battle at sea", resembling the goddess Nike. Critic Herbert Muschamp viewed the shipwreck dress during a museum exhibition, and wrote that its tattered state suggested that McQueen was making an analogy between urban life and rough weather. It reminded him of the death of Isadora Duncan, who famously died when her long scarf became tangled in her car's wheels. A New York Times review of the same exhibition found it was one of the more memorable dresses presented, managing to "convey the sense of sexual devastation that animated so much of Greek literature".
Author Kristin Knox suggested that Look 32 represented a reference to humanity's effect on the rainforest. For Katharine Gleason, the look transformed the model into several striking personas: "an ancient colonizer, a dark and mysterious bird, an alien visiting Earth from a distant galaxy".
## Reception
Contemporary reception for Irere was positive, with many in the industry calling it one of the best collections for that season. Women's Wear Daily called it the "hands-down favorite" for Spring/Summer 2003 and later named it one of their top dozen of the season. Buyers for major department stores including Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf Goodman, and Hankyu all listed it as a favourite. The New York Times quoted fashion stylist Anne Christensen as saying "Alexander McQueen is the season's best designer because his clothes are beautiful and his silhouette original."
Reviewers generally agreed that the collection displayed McQueen's growing maturity as a designer, although some felt that this came at the expense of his famously theatrical runway presentations. Melissa Hoyer of Sydney's Sunday Telegraph felt that McQueen had "grown up and toned himself down" under Gucci. Sarah Mower, writing for Vogue, bemoaned the absence of McQueen's "famously macabre show tactics". Regardless of their feelings about the runway show, most critics were pleased with the actual clothing. WWD said the collection showed "a mind-boggling degree of creativity and work". Melissa Hoyer of Sydney's Sunday Telegraph wrote that "many of the pieces seemed actually wearable". Miles Socha, editor of WWD, wrote that "McQueen had Paris at his feet" with Irere.
Critics were somewhat divided about the collection's narrative. In The Daily Telegraph, Hilary Alexander called Irere a "voyage no less extraordinary" than that of the explorers who inspired it. Mower called it an "odd journey" with a "largely redundant" middle phase. The staff writer at Women's Wear Daily called the phases "seemingly unrelated", but wondered if the shipwreck and survival theme was a metaphor for McQueen's rocky journey through the fashion industry. They found that the size of the runway and the crowd made it difficult to appreciate the intricate details of the garments.
Many reviewers found the final phase the best of the three. Mower praised this phase for its brightly-coloured dresses and jumpsuits, calling them "major showstoppers". Socha called this phase a "Technicolor blockbuster". Diderich wrote that "there was no mistaking McQueen's talent", calling out the rainbow oyster dress as a highlight. Hilary Alexander called the same dress "breathtaking". Cartner-Morley called the first two phases glorious but "familiar McQueen territory", finding the "joyous riot" of the third phase to be the best of the three. Stephen Todd of The Australian felt the finale "confirm[ed] the gothic Cockney kid's unique point of view".
The collection is viewed positively in retrospect. Chloe Fox of Vogue called it a "sartorial fable in which McQueen melded history, exoticism and nature". In retrospect, Maybury recalled that "each piece was sensational couture piece even though it was meant to be ready-to-wear".
## Analysis
Reviewer Stephen Todd found that tropical colour was a trend for the Spring/Summer 2003 season as a whole, a change from the muted tones of the previous few seasons, which represented a post-9/11 malaise. Judith Watt argued that McQueen's use of colours for Irere was distinct from what others were doing because it was part of a narrative that explored concepts that were significant to him personally.
Fashion historian Alistair O'Neill cited Irere as an example of McQueen's interest in designing collections which demonstrated transformation in a narrative over time, like a film. Both Andrew Wilson and Watt summarized the theme as one of finding redemption through nature. In Watt's interpretation, the conquistadors of the second phase were "absorbed by the jungle" and transformed into the rainbow-wearing women of the final phase. Cathy Horyn of The New York Times wrote that "McQueen's brilliant stroke was to connect the past and present through the triumph of nature".
Lisa Skogh noted that McQueen often incorporated concepts and objects which might have appeared in a cabinet of curiosities – collections of natural and historical objects that were the precursor to modern museums. She described two examples in Irere. Shark teeth, used in Irere to decorate bracelets, were historically believed to be snake tongues which could detect poison. The feathers of tropical birds, which feature heavily in Irere both literally and as fabric prints, were popularly displayed in cabinets of curiosity.
## Legacy
### Other media
The clothing from Irere made its way to several magazine spreads and covers. One of the colourful dresses from Irere appeared in Vogue, photographed by Regan Cameron; another appeared in Harper's Bazaar. Natalia Vodianova wore the original oyster dress for two photo shoots: Vogue in January 2003, photographed by Craig McDean, and Harper's Bazaar in March 2003, photographed by Peter Lindbergh. The rainbow oyster dress appeared on the cover of Vogue Italia for their Spring/Summer 2003 issue. Joy Bryant wore it for a photoshoot for InStyle magazine in March 2003, calling it the "Rainbow Cancan" dress.
American poet Terri Witek published a poem inspired by the shipwreck dress in the winter 2005 edition of The Hudson Review. The poem was republished as part of her 2008 collection The Shipwreck Dress.
### Ownership and exhibitions
Only two copies of the beige oyster dress are believed to exist. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in New York City owns one, acquired in 2003. The Met also owns a copy of the shipwreck dress, acquired in 2014, and a pair of leather boots from Irere, acquired in 2008. The oyster and shipwreck dresses appeared their exhibition Goddess: The Classical Mode (2003). and with other clothing from Irere in both stagings of the retrospective exhibition Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty. Other items from Irere featured in Savage Beauty include a feathered headdress by Philip Treacy, jewellery by Shaun Leane, and a clip from Maybury's film. A selection of previously-unpublished pencil sketches of designs for Irere were presented in Alexander McQueen, a book of essays published to accompany the second staging of Savage Beauty.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art owns several pieces from the collection, which appeared in the 2022 exhibition Lee Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse. Their collection includes a copy of the shipwreck dress and a variation of Look 24 from the show's middle phase. The exhibition displayed the shipwreck dress as an example of the kind of flowing, draped design McQueen had learned at Givenchy. Other items were displayed as examples of the collection's historicist bent: a leather top recalling a 16th-century doublet, a leather jacket resembling the slashed sleeves of the same period, and a denim ensemble with extensive lacing.
Media personality Kim Kardashian owns the other known oyster dress, purchased from Los Angeles vintage boutique Lily et Cie. In 2020, Kardashian wore the oyster dress to an Oscars afterparty hosted by Vanity Fair. Fashion theorist Naomi Braithwaite argued that in acquiring archival fashion items, such as the oyster dress, Kardashian was attempting to integrate the cultural history of those objects into her own celebrity narrative, thereby increasing her own cultural significance by association.
### Recurring elements
Several elements from Irere reappeared in McQueen's later collections. The skull-print scarf worn in several ensembles, including Looks 11 and 17, was a best-seller that became a brand signature. The feathered prints by Saunders reappeared in McQueen's Spring/Summer 2008 collection, La Dame Bleue. Kristin Knox considered Irere an early exploration of the impact of man on the natural world, a theme McQueen returned to in his final collections, including Natural Dis-tinction Un-natural Selection (Spring/Summer 2009). He revisited this theme in combination with a focus on a marine environment in his final fully-realized collection, Plato's Atlantis (Spring/Summer 2010), which envisioned a world in which humanity had returned to the ocean and evolved into an underwater form.
McQueen returned to the oyster dress concept several times. Actress Liv Tyler wore a variation of the oyster gown to the Paris premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in December 2002. Her version had a corset bodice and a pink skirt made from 250 metres (273 yd) of silk organza. He designed a wedding dress based on the oyster dress for the August 2004 wedding of his then-assistant Sarah Burton. Watt and Thomas both described several dresses from The Widows of Culloden (Autumn/Winter 2006) as evolutions of the oyster dress, including the dress worn in the illusion of Kate Moss that served as show's finale. |
642,322 | Becontree tube station | 1,149,875,899 | London Underground station | [
"District line stations",
"Former London, Midland and Scottish Railway stations",
"Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1926",
"Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1932",
"Tube stations in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham",
"William Henry Hamlyn buildings"
] | Becontree is a London Underground station located to the south of Becontree in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, east London. It is on the District line between to the west and Dagenham Heathway to the east. It is 9.1 kilometres (5.7 mi) along the line from the eastern terminus at Upminster and 25.1 kilometres (15.6 mi) to in central London where the line divides into numerous branches. It is in Travelcard Zone 5.
The station was originally opened as Gale Street Halt in 1926 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway on the existing route from Fenchurch Street in London toward Southend. The station was renamed and completely rebuilt in 1932 with an additional pair of platforms to serve the electric District Railway (now the District line) local service. Main-line services ceased to call at the station in the 1960s, leaving only two platforms in operation.
## History
In 1858 a line through East Ham was constructed to provide a faster connection between Barking and the city of London, which connects to the London and Blackwall Railway route to Fenchurch Street. Between 1885 and 1888, the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LT&SR) constructed a line between Barking and Pitsea via Upminster to provide a more direct route between the two cities. The station was not built at the time.
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMSR) took ownership of the London, Tilbury and Southend line in 1923 and the station opened as Gale Street Halt on 28 June 1926 to serve the new Becontree Estate and subsequent residential areas. Initially, there were no roads leading to the station. In 1929, the company proposed quadrupling their line between Barking and Upminster and electrifying one pair of tracks for the District line. The station was rebuilt and new platforms were constructed for the new pair of tracks. Gale Street Halt was renamed as Becontree and the new station building to the designs of the architect William Henry Hamlyn opened on 18 July 1932, with electrified District line services starting operation 2 months after on 12 September. In addition to the start of electrified services, two new adjacent stations on the District line named Upney and Heathway (now Dagenham Heathway) opened.
By 1935, there were approximately 18,000 homes in this area, and together with developers, Dagenham Council added more than 5000 homes until 1965. By 1940, the population grew to 116,000. This particular section of the line between Barking and Upminster was popular among commuters getting to West and East Ham which reduced the need for bus services. Other reasons were a shortened travel time to Charing Cross of up to 35 minutes and the good availability of trains servicing this part of the line.
The slow tracks on the former LT&SR line to Upminster were shared with steam locomotive hauled goods and passenger services, until 1961 when the District line took over exclusive use of the DC electrified lines. LT&SR services ceased to stop at the station on 15 June 1962.
### Becontree Estate Railway
The railway here was crossed by Becontree Estate Railway, a temporary railway constructed as part of the building of the Becontree housing estate which operated between 1921 and 1934. Becontree estate was constructed in the 1920s by C. J. Wills and Sons Ltd., with the remainder completed in 1938. The estate was once to be served by high speed tramways, with services starting from Ilford, branching out into the estate and then rejoining the current line to Barking. This was not supported by Ilford and Barking councils, and was abandoned due to problems with Ilford authorities and the need to electrify the Barking to Upminster line. There was also a deferred plan for a Kearney Monorail tube connecting Becontree to the city.
## Design
The station has four platforms, of which two are used by the District line and another two are disused since the LT&SR service was withdrawn in 1962. One of the platforms is fenced off from the westbound District line platform. The single-storey brick station buildings are of typical 1930s design which are also constructed at Dagenham East, Hornchurch and Upminster at the time. Station refurbishment works were completed by Metronet in 2006, where heritage features were restored, CCTV equipment replaced and PA system enhanced. New wall tiles and ceilings were clad, and new tactile strips, customer Help Points and better lighting were installed. Whilst these works were done between 2005 and 2006, the station was closed on several weekends whereby replacement buses operated to Dagenham Heathway station.
## Location
The station is located on the west side of Gale Street. It serves the residential area of Becontree, which is to the north of the station. There is a commercial area to the south of the station, while Parsloes Park is to the north. Nearby landmarks include a driving school, the Jo Richardson Community School, Roding Primary School and The James Campbell Primary School.
London Bus routes 62 and 145 serve the station.
## Services
Becontree is on the Upminster part of the line between Upney and Dagenham Heathway. The typical off-peak service in trains per hour (tph) is:
- 12 tph eastbound to Upminster
- 6 tph westbound to Ealing Broadway
- 6 tph westbound to Richmond
## In popular culture
The station is said to be haunted by a faceless woman with long blonde hair that several staff members have sighted. A possible connection to this could be that in 1958 there was a collision between two trains near Becontree Station that led to the deaths of 10 people. |
35,045,695 | Alba Roballo | 1,167,792,331 | Uruguayan politician | [
"1908 births",
"1996 deaths",
"20th-century Uruguayan lawyers",
"20th-century Uruguayan poets",
"20th-century Uruguayan politicians",
"20th-century Uruguayan women politicians",
"20th-century Uruguayan women writers",
"Broad Front (Uruguay) politicians",
"Colorado Party (Uruguay) politicians",
"Education and Culture Ministers of Uruguay",
"People from Artigas Department",
"University of the Republic (Uruguay) alumni",
"Uruguayan women lawyers",
"Uruguayan women poets",
"Women government ministers of Uruguay"
] | Alba Roballo (4 August 1908 – 3 September 1996) was a Uruguayan lawyer, poet, and politician, who served three consecutive terms from 1958 to 1971 in the Senate of Uruguay and a fourth term in the early 1990s. After graduating with a law degree from the Universidad de la República in Montevideo, she began to write. In 1942, her first book, Se levanta el sol (The Sun Rises), won first prize from the Ministry of Education. Later she founded two journals, Mujer Batllista (Batllist Woman) and El Pregón (The Town Crier). In 1954 she became the first woman to sit on the Montevideo Departmental Council and was elected Senator for the Colorado Party. A prominent Afro-Uruguayan, she was the first woman in South America to serve as a cabinet minister, appointed in 1968; she resigned this post following authoritarian actions by the government. She was a founder of the Frente Amplio in 1971 and though she ran for re-election, that year she was defeated.
After the 1973 Uruguayan coup d'état, Roballo became the target of numerous raids by the authorities for her outspokenness against the military regime which ran the country until 1984. When the dictatorship ended, she unsuccessfully ran for a Senate seat. She continued to serve on the directorate of the Frente Amplio, introducing legislation projects for social improvement through 1993, when she briefly served in the Senate again. Roballo died in 1996, but has been remembered by many memorials throughout the country including stamps issued in her likeness, streets and colonies named after her, as well as plazas and cultural centers.
## Early life and education
Alba Rosa Roballo Berón was born on 4 August 1908 in Isla Cabellos, Artigas Department, Uruguay, to Rosa Berón and Américo Roballo. Her father was the town commissioner and her mother, a teacher, operated the Escuela Rural No 8 (Rural School No 8) out of their home. From birth, Roballo accompanied her mother to her work in the school, as did her seven siblings. Her maternal great-grandfather was Genaro Berón de Astrada [es], one-time governor of Corrientes Province in northern Argentina, while her father was Uruguayan of mixed heritage, which included native Charrúa and African ancestry.
During her childhood, the family moved to Salto, Artigas, and Palma Sola [es], where her mother had various teaching jobs and Roballo completed her primary education. An avid reader, from a young age she was a keen observer of the conditions affecting the people living around her and began to speak about alleviating poverty. She completed her secondary schooling at the Liceo No. 1 in Artigas and then furthered her education at the University of the Republic. She studied teaching, earned a degree in philosophy, and began her career teaching at the school her mother operated on Dr. Pablo de María Street in Montevideo. Continuing her education, Roballo enrolled in the male-dominated law school at the university. While still studying, she married Walter Previtali with whom she had a son, Sergio Previtali. She joined the Federación de Estudiantes de la Universidad de Derecho (Student Federation of the University of Law) and was active in anti-fascist demonstrations in support of the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War.
When in 1933, Gabriel Terra orchestrated a coup d'état, Roballo participated in the occupation of the university in protest against the dictator. She joined the Colorado Party, led by Julio César Grauert and Baltasar Brum. When Brum committed suicide over the coup, Roballo delivered a funeral oration defending democracy to the large crowd which had gathered. As the only woman participant, she joined the Agrupación Avanzar (Avanzar Group), a faction of the Colorado Party led by Grauert, which was staunchly anti-imperialist and socially progressive. As she was married, she was able to agitate in clubs and meeting places where other women would have been forbidden entry. During this period, she met many socialists and was exposed to the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. She identified as a Batllist [es], but her husband was a communist. In 1939, Roballo earned a law degree.
## Career
### Writing (1940–1992)
Roballo founded the magazine Mujer Batllista (Batllist Woman) in the early 1940s, which she used to put forward her political ideas. She published her first book of poems, Se levanta el sol (The Sun Rises), in 1942, which was honored by the Ministry of Public Instruction with first prize in the literary competition that year. Her written works, which were both prose and poetry, reflected her vigorous and rebellious spirit. In an "agonist" style, they explored her anxiety, pain, and fatigue with social conditions but also her deep love for her homeland. The themes in Roballo's written works echoed her public commitment to provide empathy, comfort, and motivation, but exposed the struggle and anguish that accompany sensitivity to the social environment and the challenges of life. For example, Tiempo de lobos (Time of Wolves, 1970) evaluates the climate of terror and suffering which occurred during the dictatorship. Her works were introduced abroad by Pablo Neruda, the Chilean poet and diplomat; Alfonso Reyes, the Mexican writer and philosopher; and César Tiempo, an Argentine screenwriter. She also founded the weekly journal, El Pregón (The Proclamation), which became the mouthpiece for her political movement of the same name. Her literary output spanned her career, with her final publication, La casa del humo (The House of Smoke), in 1992.
### Political career (1947–1971)
Roballo became chair of the Cajas de Asignaciones Familiares, Vicente (Family Allowance Fund, Vicente) in 1947. Family Allowance Funds were established in Uruguay in 1943 to improve worker earnings and provide financial compensation to workers' families, especially those with children, who were experiencing hardship. From 1951 to 1954, she served as the vice president of the Caja de Jubilaciones (Pension Fund). In 1954, Roballo ran for a seat in the Chamber of Deputies, but when she was defeated by only a small margin, President Luis Batlle appointed her to chair the Caja Rural (Rural Fund), which oversaw the distribution of pensions in the countryside.
At the same time, in 1954, she was elected as vice president of the Concejo Departamental de Montevideo (Montevideo Departmental Council), marking the first time a woman had served on the council and been involved in the leadership of the city government. Roballo was dedicated to helping the most deprived and marginalized people in the country and often could be found at the Municipal Palace helping the cleaning staff after hours. She was also responsible for pushing for importation of the polio vaccine, which was successful in eradicating the disease in the capital. She served on the Municipal Council until 1959, and was known for introducing a plan to officially recognize the Desfile de llamadas [es] (Calls Parade) at the opening of Carnival, establishing funeral services for the city's poor, and organizing the directorate of social services. She also organized many public works projects including paving roads, building tunnels and creating the first master plan for the development of the city.
Roballo was elected Senator in 1958, as the only woman serving at that time in the General Assembly. She was re-elected in 1962 and 1966. During her time in the Senate, she championed legislation directed at improving the lives of the poor and women. In the 1958 session, she authored Law No. 12.572, commonly known as the Ley Madre (Mother's Law) which granted paid leave for six weeks before and six weeks after pregnancy for working women or a state salary for women who were unemployed during their gestation period. The law was a landmark protection for women's rights. She also worked on legislation to recognize unmarried partnerships, and measures to provide equal opportunities and limit exploitation of workers.
In 1968, Roballo was selected by President Jorge Pacheco as the Minister of Education and Culture. With her appointment, she became the first woman to serve as a cabinet minister in Uruguay, as well as in South America. She had deep differences with Pacheco's administration, and after holding office from 3 May to 13 June, Roballo resigned her cabinet seat but not her position as a Senator on the day that Pacheco enacted emergency executive powers. He closed down parts of the press, censoring content for newspapers. He instituted emergency rules to arrest the leaders of trade unions and suppressed left-wing political groups, prohibiting public gatherings and expanding the authority of the police to intervene. On 14 August 1968 student demonstrators, including Líber Arce, Hugo de los Santos, and Susana Pintos were murdered by police. That day, Roballo decided to leave the Colorado Party and form her own political group, the Movimiento Pregón.
In the run-up to the 1971 election, Roballo united with Zelmar Michelini, a former member of the Colorado Party, and other leftist party members to form the new Frente Amplio (Broad Front) coalition. Though she had quit the Colorado Party, Roballo continued to follow Batllist ideology throughout her career. She claimed that she had to leave the party to save Batllism, bringing its tenets to the Frente Amplio. Among the founding members of Frente Amplio that year, candidates who had earlier been Batllists included Michelini, Roballo, Enrique Martínez Moreno, and Enrique Rodríguez Fabregat [es] for the Senate; and Hugo Batalla and Sergio Previtali, Roballo's son, for Deputies. Despite standing for re-election, Roballo was not returned to the Senate in 1971, though the Frente Amplio unexpectedly succeeded with five Senators and 18 deputies winning seats in the coalition's first election.
### Later career (1973–1993)
After the 1973 coup d'état, Roballo suffered persecution for her outspokenness against the military. Her home was raided several times during the 12-year dictatorship. In her early career, Roballo rarely acknowledged her African heritage, though she often was accompanied at rallies by Candombe drummers. Like other Afro-Uruguayans, she was referred to by the color of her skin and called La Negra Roballo, which she deemed pejorative. As she aged, Roballo began to be more open about her heritage and the discrimination she had faced as a woman, a black, and a left-leaning politician. In describing herself, she said "Yo era la negra que le gustaba el vino, la que tenía costumbres difíciles y se juntaba con los negros del barrio Sur". (I was the black woman who liked wine, the one with difficult customs, and who met with blacks in the South Quarter.)
After perestroika policies were implemented to reform the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Roballo traveled to the USSR. Though skeptical that the country would be able to change, she concluded after her trip that because the Russians both revered their past but were critical of it, that they would succeed in merging their socialist past with a more global approach. When the dictatorship ended in 1984, Roballo again ran for the Senate as a candidate of the Izquierda Democrática Independiente [es] (Independent Democratic Left) party, which was part of the Frente Amplio, but was defeated. She was able to continue her influence as part of the board of directors of the Frente Amplio through the early 1990s. Running in 1989, she was elected as an alternate senator for the Democracia Avanzada (Advanced Democracy) party. She returned to the Senate in 1993, serving for one last year.
## Death and legacy
Roballo died on 3 September 1996 in Montevideo. In tribute to her memory, one of the rooms in the Legislative Palace was named after her. In 2002, a commemoration was held in the Departmental Board of Montevideo which included eulogies by a number of board members, including Bertha Sanseverino. For International Women's Day 2010, she was honored in the Uruguayan postage stamp series Mujeres notables uruguayas (Notable Uruguayan Women). In 2012, a street in Artigas was named in her honor. A plaza in the Bella Italia neighborhood of Montevideo was named after her in 2015. In August 2019, Law 19781, which governs agrarian reforms, was modified to recognize that women had the right to acquire land and jointly hold title to it by renaming 16 colonies throughout the country after prominent women who had impacted development. The colony in the Artigas Department was named in honor of Roballo. In 2020, a cultural center in the Nuevo París district of Montevideo was inaugurated in her name.
## Works |
72,459,710 | Marisa Anderson | 1,172,759,772 | American primitive guitarist from Portland, Oregon | [
"21st-century American women guitarists",
"American folk guitarists",
"American women environmentalists",
"American women film score composers",
"Americana musicians",
"California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt alumni",
"Guitarists from California",
"Guitarists from Oregon",
"Living people",
"Musicians from Portland, Oregon",
"People from Sonoma, California",
"Thrill Jockey artists",
"Year of birth missing (living people)"
] | Marisa Anderson is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Portland, Oregon. She is primarily known for playing the guitar, mixing American primitive guitar with various genres from throughout the United States and the rest of the world, and for her largely improvised compositions. She has released 10 albums under her own name since 2006, as well as several others with the bands the Dolly Ranchers and Evolutionary Jass Band.
## Early life
Anderson was born in Northern California and grew up in Sonoma. When she was young, she listened to church music, classical with her mother, and country – notably Doc Watson and the Oak Ridge Boys – with her father. She started playing guitar at age ten. In her teen and young adult years, she took lessons from fellow California guitarist Nina Gerber. A self-described "weird teenager", she learned about various styles of folk music from different parts of the world – including Mississippi Delta blues, British, African, and Appalachian music – by reading books from folklorist Cecil Sharp. She attended Humboldt State University before dropping out at age 19.
## Career
After dropping out of college, Anderson spent about ten years living without a fixed address. Most of this time was spent organizing and participating in political protests, including multiple cross-country walks which raised awareness for causes including environmental issues, Native American sovereignty, and the anti-nuclear movement. Some of this time was spent in Mexico, including a stint with a circus where she played for the anti-government guerrillas protesting during the Chiapas conflict in Southern Mexico. She was a member of the country-folk band the Dolly Ranchers from 1997 through 2003, playing on both of their albums and at their four-sets-a-night gig at a cowboy bar in New Mexico. She also worked at Rock Camp for Girls between 2003 and 2011, and contributed to its eponymous book. She settled in Portland, Oregon, after traveling to the Pacific Northwest for the 1999 Seattle WTO protests. In Portland, she joined the improvisational ensemble Evolutionary Jass Band for six years, recording three albums.
Her first solo album, Holiday Motel, was released by 16 Records in 2006, and earned her a nomination for the OUTMusic Award for Best Female Debut Record. That album was followed by 2009's The Golden Hour and 2013's Mercury, both released by Mississippi Records; and another 2013 album, Traditional and Public Domain Songs, which was released by Grapefruit Records. In 2014, she appeared as a guest musician on Sharon Van Etten's Are We There, playing guitar on its first track "Afraid of Nothing". In 2015, she released a split album, Tashi Dorji / Marisa Anderson, with Bhutan-born guitarist Tashi Dorji, which was released by Footfalls Records. The year after, she released Into the Light on her own label Chaos Kitchen Music. On October 31, 2017, she announced that she had signed to Thrill Jockey, with whom she released her next four albums: 2018's Cloud Corner; 2020's The Quickening, a collaboration with Australian drummer Jim White; 2021's Lost Futures, a collaboration with American folk guitarist William Tyler; and 2022's Still, Here.
Anderson had a cameo appearance alongside fellow Oregon musician Michael Hurley in the 2018 film Leave No Trace where they performed the songs "O My Stars" and "Dark Holler". She has also composed for films including 2022's Lake Forest Park and A Perfect Day for Caribou.
Anderson has toured and played live with numerous artists, including her album collaborators Tashi Dorji, William Tyler, and Jim White, as well as Yasmin Williams, Giorgos Xylouris, Ed Kuepper, Circuit des Yeux, Emmylou Harris, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Charlie Parr, Bill Callahan, and Thurston Moore. She has performed at music festivals including Big Ears Festival, Pitchfork's Midwinter at the Art Institute of Chicago, Le Guess Who?, and Moogfest. She also performed on NPR Music's Tiny Desk Concerts series in 2014, mostly playing songs from Traditional and Public Domain Songs and Mercury.
## Style
Anderson's music has been described as falling into the American primitive guitar style introduced by John Fahey in the 1960s, and she has been called a "neo-Americana guitar outsider". She mixes in influences from various other genres such as gospel, country, Appalachian folk and blues, jazz, circus music, minimalism, electronic, drone, and 20th century classical, while also including global influences such as Tuareg and Latin music on Cloud Corner and flamenco on Still, Here. On some albums, her music is also referred to as experimental.
She is known to improvise music rather than compose it on many of her recordings, including the entirety of her album The Quickening. On the subject, she has said she likes "to think about improvisation as a conversation" and that it's "really just an art at being literate and expressive no matter what language you are in... I am trying to be very present with the music and to make my intention realized with every performance." When asked in an interview how she got into improvisation, she said she grew up playing classical music where "there's a boss. What's on the page is the boss. What the composer intended, that's the boss. In classical music, you're not your own boss ever." She said that's fine and that she's not opposed to structure, but that "in the creative process, I like to be free. Once it's the performance, there's room for all of it in my music. Some things I do exactly the same, and that's its own fun thing, is to adhere to that. Some things I do differently. In performance, what changes is the dynamic in the room."
### Equipment
Anderson's main instrument is guitar, both acoustic and electric, but she has also employed other instruments across her albums such as lap steel guitar, pedal steel guitar, and Wurlitzer electronic piano on Into the Light; and charango and requinto guitar on Cloud Corner. Her instrument collection also includes a Dobro from the 1930s, a terz guitar, a nylon-string parlor guitar, a custom Warmoth Telecaster with Lollar P-90 guitar pickups, and a Gibson ES-125 from the early 1940s.
## Discography
### Solo
Albums
- Holiday Motel (2006, 16 Records)
- The Golden Hour (2009, Mississippi)
- Mercury (2013, Mississippi)
- Traditional and Public Domain Songs (2013, Grapefruit)
- Tashi Dorji / Marisa Anderson (2015, Footfalls, with Tashi Dorji)
- Into the Light (2016, Chaos Kitchen)
- Cloud Corner (2018, Thrill Jockey)
- The Quickening (2020, Thrill Jockey, with Jim White)
- Lost Futures (2021, Thrill Jockey, with William Tyler)
- Still, Here (2022, Thrill Jockey)
Singles
- "Into the Light" (2016, Into the Light)
- "He Is Without His Guns" (2016, Into the Light)
- "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" (2020, Jealous Butcher Records, with Tara Jane O'Neil)
- "The Lucky" (2020, The Quickening)
- "Gathering" and "Pallet" (2020, The Quickening)
- "Lost Futures" (2021, Lost Futures)
- "Hurricane Light" (2021, Lost Futures)
- "At the Edge of the World" (2021, Lost Futures)
- "Waking" (2022, Still, Here)
- "La Llorona" (2022, Still, Here)
- "The Fire This Time" (2022, Still, Here)
### With the Dolly Ranchers
- Ten O'Clock Bird (2000, Chaos Kitchen)
- Escape Artist (2002, Chaos Kitchen) |
11,748,645 | Another One Rides the Bus (EP) | 1,166,967,213 | null | [
"\"Weird Al\" Yankovic EPs",
"1981 debut EPs"
] | Another One Rides the Bus is the debut extended play (EP) by American parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released in 1981 by Placebo Records. The title song is a parody of English rock band Queen's 1980 single "Another One Bites the Dust". The EP also features three other songs, all of which are original recordings. All four songs on Another One Rides the Bus later appeared on Yankovic's eponymous debut studio album; the three original songs were re-recorded for the album, while the title song is the same version that appears on the EP.
Another One Rides the Bus EP—of which only one thousand copies were made—was released to capitalize on the recent success of the titular parody. Yankovic borrowed money from Barret "Dr. Demento" Hansen to pay for the record, and he distributed them to records stores under consignment deals. Due to the underground success of this release, TK Records signed Yankovic and issued "Another One Rides the Bus" as a commercial single.
## Recording
The EP features the titular parody, as well as three original comedy songs, with music written by Yankovic. In April 1980, Yankovic recorded the first song for the album, "Gotta Boogie". The song, co-written by Joe Earley, is a play on words discussing a man with a "boogie" on his finger and his quandary therein. The second song to be recorded for the EP was "Another One Rides the Bus", on September 14, 1980. Yankovic wrote the song, a parody of Queen's hit "Another One Bites the Dust", and debuted it live on the Dr. Demento Show, hosted by Barret "Dr. Demento" Hansen. While practicing the song outside the sound booth, Yankovic met Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz who told Yankovic he was a drummer. Schwartz agreed to drum on Yankovic's accordion case to keep a steady beat to the song. "Another One Rides the Bus" became so popular that it landed Yankovic a short-lived record deal with TK Records and also led to his first appearance on a TV show, The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder. On the show, Yankovic played his accordion and Schwartz banged on Yankovic's accordion case and played the bulb horns.
In January 1981, the song "Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung" was recorded. The song, an audience favorite from Yankovic's days playing in coffeehouses at Cal Poly, describes the rather lopsided relationship between the narrator and the eponymous "Mr. Frump" in his iron lung, until the latter's death. The final song, recorded on January 19, 1981, was "Happy Birthday". A morbidly depressing birthday song detailing ails of the world, including poverty, nuclear holocaust, and eventual solar cataclysm, the song is based on the music of artist Tonio K. Only seeing two popular birthday songs at the time—"Happy Birthday to You" by Patty and Mildred J. Hill, and "Birthday" by The Beatles—Yankovic decided to write his own "severely twisted version of one". "Happy Birthday' was recorded in the garage of Richard Bennett, the brother of Schwartz who would go on to be a noted guitarist and record producer. All of the tracks, sans "Another One Rides the Bus", were recorded on a 4-track Portastudio; because only four tracks were available for mixing and recording, Yankovic had to carefully plan which parts of the songs he wanted to record at a time, and then mix them down before adding more song elements.
The EP's version of "Happy Birthday" is included on the Permanent Record: Al in the Box box set, and was remixed into stereo for the Hurricane Katrina charity album Laughter Is a Powerful Weapon Volume II. "Gotta Boogie", "Happy Birthday", and "Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung" were re-recorded for Yankovic's eponymous debut studio album, while "Another One Rides the Bus" was not.
## Release
Yankovic desired to release the song on a record label, although no label wanted to sign him at the time. Thus, Yankovic borrowed some money from Dr. Demento and pressed up one thousand copies of the four-track EP by himself. Yankovic then distributed the EP to various record stores, selling them through consignment deals. Yankovic released the record under Placebo Records, a one-off label founded by Yankovic for the sole purpose of distributing the EPs. Due to the underground success of the release, Yankovic secured a short-lived record deal with TK Records, who issued the title song as a commercial single. Due to the fact that only one thousand copies of the Another One Rides the Bus EP were made, today it is considered a very rare record to locate.
## Track listing
## Personnel
Credits adapted from EP liner notes, except where noted.
Musicians
- "Weird Al" Yankovic – accordion, lead vocals; thumps (track 3)
- Damaskas (Dan Hollombe) – background vocals (tracks 1, 2, 3)
- Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz – accordion case (track 1), drums (track 2), background vocals (track 2)
- Musical Mike (Mike Kieffer) – hand music (track 1), background vocals (track 2)
- Sulu (Sue Lubin) – hand music (tracks 1, 3)
- Beefalo Bill (Bill Burk) – "miscellaneous insanities" (track 1)
- Tohm – "miscellaneous insanities" (tracks 1, 3)
- Jeri – "miscellaneous insanities" (tracks 1, 3)
- Bobcat Bennett – guitar (track 2)
- Frank (From the Bank) Sanchez – bass guitar (track 2)
- Kamikaze Coco – background vocals (track 2)
- BEH (Barry Hansen) – background vocals (track 2)
- Jammin' Joel Miller – bongos
- Leroy Finklestein – "choreography"
- Madman Mike Solton – background vocals (track 3)
- Tegan – background vocals (track 3)
- Rick Turner – "gaffer and key grip"
Technical
- Beefalo Bill – sleeve design |
67,474,041 | 500 Park Avenue | 1,154,796,747 | Skyscraper in Manhattan, New York | [
"1960 establishments in New York City",
"1984 establishments in New York City",
"59th Street (Manhattan)",
"Midtown Manhattan",
"New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan",
"Office buildings completed in 1960",
"Office buildings in Manhattan",
"Olivetti S.p.A.",
"Park Avenue",
"PepsiCo buildings and structures",
"Residential buildings completed in 1984",
"Residential skyscrapers in Manhattan",
"Skidmore, Owings & Merrill buildings"
] | 500 Park Avenue is an office and condominium building on the southwest corner of Park Avenue and 59th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, composed of the 11-story Pepsi-Cola Building and the 40-story 500 Park Tower. The original Pepsi-Cola Building along Park Avenue was constructed from 1958 to 1960 and designed by Gordon Bunshaft and Natalie de Blois of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM). The tower along 59th Street was constructed between 1981 and 1984 to designs by James Stewart Polshek & Partners.
The old Pepsi-Cola Building was designed in the International Style with a curtain wall made of glass and aluminum. The second through tenth stories slightly overhang a plaza at ground level, while the eleventh floor contained a company penthouse. Inside, the original building's lobby was initially used as an exhibition space, while the upper stories contained offices. 500 Park Tower contains a facade made of thermal black granite, as well as glass and aluminum. Inside 500 Park Tower, the first eleven floors contain office space that extends into the original building, while the upper floors contain 56 residential condominiums.
The original structure was the headquarters of the Pepsi-Cola Company from its construction until 1967 and was initially owned by the John Hancock Mutual Insurance Company. It then served as the headquarters of Olivetti S.p.A. until 1978, when it was successively resold to Peter Kalikow, Securities Groups, and then the Equitable Life Assurance Society. The original building was occupied by the Amsterdam and Rotterdam Bank (later ABN AMRO) starting in 1982, and 500 Park Tower was concurrently developed to the west. In 1995, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Pepsi-Cola Building as a New York City landmark. Other companies such as The Walt Disney Company took space in the building during the 1990s and early 21st century.
## Site
500 Park Avenue is at the southwest corner of Park Avenue and 59th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. The building is composed of two land lots. The rectangular land lot under the original building, at the street corner proper, has a frontage of 100 feet (30 m) on Park Avenue to the east and 125 feet (38 m) on 59th Street to the north. The adjacent rectangular lot to the west has a frontage of 75 feet (23 m) on 59th Street and a depth of 100 feet. 500 Park Avenue is near the Fuller Building and Four Seasons Hotel New York to the southwest; 59E59 Theaters and Trump Park Avenue to the north; 499 Park Avenue to the east; and the Ritz Tower to the southeast.
Through the 1880s, the surrounding area of Park Avenue had been mostly undeveloped, but by the 1900s, the site contained six-to-eight-story residences, as well as a nine-story New York City Board of Education building at the address 500 Park Avenue. In the late 19th century, the Park Avenue railroad line ran in an open-cut in the middle of Park Avenue. The line was covered with the construction of Grand Central Terminal in the early 20th century, spurring development in the surrounding area, Terminal City. The adjacent stretch of Park Avenue became a wealthy neighborhood with upscale apartments. The Board of Education building, designed by Napoleon LeBrun, was occupied by its namesake from the early 1890s to 1940. Afterward, it was used by various government functions, such as the Civilian Defense Recruitment, the Youth Board, and the Mayor's Reception Committee.
Many of the residential structures on Park Avenue were replaced with largely commercial International Style skyscrapers during the 1950s and 1960s. These structures included 270 Park Avenue, Lever House, 425 Park Avenue, and the Seagram Building, all of which are south of the Pepsi-Cola site.
## Architecture
The original 11-story structure at the corner of Park Avenue and 59th Street was designed by Gordon Bunshaft and Natalie de Blois of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), with de Blois as primary designer. The original structure was built as the headquarters of the Pepsi-Cola Company and was formerly known as the Pepsi-Cola Building, Olivetti Building, and ABM-Amro Bank Building. 500 Park Tower along 59th Street was designed by Ennead Architects (then known as James Stewart Polshek & Partners). The tower is 466 feet (142 m) tall and is alternately described as containing 40 stories or 41 stories.
### Original building
The original building is eleven stories tall and remains largely in its original configuration, with a facade designed as a glass curtain wall. Pepsi had small office requirements, similar to the tenants of Lever House and the Manufacturers Trust Company Building, both of which SOM had previously designed. The base is set several feet behind the upper stories to give the impression that the office stories were a tower. According to de Blois, she had come up with the concept of the Pepsi-Cola Building as a glass box, while Bunshaft was responsible for arranging the structural columns to create this effect. It was designed under the 1916 Zoning Resolution and constructed just before the zoning regulations were changed. In practice, the original building was designed as a "base without a tower", as described by architectural writer Robert A. M. Stern.
The original structure is surrounded by a plaza with granite pavement, which reaches the curb on both Park Avenue and 59th Street. The plaza is at sidewalk level on Park Avenue and is four steps higher than the western end of the site on 59th Street, giving the impression that the plaza is a podium. The plaza's pavement dates from the 1980s when 500 Park Tower was built. The granite plaza extends in front of 500 Park Tower. The eastern end of the plaza contains a stainless steel cube. At the western end of the plaza is a flagpole atop a granite bulkhead, as well as a metal canopy extending to the 59th Street sidewalk.
#### Facade
The ground story is recessed 14 feet (4.3 m) from Park Avenue and 34 feet (10 m) from 59th Street, while the second through 10th floors are recessed 20 feet (6.1 m) from 59th Street. The ground-story wall consists of nearly full-height glass windows within stainless steel frames, which are set atop a granite sill. Several revolving doors are set within these windows on both Park Avenue and 59th Street. As originally designed, the revolving doors were lighted. Five groups of two reinforced-concrete columns cantilever the second through 10th stories above the lobby and part of the surrounding plaza.
The second through 10th stories are composed of a curtain-wall facade. There are five vertical bays of windows along the Park Avenue facade and nine bays along the 59th Street facade. The panels generally measure about 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) thick, 9 feet (2.7 m) tall, and 13 feet (4.0 m) wide. These glass panes were the largest available when the Pepsi-Cola Building was constructed. They were so large that they had to be stored inside the different stories of the building before installation. Neoprene strips were placed around the perimeters of each window pane, which was then coated into place with mastic. Vertical aluminum mullions protrude from between each bay and double as guide rails for window-washing equipment. The horizontal anodized aluminum spandrels between each story measure 13 feet (4.0 m) wide and 0.25 inches (6.4 mm) thick. At night, the curtain wall appeared to be illuminated by the interior lighting scheme.
The southern end of the facade along Park Avenue consists of a granite wall that is recessed 15 feet (4.6 m) from Park Avenue. This recessed wall visually separates 500 Park Avenue from the adjacent building to the south. The granite slab contains a service entrance at ground level. Above the tenth floor is a balustrade with pipe railings. The roof of the 10th floor contains a roof terrace. The 11th-floor executive penthouse is recessed from the terrace for the same distance as the ground floor is recessed. The penthouse is capped by a railing and a mechanical structure; there is a water tower atop the mechanical structure. The penthouse contained the offices of actress Joan Crawford, the widow of Pepsi's chairman Alfred Steele, who had commissioned the building but died before it was completed.
#### Interior
The building contains 103,178 square feet (9,585.5 m<sup>2</sup>) of space. The underside of the exterior cantilever contains a soffit that extends into the lobby's ceiling, which includes recessed spotlights. The lobby interior was empty aside from the columns supporting the upper floors. The columns are made of fireproof concrete, which is clad with steel. The lobby was used as a space for exhibits. When Amsterdam-Rotterdam Bank (Amro) moved into the basement and ground through third floors in 1982, the lobby was redesigned. One wall was clad with white marble and red strips; another wall had black fabric and red strips; and a cantilevered stair in the middle of the lobby led up to the second floor. Additional retail spaces were created by subdividing the lobby. An office lobby was created on the west end of the ground floor, leading to four elevators at the southern end of 500 Park Tower. A 55-seat screening room is accessible from this lobby.
The second through 10th floors contained offices divided in a 10-by-10-foot modular plan. The offices were designed in "restrained buff white with black line accents", as described by Architectural Forum. Luminous ceiling tiles, around the perimeter of each story, provided lighting for all the interior spaces. The window blinds were made of fabric and were described in contemporary accounts as part of the interior design, with their resemblance to mullions. Furniture was also designed specifically for the Pepsi offices. Originally, the interior space was flexible, with no obstructions other than the structural columns. Cubicles were installed during a 1980 renovation. The cubicle walls were aligned with the exterior bays, and the original luminous ceilings were replaced with plaster ceilings containing lighting fixtures. A stairwell and a glass-partitioned hall were also installed on the 10th and 11th floors.
The utilities and mechanical spaces are placed on the southern wall of each floor, with one set of men's and women's restrooms per floor, as well as air plenums. There are also two fire stairs, one each near the southwest and southeast corners of the structure, and three elevators, all near the southwest corner.
### 500 Park Tower
500 Park Tower was designed as a mixed-use office and residential structure. Its exterior combines a facade of gray-green granite cladding with thermal coating, as well as segments of glass-and-aluminum curtain walls that resemble the original building's exterior. On the east facade, 25 of the upper floors cantilever approximately 25 feet (7.6 m) over the original building. 500 Park Tower uses the air development rights from the original building to cantilever over that structure. According to architectural writer Robert A. M. Stern, the exterior design may have been influenced by the PSFS Building in Philadelphia.
The west and south facades contain a glass and aluminum cladding with thinner mullions that do not protrude from the facade. By contrast, the north and east facades largely contain granite cladding. At the corners of the glass and aluminum facades, there are black anodized aluminum joints to make the windows appear as if they are wrapping around the building. The granite facades contain punched windows recessed 1 foot (0.30 m) deep. The western part of the north facade has a slightly projecting oriel window from the second to tenth floors, with the glass and aluminum skin; the design was intended to emphasize how the tower was an extension of the original building. The cantilever on the eastern side is clad with glass and aluminum. The 12th floor of 500 Park Tower is designed as a "transitional story" with larger windows than the rest of the tower. The windows of the granite facade below this story are square, while the windows above this story have small asymmetrical "notches" at one corner to signify a transition between office and residential uses.
The residential lobby of 500 Park Tower is through a nondescript doorway on 59th Street. Inside is a small lobby with pink marble surfaces and gray granite strips. The lowest 11 stories are office space, a similar arrangement to the original structure. The 12th through 40th stories are arranged as 56 condominiums, which range from 1,078 to 3,950 square feet (100.1 to 367.0 m<sup>2</sup>) in area. The condominiums on the 12th through 18th stories are designed as pieds-à-terre, with three per floor. On higher stories, there are two apartments per floor, one each facing north and south. These upper-story apartments contained lavish rooms and window exposures to evoke the proportions of Park Avenue apartments in the early 20th century. The two duplex penthouses at the 39th and 40th floors were built with features such as fireplaces, galleries, private libraries, bathroom suites, entrance galleries, and nine-foot ceilings.
## History
The Pepsi-Cola Company was created in 1902 to sell Pepsi soft drinks. In the early 20th century, to compete with the rival Coca-Cola Company, Pepsi advertised its product as a cheap alternative to Coca-Cola. The tactic of advertising Pepsi products as inferior goods was successful during the Great Depression but led to declining profits when Americans wished to celebrate their success after World War II. To reverse declining profits, Pepsi hired Alfred Steele as president in 1950, and sales and earnings per share increased dramatically within five years. By the end of the 1950s, Pepsi-Cola's profits had risen several times over. The company decided to move to Park Avenue because of the presence of other corporate headquarters there.
### Development
By the 1950s, the land under the Board of Education building was subject to high tax assessments, prompting the Fifth Avenue Association to recommend in 1955 that the city government sell the structure. The city vacated the building in January 1956 and placed it for auction that May. Pepsi paid \$2 million for the Board of Education building one month later. This was described at the time as the largest-ever sale of a structure owned by the New York City government. The sale was controversial because the chairman of the New York City Planning Commission was, at the time, also a director of Pepsi-Cola. SOM filed plans for a new Pepsi headquarters at the site in January 1958.
Work on the Pepsi-Cola Building started in August 1958, and the building was sold to the John Hancock Mutual Insurance Company some time afterward. After Steele died in 1959, Donald M. Kendall became Pepsi president and oversaw the remainder of the construction. Robert W. Cutler of SOM was the partner in charge of construction and Albert Kennerly was project manager. The work also involved structural engineer Severud-Elstad-Krucger Associates, mechanical and electrical engineer Slocum & Fuller, acoustical engineer Bolt Beranek & Newman, and general contractor George A. Fuller Company. The original building's development was overseen by Herbert D. Warrington. The building ultimately cost \$7.8 million to construct.
### Pepsi and Olivetti
Pepsi dedicated 500 Park Avenue on February 1, 1960. Lynda Lee Mead, who had been crowned as Miss America 1960, performed the building's official ribbon-cutting, while two thousand Pepsi workers at the Waldorf Astoria New York watched the event on television. At first, Pepsi was to use the seven upper stories and leased out three floors. Pepsi hired Douglas Elliman as the exclusive renting agent for the rental floors. One of these stories was leased to furniture company Macey-Fowler Inc. in November 1960. In the building's first six years, the lobby exhibition space was used for events such as a display of French art, a firearms exhibit, a series of photographs of Carnegie Hall's history, and a display of landmark preservation in the United States. By the mid-1960s, Pepsi was considering relocating to the suburbs. John Lindsay, the mayor of New York City, started a private campaign in September 1966 to convince Pepsi to remain within the city. Nevertheless, in February 1967, Pepsi announced it was moving to 112 acres (45 ha) on the Blind Brook Polo Club in Purchase, within suburban Westchester County. The Purchase site was close to Kendall's house in Greenwich, Connecticut.
When Pepsi announced plans to move to Purchase, it was negotiating to sell the building to Olivetti S.p.A., the Italian company that manufactured Olivetti typewriters. At the time, Olivetti was starting to manufacture a variety of mechanical products such as copiers, banking terminals, and electronic typewriters. By the end of 1967, Olivetti was planning to move to the Pepsi-Cola Building but was waiting for Pepsi to vacate it. Pepsi had completely relocated to Purchase by 1970. After Olivetti moved into 500 Park Avenue, the structure became known as the Olivetti Building. During this era, the lobby continued to host exhibitions, such as a display of 20th-century Italian artwork. By 1978, Olivetti was nearly bankrupt, and its executives decided to relocate. The company's finances only improved in the year afterward.
The Olivetti Building was then owned by a syndicate led by Peter Kalikow, which had also acquired the eight-story Nassau Hotel immediately to the west on 59th Street. The Kalikow syndicate hired Eli Attia to study plans for redeveloping the sites. The then-new firm of Kohn Pedersen Fox reportedly devised fourteen proposals to incorporate the structure as the base of a skyscraper on the Nassau Hotel site. At the time, 500 Park Avenue's site was a prime candidate for redevelopment since it had a large volume of unused development rights. The building could not yet be protected by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), whose rules specified that New York City individual landmarks be at least 30 years old at the time of their designation.
### Amro and expansion
By 1979, the Kalikow interests resold the structures to Securities Groups, led by brothers Charles and Randall Atkins, whose company 500 Park Avenue Associates paid over \$40 million. That year, the Atkinses hired James Stewart Polshek & Partners to remodel the 10th and 11th floors for the offices of their company. Shortly afterward, they decided to redevelop the Nassau Hotel site while preserving the original structure; the brothers calculated that 250,000 square feet (23,000 m<sup>2</sup>) would need to be built to make the development profitable. Polshek & Partners were subsequently hired to design an addition. The next year, the Amsterdam and Rotterdam Bank leased all the space from the basement to the seventh floor, except for part of the ground story. In preparation for the bank's relocation into the building, some of the space was renovated and the facade was cleaned.
In 1981, the Equitable Life Assurance Society purchased both 500 Park Avenue and the Nassau Hotel site from 500 Park Avenue Associates. Concurrently, Polshek & Partners proposed an annex of 73,000 square feet (6,800 m<sup>2</sup>) for the original building, as well as a residential tower with 100 condominiums, to be cantilevered over the existing tower. The development was also delayed by the New York City Planning Commission (CPC), which was studying a potential change of zoning for Midtown Manhattan. At the time, zoning rules allowed structures with a floor area ratio (FAR) of 18; the FAR dictated the proportion of buildings' gross floor area to the size of their land lots. The proposed tower would have a FAR of 16.78, but the CPC wanted to reduce the maximum FAR for the area to 15. Amro opened a bank branch in the basement and the first through third floors in June 1982. 500 Park Avenue then became the Amro Bank Building; Amro subsequently merged with Algemene Bank Nederland (ABN) and became ABN AMRO.
Sales at 500 Park Tower launched in February 1983 with announcements in the European cities of St. Moritz, Monte Carlo, and Frankfurt. The Trump Corporation was hired as the sales consultant while Sotheby's International Realty was the selling agent. Equitable promoted 500 Park Tower's apartments as the city's most expensive, but the claim was disputed by Trump Corporation head Donald Trump, who was simultaneously developing Trump Tower five blocks away. 500 Park Tower's residential units were not expected to be ready until January 1984, but within a week of the sales launch, tenants were already in contract for eight apartments. By May 1983, deposits had been made for thirty-nine of the units, and a foreign investor had contracted to buy both penthouse duplex units for \$9.5 million.
### Later use
Critics largely perceived 500 Park Tower as a successful development when it was completed in 1984. Among the building's residents were developer Larry Silverstein, who lived there with his family for 33 years after its opening. Office tenants during the late 21st century included Gollust, Tierney & Oliver, which in 1990 was reportedly managing \$900 million in funds from its fifth-floor office. By the mid-1990s, the office space not occupied by ABN Amro was occupied by The Walt Disney Company, which had its New York City offices there.
The LPC hosted public hearings in 1993 to determine whether to designate the original Pepsi-Cola Building as a city landmark. The original structure, excluding the 500 Park Tower addition, was designated as a city landmark on June 20, 1995. The commission's chairwoman, Jennifer Raab, said at the time that there was "a growing interest in postwar, modern architecture". Herbert Muschamp of The New York Times thought the designation to be ironic, as the landmarks law had originally been intended to "curtail the proliferation of modernist buildings and the loss of the fine old masonry edifices that they replaced". Equitable had decided by 1996 that it wanted to split off its Equitable Real Estate division. At the end of that year, Equitable reached an agreement to sell 500 Park Avenue and the company's other structures to Lend Lease Corporation. Around 1997, the lobby was divided into two storefronts.
During the early 21st century, the office tenants included hedge funds Caxton Associates and Magnetar Capital, investment management firm Mentor Partners, investment advisor Solar Capital Partners, and private equity fund Public Pension Capital. SOM renovated the interior of the original building in 2016. As of 2021, the original building and the tower addition were under separate ownership, with PPF Off 500 Park Avenue LLC as the original structure's owner and Axa Equitable as the tower's owner.
## Reception
Upon its opening in 1960, the Pepsi-Cola Building was perceived by the general public as one of SOM's "handsomest designs", according to The New York Times. Architectural Design magazine said the relatively simple exterior enabled the building to "stand out and completely hold its own", while Architectural Forum characterized it as "the newest, smallest, and possibly the slickest corporate package in New York". Architectural Forum included the Pepsi-Cola Building and the TWA Flight Center as part of a 1962 exhibition of ten of the "world's most significant modern buildings".
Several years after its completion, John Jacobus characterized the building as the "most restrained and perfect of all commercial buildings". Ada Louise Huxtable of The New York Times characterized the building as "a kind of Pazzi Chapel of corporate design" in a 1981 article. Through the late 20th century, the original Pepsi-Cola Building continued to be praised. Robert A. M. Stern called the original structure "ambiguous in its urbanism but quite distinguished in its aesthetics". Upon Bunshaft's 1990 death, The New York Times wrote that his glass-slab designs like Lever House and the Pepsi-Cola Building "received nearly unanimous praise from the critics". The Coca-Cola Building was one of ten SOM designs described in the 1992 Whitney Guide to 20th Century American Architecture, a list of 200 major designs in the United States during the 20th century. After the lobby was divided into storefronts in the 1990s, Herbert Muschamp wrote for The New York Times: "The desecration of 500 Park raises the issue of how effectively landmark laws can protect glass buildings." The 2010 edition of the AIA Guide to New York City described the building as "understated elegance that bowed to the scale of its Park Avenue neighbors".
When 500 Park Tower was constructed, it was praised for harmonizing with the design of the original structure. Huxtable considered the plans to be "one of the most skillful of 'shoehorning' jobs" for an addition to a building in New York City, much better than the Palace Hotel or Park Avenue Plaza several blocks south. Architectural Record characterized the plans in 1983 as "sympathetic and reticent in style if not in scale". In the same journal the following year, Carter Wiseman said, "This building manages the neat trick of being authentically new while looking as if it has been there all along—or should have been." Also in 1984, Paul Goldberger wrote that he thought the design was largely successful, with the "only major failing" being the dark granite at the base. Two years after 500 Park Tower was completed, architectural writer Cervin Robinson said that "the expansion of the original space has been handled with grace and tact", describing Polshek & Partners' design as giving a "special pleasure".
The original structure received architectural awards. The Municipal Art Society honored 500 Park Avenue as the "building of the year" for 1960, while the City Club of New York gave the building its 1964 "First Honor Award" for the best privately funded building constructed in the city since 1960. For its design of 500 Park Tower, Polshek & Partners received an Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects in 1986, as well as the Building Stone Institute's Tucker Architectural Award in 1987.
## See also
- List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets |
28,611,468 | Flight deck cruiser | 1,135,232,351 | Proposed American aircraft cruiser | [
"Abandoned military projects of the United States",
"Aircraft carriers of the United States",
"Cruisers of the United States",
"Proposed ships of the United States Navy",
"Ship types"
] | The flight-deck cruiser was a proposed type of aircraft cruiser, (warships combining features of aircraft carriers and light cruisers), designed by the United States Navy during the period between World War I and World War II. Several designs were proposed for the type, but none was approved for construction. The final design was developed just before World War II, and the entry of the United States into the war saw the project come to an end.
## Background
In the 1920s, following the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty, the United States Navy converted two incomplete battlecruisers into aircraft carriers, USS Lexington and USS Saratoga. These conversions proved to be extremely expensive, and designs were sought that would provide aircraft carrying capability for the fleet at a more reasonable cost. USS Ranger, America's first purpose-built aircraft carrier, was of a smaller, more economical design than the battlecruiser conversions, however the ship sacrificed the big-gun scouting capability of the earlier ships. In an attempt to develop a ship capable of both carrying aircraft and engaging the enemy in the scouting role, the "flight-deck cruiser" concept was developed, following a series of studies proposing the conversion of cruisers under construction into carriers, all of which were rejected. In addition to providing an economical method of providing additional aircraft for the fleet, the "flight-deck cruiser" was seen to have an additional advantage; it would be considered a cruiser under the terms of the Washington Treaty, not an aircraft carrier, and thus the Navy would not be restricted in the number of ships of the type that could be built.
## Designs
Several designs were proposed for a ship carrying both aircraft and a gun armament equivalent to a light cruiser's. One design, from 1930, was described as "a Brooklyn-class light cruiser forwards [and] one half of a Wasp-class aircraft carrier aft", and utilized an early version of the angled deck that would in the 1950s be adopted for use by fleet carriers. The vessel, 650 feet (200 m) in length, had a 350-foot (110 m) flight deck and hangar aft for twenty-four aircraft, while forwards three triple 6-inch (152 mm) gun turrets were mounted, the standard armament for a light cruiser of the time. A secondary dual purpose armament of eight 5-inch (127 mm) guns was also projected to be carried for defense against enemy torpedo-boats and aircraft.
In 1934, another design for a flight-deck cruiser was proposed, featuring twelve 6 in (152 mm) guns, mounted forwards and aft with a 200-foot (61 m) flight deck in between; while a 1939 revival of the concept proposed two triple turrets, fore and aft, again with an amidships flight deck.
In December 1939, a design for a much larger flight-deck cruiser, displacing 12,000 tons, was proposed, fitted with two catapults, a triple turret for 8-inch (203 mm) guns, and a 420-foot (130 m) flight deck; by January 1940 the design had been shrunk to a flight deck 390 feet (120 m) in length and two triple 6 in (152 mm) guns for main armament.
## Abandonment
Despite the continued designs and interest in the idea, no funding was ever appropriated for the construction of a flight-deck cruiser; in addition, evaluation of the design by the Naval War College determined that even a 12,000-ton ship was too small for the concept's intended characteristics to be effectively realized, and thus the ship would be ineffective in battle. In 1940, the design was formally shelved, although provision was made for reconsideration of the concept at a future date. The entry of the United States into World War II following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, however, removed the primary justifications for the concept of a hybrid warship, as naval limitations treaties were now moot and adequate funding was now available for the construction of more conventional ships. As a result, the flight deck cruiser concept was never revisited.
## Similar ships
Although no flight-deck cruisers were ever built by the U.S. Navy, the Soviet Union's Kiev-class aircraft carrier, developed in the 1970s, is remarkably similar to that of the original flight-deck cruiser design, featuring an angled flight deck aft with anti-ship missile launchers forwards.
In addition, during the early 1980s, plans were proposed for the reactivation of the U.S. Navy's Iowa-class battleships that entailed the removal of each ship's aft turret and the installation of a flight deck for operating V/STOL aircraft; in the end a much more modest conversion, lacking the flight deck, was carried out. An article
`in the U.S. Naval Institute's Proceedings proposed a canted flight deck with steam catapult and arrestor wires for F/A-18 Hornet fighters. Plans for these conversions were dropped in 1984.`
## See also
- Moskva-class helicopter carrier
- Invincible-class aircraft carrier
- Vittorio Veneto-class helicopter carrier |
7,084,358 | Curt Roberts | 1,159,839,653 | American baseball player (1929-1969) | [
"1929 births",
"1969 deaths",
"20th-century African-American sportspeople",
"African-American baseball players",
"American expatriate baseball players in Nicaragua",
"Baseball players from Oakland, California",
"Baseball players from Texas",
"Hollywood Stars players",
"Kansas City Monarchs players",
"Major League Baseball second basemen",
"McClymonds High School alumni",
"Omaha Dodgers players",
"People from Pineland, Texas",
"Pittsburgh Pirates players",
"Road incident deaths in California",
"Spokane Indians players"
] | Curtis Benjamin Roberts (August 16, 1929 – November 14, 1969) was an American baseball second baseman who played three seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Major League Baseball from 1954 to 1956. He was signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent before the 1951 season, and obtained by Pittsburgh a year later. After two seasons in the Pirates farm system, Major League Baseball recognizes Roberts as the first black player for the Pirates. After becoming the starting second baseman for the Pirates in his rookie year, Roberts' playing time decreased and he was out of the Majors within three seasons. He then played for multiple teams in the minor leagues before retiring from professional baseball in 1963.
A native of Pineland, Texas, but raised in Oakland, California, Roberts was considered short by Major League standards, standing . Roberts was a skilled defensive player, but he could not hit with enough proficiency to remain in the major leagues. Roberts died when an automobile struck him while he was changing a tire on his car. His former Pirates teammates only learned of his death 20 years later when being interviewed for a newspaper article. Although Roberts' career was short, it paved the way for other black players to debut for the Pirates, the most notable of whom was future Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente.
## Early professional career
Roberts was born in Pineland, Texas but grew up in Oakland, California. He attended McClymonds High School in West Oakland, the same high school future professional athletes Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson, Bill Russell and Curt Flood all went to within a few years of each other. Soon after finishing high school at the age of 17, Roberts began his professional career with the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro leagues. He played four seasons (1947–1950) with the Monarchs, where his teammates included Satchel Paige, Hilton Smith, Buck O'Neil and Elston Howard.
Roberts was signed by the Boston Braves in 1951 by the recommendation of scout Andy Cohen, who saw him play in the Mexican League during the 1950 off-season. They sent Roberts to their minor league affiliate in the Western League, the Denver Bears where Cohen was the manager. Prior to the 1952 season, the Bears became an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and as part of a working agreement between the Braves and the Pirates, Roberts became a member of the Pirates organization for a \$10,000 sum. Originally a shortstop in the Negro leagues, he became a second baseman during his tenure with the Bears, and started to build a reputation as an excellent fielder, leading all minor league second basemen in fielding percentage in 1953. He stayed with the Bears for the next two seasons, playing a combined total of 280 games with 15 home runs and a .285 batting average.
## Major League career
Prior to the 1954 Pittsburgh Pirates season, the local black community in Pittsburgh pressured the team to integrate their roster, as other teams such as the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants had done. To speed up the integration, the black community began to protest against the Pirates and boycotted Pirate home games. The general manager of the Pirates at the time was Branch Rickey, who had signed the first black Major League Baseball player, Jackie Robinson, seven years earlier while general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. After playing two years in the Pirates minor league system, Roberts made his major league debut on April 13, 1954, against the Philadelphia Phillies at Forbes Field, to become recognized as the first black player in Pirates' history. Prior to the game, Rickey gave a speech to Roberts and his wife that was similar to that he gave to Robinson before his first game in 1947. In the speech, Rickey explained to Roberts that he needed to have a "very even temper" in order to succeed in the major leagues, as racial abuse from the spectators was a common occurrence. Rickey later said that he selected Roberts to become the Pirates' first black player owing to his skills and calm demeanor.
In his first major league at bat, Roberts tripled against starting pitcher Robin Roberts. He also had a double in the game. Roberts hit his only career home run off St. Louis Cardinals starter Joe Presko in an 8–5 win on June 11. He scored three runs, including the game winner, in an August 6 game against the Cincinnati Reds. On September 8, Roberts' two errors against the Milwaukee Braves proved costly, as the Braves won their 10th game in a row. Roberts finished the 1954 season as the primary starter at second base, batting .232 with one home run and 36 runs batted in (RBI) in 134 games.
Roberts started the 1955 season in a slump. In his first six games, Roberts only had two hits in 18 at-bats for a batting average of .118. On April 17, in one of the few games he started that season, Roberts' wild throw to third base led to a Brooklyn Dodgers run, the decisive factor in a 3–2 Pirates loss. It was thought that the racial pressure on Roberts was affecting his ability, so to help him, Dodgers second baseman Jackie Robinson wrote a letter to Roberts discussing how to handle his emotions and offering words of encouragement. However, Roberts was soon demoted to the minor leagues and spent the rest of the 1955 season with the Hollywood Stars in the Pacific Coast League. While with the Stars, Roberts broke the Pacific Coast League record for most consecutive games without an error at second base with 40. He also missed playing time after suffering a concussion when he was hit by a pitch delivered by Bubba Church.
Roberts and teammate Johnny O'Brien competed for the second base job prior to the 1956 season. Roberts played 31 games at the beginning of the year, hitting .177 with four runs batted in, mostly in a backup role, before losing his job to future Baseball Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski. On May 1, Roberts succeeded in getting a game-winning, two-RBI, ninth-inning double off "Vinegar Bend" Mitzell of the St. Louis Cardinals. Two days later, Roberts made his last career RBI, a double in the fourth inning in a 5–1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
## Later career
Roberts was traded to the Kansas City Athletics with pitcher Jack McMahan for Spook Jacobs and \$5,000 cash. He never played a game with the Athletics, who soon sent him to the Columbus Jets of the International League in late June 1956. Neither Jacobs nor McMahan lasted beyond the 1956 season in the Majors. After being traded to the Athletics, Pittsburgh's main black newspaper, the Pittsburgh Courier, protested that Roberts never had a real chance in the Majors. However, Pirates general manager Joe L. Brown replied that Roberts was a "fine young man, but a marginal Major Leaguer," whose weak hitting was compounded by a lack of versatility: "He was really a one-position player. He didn't have the arm to play shortstop."
On August 27, as Columbus hosted the Havana Sugar Kings, Roberts became only the fifth player in International League history to hit four home runs in a game (and the first since Newark's Bob Seeds in 1938). It was also the first 4-home-run game in franchise history, as well as the first time a player on any team had performed the feat in Columbus. Roberts had struck only four home runs in 69 previous games with the Jets. Prior to the 1957 season, Roberts was traded to the New York Yankees as the player to be named later in a trade that sent former American League Most Valuable Player Bobby Shantz to the Yankees. In 1957 Roberts played with the New York Yankees minor league affiliate in Denver. At the end of the season, Roberts received several votes in the final tally for Most Valuable Player of the American Association, finishing behind Carl Willey of the Wichita Braves. Roberts never again reached the Majors, becoming a journeyman in the minor leagues and at one point played baseball in Nicaragua.
Roberts played with the Montreal Royals of the International League in 1959, where he led the league in fielding percentage with .987 and was named the Royals Most Valuable Player. He was also selected to the International League All-Star game that season. In 1960, Roberts was acquired by the Spokane Indians, a Dodger affiliate after he was made expandable by the Royals when they acquired Chico Carrasquel. He was selected to the Pacific Coast League All-Star squad in 1961. One week later Roberts suffered a broken leg after colliding with teammate Duke Carmel on the field during a game, practically ending his career. He played two more seasons in the minors, but his playing ability was diminished by the injury and Roberts retired from baseball after the 1963 season.
## Post-baseball and death
Roberts was married with six children. When his baseball career ended, he worked as a security guard for the University of California, Berkeley. He died at the age of 40 in Oakland, California when he was hit by a drunk driver while changing a flat tire on his car. A major piece written by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette journalist Ed Bouchette discussed Roberts' career and struggles, calling him a "forgotten pioneer". Prior to the piece, most of Roberts' old teammates were unaware that he had died nearly 20 years earlier. His son Curt Roberts Jr. supposedly was working on a book about his father's life in 1987.
## Playing style and statistics
Roberts was considered by critics to be an excellent fielder. By 1960, Roberts was considered to be one of the best second baseman in the minor leagues, primary because he was a "slick fielder". Former teammate Nellie King called Roberts the best handler of "chopper[s]" (a slang for a ground out) he had ever seen. According to King, the main reason why Roberts had a short career in the Majors is that the Pirates "didn't gave him enough time" to develop his skills.
Roberts could not hit with enough proficiency to remain in the Major Leagues. He had a reputation of not "hitting the big-league curve". In his three seasons with the Pirates, Roberts had a career .223 batting average (128-for-575) with one home run, forty runs batted in, 54 runs scored, and an on-base percentage of .299. In his 164 appearances at second base, he handled 856 out of 883 total chances successfully for a fielding percentage of .969, a little lower than the league average during his era.
## Legacy
Despite Roberts' short major league career, he paved the way for other black players to debut for the Pirates, the most notable of whom was future Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. He befriended Clemente, teaching him how to handle the racial abuse and the huge pressure that Roberts had suffered with the Pirates. That helped Clemente ease his transition from the Dodgers minor league system, in which they had a decent number of black and Hispanic players, to the main roster of the Pittsburgh Pirates, in which only he, Roberts and third baseman Gene Baker were black. Journalist Tom Singer of MLB.com mentioned that Roberts' legacy arose mainly from his unsuccessful career with the Pirates. Singer claimed because Roberts was a "flop", it showed that the public perception of black players having to be a "superstar" to be a member of a Major League club was incorrect, thus making the integration process more "humanized" and easier for black players. With the eight previous players who broke the color barrier for their respective teams, four were later elected to the Hall of Fame, and the other four were stars in their own right.
In 1997, 28 years after his death, the Pittsburgh Pirates honored Roberts as part of the festivities for Jackie Robinson Day. Roberts was honored again in 2006 for the opening of the Pirates Highmark Legacy Square Negro League exhibit in PNC Park. The families of several Negro league players, including Roberts attended the ceremony. A park in his hometown of Pineland, Texas was dedicated in his honor in 2007.
## See also
- List of Negro league baseball players who played in Major League Baseball
- List of first black Major League Baseball players by team and date |
58,476,255 | Wake Up in the Sky | 1,172,166,466 | 2018 single by Gucci Mane, Bruno Mars and Kodak Black | [
"2018 singles",
"2018 songs",
"Atlantic Records singles",
"Bruno Mars songs",
"Gucci Mane songs",
"Kodak Black songs",
"Songs about alcohol",
"Songs about drugs",
"Songs written by Bruno Mars",
"Songs written by Gucci Mane",
"Songs written by Kodak Black"
] | "Wake Up in the Sky" is a song by American musicians Gucci Mane, Bruno Mars and Kodak Black. It was released by Guwop and Atlantic Records as the third single from Mane's twelfth studio album Evil Genius on September 14, 2018. The song was written by Mane, Black, Mars, Tarentino, DY, and Tre Pounds, while being produced by the latter four. "Wake Up in the Sky" is a hip hop, pop, and soul song with a trap beat, with lyrics about feeling good and enjoying life.
"Wake Up in the Sky" received mostly positive reviews from music critics who found its chorus catchy and appreciated it for eschewing the trap-indebted sound of Evil Genius. The song reached number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The track peaked at number one on the US Rhythmic chart and it also charted in the top 40 in Canada, Hungary, Norway and Slovakia. Mars and Florent Dechard directed the song's music video, in which Mane, Mars and Black perform as a 1980s soul music trio dressed in suits and jewelry.
## Background and release
In June 2018, Gucci Mane told Billboard that he worked with who he considered the best producers for Evil Genius to prove to his fans that he is "still passionate about the music". "Wake Up in the Sky" is Mane's second collaboration with Bruno Mars, the first being Mane's remix of Mars's single "That's What I Like" (2017). Mane and Kodak Black first collaborated on "Vibin in This Bih", which appears on Black's mixtape Lil B.I.G. Pac (2016). It is the first song Black recorded since being released from prison in August 2018 for a number of felony charges. "Wake Up in the Sky" was written by Mane, Mars, Black, Chance Youngblood, Dwan Avery and Jeff LaCroix, and produced by Mars and the latter three under their aliases Tarentino, DY and Tre Pounds. The track was mixed by Serban Ghenea.
Mars first teased the collaboration by sharing an image of himself and Black on Instagram in late August 2018. On September 13, 2018, Mane shared the single's cover art on Instagram and announced that the collaboration would be released the following day. The cover art is an airplane window view of an ice cream cone-shaped cloud. Guwop and Atlantic Records released "Wake Up in the Sky" for digital download and streaming on September 14, 2018, as the album's third single.
## Composition
"Wake Up in the Sky" is a hip hop, pop and soul song with trap influences. It is composed in time and the key of A minor, with a moderate tempo of 80 beats per minute, and a chord progression of Fmaj7–Am(add9)–Cmaj7/D. The artists' vocal range spans from G<sub>4</sub> to D<sub>6</sub>. The track has a hazy, melodic sound and loose, spaced out production. It starts with Mars singing "fly" in his higher vocal register before the R&B hook. A trap beat is then added for the more sensual verses that are permeated with romanticism.
Mane and Black boast in their respective verses; C. Vernon Coleman II of XXL writes that Mane is in "flex mode", while Black's flow was viewed as "sneering" by Consequence of Sound's Randall Colburn. Black sing-speaks in his 16-bar verse, while Mane sings in a crooning style and ad-libs over the light instrumental, saying, "I smell like Bond Number 9, nine/ Section full of fine dimes/ Bitches starin' at me sayin', 'Wow'/ Unforgettable like Nat King Cole/ Gucci Barry White, I'm singing to your ho". His references to King Cole and White recall those of "Slow Jamz" (2003) by Twista featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx. The lyrics in the song are celebratory and are about feeling good and enjoying life, as heard in the hook, "I drink 'til I'm drunk, smoke til I'm high / Castle on the hill, wake up in the sky / You can't tell me I ain't fly / I know I'm super fly".
## Reception
"Wake Up in the Sky" received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Pitchfork's Alphonse Pierre wrote that Mane "sounds rejuvenated as he ad-libs over the bright instrumental", and Mars "effortlessly, [steals] the spotlight with a silky hook". Jordan Bassett of NME felt the song "shimmers with a lush R&B hook" and commented, "This is the most commercial Gucci's ever sounded, but could anyone deny him his euphoria?" According to him, the track is transcendental and "offered such resonance in the context of Gucci's transformation." In his review for XXL, Vernon Coleman II called Mars's chorus "infectious", while Josiah Hughes of Exclaim! deemed the track "luscious".
Brody Kenny of Consequence of Sound regarded "Wake Up in the Sky" as an album highlight, calling Mane's singing "unexpectedly delightful". Exclaim!'s Clayton Tomlinson also viewed it as one of Evil Genius's best tracks, saying it "feels like a Rick Ross song that has been hitting the gym". Trey Alston of Highsnobiety considered it a "glitzy, if brief detour" from the uninspired production of the rest of the album. Writing for Pitchfork, Evan Rytlewski labeled the collaboration "prim", arguing that it eschewed the "of-the-moment trap" of Evil Genius. AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung meanwhile described it as a "smooth break" on the album that adds "some seduction into the mix".
On the other hand, Tom Breihan of Stereogum deemed the song "perfectly catchy", but "insubstantial" and "a forced crossover-hit attempt". HipHopDX's Daniel Spielberger was more critical of the track, writing that it "never comes into a groove and fails to achieve the joyful, soulful vibe of an all-time classic." At the 2020 ASCAP Pop Music Awards it was one of the winners of Most Performed Song.
## Commercial performance
"Wake Up in the Sky" debuted at number 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on the issue dated September 29, 2018. Following the release of its music video, the song rose to a peak of number 11, tying 2017's "I Get the Bag" as Mane's highest-charting single as a lead artist in the US. "Wake Up in the Sky" spent 26 weeks on the aforementioned chart. The song also reached the top five of the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Wake Up in the Sky" became Mane's third, Mars's tenth and Black's first number one on US Rhythmic Songs. It was certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for track-equivalent sales of five million units.
"Wake Up in the Sky" peaked at number 36 on the Canadian Hot 100, spending 20 weeks on the chart. It entered the top 50 in Czech Republic, Ireland and Norway. The single also reached number 49 in Portugal, where it spent 18 weeks on the chart and was certified gold by the Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa (AFP). It debuted and peaked at number 65 on the UK Singles Chart with first-week sales of 7,030 units. It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for track-equivalent sales of 200,000 units. In Australia, the song bowed at number 49 on the ARIA Singles Chart, but was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for track-equivalent sales of 70,000 units.
## Music video
The accompanying music video was directed by Florent Dechard and Mars, and premiered on October 31, 2018. The video shows Mane, Mars and Black wearing glittering 1970s-style suits along with jewelry. The video opens with Mane sitting in front of a mirror in a dressing room, wearing a long, white fur coat over a white suit. He then joins Mars and Black to perform on a stage. The artists perform with vintage microphones as a 1980s soul music trio in front of the stage's jazz theater curtain. They alternate front-man roles as they sing and use coordinated movements. During the performance, Mane gives a rose to a woman in the audience and Black performs his "signature 'Zeze' dance move". Clips of the trio drinking champagne and celebrating with women are intercut with them singing the song.
Billboard's Michael Saponara found the music video "stunning", while KC Orcutt from XXL called the video "lighthearted" and the idea behind it "fun". Aaron Williams of Uproxx felt that it was a "tongue-in-cheek homage to the television performances of yesterday", likening it to the program American Bandstand. Idolator's Mike Wass compared the visual's "retro aesthetic" to Mars's music video for "Finesse" (2018), deeming it "super suave". The video has received over 500 million views on YouTube.
## Personnel
- Gucci Mane – vocals, songwriter
- Bruno Mars – vocals, songwriter, producer
- Kodak Black – vocals, songwriter
- Tarentino – songwriter, producer
- DY – songwriter, producer
- Tre Pounds – songwriter, producer
- Serban Ghenea – mixing
## Charts
### Weekly charts
### Year-end charts
## Certifications |
1,742,036 | Black Tie White Noise | 1,173,891,434 | 1993 studio album by David Bowie | [
"1993 albums",
"Albums produced by David Bowie",
"Albums produced by Nile Rodgers",
"Arista Records albums",
"David Bowie albums",
"David Bowie video albums",
"Soul albums by English artists"
] | Black Tie White Noise is the 18th studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 5 April 1993 through Savage Records in the United States and Arista Records in the United Kingdom. Conceived following the disbandment of Bowie's rock band Tin Machine and his marriage to model Iman, it was recorded throughout 1992 between studios in Montreux, Los Angeles and New York City. Bowie co-produced with his Let's Dance (1983) collaborator Nile Rodgers, who voiced dissatisfaction with the project in later decades. The album features several guest appearances, including previous collaborators Mike Garson and Mick Ronson, and new arrivals Lester Bowie and Chico O'Farrill.
Inspired to write the title track after witnessing the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Black Tie White Noise is primarily separated into themes of racial harmony and David's marriage to Iman. It features prevalent saxophone work from Bowie and a wide variety of musical styles, from art rock, electronic and soul, to jazz, pop and hip-hop influences. It also contains multiple instrumentals and cover versions. The album's lead single "Jump They Say" alludes to Bowie's step-brother Terry, who died in 1985.
Released amidst the rise of Britpop in the UK, Black Tie White Noise initially received favourable reviews from music critics, who praised its experimentation but criticised its lack of cohesion. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, with each of its three singles reaching the UK top 40. Its promotion in America was stalled following the dissolution of Savage Records, resulting in the album's rarity until later reissues. Instead of touring, Bowie released an accompanying film of the same name to support it.
Despite mixed assessments from critics in subsequent decades, Black Tie White Noise marked the beginning of Bowie's commercial revival and improved critical standing following a string of poorly received projects. An interactive CD-ROM based on the album was released in 1994. It was reissued by EMI in 2003 and remastered in 2021 as part of the box set Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001).
## Background
David Bowie began recording material with his former Let's Dance (1983) collaborator Nile Rodgers months after disbanding the rock band Tin Machine. The pair, who had reconnected in New York City after a 1991 Tin Machine concert, first recorded "Real Cool World" for the animated film Cool World. Released as a single in August 1992, it appeared on the film's accompanying soundtrack album and featured a sound that foreshadowed Bowie's direction for his next solo record, his first since Never Let Me Down six years earlier.
In October 1990, Bowie met Somalian model Iman in Los Angeles as he resumed recording with Tin Machine following the Sound+Vision Tour. They married on 24 April 1992 in a private ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland. Five days later, the two returned to Los Angeles on the day the 1992 Los Angeles riots began, forcing the newly-weds to stay in a hotel and witness the violence from inside. Bowie later reflected: "It was an extraordinary feeling. I think the one thing that sprang into our minds was that it felt more like a prison riot than anything else. It felt as if innocent inmates of some vast prison were trying to break out, break free from their bonds." According to biographer Nicholas Pegg, both the wedding and racial divide influenced Bowie's next album.
## Production
### Recording history
With Bowie and Rodgers co-producing, recording for Black Tie White Noise took place between April and November 1992, alternating between Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland and the Hit Factory in New York City, with additional recording done at 38 Fresh studio in Los Angeles. According to biographer Chris O'Leary, Bowie composed beats and patterns at 38 Fresh, which he sent to Rodgers at the Hit Factory to transpose into songs. Rodgers described Bowie's attitude as calmer than Let's Dance, "a hell of a lot more philosophical and just in a state of mind where his music was really, really making him happy".
Both Bowie and Rodgers gave positive statements regarding the sessions in contemporary interviews. Speaking with Rolling Stone, both said they were not looking to do Let's Dance II, Bowie remarking they "would have done [that] years ago". Nevertheless, Rodgers made several unfavourable comparisons between the two records, including statements about Bowie's involvement and how Black Tie was more difficult to produce and took longer to record than Let's Dance. In the ensuing years, Rodgers expressed disappointment in Black Tie, brushing it off as "an exercise in futility" that was not as good as Let's Dance. Tin Machine member Reeves Gabrels later said Bowie felt coerced into hiring Rodgers, who was intent on creating a Let's Dance follow-up, while Bowie wanted to pursue other musical directions. Decades later, Rodgers commented that he wanted a more commercial record, while Bowie was trying to "make this artistic statement about this period in his life".
During the sessions, Bowie signed a record contract with the American label Savage Records, affiliated with Arista Records and owned by BMG. Savage offered him the "artistic freedom" that he was craving: "[Studio head] David Nemran ... encouraged me to do exactly what I wanted to do, without any kind of indication that it would be manipulated, or that my ideas would be changed, or that other things would be required of me. That made me feel comfortable and that was the deciding factor." Nemran replied that Bowie would be the label's breakthrough: "He's everything that I would use to describe us."
### Guest musicians
Black Tie White Noise features an array of guest musicians, some of whom had not collaborated with Bowie for decades. Guitarist Mick Ronson, a member of the Spiders from Mars backing band from 1971 to 1973, appears on a cover of Cream's "I Feel Free" (1966). Ronson, whose last appearance was on 1973's Pin Ups, reconnected with Bowie after the latter was impressed by the former's production work on Morrissey's Your Arsenal (1992). Bowie praised Ronson's contributions on Black Tie while the latter commented, "I hope David's album does well. He's put everything into it." Ronson died of cancer shortly after the album's release.
Pianist Mike Garson, whose last appearance on a Bowie record was 1975's Young Americans, plays on "Looking for Lester". Bowie told Record Collector in 1993: "He really has a gift. He kind of plops those jewels on the track and they're quite extraordinary, eccentric pieces of piano playing." Trinidadian guitarist Tony Springer (credited as "Wild T" Springer) appears on a cover of Morrissey's Your Arsenal track "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday". Bowie had met Springer in Canada during Tin Machine's It's My Life Tour and invited him to record. Bowie recalled that "he was an absolute delight", comparing his guitar style to Jimi Hendrix.
Gabrels plays lead guitar on "You've Been Around", although his contribution was placed low in the mix. The song was first attempted by Tin Machine during the sessions for their 1989 debut album, but Bowie was dissatisfied with the result so it was shelved, eventually rerecording it for Black Tie. Singer Al B. Sure! duets with Bowie on the title track, of which the two worked on the arrangement extensively, leading Bowie to quip "I've never worked longer with any artist than with Al B".
Black Tie also features trumpet playing by Lester Bowie, whom David Bowie had wanted to work with throughout the 1980s. Lester, who played to tracks before he heard them, appears on six tracks; Pegg considers his contributions the album's "essential musical identity". A foil to Lester's trumpet was David's saxophone, which appears more prominently on Black Tie than any other David Bowie album. Rodgers found his saxophone playing challenging, telling Rolling Stone: "I think David would be the first to admit that he's not a saxophonist in the traditional sense. [...] He uses his playing as an artistic tool. He's a painter. He hears an idea, and he goes with it. But he absolutely knows where he's going." The album's horn arrangements were composed by Afro-Cuban jazz player Chico O'Farrill. Black Tie also features several backing vocalists from Let's Dance and Labyrinth (1986), while pianist Philippe Saisse and producer David Richards returned from Never Let Me Down.
## Music and lyrics
Black Tie White Noise features a wide variety of musical influences and styles, including soul, hip-hop, disco, pop, avant-garde jazz and gospel. Author James E. Perone also found references to Bowie's plastic soul work of the 1970s. Rolling Stone's Jason Newman described the music as "a blend of Euro-disco, techno-rock, freestyle jazz, Middle Eastern riffs and hip-hop", while AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine considered Black Tie an "urban soul record" that balances styles of the "commercial dance rock" of Let's Dance with the art rock of the late 1970s Berlin Trilogy. A writer for The Economist later categorised the record as art rock and electronic. In 1993, Bowie told Rolling Stone that his intent for Black Tie White Noise was making a new type of house record that brought back the "strong melodic content" of the 1960s, finding "the new R&B [of today]" a mixture of "hip-hop and house". He commented: "I think this album comes from a very different emotional place. That's the passing of time, which has brought maturity and a willingness to relinquish full control over my emotions."
Lyrically, Black Tie White Noise is primarily separated into two major themes: racial harmony and Bowie's marriage to Iman. Perone finds the "Black Tie" signifies "a wedding" while "White Noise" epitomises the "instrumentally focused, slightly experimental jazz pieces". For his wedding ceremony, he had composed an instrumental intended to fuse him and Iman's English and Somalian cultures. Writing the piece triggered Bowie to make the album:
> Writing [the music for the wedding] brought my mind around to, obviously, what commitment means and why I was getting married at this age and what my intentions were and were they honorable? [laughs] And what I really wanted from my life from now on. I guess it acted as a watershed to write a lot of quite personal things, putting together a collection of songs that illustrated what I'd been going through over the past three or four years.
### Songs
Black Tie White Noise opens with the instrumental "The Wedding", a funk adaptation of the instrumental Bowie composed for his wedding. It's a piece that, in Pegg's words, "fuses dance beats, distant backing vocals and Eastern-influenced saxophone cadences" that set the stage for the remaining tracklist. The Black Tie version of "You've Been Around" blends contemporary dance music with elements of jazz. Although Bowie and Gabrels wrote it together, O'Leary says the new version "effectively erased...Reeves Gabrels". Pegg states the lyrics foreshadow the "fractal images" Bowie used for his next studio album, Outside (1995). Bowie's cover of "I Feel Free" is musically different from Cream's original, being described by Pegg as "techno-funk" and likened by Perone to "1990s dance music".
Bowie's recorded the title track with a rougher edge to avoid ending up like "an 'Ebony and Ivory' for the Nineties". To evoke the racial theme, the lyrics reference "We Are the World" by the supergroup USA for Africa (1985) and Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" (1971); Pegg says that the "black and white voices" of Al B Sure! assist in the theme's presentation. Musically, the track is funky, with prevalent saxophone and trumpet by David and Lester Bowie, respectively. "Jump They Say" discusses themes of mental illness, and is loosely based on David's step-brother Terry Burns, who died by suicide in 1985 after being hospitalised for schizophrenia. Bowie stated, "It's the first time I've felt capable of addressing it." Described by biographer David Buckley as "an eerie psychodrama", the song features prevalent backwards saxophone work from Bowie.
"Nite Flights" was written by singer-songwriter Scott Walker (as Scott Engel) and originally recorded by the Walker Brothers for their 1978 album of the same name. Bowie was a huge fan of the album, first hearing it while recording 1979's Lodger, and decided to cover the song for Black Tie White Noise. Musically, Pegg describes it as a "Euro-disco/jazz-funk fusion" evocative of the Berlin Trilogy, while it lyrically predates the content found on Outside. Buckley considers "Pallas Athena", a mostly instrumental track reminiscent of the Berlin era, Bowie's most experimental work in a decade, combining "contemporary hip-hop dance rhythms" with the ambience of Low (1977). Bowie told NME in 1993 that he "[didn't] know what the fuck it's about".
Both "Miracle Goodnight" and "Don't Let Me Down & Down" support the wedding theme. The former is laden with synthesisers and mimics 1980s pop. The latter was originally recorded in Arabic by Mauritanian singer Tahra Mint Hembara (a friend of Iman's) in 1988 as "T Beyby"; her producer Martine Valmont wrote English lyrics and retitled it "Don't Let Me Down & Down". Bowie discovered it while browsing through Iman's CD collection and decided to cover it as a wedding gift. He stated, "[It was] one of those tracks that sort of in a diary-like way records the beginnings of a relationship." Comparing its arrangement to 1984's Tonight, O'Leary calls it the "most obscure" cover of Bowie's entire career. On its lyrics, Pegg says it recalls the "romantic balladry" of "Win" and "Can You Hear Me?" from Young Americans.
The jazz instrumental "Looking for Lester" features David and Lester Bowie soloing on saxophone and trumpet. The title is a play on John Coltrane's "Chasing the Train". The gospel cover of "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday" is reminiscent of Bowie's early 1970s ballads, including a direct reference to the climax of "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" (1972). Pegg describes the track as "Bowie covers Morrissey parodying Ziggy Stardust in the style of Young Americans". The album ends with "The Wedding Song", a vocal version of the opening track. Pegg considers the two tracks throwbacks to "It's No Game", which bookends Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980).
## Artwork and title
The cover artwork was taken by photographer Nick Knight. The inlay photography depicts Bowie in attire from the "Never Let Me Down" music video (1987): shirtsleeves with a Bogey hat holding a 1940s microphone. According to Buckley, the title was a comment on the racial mix of Bowie and Iman's marriage and the fusion of American and British musical styles Bowie was experimenting with. It was also in debt to the cut-up technique Bowie had discussed in an interview with writer William S. Burroughs in the mid-1970s. A working title for the album was The Wedding Album. On the title, Bowie told Record Collector in 1993:
> White noise itself is something that I first encountered on the synthesiser many years ago. There's black noise and white noise. I thought that much of what is said and done by the whites is white noise. 'Black ties' is because, for me, musically, the one thing that really turned me on to wanting to be a musician, wanting to write, was black music, American black music [...] I found it all very exciting – the feeling of aggression that came through the arrangements.
## Release and promotion
By the end of 1992, the rise of Britpop bands such as Blur, the Auteurs and Suede had influenced the UK music scene. These artists, particularly Suede, acknowledged Bowie's influence in interviews and their music, with Buckley describing Suede's debut single "The Drowners" as an homage to Bowie's glam rock work of the early 1970s. Shortly before the release of Suede's debut album and Black Tie White Noise, NME's Steve Sutherland interviewed Bowie and Suede's lead singer Brett Anderson together, where the two discussed influences and exchanged compliments. The interview generated a large amount of publicity for the two artists' upcoming albums in the UK. Additionally, author Paul Trynka states that Ronson's guest appearance earned Black Tie White Noise more attention.
The lead single, "Jump They Say" backed by a remix of "Pallas Athena", was released on 15 March 1993. It came in numerous formats that contained various remixes of the track, a trend that continued in Bowie's work throughout the rest of the 1990s. The single became the artist's biggest hit since "Absolute Beginners" seven years earlier, peaking at number nine on the UK Singles Chart. It was supported by a Mark Romanek-directed music video featuring numerous references to Bowie's prior work. Pegg calls it one of his finest videos, praising its "non-linear" imagery.
Black Tie White Noise was issued shortly after on 5 April 1993 on different LP and CD formats, with the catalogue numbers 74321 13697 1 and 74321 13697 2, respectively. The LP release removed "The Wedding" and "Looking for Lester", while the CD edition featured a remix of "Jump They Say" and the outtake "Lucy Can't Dance". Meanwhile, the Japanese and Singaporean CDs contained a remix of "Pallas Athena" and "Don't Let Me Down & Down", respectively. Before its release, Bowie expressed love for the album, stating, "I don't think I've hit this peak before as a performer and a writer."
The album was a commercial success in the UK, entering the UK Albums Chart at number one and dethroning Suede's debut album; it was Bowie's final UK number one album until The Next Day in 2013. In America, it charted at number 39 on the Billboard 200, although its promotion was affected when Savage Records filed for bankruptcy shortly after its release. Although Bowie had signed a three-album deal, the label sued Bowie claiming substantial losses on Black Tie. The case was dismissed and the label was dissolved; Black Tie White Noise became a rarity in record stores until reissues later in the 1990s.
The title track, backed by a remix of "You've Been Around", was released as the second single in June 1993, credited to David Bowie featuring Al B. Sure! Charting at number 36 in the UK, it was supported by a Romanek-directed music video, featuring both Bowie and Al B. Sure! and displaying, in Pegg's words, "a deft bricolage of images against the backdrop of an urban ghetto." "Miracle Goodnight", backed by "Looking for Lester", was issued as the third and final single in October 1993, charting at number 40 in the UK. Pegg argues it would have been a bigger hit had it been the lead single. "Nite Flights" was intended as the fourth single, but was cancelled by Arista Records following the performances of the two previous singles. Meanwhile, "Pallas Athena" was remixed by numerous DJs and anonymously became a popular club track in London and New York.
## Critical reception
Black Tie White Noise received generally favourable reviews from music critics on release. Some reviewers considered it Bowie's finest since Scary Monsters. Biographer Christopher Sandford states it was praised for its experimentation but criticised for an overall lack of cohesion. David Sinclair of Q magazine argued Black Tie "picks up where Scary Monsters left off" and "if any collection of songs could reinstate [Bowie's] godhead status, then this is it." He primarily criticised the lack of "obvious" hit singles, but felt the record was full of "imagination and charm" and deemed Bowie's saxophone performances some of his best to date. A reviewer for Billboard was also positive, describing it as a whole "trail-blazing and brilliant", further noting "inspired covers" and echoes of Let's Dance, Scary Monsters and Ziggy Stardust (1972). Meanwhile, Rolling Stone's Paul Evans hailed it "one of the smartest records of a very smart career", finding references to the artist's previous works as well as new innovations that "point the way to future risk, to brave changes yet to come". Richard Cromelin of the Los Angeles Times considered it Bowie's "most committed-sounding music in years".
Other reviewers were more negative. A reviewer for Vox magazine found the radio-friendly singles calculated and Bowie's saxophone playing inferior to his musical contributions on "Heroes" (1977), but felt its "bent, ethnic-sounding notes create the album's most atmospheric moments". Dave Thompson found it lacked innovation in The Rocket. Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker described Black Tie as a "stultifying yet annoying" record save for "Miracle Goodnight" and "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday". Veteran critic Robert Christgau said in The Village Voice that the music was Bowie's "most arresting" because of its dance beats and electronic textures, but reacted negatively towards the lyrics.
## Aftermath and legacy
Bowie did not tour in support of Black Tie White Noise, telling Record Collector that it "takes up so much time". He also declined an invitation to perform on MTV's Unplugged programme. Instead, he made small appearances on American television and released a film to accompany the album. Directed by Bowie's long-time video director David Mallet, David Bowie: Black Tie White Noise (1993) is a hybrid of interviews, footage shot during the recording sessions and mimed performances of six tracks shot by Mallet on 8 May 1993 at Hollywood Center Studios. Pegg calls it a "useful companion" to the album but finds Mallet's material uninspired. Sandford also considers the Mallet-directed material inferior to the two men's prior collaborations. The film was included as part of EMI's 2003 reissue campaign for the album, with a standalone DVD release following two years later. Although Bowie intended to resume the Tin Machine project following the release of Black Tie, the idea never came to fruition. His next effort was the solo The Buddha of Suburbia, released in November 1993.
Black Tie White Noise marked the beginning of Bowie's commercial revival and improved critical standing, with one reviewer later calling it a perfect way to begin the next chapter of his career. Despite its initial success—Pegg arguing it may have initially been "over-praised"—the album's critical standing in later decades has been mixed. Although several agreed it was his best since Scary Monsters at the time, critics remain divided on its cohesiveness, praising individual tracks but finding the album as a whole subpar. Pegg summarises: "It's a supremely confident, professional and commercial piece of work, and its best moments are exceptional." Some also felt the production aged poorly, with Trynka saying that its "overpolite, airbrushed sheen" meant that following the fall of Savage Records, "little bemoaned its passing". Others praised Lester Bowie's trumpet playing and David Bowie's vocal performances. In a positive review, BBC Music's David Quantick recognised Black Tie White Noise as a continuation of Scary Monsters, wherein Bowie used aspects of his entire career in new, innovative ways. He credited the production and Bowie's "immense confidence" for an album that rose above its immediate predecessors. In AllMusic, Erlewine called it "an interesting first step in Bowie's creative revival", identifying ideas that Bowie further expanded with on later releases. In a 2016 retrospective ranking all of Bowie's 26 studio albums from worst to best, Bryan Wawzenek of Ultimate Classic Rock placed Black Tie White Noise at number 25 (above Never Let Me Down). In a 2018 list which included Bowie's two albums with Tin Machine, the writers of Consequence of Sound ranked Black Tie White Noise number 18 out of 28. David Sackllah wrote that the record holds up "fairly well" and, as the beginning of an experimental era, Black Tie "stood as one of his better works from the decade".
### CD-ROM and reissues
In 1994, an interactive CD-ROM based on Black Tie White Noise was developed by ION and released by MPC. The CD-ROM, which Bowie intended to be "fully interactive", gave users a chance to remake the "Jump They Say" video using pre-existing footage and view excerpts from the Black Tie White Noise film. It was not well received, although Perone considered it innovative for its time. Bowie initially expressed excitement in the project, but it ultimately did not live up to his expectations, stating in 1995 that he "absolutely loathed it".
In August 2003, Black Tie White Noise was reissued by EMI in a 3-CD deluxe edition to mark its tenth anniversary. It featured the original album, a CD of remixes and other tracks from the period (such as "Real Cool World"), and the original Black Tie White Noise film. In 2021, the album was remastered and included as part of the box set Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001).
## Track listing
Notes
- "Jangan Susahkan Hatiku" ("Don't Let Me Down & Down" with the first half-sung in Indonesian) supplanted "Don't Let Me Down & Down" in the version of the album released in Indonesia.
## Personnel
According to the liner notes and biographer Nicholas Pegg.
- David Bowie – vocals, guitar, saxophone, dog alto
- Nile Rodgers – guitar
- Poogie Bell, Sterling Campbell – drums
- Barry Campbell, John Regan – bass
- Richard Hilton, Dave Richards, Philippe Saisse, Richard Tee – keyboards
- Michael Reisman – harp, tubular bells, string arrangement
- Gerardo Velez – percussion
- Fonzi Thornton, Tawatha Agee, Curtis King, Jr., Dennis Collins, Brenda White-King, Maryl Epps – background vocals
- Al B. Sure! – vocal duet on "Black Tie White Noise"
- Reeves Gabrels – lead guitar on "You've Been Around"
- Mick Ronson – lead guitar on "I Feel Free"
- Wild T. Springer – lead guitar on "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday"
- Mike Garson – piano on "Looking for Lester"
- Lester Bowie – trumpet on "You've Been Around", "Jump They Say", "Pallas Athena", "Don't Let Me Down & Down" and "Looking for Lester"
- Fonzi Thornton, Tawatha Agee, Curtis King, Jr., Dennis Collins, Brenda White-King, Maryl Epps, Frank Simms, George Simms, David Spinner, Lamya Al-Mughiery, Connie Petruk, David Bowie, Nile Rodgers – choir on "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday"
Production
- David Bowie – producer
- Nile Rodgers – producer
- Jon Goldberger, Gary Tole, Andrew Grassi, Mike Greene, Louis Alfred III, Dale Schalow, Lee Anthony, Michael Thompson, Neal Perry, Andy Smith – engineering
## Charts
### Weekly charts
### Year-end charts
### Certifications |
29,684,300 | Rudolf Hess | 1,172,439,514 | German Nazi leader | [
"1894 births",
"1987 deaths",
"1987 suicides",
"20th-century Freikorps personnel",
"Burials at sea",
"German Army personnel of World War I",
"German people convicted of the international crime of aggression",
"German people of Swiss descent",
"German people of World War II",
"German people who died in prison custody",
"German politicians who committed suicide",
"German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United Kingdom",
"German prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment",
"Hypochondriacs",
"Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich alumni",
"Luftstreitkräfte personnel",
"Members of the Academy for German Law",
"Members of the Reichstag of Nazi Germany",
"Members of the Reichstag of the Weimar Republic",
"Military personnel of Bavaria",
"Nazi Germany ministers",
"Nazi Party officials",
"Nazi Party politicians",
"Nazis from outside Germany",
"Nazis who committed suicide in Germany",
"Nazis who died by suicide in prison custody",
"Nazis who participated in the Beer Hall Putsch",
"Occultism in Nazism",
"People convicted by the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg",
"Politicians from Alexandria",
"Prisoners in the Tower of London",
"Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by international courts and tribunals",
"Recipients of the Iron Cross (1914), 2nd class",
"Recipients of the Military Merit Cross (Bavaria)",
"Reichsleiters",
"Rudolf Hess",
"SS-Obergruppenführer",
"Sturmabteilung officers",
"Suicides by hanging in Germany",
"Thule Society members"
] | Rudolf Walter Richard Hess (Heß in German; 26 April 1894 – 17 August 1987) was a German politician and a leading member of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. Appointed Deputy Führer to Adolf Hitler in 1933, Hess held that position until 1941, when he flew solo to Scotland in an attempt to negotiate the United Kingdom's exit from the Second World War. He was taken prisoner and eventually convicted of crimes against peace. He was still serving his life sentence at the time of his suicide in 1987.
Hess enlisted as an infantryman in the Imperial German Army at the outbreak of World War I. He was wounded several times during the war and was awarded the Iron Cross, 2nd Class, in 1915. Shortly before the war ended, Hess enrolled to train as an aviator, but he saw no action in that role. He left the armed forces in December 1918 with the rank of Leutnant der Reserve. In 1919, Hess enrolled in the University of Munich, where he studied geopolitics under Karl Haushofer, a proponent of the concept of Lebensraum ('living space'), which became one of the pillars of Nazi ideology. Hess joined the Nazi Party on 1 July 1920 and was at Hitler's side on 8 November 1923 for the Beer Hall Putsch, a failed Nazi attempt to seize control of the government of Bavaria. While serving a prison sentence for this attempted coup, he assisted Hitler with Mein Kampf, which became a foundation of the political platform of the Nazi Party.
After Hitler became Chancellor in January 1933, Hess was appointed Deputy Führer of the Nazi Party in April. He was elected to the Reichstag in the March elections, was made a Reichsleiter of the Nazi Party in June and in December 1933 he became Minister without Portfolio in Hitler's cabinet. He was also appointed in 1938 to the Cabinet Council and in August 1939 to the Council of Ministers for Defence of the Reich. Hitler decreed on the outbreak of war on 1 September 1939 that Hermann Göring was his official successor, and named Hess as next in line. In addition to appearing on Hitler's behalf at speaking engagements and rallies, Hess signed into law much of the government's legislation, including the Nuremberg Laws of 1935, which stripped the Jews of Germany of their rights in the lead-up to the Holocaust.
On 10 May 1941, Hess made a solo flight to Scotland, where he hoped to arrange peace talks with the Duke of Hamilton, whom he believed to be a prominent opponent of the British government's war policy. The British authorities arrested Hess immediately on his arrival and held him in custody until the end of the war, when he was returned to Germany to stand trial at the 1946 Nuremberg trials of major war criminals. During much of his trial, Hess claimed to be suffering from amnesia, but he later admitted to the court that this had been a ruse. The court convicted him of crimes against peace and of conspiracy with other German leaders to commit crimes. He served a life sentence in Spandau Prison; the Soviet Union blocked repeated attempts by family members and prominent politicians to procure his early release. While still in custody as the only prisoner in Spandau, he hanged himself in 1987 at the age of 93.
After his death, the prison was demolished to prevent it from becoming a neo-Nazi shrine. His grave, bearing the inscription "Ich hab's gewagt" (I dared it), became a site of regular pilgrimage and demonstrations by Neo-Nazis. In 2011, authorities refused to renew the lease on the gravesite, and his remains were exhumed and cremated and the gravestone destroyed.
## Early life and family
Hess, the eldest of three children, was born on 26 April 1894 in Ibrahimieh, a suburb of Alexandria, Egypt (then under British occupation, though formally a part of the Ottoman Empire), into a wealthy German family. Originally from Bohemia, the Hess family settled in Wunsiedel, Upper Franconia, in the 1760s. His grandfather, Johann Christian Hess, married Margaretha Bühler, the daughter of a Swiss consul, in 1861 in Trieste. After the birth of his father, Johann Fritz Hess, the family moved to Alexandria, where Johann Christian Hess founded the import company Hess & Co. which his son, Johann Fritz Hess, took over in 1888. His mother, Klara Hess, was the daughter of Rudolf Münch, a textile industrialist and councillor of commerce from Hof, Upper Franconia. His brother, Alfred, was born in 1897 and his sister, Margarete, was born in 1908. The family lived in a villa on the Egyptian coast near Alexandria, and visited Germany often from 1900, staying at their summer home in Reicholdsgrün (now part of Kirchenlamitz) in the Fichtel Mountains.
Hess's youth in Egypt left him with a lifelong contempt for non-white peoples together with a strong admiration for the British Empire. Hess's youth growing up under the "Veiled Protectorate" of Sir Evelyn Baring made him unique among the Nazi leaders in that he grew up under British rule, which he saw in very positive terms. Hess believed that the Egyptians could accomplish nothing on their own and credited all of the progress achieved in Egypt to the British "veiled protectorate". A recurring theme in Hess's later writings and speeches was that white peoples, especially those from countries in north-west Europe like Britain and Germany, were the peoples destined to rule the world and should co-operate with one another.
Hess attended a German language Protestant school in Alexandria from 1900 to 1908, when he was sent back to Germany to study at a boarding school in Bad Godesberg. He demonstrated aptitudes for science and mathematics, but his father wished him to join the family business, Hess & Co., so he sent him in 1911 to study at the École supérieure de commerce in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. After a year there, Hess took an apprenticeship at a trading company in Hamburg.
## World War I
Within weeks of the outbreak of World War I, Hess enlisted in the 7th Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment, part of the 1st Royal Bavarian Division. His initial posting was against the British on the Somme; he was present at the First Battle of Ypres. On 9 November 1914, Hess transferred to the 1st Infantry Regiment, stationed near Arras. He was awarded the Iron Cross, second class, and promoted to Gefreiter (corporal) in April 1915. After additional training at the Munster Training Area, he was promoted to Vizefeldwebel (senior non-commissioned officer) and received the Bavarian Military Merit Cross. Returning to the front lines in November, he fought in Artois, participating in the battle for the town of Neuville-Saint-Vaast. After two months out of action with a throat infection, Hess served in the Battle of Verdun in May, and was hit by shrapnel in the left hand and arm on 12 June 1916 during fighting near the village of Thiaumont. After a month off to recover, he was sent back to the Verdun area, where he remained until December.
Hess was promoted to platoon leader of the 10th Company of the 18th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment, which was serving in Romania. He was wounded on 23 July and again on 8 August 1917; the first injury was a shell splinter to the left arm, which was dressed in the field, but the second was a bullet wound that entered the upper chest near the armpit and exited near his spinal column, leaving a pea-sized entry wound and a cherry stone-sized exit wound on his back.
By 20 August, he was well enough to travel, so he was sent to hospital in Hungary and eventually back to Germany, where he recovered in hospital in Meissen. In October he received promotion to Leutnant der Reserve and was recommended for, but did not receive, the Iron Cross, first class. At his father's request, Hess was transferred to a hospital closer to home, arriving at Alexandersbad on 25 October.
While still convalescing, Hess had requested that he be allowed to enroll to train as a pilot, so after Christmas leave with his family, he reported to Munich. He received basic flight training at Oberschleissheim and Lechfeld Air Base from March to June 1918, and advanced training at Valenciennes in France in October. On 14 October, he was assigned to Jagdstaffel 35b, a Bavarian fighter squadron equipped with Fokker D.VII biplanes. He saw no action with Jagdstaffel 35b, as the war ended on 11 November 1918, before he had the opportunity.
Hess was discharged from the armed forces in December 1918. The family fortunes had taken a serious downturn, as their business interests in Egypt had been expropriated by the British. Hess joined the Thule Society, an antisemitic right-wing Völkisch group, and the Freikorps of Colonel Ritter von Epp, one of many such volunteer paramilitary organisations active in Germany at the time.
Bavaria witnessed frequent and often bloody conflicts between right-wing groups, the Freikorps, and left-wing forces as they fought for control of the state during this period. Hess was a participant in street battles in early 1919 and led a group that distributed thousands of antisemitic pamphlets in Munich. He later said that Egypt made him a nationalist, the war made him a socialist, and Munich made him an antisemite.
In 1919, Hess enrolled in the University of Munich, where he studied history and economics. His geopolitics professor was Karl Haushofer, a former general in the German Army who was a proponent of the concept of Lebensraum ("living space"), which Haushofer cited to justify the proposal that Germany should forcefully conquer additional territory in Eastern Europe. Hess later introduced this concept to Adolf Hitler, and it became one of the pillars of Nazi Party ideology. Hess became friends with Haushofer and his son Albrecht, a social theorist and lecturer.
Ilse Pröhl, a fellow student at the university, met Hess in April 1920 when they by chance rented rooms in the same boarding house. They married on 20 December 1927 and their only child, Wolf Rüdiger Hess, was born ten years later, on 18 November 1937. His name was, at least in part, to honour Hitler, who often used "Wolf" as a code name. Hess nicknamed the boy "Buz".
## Relationship with Hitler
After hearing the Nazi Party leader Hitler speak for the first time in 1920 at a Munich rally, Hess became completely devoted to him. They held a shared belief in the stab-in-the-back myth, the notion that Germany's loss in World War I was caused by a conspiracy of Jews and Bolsheviks rather than a military defeat. Hess joined the Nazi Party on 1 July as member number 16. As the party continued to grow, holding rallies and meetings in ever larger beer halls in Munich, he focused his attention on fundraising and organisational activities. On 4 November 1921, he was injured while protecting Hitler when a bomb planted by a Marxist group exploded at the Hofbräuhaus during a party event. Hess joined the Sturmabteilung (SA) by 1922 and helped organise and recruit its early membership.
Meanwhile, problems continued with the economy; hyperinflation caused many personal fortunes to be rendered worthless. When the German government failed to meet its reparations payments and French troops marched in to occupy the industrial areas along the Ruhr in January 1923, widespread civil unrest was the result. Hitler decided the time was ripe to attempt to seize control of the government with a coup d'état modelled on Benito Mussolini's 1922 March on Rome. Hess was with Hitler on the night of 8 November 1923 when he and the SA stormed a public meeting organised by Bavaria's de facto ruler, Staatskommissar (state commissioner) Gustav von Kahr, in the Bürgerbräukeller, a large beer hall in Munich. Brandishing a pistol, Hitler interrupted Kahr's speech and announced that the national revolution had begun, declaring the formation of a new government with World War I General Erich Ludendorff. The next day, Hitler and several thousand supporters attempted to march to the Ministry of War in the city centre. Gunfire broke out between the Nazis and the police; sixteen marchers and four police officers were killed. Hitler was arrested on 11 November.
Hess and some SA men had taken a few of the dignitaries hostage on the night of the 8th, driving them to a house about 50 kilometres (31 mi) from Munich. When Hess left briefly to make a phone call the next day, the hostages convinced the driver to help them escape. Hess, stranded, called Ilse Pröhl, who brought him a bicycle so he could return to Munich. He went to stay with the Haushofers and then fled to Austria, but they convinced him to return. He was arrested and sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in the attempted coup, which later became known as the Beer Hall Putsch. Hitler was sentenced to five years imprisonment, and the Nazi Party and SA were both outlawed.
Both men were incarcerated in Landsberg Prison, where Hitler soon began work on his memoir, Mein Kampf ("My Struggle"), which he dictated to fellow prisoners Hess and Emil Maurice. Edited by publisher Max Amann, Hess and others, the work was published in two parts in 1925 and 1926. It was later released in a single volume, which became a best-seller after 1930. This book, with its message of violent antisemitism, became the foundation of the political platform of the Nazi Party.
Hitler was released on parole on 20 December 1924 and Hess ten days later. The ban on the Nazi Party and SA was lifted in February 1925, and the party grew to 100,000 members in 1928 and 150,000 in 1929. They received only 2.6 per cent of the vote in the 1928 election, but support increased steadily up until the seizure of power in 1933.
Hitler named Hess his private secretary in April 1925 at a salary of 500 Reichsmarks per month, and named him as personal adjutant on 20 July 1929. Hess accompanied Hitler to speaking engagements around the country and became his friend and confidante. Hess was one of the few people who could meet with Hitler at any time without an appointment. His influence in the Party continued to grow. On 15 December 1932 Hess was named head of the Party Liaison Staff and Chairman of the Party Central Political Commission.
Retaining his interest in flying after the end of his active military career, Hess obtained his private pilot's licence on 4 April 1929. His instructor was World War I flying ace Theodor Croneiss. In 1930 Hess became the owner of a BFW M.23b monoplane sponsored by the party newspaper, the Völkischer Beobachter. He acquired two more Messerschmitt aircraft in the early 1930s, logging many flying hours and becoming proficient in the operation of light single-engine aircraft.
## Deputy Führer
On 30 January 1933, Hitler was appointed Reich Chancellor, his first step in gaining dictatorial control of Germany. Hess was named Deputy Führer (Stellvertreter des Führers) of the Nazi Party on 21 April. On 2 June 1933 he was made one of 16 Reichsleiters in the Party hierarchy. On 1 July he was raised to the rank of Obergruppenführer in the Schutzstaffel (SS). However, by 20 September Hitler decreed that he stop using the titles of Reichsleiter and Obergruppenführer, and use only the title of "Deputy Fuhrer". This was an acknowledgement of his primus inter pares status in the Party. Hess was appointed to the cabinet as a Reich Minister without Portfolio, on 1 December. With offices in the Brown House in Munich and another in Berlin, Hess was responsible for several departments, including foreign affairs, finance, health, education and law. Hess also was named as a member of Hans Frank's Academy for German Law. All legislation passed through his office for approval, except that concerning the army, the police and foreign policy, and he wrote and co-signed many of Hitler's decrees. An organiser of the annual Nuremberg Rallies, he usually gave the opening speech and introduced Hitler. Hess also spoke over the radio and at rallies around the country, so frequently that the speeches were collected into book form in 1938. Hess acted as Hitler's delegate in negotiations with industrialists and members of the wealthier classes. As Hess had been born abroad, Hitler had him oversee the Nazi Party groups such as the NSDAP/AO that were in charge of party members living in other countries. Hitler instructed Hess to review all court decisions that related to persons deemed enemies of the Party. He was authorised to increase the sentences of anyone he felt got off too lightly in these cases, and was also empowered to take "merciless action" if he saw fit to do so. This often entailed sending the person to a concentration camp or simply ordering the person killed.
In 1933, Hess founded the Volksdeutscher Rat (Council of Ethnic Germans) to handle the Nazi Party's relations with ethnic German minorities around the world, with a particular focus on Eastern Europe. The purpose of the council was to protect the Nazi Party from criticism that it was attempting to extend the process of Gleichschaltung to international ethnic German communities. Despite Hess's claims to the contrary, the council members were primarily loyal to Germany rather than their current nations. The eight council members, only one of which was a member of the Nazi Party, were responsible only to Hess. All had long been known to either Hess or Haushofer, who was also involved with the council. Members publicly claimed to be uninvolved in the council, which Hess used as proof that the Nazi Party was not trying to interfere in the domestic affairs of other nations. As the council had considerable funds and appeared to be sufficiently independent of the German government to satisfy foreign governments, its activities had some impact on international German communities in the 1930s. Its most notable impact was in the Sudetenland, where in 1933 it promoted Konrad Henlein as the politician with the best hope of building a Nazi-friendly party that would win mass support without being banned by the Czechoslovak government.
The Nazi regime began to persecute Jews soon after the seizure of power. Hess's office was partly responsible for drafting Hitler's Nuremberg Laws of 1935. These laws had far-reaching implications for the Jews of Germany, banning marriage between non-Jewish and Jewish Germans and depriving non-Aryans of their German citizenship. Hess's friend Karl Haushofer and his family were subject to these laws, as Haushofer had married a half-Jewish woman, so Hess issued documents exempting them from this legislation.
Hess did not build a power base or develop a coterie of followers. He was motivated by his loyalty to Hitler and a desire to be useful to him; he did not seek power or prestige or take advantage of his position to accumulate personal wealth. He lived in a modest house in Munich. Hess was devoted to the völkisch ideology and viewed many issues in terms of an alleged Jewish conspiracy against Germany. For example, he said in a speech that "Today's League of Nations is really only a farce which functions primarily as the basis for the Jews to reach their own aims. You need only to note how many Jews sit in the League." In a speech in 1937, Hess blamed the Spanish Civil War on "international Jewry", called the Soviet Foreign Commissar Maxim Litvinov a "dirty Jew", and claimed that without Hitler or Mussolini, "Jewish Asiatic Bolshevism would dominate European culture".
On 30 August 1939, immediately prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, Hess was appointed by Hitler to the six-person Council of Ministers for Defense of the Reich which was set up to operate as a war cabinet. After the Invasion of Poland and the start of the war on 1 September 1939, Hitler made Hess second in line to succeed him, after Hermann Göring. Around the same time, Hitler appointed Hess's chief of staff, Martin Bormann, as his personal secretary, a post formerly held by Hess. On 8 October 1939, Hess co-signed the law that annexed the Free City of Danzig, the Polish Corridor, and the part of Upper Silesia lost in 1921 to Germany. On the same day, Hess and Heinrich Himmler ordered that a racial registry be established in these areas and stated that Poles and Jews living in these areas were not to be treated as equals of Germans. A separate legal code for Poles and Jews in the annexed areas was created, imposing draconian punishments. Hess argued that a separate legal code was necessary because "the Pole is less susceptible to the infliction of ordinary punishment". In another decree, Hess ordered that none of the buildings destroyed in Warsaw during the siege were to be rebuilt as a reminder to the Poles of their "war guilt".
Hess's antisemitism markedly increased after the war started, as he was convinced that the war had been caused by Jews. This became a major theme of his wartime speeches. In a speech given on 20 April 1940 to mark Hitler's 51st birthday, Hess accused "Jews and their fellow travellers" of Germany's capitulation in November 1918, which he called the most calamitous event in world history. In the same speech, Hess, referring to the Black Horror on the Rhine story, stated the defeat of 1918 was followed by an occupation of the Rhineland by "niggers", which he again blamed on the Jews. Hess concluded his speech by saying that with Hitler in charge, there was no possibility of the current war ending similarly. "How the Jewish hounds will howl when Adolf Hitler stands before them", he concluded.
Hess was obsessed with his health to the point of hypochondria, consulting many doctors and other practitioners for what he described to his captors in Britain as a long list of ailments involving the kidneys, colon, gall bladder, bowels and heart. Hess was a vegetarian, and he did not smoke or drink. He brought his own food to the Berghof, claiming it was biologically dynamic, but Hitler did not approve of this practice, so he discontinued taking meals with the Führer.
Hess was interested in music, enjoyed reading and loved to spend time hiking and climbing in the mountains with his wife, Ilse. He and his friend Albrecht Haushofer shared an interest in astrology, and Hess also was keen on clairvoyance and the occult. Hess continued to be interested in aviation. He won an air race in 1934, flying a BFW M.35 in a circuit around Zugspitze Mountain and returning to the airfield at Munich with a time of 29 minutes. He placed sixth of 29 participants in a similar race held the following year. With the outbreak of World War II, Hess asked Hitler to be allowed to join the Luftwaffe as a pilot, but Hitler forbade it, and ordered him to stop flying for the duration of the war. Hess convinced him to reduce the ban to one year.
## Attempted peace mission
As the war progressed, Hitler's attention became focused on foreign affairs and the conduct of the war. Hess, who was not directly engaged in the war, became increasingly sidelined from the affairs of the nation and from Hitler's attention; Bormann had successfully supplanted Hess in many of his duties and had taken Hess's position at Hitler's side. Hess was concerned that Germany would face a war on two fronts as plans progressed for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union scheduled to take place in 1941. Hess decided to attempt to bring Britain to the negotiating table by travelling there himself to seek meetings with the British government.
On 31 August 1940, Hess met with Karl Haushofer. Haushofer told Hess that he believed that King George VI was opposed to Churchill and would dismiss him and send him to Canada at the first opportunity. Haushofer spoke of his belief that it was possible to make contact with the king via either General Ian Hamilton or the Duke of Hamilton. Hess decided they should contact his fellow aviator the Duke of Hamilton, whom he had never met. Hess chose Hamilton in the mistaken belief that he was one of the leaders of a party opposed to war with Germany, and because Hamilton was a friend of Haushofer. On Hess's instructions, Haushofer wrote to Hamilton in September 1940, but the letter was intercepted by MI5 and Hamilton did not see it until March 1941.
A letter Hess wrote to his wife dated 4 November 1940 shows that in spite of not receiving a reply from Hamilton, he intended to proceed with his plan. He began training on the Messerschmitt Bf 110, a two-seater twin-engine aircraft, in October 1940 under instructor Wilhelm Stör, the chief test pilot at Messerschmitt. He continued to practice, as well as log his many cross-country flights, and found a specific aircraft that handled well—a Bf 110E-1/N—which was from then on held in reserve for his personal use. He asked for a radio compass, modifications to the oxygen delivery system, and large long-range fuel tanks to be installed on this plane, and these requests were granted by March 1941.
### Flight to Scotland
After a final check of the weather reports for Germany and the North Sea, Hess took off at 17:45 on 10 May 1941 from the airfield at Augsburg-Haunstetten in his specially prepared aircraft. It was the last of several attempts to depart on his mission; previous efforts had to be called off due to mechanical problems or poor weather. Wearing a leather flying suit bearing the rank of captain, he brought along a supply of money and toiletries, a torch, a camera, maps and charts, and a collection of 28 different medicines, as well as dextrose tablets to help ward off fatigue and an assortment of homeopathic remedies.
Setting a course towards Bonn, Hess used landmarks on the ground to orient himself and make minor course corrections. When he reached the coast near the Frisian Islands, he turned and flew in an easterly direction for twenty minutes to stay out of range of British radar. He then took a heading of 335 degrees for the trip across the North Sea, initially at low altitude but travelling for most of the journey at 5,000 feet (1,500 m). At 20:58 he changed his heading to 245 degrees, intending to approach the coast of North East England near the village of Bamburgh, Northumberland. As it was not yet sunset when he first approached the coast, Hess backtracked, zigzagging back and forth for 40 minutes until it grew dark. Around this time, his auxiliary fuel tanks were exhausted so he released them into the sea. Also around this time, at 22:08, the British Chain Home station at Ottercops Moss near Newcastle upon Tyne detected his presence and informed the Filter Room at Bentley Priory. Soon he was detected by several other stations, and the aircraft was designated as "Raid 42".
Two Spitfires of No. 72 Squadron RAF, No. 13 Group RAF that were already in the air were sent to attempt an interception, but failed to find the intruder. A third Spitfire sent from Acklington at 22:20 also failed to spot the aircraft; by then it was dark and Hess had dropped to an extremely low altitude, so low that the volunteer on duty at the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) station at Chatton was able to correctly identify it as a Bf 110, and reported its altitude as 50 feet (15 m). Tracked by additional ROC posts, Hess continued his flight into Scotland at high speed and low altitude, but was unable to spot his destination, Dungavel House, so he headed for the west coast to orient himself and then turned back inland. At 22:35 a Boulton Paul Defiant sent from No. 141 Squadron RAF based at Ayr began pursuit. Hess was nearly out of fuel, so he climbed to 6,000 feet (1,800 m) and parachuted out of the plane at 23:06. He injured his foot, either while exiting the aircraft or when he hit the ground. The aircraft crashed at 23:09, about 12 miles (19 km) west of Dungavel House, the Duke of Hamilton's home. He would have been closer to his destination had he not had trouble exiting the aircraft. Hess considered this achievement to be the proudest moment of his life.
Before his departure from Germany, Hess had given his adjutant, Karlheinz Pintsch, a letter addressed to Hitler that detailed his plans to initiate peace negotiations with the UK. Hess intended to approach the Duke of Hamilton at his home in Scotland, hoping that the duke might then be willing to advocate for and assist him negotiate peace with Germany on terms that would be acceptable to Hitler. Pintsch delivered the letter to Hitler at the Berghof around noon on 11 May. After reading the letter, Hitler let loose a cry heard throughout the entire Berghof and sent for a number of his inner circle, concerned that a putsch might be underway.
Hitler worried that his allies, Italy and Japan, would perceive Hess's act as an attempt by Hitler to secretly open peace negotiations with the British. Hitler contacted Mussolini specifically to reassure him otherwise. For this reason, Hitler ordered that the German press should characterise Hess as a madman who made the decision to fly to Scotland entirely on his own, without Hitler's knowledge or authority. Subsequent German newspaper reports described Hess as "deluded, deranged," indicating that his mental health had been affected by injuries sustained during World War I. Some members of the government, including Göring and Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels, believed this only made matters worse, because if Hess truly were mentally ill, he should not have held an important government position.
Hitler stripped Hess of all of his party and state offices, and secretly ordered him shot on sight if he ever returned to Germany. He abolished the post of Deputy Führer, assigning Hess's former duties to Bormann, with the title of Head of the Party Chancellery. Bormann used the opportunity afforded by Hess's departure to secure significant power for himself. Meanwhile, Hitler initiated Aktion Hess, a flurry of hundreds of arrests of astrologers, faith healers and occultists that took place around 9 June. The campaign was part of a propaganda effort by Goebbels and others to denigrate Hess and to make scapegoats of occult practitioners.
US journalist Hubert Renfro Knickerbocker, who had met both Hitler and Hess, speculated that Hitler had sent Hess to deliver a message informing Winston Churchill of the forthcoming invasion of the Soviet Union, and offering a negotiated peace or even an anti-Bolshevik partnership. Soviet leader Joseph Stalin believed that Hess's flight had been engineered by the British. Stalin persisted in this belief as late as 1944, when he mentioned the matter to Churchill, who insisted that they had no advance knowledge of the flight. While some sources reported that Hess had been on an official mission, Churchill later stated in his book The Grand Alliance that in his view, the mission had not been authorized. "He came to us of his own free will, and, though without authority, had something of the quality of an envoy", said Churchill, and referred to Hess's plan as one of "lunatic benevolence".
After the war, Albert Speer discussed the rationale for the flight with Hess, who told him that "the idea had been inspired in him in a dream by supernatural forces. We will guarantee England her empire; in return she will give us a free hand in Europe." While in Spandau prison, Hess told journalist Desmond Zwar that Germany could not win a war on two fronts. "I knew that there was only one way out – and that was certainly not to fight against England. Even though I did not get permission from the Führer to fly I knew that what I had to say would have had his approval. Hitler had great respect for the English people ..." Hess wrote that his flight to Scotland was intended to initiate "the fastest way to win the war."
### Capture
Shortly before midnight on 10 May 1941, Hess landed at Floors Farm, by Waterfoot, south of Glasgow, where he was discovered still struggling with his parachute by local ploughman David McLean. Identifying himself as "Hauptmann Alfred Horn", Hess said he had an important message for the Duke of Hamilton. McLean helped Hess to his nearby cottage and contacted the local Home Guard unit, who escorted the captive to their headquarters in Busby, East Renfrewshire. He was next taken to the police station at Giffnock, arriving after midnight; he was searched and his possessions confiscated. Hess repeatedly requested to meet with the Duke of Hamilton during questioning undertaken with the aid of an interpreter by Major Graham Donald, the area commandant of Royal Observer Corps. After the interview Hess was taken under guard to Maryhill Barracks in Glasgow, where his injuries were treated. By this time some of his captors suspected Hess's true identity, though he continued to insist his name was Horn.
Hamilton had been on duty as wing commander at RAF Turnhouse near Edinburgh when Hess had arrived, and his station had been one of those that had tracked the progress of the flight. He arrived at Maryhill Barracks the next morning, and after examining Hess's effects, he met alone with the prisoner. Hess immediately admitted his true identity and outlined the reason for his flight. Hamilton told Hess that he hoped to continue the conversation with the aid of an interpreter; Hess could speak English well, but was having trouble understanding Hamilton. He told Hamilton that he was on a "mission of humanity" and that Hitler "wished to stop the fighting" with England.
After the meeting, Hamilton examined the remains of the Messerschmitt in the company of an intelligence officer, then returned to Turnhouse, where he made arrangements through the Foreign Office to meet Churchill, who was at Ditchley for the weekend. They had some preliminary talks that night, and Hamilton accompanied Churchill back to London the next day, where they both met with members of the War Cabinet. Churchill sent Hamilton with foreign affairs expert Ivone Kirkpatrick, who had met Hess previously, to positively identify the prisoner, who had been moved to Buchanan Castle overnight. Hess, who had prepared extensive notes to use during this meeting, spoke to them at length about Hitler's expansionary plans and the need for Britain to let the Nazis have free rein in Europe, in exchange for Britain being allowed to keep its overseas possessions. Kirkpatrick held two more meetings with Hess over the course of the next few days, while Hamilton returned to his duties. In addition to being disappointed at the apparent failure of his mission, Hess began claiming that his medical treatment was inadequate and that there was a plot afoot to poison him.
Hess's flight, but not his destination or fate, was first announced by Munich Radio in Germany on the evening of 12 May. On 13 May, Hitler sent Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop to give the news in person to Mussolini, and the British press was permitted to release full information about events that same day. On 14 May, Ilse Hess finally learned that her husband had survived the trip when news of his fate was broadcast on German radio.
Two sections of the fuselage of the aircraft were initially hidden by David McLean and later retrieved. One part was sold to the former assistant secretary of the Battle of Britain Association, who gave it to a war museum in the US; this 17.5 by 23 inches (44 by 58 cm) part was later sold by Bonhams at auction. Part of the fuel tank and a strut were offered for sale via Bonhams in 2014. Other wreckage was salvaged by 63 Maintenance Unit between 11 and 16 May 1941 and then taken to Oxford to be stored. The aeroplane had been armed with four machine guns in the nose, but carried no ammunition. One of the engines is on display at the RAF Museum while the Imperial War Museum displays another engine and part of the fuselage.
## Trial and imprisonment
### Prisoner of war
From Buchanan Castle, Hess was transferred briefly to the Tower of London and then to Mytchett Place in Surrey, a fortified mansion, designated "Camp Z", where he stayed for the next 13 months. Churchill issued orders that Hess was to be treated well, though he was not allowed to read newspapers or listen to the radio. Three intelligence officers were stationed onsite and 150 soldiers were placed on guard. By early June, Hess was allowed to write to his family. He also prepared a letter to the Duke of Hamilton, but it was never delivered, and his repeated requests for further meetings were turned down. Major Frank Foley, the leading German expert in MI6 and former British Passport Control Officer in Berlin, took charge of a year-long abortive debriefing of Hess, according to Foreign Office files released to the National Archives. Henry V. Dicks and John Rawlings Rees, psychiatrists who treated Hess during this period, noted that while he was not insane, he was mentally unstable, with tendencies toward hypochondria and paranoia. Hess repeated his peace proposal to John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon, then serving as Lord Chancellor, in an interview on 9 June 1942. Lord Simon noted that the prisoner's mental state was not good; Hess claimed he was being poisoned and was being prevented from sleeping. He would insist on swapping his dinner with that of one of his guards, and attempted to get them to send samples of the food out for analysis.
While in Scotland, Hess claimed to have discovered a "secret force" controlling the minds of Churchill and other British leaders, filling them with an irrational hatred of Germany. Hess claimed that the force acted on Hitler's mind as well, causing him to make poor military decisions. He said that the Jews had psychic powers that allowed them to control the minds of others, including Himmler, and that the Holocaust was part of a Jewish plot to defame Germany.
In the early morning hours of 16 June 1942, Hess rushed his guards and attempted suicide by jumping over the railing of the staircase at Mytchett Place. He fell onto the stone floor below, fracturing the femur of his left leg. The injury required that the leg be kept in traction for 12 weeks, with a further six weeks bed rest before he was permitted to walk with crutches. Captain Munro Johnson of the Royal Army Medical Corps, who assessed Hess, noted that another suicide attempt was likely to occur in the near future. Hess began around this time to complain of amnesia. This symptom and some of his increasingly erratic behaviour may have in part been a ruse, because if he were declared mentally ill, he could be repatriated under the terms of the Geneva Conventions.
Hess was moved to Maindiff Court Hospital on 26 June 1942, where he remained for the next three years. The facility was chosen for its added security and the need for fewer guards. Hess was allowed walks on the grounds and car trips into the surrounding countryside. He had access to newspapers and other reading materials; he wrote letters and journals. His mental health remained under the care of Dr. Rees. Hess continued to complain on and off of memory loss and made a second suicide attempt on 4 February 1945, when he stabbed himself with a bread knife. The wound was not serious, requiring two stitches. Despondent that Germany was losing the war, he took no food for the next week, only resuming eating when he was threatened with being force-fed.
Germany surrendered unconditionally on 8 May 1945. Hess, facing charges as a war criminal, was ordered to appear before the International Military Tribunal and was transported to Nuremberg on 10 October 1945.
### Nuremberg trials
The Allies of World War II held a series of military tribunals and trials, beginning with a trial of the major war criminals from November 1945 to October 1946. Hess was tried with this first group of 23 defendants, all of whom were charged with four counts—conspiracy to commit crimes, crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity, in violation of international laws governing warfare.
On his arrival in Nuremberg, Hess was reluctant to give up some of his possessions, including samples of food he said had been poisoned by the British; he proposed to use these for his defence during the trial. The commandant of the facility, Colonel Burton C. Andrus of the United States Army, advised him that he would be allowed no special treatment; the samples were sealed and confiscated. Hess's diaries indicate that he did not acknowledge the validity of the court and felt the outcome was a foregone conclusion. He was thin when he arrived, weighing 65 kilograms (143 lb), and had a poor appetite, but was deemed to be in good health. As one defendant, Robert Ley, had managed to hang himself in his cell on 24 October, the remaining prisoners were monitored around the clock. Because of his previous suicide attempts, Hess was handcuffed to a guard whenever he was out of his cell.
Almost immediately after his arrival, Hess began exhibiting amnesia, which may have been feigned in the hope of avoiding the death sentence. The chief psychiatrist at Nuremberg, Douglas Kelley of the US Military, gave the opinion that the defendant suffered from "a true psychoneurosis, primarily of the hysterical type, engrafted on a basic paranoid and schizoid personality, with amnesia, partly genuine and partly feigned", but found him fit to stand trial. Efforts were made to trigger his memory, including bringing in his former secretaries and showing old newsreels, but he persisted in showing no response to these stimuli. When Hess was allowed to make a statement to the tribunal on 30 November, he admitted that he had faked memory loss as a tactic.
The prosecution's case against Hess was presented by Mervyn Griffith-Jones beginning on 7 February 1946. By quoting from Hess's speeches, he attempted to demonstrate that Hess had been aware of and agreed with Hitler's plans to conduct a war of aggression in violation of international law. He declared that as Hess had signed important governmental decrees, including the decree requiring mandatory military service, the Nuremberg racial laws, and a decree incorporating the conquered Polish territories into the Reich, he must share responsibility for the acts of the regime. He pointed out that the timing of Hess's trip to Scotland, only six weeks before the German invasion of the Soviet Union, could only be viewed as an attempt by Hess to keep the British out of the war. Hess resumed showing symptoms of amnesia at the end of February, partway through the prosecution's case.
The case for Hess's defence was presented from 22 to 26 March by his lawyer, Dr Alfred Seidl. He noted that while Hess accepted responsibility for the many decrees he had signed, he said these matters were part of the internal workings of a sovereign state and thus outside the purview of a war crimes trial. He called to the stand Ernst Wilhelm Bohle, the man who had been head of the NSDAP/AO, to testify on Hess's behalf. When Griffith-Jones presented questions about the organisation's spying in several countries, Bohle testified that any warlike activities such as espionage had been done without his permission or knowledge. Seidl called two other witnesses, former mayor of Stuttgart Karl Strölin and Hess's brother Alfred, both of whom repudiated the allegations that the NSDAP/AO had been spying and fomenting war. Seidl presented a summation of the defence's case on 25 July, in which he attempted to refute the charge of conspiracy by pointing out that Hitler alone had made all the important decisions. He noted that Hess could not be held responsible for any events that took place after he left Germany in May 1941. Meanwhile, Hess mentally detached himself from what was happening, declining visits from his family and refusing to read the newspapers. Hess spoke to the tribunal again on 31 August 1946 during the last day of closing statements, where he made a lengthy statement.
The court deliberated for nearly two months before passing judgement on 30 September, with the defendants being individually sentenced on 1 October. Hess was found guilty on two counts: crimes against peace (planning and preparing a war of aggression), and conspiracy with other German leaders to commit crimes. He was found not guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He was given a life sentence, one of seven Nazis to receive prison sentences at the trial. These seven were transported by aircraft to the Allied military prison at Spandau in Berlin on 18 July 1947. The Soviet member of the tribunal, Major-General Iona Nikitchenko, filed a document recording his dissent of Hess's sentence; he felt the death sentence was warranted.
### Spandau Prison
Spandau was placed under the control of the Allied Control Council, the governing body in charge of the military occupation of Germany, which consisted of representatives from the UK, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union. Each country supplied prison guards for a month at a time on a rotating basis. After the inmates were given medical examinations—Hess refused his body search, and had to be held down—they were provided with prison garb and assigned the numbers by which they were addressed throughout their stay. Hess was Number 7. The prison had a small library and inmates were allowed to file special requests for additional reading material. Writing materials were limited; each inmate was allowed four pieces of paper per month for letters. They were not allowed to speak to one another without permission and were expected to work in the facility, helping with cleaning and gardening chores. The inmates were taken for outdoor walks around the prison grounds for an hour each day, separated by about 10 yards (9 m). Some of the rules became more relaxed as time went on.
Visitors were allowed to come for half an hour per month, but Hess forbade his family to visit until December 1969, when he was a patient at the British Military Hospital in West Berlin for a perforated ulcer. By this time, Wolf Rüdiger Hess was 32 years old and Ilse 69; they had not seen Hess since his departure from Germany in 1941. After this illness, he allowed his family to visit regularly. His daughter-in-law Andrea, who often brought photos and films of his grandchildren, became a particularly welcome visitor. Hess's health problems, both mental and physical, were ongoing during his captivity. He cried out in the night, claiming he had stomach pains. He continued to suspect that his food was being poisoned and complained of amnesia. A psychiatrist who examined him in 1957 deemed he was not ill enough to be transferred to a mental hospital. Hess attempted suicide again in 1977.
Other than his stays in hospital, Hess spent the rest of his life in Spandau Prison. His fellow inmates Konstantin von Neurath, Walther Funk, and Erich Raeder were released because of poor health in the 1950s; Karl Dönitz, Baldur von Schirach, and Albert Speer served their time and were released; Dönitz left in 1956, Schirach and Speer in 1966. The 600-cell prison continued to be maintained for its lone prisoner from 1966 until Hess's death in 1987, at an estimated annual cost of DM 800,000. Conditions were far more pleasant in the 1980s than in the early years; Hess was allowed to move more freely around the cell block, setting his own routine and choosing his own activities, which included television, films, reading, and gardening. A lift was installed so he could easily reach the garden, and he was provided with a medical orderly from 1982 onward.
Hess's lawyer Alfred Seidl launched numerous appeals for his release, beginning as early as 1947. These were denied, mainly because the Soviets repeatedly vetoed the proposal. Spandau was located in West Berlin, and its existence gave the Soviets a foothold in that sector of the city. Additionally, Soviet officials believed Hess must have known in 1941 that an attack on their country was imminent. In 1967, Wolf Rüdiger Hess began a campaign to win his father's release, garnering support from politicians such as Geoffrey Lawrence in the UK and Willy Brandt in West Germany, but to no avail, in spite of the prisoner's advanced age and deteriorating health. In 1967, Wolf Hess founded a society that by September had collected 700 signatures on a petition calling for Hess's release. By 1974, 350,000 people had signed the petition. The American historian Norman Goda wrote that those who campaigned to free Hess routinely exaggerated the harshness of his imprisonment. Goda states that Wolf Hess's efforts to free his father ultimately backfired as he conflated the question of whether his father deserved release on humanitarian grounds with the question of whether his father was guilty. Wolf argued that his father was unjustly imprisoned to hide the UK's "war guilt", arguing that millions of lives could have been saved if only Churchill had accepted Hess's peace offer in May 1941. In 1973, the Israeli foreign minister Abba Eban charged that Hess was not being treated as badly as his champions claimed and that he should serve his full sentence.
In September 1979, medical tests showed that Hess was suffering from potentially fatal prostate cancer. In a letter dated 8 September 1979, Hess announced that he would refuse treatment unless released, saying he deserved freedom as an "unjustly convicted man" and that if he were to die, his death would be on the consciences of the leaders of the UK, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Cyrus Vance wrote: "Far from representing the beginning of irrationality, Hess's well considered attempt is to use his medical condition to 'force' his release". The British Foreign Secretary, Lord Carrington, appealed for Hess's release, but Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko refused on the grounds that Hess had never "shown even a shadow of repentance" and was still claiming innocence. Gromyko also said that many people would take Hess's release as confirmation of a wrongful conviction. Hess's appeal to neo-Nazi groups in West Germany further increased the Soviet unwillingness to consider his release.
Hess continued to be an unapologetic Nazi and anti-Semite; this was usually ignored by those championing his release, who portrayed him as a harmless old man. Hess further hindered efforts to get himself released by promising to make no statements to the media if he were released, while repeatedly writing drafts of statements that he planned to make. On 25 June 1986, a Soviet guard caught Charles Gabel, the chaplain at Spandau, attempting to smuggle out a statement by Hess, causing Gabel to be fired. Hess had originally written the document as his opening address at the Nuremberg trial in 1946, which he had been unable to deliver in full after the judges cut him short. Hess tried to mail a copy of the statement to Sir Oswald Mosley in October 1946, but the letter was intercepted by his US guards. Hess's statement (both the 1946 version and the 1986 version) claimed that Germany's attack on the Soviet Union was preemptive; he claimed there had been overwhelming evidence that the Soviet Union had planned to attack Germany. He said in the statement that he had decided to make his flight to Scotland without informing Hitler, with the aim of informing the UK of the Soviet danger to "European civilization" and the entire world. He believed his warning would cause the UK to end its war with Germany and join in the fight against the Soviet Union.
## Death and aftermath
Hess was found dead on 17 August 1987, aged 93, in a summer house that had been set up in the prison garden as a reading room; he had hanged himself using an extension cord strung over a window latch. A short note to his family was found in his pocket, thanking them for all that they had done. The Four-Power Authorities released a statement on 17 September ruling the death a suicide. He was initially buried at a secret location to avoid media attention or demonstrations by Nazi sympathisers, but his body was re-interred in a family plot at Wunsiedel on 17 March 1988; his wife was buried beside him in 1995.
Hess's lawyer Alfred Seidl felt that he was too old and frail to have managed to kill himself. Wolf Rüdiger Hess repeatedly claimed that his father had been murdered by the British Secret Intelligence Service to prevent him from revealing information about British misconduct during the war. Abdallah Melaouhi served as Hess's medical orderly from 1982 to 1987; he was dismissed from his position at his local district parliament's Immigration and Integration Advisory Council after he wrote a self-published book on a similar theme. According to an investigation by the British government in 1989, the available evidence did not back up the claim that Hess was murdered, and Solicitor General Sir Nicholas Lyell saw no grounds for further investigation. The autopsy results supported the conclusion that Hess had killed himself. A report declassified and published in 2012 led to questions again being asked as to whether Hess had been murdered. Historian Peter Padfield wrote that the suicide note found on the body appeared to have been written when Hess was hospitalised in 1969.
Hess's grave in Wunsiedel became a destination for neo-Nazi pilgrimage and for demonstrations each August on the anniversary of his death. To put a stop to such pilgrimage, the parish council decided not to allow an extension on the grave's lease when it expired in 2011. With the eventual consent of his family, Hess's grave was re-opened on 20 July 2011. The remains were cremated and the ashes scattered at sea by family members. The gravestone, which bore the epitaph "Ich hab's gewagt" ("I have dared"), was destroyed. Spandau Prison was demolished in 1987 to prevent it from becoming a neo-Nazi shrine.
A myth that the Spandau prisoner was not actually Hess was disproved in 2019. A study of DNA testing undertaken by Sherman McCall, formerly of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and Jan Cemper-Kiesslich of the University of Salzburg demonstrated a 99.99 percent match between the prisoner's Y chromosome DNA markers and those of a living male Hess relative.
## See also
- List of Nazi Party leaders and officials
- List SS-Obergruppenführer |
34,354,969 | Woman Suffrage Procession | 1,173,419,903 | 1913 suffragist parade in Washington, D.C. | [
"1913 in Washington, D.C.",
"1913 in the United States",
"1913 in women's history",
"Alice Paul",
"March 1913 events in the United States",
"Parades in the United States",
"Progressive Era in the United States",
"Protest marches in Washington, D.C.",
"Women in Washington, D.C.",
"Women's suffrage in the United States"
] | The Woman Suffrage Procession on March 3, 1913, was the first suffragist parade in Washington, D.C. It was also the first large, organized march on Washington for political purposes. The procession was organized by the suffragists Alice Paul and Lucy Burns for the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Planning for the event began in Washington in December 1912. As stated in its official program, the parade's purpose was to "march in a spirit of protest against the present political organization of society, from which women are excluded."
Participation numbers vary between 5,000 and 10,000 marchers. Suffragists and supporters marched down Pennsylvania Avenue on Monday, March 3, 1913, the day before President Woodrow Wilson's inauguration. Paul had selected the venue and date to maximize publicity but met resistance from the D.C. police department. The demonstration consisted of a procession with floats, bands, and various groups representing women at home, in school, and the workplace. At the Treasury Building, a pageant of allegorical tableaux was acted out during the parade. The final act was a rally at the Memorial Continental Hall with prominent speakers, including Anna Howard Shaw and Helen Keller.
Before the event, black participation in the march threatened to cause a rift with delegations from Southern states. Some black people did march with state delegations. A group from Howard University participated in the parade. Some sources allege that Black women were segregated at the back of the parade; however, contemporary sources suggest that they marched with their respective state delegations or professional groups.
During the procession, district police failed to keep the enormous crowd off the street, impeding the marchers' progress. Many participants were subjected to heckling from spectators, though many supporters were present. The marchers were finally assisted by citizens' groups and eventually the cavalry. The police were subjected to a congressional inquiry due to security failures. The event premiered Paul's campaign to refocus the suffrage movement on obtaining a national constitutional amendment for woman's suffrage. This was intended to pressure President Wilson to support an amendment, but he resisted their demands for years afterward.
The procession was featured in the film Iron Jawed Angels in 2004. A new U.S. ten-dollar bill with parade imagery is planned for circulation in 2026.
## Background
American suffragists Alice Paul and Lucy Burns spearheaded a drive to adopt a national strategy for women's suffrage in the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Paul and Burns had seen first-hand the effectiveness of militant activism while working for Emmeline Pankhurst in the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in Britain. Their education included rallies, marches, and demonstrations, knowledge the two would put to work back in America. They already had first-hand experience with imprisonment as a backlash against suffrage activism. They had gone on hunger strikes and suffered force-feeding. They were not afraid to be provocative, even knowing the potential consequences. The procession would be their first foray into moving into militant mode on a national stage.
Paul and Burns found that many suffragists supported the WSPU's militant tactics, including Harriot Stanton Blatch, Alva Belmont, Elizabeth Robins, and Rhetta Child Dorr. Burns and Paul recognized that the women from the six states that had full suffrage at the time comprised a powerful voting bloc. They submitted a proposal to Anna Howard Shaw and the NAWSA leadership at their annual convention in 1912. The leadership was not interested in changing the state-by-state strategy and rejected the idea of holding a campaign that would hold the Democratic Party responsible. Paul and Burns appealed to prominent reformer Jane Addams, who interceded on their behalf, resulting in Paul being appointed chair of the Congressional Committee.
Until this time, the women's suffrage movement had relied on oratory and written arguments to keep the issue before the public. Paul believed it was time to add a strong visual element to the campaign, even grander than she had planned for the NAWSA 1912 conference. While her tactics were nonviolent, Paul exploited elements of danger in her events. Her plan for using visual rhetoric was intended to have lasting impact. She felt it was time for women to stop begging for suffrage and demand it with political coercion instead. Though the suffragists had staged marches in many cities, this would be a first for Washington, D.C. It would also be the first large political demonstration in the nation's capital. The only previous similar demonstration was made by a group of five hundred men known as Coxey's Army, who had protested about unemployment in 1894.
At the time Paul and Burns were assigned to lead the Congressional Committee of the NAWSA, it was merely a shadow committee headed by Elizabeth Kent, wife of a California congressman, with an annual budget of ten dollars that mostly went unspent. With Paul and Burns in charge, the committee revived the push for a national suffrage amendment. At the end of 1913, Paul reported to the NAWSA that the committee had raised and expended over \$25,000 on the suffrage cause for the year.
Paul and Burns persuaded NAWSA to endorse an immense suffrage parade in Washington, D.C., to coincide with newly elected President Woodrow Wilson's inauguration the following March. The NAWSA leadership turned over the entire operation to the committee. They organized volunteers, planned, and raised funds in preparation for the parade with little help from the NAWSA.
## Planning
### Committees and recruiting
Once the board approved the parade in December 1912, it appointed Dora Lewis, Mary Ritter Beard, and Crystal Eastman to the committee, though they all worked outside of Washington. All money Paul collected had to be directed through the NAWSA, though she did not always comply.
Paul arrived in Washington, D.C., in December 1912 to begin organizing the event. By the time the Congressional Committee had its first meeting in its new Washington headquarters on January 2, 1913, more than 130 women had shown up to start work. Using the list of former committee members, Paul found few still alive or in the city, but she did find assistance.
Among local suffragists, she was aided by attorney Florence Etheridge and teacher Elsie Hill, daughter of a congressman. Kent, the former committee chair, was instrumental in opening doors in Washington to Paul and Burns. From the NAWSA, Paul recruited Emma Gillett and Helen Hamilton Gardener to be treasurer and publicity chair, respectively. Belva Lockwood, who had run for president in 1884, also attended the initial meeting. Paul recruited Hazel MacKaye to design professional floats and allegorical tableaux to be presented simultaneously with the procession. The parade was officially named the Woman Suffrage Procession. Per the event program, the stated purpose was to "march in a spirit of protest against the present political organization of society, from which women are excluded." Doris Stevens, who worked closely with Paul, stated that "...the procession was to dramatize in numbers and beauty the fact that women wanted to vote - that women were asking the Administration in power in the national government to speed the day."
The timing of the date for the procession, March 3, was important because incoming president Woodrow Wilson, whose inauguration was to take place the following day, would be put on notice that this would be a key issue during his term. Paul wanted to put pressure on him to support a national amendment. It also ensured that the procession would enjoy a large audience and publicity. Many factors deterred Paul regarding her selected date: District suffragists worried about the weather; the superintendent of police objected to the timing; even Paul herself was concerned about the need to attract a large number of marchers in a short time frame and get them organized. Fortunately, Washington had congressional delegations from all the states, and some of their wives could be counted on to represent those states. Likewise, the embassies could provide marchers from distant countries.
To maximize the use of funds for publicity and building a national network, the Congressional Committee made it clear that participating organizations and delegations would need to fund their own travel, lodging, and other expenses.
### Parade route and security
Just as the parade's timing was tied to the inauguration, so was the route Paul preferred to have the maximum impact on public perception. She requested a permit to march down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Peace Monument to the Treasury Building, then on to the White House before ending at Continental Hall. District superintendent of police, Major Richard H. Sylvester, offered a permit for Sixteenth Street, which would have taken the procession through a residential area, past several embassies. He later claimed he had thought the suffragists wished to hold the parade at night, and the police could not have provided sufficient security if they marched from the Capitol. Sylvester pointed out the rough character of lower Pennsylvania Avenue and the type of people likely to attend the inauguration. Paul was not satisfied with his alternative route. She took her request to the District commissioners and the press. Eventually, they relented and granted her request. Elsie Hill and her mother had also pressured Sylvester by appealing to Elsie's father in Congress. Congress had the ultimate responsibility and funding control over the District police department.
The presidential inauguration brought a huge influx of visitors from around the country. Media estimated crowds of a quarter to a half million people. Anticipating that most of these people would come to observe the suffrage parade, Paul was concerned about the ability of the local police force to handle the crowd; her disquiet proved to be justified by events. Sylvester had only volunteered a force of 100 officers, which Paul considered inadequate. She attempted to get intervention from President William Howard Taft, who referred her to Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson. The week before the parade, Congress passed a resolution directing district police to halt all traffic from the Peace Monument to 17th Street from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the day of the parade and prevent any interference with the procession. Paul recruited a woman with political connections to intervene. Elizabeth Selden Rogers contacted her brother-in-law, Secretary Stimson, to request cavalry to provide additional security. He first claimed that using the soldiers for that purpose was prohibited, but later agreed to place troops on standby in case of emergency.
### Countering anti-suffrage sentiments
Paul strategically emphasized beauty, femininity, and traditional female roles in the procession. Her chosen theme for the procession was "Ideals and Virtues of American Womanhood". These characteristics were perceived by anti-suffragists as being most threatened by giving women the vote. She wanted to show that women could be all those things and still be intelligent and competent to vote and fill any other role in society. Attractiveness and professional talent were not mutually exclusive. These ideals were embodied in the selection of the parade's herald, Inez Milholland, a labor lawyer from New York City who had been dubbed "the most beautiful suffragette". Milholland had served in the same role in a suffrage march in the city the previous year.
## The procession
### The lineup of marchers
Media reported that the suffrage parade outshined even the inauguration. Special suffrage trains were hired to bring spectators from other cities, adding to the crowds in Washington. The novelty of the procession attracted enormous interest throughout the eastern U.S. As the parade participants gathered near the Peace Monument around noon, the police began roping off part of the parade route. Even before the parade began, the ropes were badly stretched and coming loose in places. The procession drew such a crowd that President-elect Wilson was mystified about why there were no people to be seen when he arrived in town that day. Jane Walker Burleson on horseback, accompanying a model of the Liberty Bell brought from Philadelphia, led the procession as Grand Marshal, immediately followed by the herald, Milholland, on a white horse. A pale-blue cape flowed over her white suit, held on by a Maltese cross. Her banner proclaimed "Forward into Light", a phrase originated by Pankhurst and later used by Blatch. Immediately behind the herald was a wagon that boldly stated "We Demand An Amendment To The Constitution Of The United States Enfranchising The Women Of This Country". Next was the national board of the NAWSA, headed by Shaw.
To add to the visual impact, Paul dictated a color scheme for each group of marchers. The rainbow of colors represented women coming into the light of the future out of the darkness of the past. To add drama between groups of marching women, "Paul recruited 26 floats, 6 golden chariots, 10 bands, 45 captains, 200 marshals, 120 pages, 6 mounted heralds, and 6 mounted brigades", according to Adams and Keene. Estimates about the number of participants in the procession varied from 5,000 to 10,000.
The first section had marchers and floats from countries where women already had the vote: Norway, Finland, Australia, and New Zealand. The second section had floats depicting historic scenes from the suffrage movement in 1840, 1870, and 1890. Then came a float representing the state of the campaign in 1913 in a positive tableau of women inspiring a group of girls. A series of floats depicted men and women working side by side at home and in various professions. They were followed by one with a man holding a representation of government on his shoulders while a woman with hands tied stood helpless at his side.
A float depicted nurses, followed by a marching group of nurses. Groups of women representing traditional roles of motherhood and homemaking came next to change the image of suffragists as being sexless working women. There followed a carefully orchestrated order of professional women, beginning with various nursing groups, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and the PTA, before finally adding in non-traditional careers such as lawyers, artists, and businesswomen.
After a float depicting the Bill of Rights came a banner that showed the nine suffrage states in bright colors with the remaining states in black. This theme was also graphically depicted using women dressed similarly. They carried a banner suggesting that vote-less women were enslaved to men with the vote, quoting Abraham Lincoln: "No Country Can Exist Half Slave and Half Free". Another Lincoln quote was featured at the top of the official program: "I go for all sharing the privilege of the government who assist in bearing its burdens, by no means excluding women." Women from the suffrage states displayed their colorful organization banners on chariots that preceded each group.
One prominent group featured in the procession was the pilgrims led by "General" Rosalie Jones. The brown-caped hikers covered more than 200 mi (320 km) from New York City to Washington in sixteen days. Their journey received considerable press coverage, and a large crowd assembled to greet them upon their arrival in the city on February 28.
### Allegorical tableaux
Simultaneous with the procession, an allegorical tableau unfolded on the Treasury Building's steps. The pageant was written by dramatist Hazel MacKaye and directed by Glenna Smith Tinnin. These scenes were performed by silent actors to portray various attributes of patriotism and civic pride, which both men and women strove to emulate. The audience would recognize the presentation style from similar holiday events nationwide. MacKaye set each scene using women clad in toga-style costumes and accompanied by symbolic parlor music that would also be familiar to the audience.
The act began with a relay of trumpet calls from the Peace Monument to the Treasury Building. The first scene featured Columbia, who stepped forward on stage to the strains of "The Star-Spangled Banner". She summoned Liberty, Charity, Justice, Hope, and Peace to join her. In the final scene, Columbia placed herself as guardian over all these others, and they assembled to watch the approaching procession of suffragists. By creating this stunning drama, Paul differentiated the American suffrage movement from Britain's "by fully appropriating the best possibilities of nonviolent visual rhetoric" per Adams and Keene.
### Notable participants
Some women listed were well-known before the event, while others became noteworthy later. Most names come from the official event program.
- Dr. Nellie V. Mark served as marshal of the professional women of Maryland in the Maryland portion of the parade.
- Jeannette Rankin, from Montana, marched under her state's sign; she returned to Washington four years later as a U.S. Representative.
- Charlotte Anita Whitney, who later became a political figure in her home state of California, served as NAWSA's 2nd vice president and marched with the officers.
- Mary Ware Dennett, of New York, also marched with the NAWSA board as corresponding secretary.
- Susan Walker Fitzgerald, NAWSA recording secretary from Boston, later went on to serve in the Massachusetts legislature.
- Katherine Dexter McCormick, NAWSA treasurer, became a notable philanthropist and major funder of birth control research.
- Harriet Burton Laidlaw, 1st auditor on the NAWSA board, was from New York and a political activist on many issues.
- Abby Scott Baker, a D. C. resident and activist, organized the floats and marchers in the section for foreign countries.
- Georgiana Simpson,
- Dorothy Bernard, born in South Africa, had an acting career in California, and organized the group of actresses in the procession.
- Jane Delano, chair and founder of the American Red Cross Nursing Service, organized the nurse's group.
- Carrie Clifford, American feminist author, clubwoman and civil rights activist
- Lavinia Dock, a pioneer in nursing education, assisted Delano with the nursing section of the parade.
- Jane Addams won worldwide recognition in the first third of the twentieth century as a pioneer social worker in America, as a feminist, and as an internationalist Fola La Follette, Broadway actress from Wisconsin and lifelong activist, led the actress group in the march.
- Lillian Wald, founder of community nursing and involved in founding the NAACP, led the nurses' section.
- Miss Georgia Simpson, philologist and the first African-American woman to receive a PhD in the United States.
- Ellen Spencer Mussey, a D.C. attorney who later founded the Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia, led women lawyers in the procession. She secured legislation in Congress to give women in D. C. equal rights to their children.
- Mary Johnston, of Virginia, was a popular writer of historical fiction. She spoke at the rally at Continental Hall after the parade.
- Estelle Willoughby Ions, a composer from Louisiana, led the musicians section.
- Elizabeth Thacher Kent, worked to pass suffrage legislation in California, and was also an environmentalist. She contracted and organized the bands for the procession.
- Julia Lathrop, Chief of the U. S. Children's Bureau, was the first woman to head a federal bureau, appointed by President Taft. She marched with the banner for Women in Government Service.
- Annie Jenness Miller, clothing designer, advocate for dress reform, prominent lecturer, and building contractor, organized the grandstand committee.
- Genevieve Clark Thomson, who later ran for Congress from Louisiana, led the Missouri delegation.
- Harriet Taylor Upton, who became the first female to serve as vice-chair of the Republican National Committee, led the delegation from Ohio.
- Florence Fleming Noyes, a dancer who played the role of Liberty, choreographed the entire tableaux.
### Security failure
The parade and tableaux at the Treasury Building were scheduled to begin simultaneously at 3 p.m. However, the trumpet call starting the procession did not sound until 3:25 p.m. At the lead were several police escort vehicles and six mounted officers in a wedge formation. By the time the front of the parade reached 5th Street, the crowd had completely blocked the avenue. At that point, the police escort seemed to vanish into the crowd. Milholland and others on horseback used the animals to help push back the crowds. Paul, Burns, and other committee members brought a couple of automobiles to the front to help create a passage for the procession. The police had done little to open the parade route as they'd been ordered to do by Congress. Sylvester, who was at the train station awaiting Wilson's arrival, heard about the problem and called the cavalry unit on standby at Fort Myers. However, the mounted soldiers did not arrive on the scene until around 4:30 p.m. They were then able to usher the parade to its completion.
Male and female spectators surged into the street, though men were the majority. There were both hecklers and supporters, but parade-marshal Burleson and other women in the procession were intimidated, particularly by the hostile chants. The Evening Star (Washington) published a review highlighting positive responses to the parade and pageant. The crush of people led to trampling: More than two hundred people were treated for injuries at local hospitals. At one point, Paul sympathetically acknowledged that the police were overwhelmed and not enough of them had been assigned to the parade, but she soon changed her stance to maximize publicity for her cause. The police arrested some spectators and fined them for crossing over the ropes.
Before the cavalry arrived, other people began helping with crowd control. At times the marchers had been forced to go single file to move forward. Boy Scouts with batons helped push back spectators. A group of soldiers linked arms to hold people back. Some of the black drivers from the floats also stepped in to help. The Massachusetts and the Pennsylvania national guards stepped in, too. Eventually, boys from the Maryland Agricultural College created a human barrier protecting the women from the angry crowd and helping them reach their destination.
### Rally at Continental Hall
The final act was a meeting at the Memorial Continental Hall (later part of the expanded DAR Constitution Hall). Speakers were Anna Howard Shaw, Carrie Chapman Catt, Mary Johnston, and Helen Adams Keller. Shaw, reflecting on the failure of police protection, stated that she was ashamed of the national capital, but she praised the marchers. She also recognized that they could use publicity about police failures to the suffragists' advantage. Blatch had used a similar security failure in New York in 1912 to the suffragists' advantage.
## Aftermath
### Alice Paul's response
Though she first sympathized with the overwhelmed police force at the parade, Paul quickly capitalized on the verbal abuse the marchers had endured. She blamed the police for colluding with violent opposition to the nonviolent demonstration. She asked participants to write affidavits about negative reactions they'd experienced, which Paul used to request Congressional action against Chief Sylvester. She also used these statements to generate press releases in Washington and nationwide, garnering additional publicity for the suffrage procession. The resulting publicity also brought in additional donations that helped Paul cover the event's cost of \$13,750.
Paul's publicity campaign stressed that the marchers had demonstrated bravery and nonviolent resistance to the hostile crowd. Several suffragists pointed out in the media that a government that couldn't protect its female citizens could not properly represent them. Paul's deft handling of the situation made woman's suffrage one of the most-discussed subjects in America.
Paul also orchestrated a meeting, primarily of political men who were suffrage supporters, at the Columbia Theater. The purpose was to pressure Congress to hold hearings about police misconduct. Key participants included activist attorney Louis Brandeis (who became a Supreme Court justice in 1916) and Minnesota senator Moses Edwin Clapp. She kept her role in organizing the event out of the spotlight.
### Congressional response
The Senate Committee on the District of Columbia quickly organized a subcommittee hearing to determine why the crowds at the parade had gotten out of hand. They listened to testimony and read numerous affidavits. Hearings were held March 6–13 and April 16–17. Sylvester defended his actions and blamed individual police officers for disobeying his orders. In the end, Sylvester was exonerated, but public opinion toward him was unfavorable. When he was finally forced to resign in 1915 due to an unrelated incident, the mishandling of the 1913 parade was seen as instrumental in his ouster.
### President Wilson
Alice Paul and the Congressional Union asked President Wilson to push Congress for a federal amendment, beginning with a deputation to the White House shortly after the parade and in several additional visits. He responded initially by saying he had never considered the matter, though he told a Colorado delegation in 1911 that he was pondering the subject. Though he assured the women he would consider it, he did not act on the issue; eventually, he flatly remarked there was no room for suffrage on his agenda. The deputation wished Wilson to press his party to support suffrage legislation. He asserted that he had no influence over his party's actions in Congress. Still, for issues he considered important, he did use his leverage in a partisan manner, such as with repealing the Panama Canal tolls act.
When asked if it had been unwise for her to push Wilson for his stance on woman's suffrage, Paul responded that it was important to make the public aware of his position so they could use it against him when the time came to put pressure on the Democrats during an election. It took until 1918 for Wilson to finally change his stance on the suffrage amendment.
### Impacts on the suffrage movement
Paul inaugurated her leadership in the American suffrage movement with the 1913 procession. This event revived the push for a federal woman's suffrage amendment, a cause that the NAWSA had allowed to languish. Little more than a month after the parade, the Susan B. Anthony amendment was re-introduced in both houses of Congress. For the first time in decades, it was debated on the floor. The demonstration on Pennsylvania Avenue was the precursor to Paul's other high-profile events that, along with actions by the NAWSA, culminated in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution in 1919 and its ratification in 1920.
Paul's focus on a federal amendment contrasted sharply with the NAWSA's state-by-state approach to suffrage, leading to a rift between the Constitutional Committee and the national board. The committee disassociated from the NAWSA and became the Congressional Union. The Congressional Union eventually became subsumed by the National Woman's Party, also led by Paul, in 1916.
## Miscellaneous
### In film
The Woman Suffrage Procession was featured in the 2004 film Iron Jawed Angels, which chronicles the strategies of Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and the National Woman's Party as they lobby and demonstrate for the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which would assure voting rights for all American women.
### United States currency
On April 20, 2016, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced plans for the back of the new \$10 note to feature an image of the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession that passed the steps of the Treasury Department where the allegorical tableaux took place. It is also planned to honor many of the leaders of the suffrage movement, including Lucretia Mott, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul. The front of the new \$10 note is to retain the portrait of Alexander Hamilton. Designs for new \$5, \$10, and \$20 bills were to be unveiled in 2020. Later, it was said that the new note would not be ready for circulation until 2026.
### Anti-black racism
The woman's suffrage movement, led in the nineteenth century by women such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, had its genesis in the abolitionist movement, but by the dawn of the twentieth century, Anthony's goal of universal suffrage was eclipsed by a near-universal racism in the United States. While earlier suffragists had believed the two issues could be linked, the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment and Fifteenth Amendment created a division between African American rights and suffrage for women by prioritizing voting rights for black men over universal suffrage for all men and women. In 1903, the NAWSA officially adopted a platform of states' rights that was intended to mollify and bring Southern U.S. suffrage groups into the fold. The statement's signers included Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt, and Anna Howard Shaw.
With the prevalence of segregation throughout the country and within organizations such as the NAWSA, blacks had formed activist groups to fight for their equal rights. Many were college educated and resented their exclusion from political power. The fiftieth anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 also fell in 1913, giving them even further incentive to march in the suffrage parade. Nellie Quander of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority asked for a place in the college women's section for the women of Howard. While there were two letters discussing the matter the letter on February 17, 1913, letter discusses the desire for the women of Howard to be given a desirable place in the march as well as mentions correspondence and requests from Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, leader of the suffrage parade, vice president of the NAWSA, and appointer of both Paul & Burns as the organizer of the parade, Jane Addams. These letters were follow up discussions to the one began by Paul and initiated by Elise Hill when Hill went down to Howard University at the request of Paul to recruit the Howard women. The Howard University group included "Artist, one—Mrs. May Howard Jackson; college women, six—Mrs. Mary Church Terrell, Mrs. Daniel Murray, Miss Georgia Simpson, Miss Charlotte Steward, Miss Harriet Shadd, Miss Bertha McNiel; teacher, one—Miss Caddie Park; musician, one— Mrs. Harriett G. Marshall; professional women, two— Dr. Amanda V. Gray, Dr. Eva Ross. Illinois delegation—Mrs. Ida Wells-Barnett; Michigan—Mrs. McCoy, of Detroit, who carried the banner; Howard University, group of twenty-five girls in caps and gowns; homemakers—Mrs. Duffield, who carried New York banner, Mrs. M. D. Butler, Mrs. Carrie W. Clifford." One trained nurse, whose name could not be ascertained, marched, and a child caregiver was brought down by the Delaware delegation.
But the Virginia-born Gardener tried to persuade Paul that including blacks would be a bad idea because the Southern delegations threatened to pull out of the march. Paul had attempted to keep news about black marchers out of the press, but when the Howard group announced they intended to participate, the public became aware of the conflict. A newspaper account indicated that Paul told some black suffragists that the NAWSA believed in equal rights for "colored women" but that some Southern women were likely to object to their presence. A source in the organization insisted that the official stance was to "permit negroes to march if they cared to". In a 1974 oral history interview, Paul recalled the "hurdle" of Terrell's plan to march, which upset the Southern delegations. She said the situation was resolved when a Quaker leading the men's section proposed that men march between the Southern and Howard University groups.
While in Paul's memory, a compromise was reached to order the parade as southern women, then the men's section, and finally the black women's section, reports in the NAACP paper, The Crisis, depict events unfolding quite differently, with black women protesting the plan to segregate them. What is clear is that some groups attempted, on the day of the parade, to segregate their delegations. For example, a last-minute instruction by the chair of the state delegation section, Genevieve Stone, caused an additional uproar when she asked the Illinois delegation's sole black member, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, to march with the segregated black group at the back of the parade. Some historians claim Paul made the request, though this seems unlikely after the official NAWSA decision. Wells-Barnett eventually rejoined the Illinois delegation as the procession moved down the avenue. In the end, black women marched in several state delegations, including New York and Michigan. Some joined in with their co-workers in professional groups. There were also black men driving many of the floats. The spectators did not treat the black participants any differently.
## See also
- Suffrage Hikes
- Mud March, 1907 suffrage procession in London
- Women's Sunday, 1908 suffrage march and rally in London
- Women's Coronation Procession, 1911 suffrage march in London
- Great Pilgrimage, 1913 suffrage march in the UK
- Silent Sentinels, 1917 to 1919 protest in Washington, D.C.
- Selma to Montgomery march, 1965 suffrage march in the US
- List of suffragists and suffragettes
- Timeline of women's suffrage
- Timeline of women's suffrage in the United States |
1,954,053 | USS Varuna (1861) | 1,096,718,700 | Gunboat of the United States Navy | [
"1861 ships",
"Gunboats of the United States Navy",
"Louisiana in the American Civil War",
"Maritime incidents in April 1862",
"Ships built in Mystic, Connecticut",
"Ships of the Union Navy",
"Shipwrecks of the American Civil War",
"Shipwrecks of the Mississippi River",
"Steamships of the United States Navy"
] | USS Varuna was a screw steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Under construction in 1861, she was purchased incomplete on 31 December. After being commissioned in February 1862, she traveled to join the West Gulf Blockading Squadron. Varuna was present when Flag Officer David Glasgow Farragut led an attack against Confederate positions at Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip on 24 April. During the action, Varuna ran ahead of the other Union ships, and was engaged in a chase with the Louisiana gunboat Governor Moore. After closing in on the Union ship, Governor Moore rammed Varuna twice, with the gunboat CSS Stonewall Jackson adding a third blow. Varuna sank within 15 minutes, but Farragut was able to capture the city of New Orleans, Louisiana.
## Construction and characteristics
The American Civil War broke out in April, and the Union adopted the Anaconda Plan, which involved blockading the Confederate coastline and taking control of the Mississippi River. At the beginning of the war, the Union Navy had only 42 ships still considered active, with others mothballed and in poor condition. Many of the existing active ships were too large to enter the ports that would need to be blockaded. The Union found itself needing a number of new ships in order to fulfill the new operations goals.
Varuna, who was named after a Vedic deity associated with the skies and seas, was laid down at the Mallory Yard of Mystic, Connecticut, in late January or early February, 1861. Launched in September 1861, she was intended to be used as a merchant ship on the trade route between New York City and New Orleans, Louisiana. The Union Navy purchased Varuna on 31 December, at New York City, before her construction had been completed.
According to naval historian Paul H. Silverstone, she had a tonnage of 1,247 tons burthen, while the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS) places her tonnage at 1,300 tons. Varuna was 218 feet (66 m) long, and had a beam of 34 feet 8 inches (10.57 m). Her depth of hold was 18 feet 3 inches (5.56 m) She was a steamship and was powered by a single screw propeller. Her crew numbered 157. She was armed with eight 8-inch (20 cm) Dahlgren guns and two 30-pound (14 kg) Parrott rifles. The naval historian W. Craig Gaines describes Varuna as either a sloop or a corvette, while the DANFS describes her as a screw gunboat.
## Service history
Varuna was commissioned in February 1862. On 10 February, she was briefly ordered to wait in New York City while the ironclad USS Monitor was completed, so that she could escort Monitor to Hampton Roads. However, this order was revoked later that day, and Varuna became part of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron. On her way to join the squadron, Varuna called at the port of Port Royal, South Carolina. As the Union commander at Port Royal, Flag Officer Samuel Du Pont, was absent on an expedition south along the Confederate coastline, Varuna's captain, Commander Charles S. Boggs, temporarily took command of the area. Varuna would not reach the West Gulf Blockading Squadron until 6 March.
In January, the commander of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, Flag Officer David Glasgow Farragut, had been tasked with capturing New Orleans for the Union. Farragut would have both a fleet of warships and the Mortar Flotilla. In late February, he arrived at Ship Island, a strategic island off the coast of Mississippi, and after preparations, the advance up the Mississippi towards New Orleans began on 15 April. The mortars of the Mortar Flotilla began bombarding two Confederate forts downriver from New Orleans – Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip – on 18 April, with the shelling continuing for another five days. Union vessels were able to breach a barricade erected in the river on 20 April, and at 02:00 on 24 April, Farragut's ships began moving against the two forts, bringing on the Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip.
### Varuna sunk in action
Farragut assigned 17 warships for the attack on the forts, dividing them into three groups. Varuna was one of eight ships in the first group, which was tasked with moving up the eastern side of the river to engage Fort St. Philip. Confederate fire opened at around 03:40. The lead Union ship was USS Cayuga, who moved towards Fort St. Philip and engaged the ironclads CSS Louisiana and CSS Manassas. Varuna fired into the duel, damaging both the Union and Confederate vessels, and USS Oneida came to the aid of Cayuga as well. While Oneida held position and fired at the forts, Varuna then broke formation and continued upriver, despite having engine trouble that resulted in low boiler pressure. Encountering a group of Confederate gunboats, Varuna fired at them, and continued upriver. Varuna was now the leading Union ship, and was spotted by the State of Louisiana gunboat Governor Moore. The Union ship could be identified by the color of light she showed on her masthead, as Confederate vessels carried a different color of light.
The two ships then began a chase upriver. Governor Moore fired with the chase gun on her bow, while Varuna fired with her stern chase gun. The gunboat CSS Jackson briefly fired into the melee, but then continued upriver to New Orleans. Varuna tried to turn to face her broadside towards Governor Moore, but the move was countered; the two ships fired into each other at a range of 40 yards (37 m). Governor Moore approached yet closer, but found that her forward gun could not be depressed enough to rake Varuna's deck, so her captain ordered the gun fired through her own deck, with the hole serving as a gun port. A second shot through the hole killed three men aboard Varuna and wounded others.
At this point, the two ships were about 10 feet (3.0 m) apart, but could barely see each other due to dense smoke. It was now about 06:00, and the ships were at a point about 9 miles (14 km) upriver from the forts.Varuna turned to starboard to allow for a broadside to be fired from that side of the ship. The broadside caused great destruction on Governor Moore's deck, but Governor Moore rammed Varuna, knocking out the Union ship's engines. Governor Moore then backed off and rammed Varuna again. Varuna was now sinking rapidly, and steered towards the riverbank. The gunboat CSS Stonewall Jackson then arrived and rammed Varuna. Varuna sank within 15 minutes, with her guns still firing as she went down. Eight sailors aboard the vessel later received the Medal of Honor for their actions in the engagement. Governor Moore in turn was scuttled not long after her victory over Varuna.
By mid-morning, Farragut had 13 of his ships upriver past the forts. Most of the Confederate ships present had been sunk, and the two forts surrendered on 28 April, after their garrisons mutinied. After neutralizing Confederate defenses at Chalmette on 25 April, the Union vessels entered New Orleans. The fall of the city was a major defeat for the Confederates. The DANFS states that Varuna "contributed greatly" to the Union victory, and George Henry Boker wrote a poem commemorating the vessel. Her wreck was partially visible in 1885, and a 1981 expedition led by Clive Cussler located a signal with a gradiometer near where she is believed to have sunk. |
35,391,004 | Europa and the Pirate Twins | 1,121,960,637 | null | [
"1981 singles",
"1981 songs",
"EMI Records singles",
"Song recordings produced by Tim Friese-Greene",
"Songs written by Thomas Dolby",
"Thomas Dolby songs"
] | "Europa and the Pirate Twins" is a song by English artist Thomas Dolby, from his 1982 album The Golden Age of Wireless. Written by Dolby, who produced it alongside Tim Friese-Greene, the song was released as a single on 3 October 1981.
The song, described as a "synth pop classic", was inspired by the atmosphere of World War II, and features a guest appearance by XTC's Andy Partridge. The single reached a peak position of 48 in the United Kingdom, Dolby's home country, as well as charting in the United States and Canada.
## Composition
Taken from the album The Golden Age of Wireless, "Europa and the Pirate Twins" was written by Thomas Dolby, who produced it in collaboration with Tim Friese-Greene. The song opens with a "bluesy" harmonica solo, performed by Andy Partridge of the band XTC. The song makes use of electronic drums, and features a "high-register" synthesiser line throughout. The song's main musical hook is a "Bo Diddley beat", a repetitive rhythm common in several musical genres.
Drowned in Sound's Joseph Stannard has noted that "Europa and the Pirate Twins" is written with World War II as a strong influence, and that the song "emphasises the short distance between [Dolby's] generation and the one which endured the last global conflict". Dolby has described the song, along with the tone of the album, as reflecting "a sense of [a] relationship that's going on as being overwhelmed by something on a grander level", adding that "there's a very strong wartime atmosphere to it". The song was described as "a semi-autobiographical romp" in the liner notes for Dolby's 2009 greatest hits album The Singular Thomas Dolby, the release of which was overseen by the singer. "Europa and the Pirate Twins" received a "sequel" on Dolby's 1992 album Astronauts & Heretics, in the song "Eastern Bloc"; which has been described by Audio magazine as "appealingly faithful" to the original.
## Release
"Europa and the Pirate Twins" was released as a single in the United Kingdom on 3 October, 1981. It was Dolby's first major label release, taken from his EMI-released début album The Golden Age of Wireless. The song spent three weeks in the UK Singles Chart, reaching a peak position of 48. The song first appeared in RPM magazine's Canadian singles chart on 18 June 1983, debuting at number 50. It eventually reached a peak position of 45 in that chart. The song debuted in the United States' Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on 2 July 1983, spending five weeks there and peaking at number 67. It also reached a peak position of 37 on the Billboard rock chart in 1982.
The song's release was accompanied by a music video, blending together several elements of footage. These included footage of the Ziegfeld Follies, Dolby interacting with a futuristic "telecomputer", and black-and-white shots of Dolby and a shrouded female figure by the coast. The video was written and directed by Dolby.
## Reception
"Europa and the Pirate Twins" has been described by Peter Buckley, in his book The Rough Guide to Rock, as "showcas[ing] Dolby's trademark combination of the charming and the gimmicky". Writing for Allrovi, Stewart Mason described the song as "a hyperactive synth pop classic", whose "every nook and cranny is stuffed with some sort of ear-grabbing hook". Mason added that the song "pack[s] a remarkable amount of detail into two short verses and a bridge" and "resolves with a soaring, bittersweet chorus". Writing about the song's music video, Dennis Shin of PopMatters described Dolby as being on the "leading edge" in the medium, highlighting the videos for "She Blinded Me with Science" and "Hyperactive!" in addition to describing that for "Europa and the Pirate Twins" as being "one of his lesser-known and unsung videos".
## Cover version
A cover version of the song featuring lyrics in Swedish is the title track on the Swedish band Noice's 1982 synth pop album Europa. |
47,705,804 | Unbreakable (Janet Jackson song) | 1,169,548,642 | null | [
"2015 singles",
"2015 songs",
"Janet Jackson songs",
"Song recordings produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis",
"Songs written by Janet Jackson",
"Songs written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis",
"Songs written by Thomas Lumpkins"
] | "Unbreakable" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson for her eleventh studio album of the same name. It was co-written and produced by Jackson and her long-time collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with additional writing by Thomas Lumpkins and additional production by Tommy McClendon and Dem Jointz. The song debuted on September 3, 2015 on Apple Music's Beats 1 radio station and was made available for digital download on the same day Jackson officially announced the studio album's release date and track list. It was subsequently released to urban contemporary radio on September 29, 2015 and to urban adult contemporary radio on October 5, 2015 as the album's second single.
"Unbreakable" is a mid-tempo R&B song, which instrumentation consists of a thumping bass and a subdued beat, having a soul-sample throughout the track and Jackson's vocals. It starts a cappella, shifting into a smooth, mid-tempo groove, and towards the end, the beat is pulled back for a spoken outro over finger snaps. Lyrically, the song finds Jackson expressing her gratitude towards her loyal fan base and a lover, while also addressing her absence. The song received largely positive reviews from music critics, who praised its groove, her vocals and its harmonies. "Unbreakable" was added to Jackson's 2015–16 Unbreakable World Tour.
## Background and release
After a period of hiatus and numerous rumours about whether she was recording a new album or not, Janet Jackson officially announced her return on May 16, 2015. Jackson announced she had founded her own label, Rhythm Nation, becoming the first female African-American recording artist to do so, while also planning the album to be distributed by BMG, as well as preparing herself for a new world tour in the same year. She also announced that her world tour was called Unbreakable World Tour, and on August 20, 2015, it was confirmed that Unbreakable was also the album's title. On September 3, 2015, its track list was revealed, with its title track being one of the seventeen tracks on the album. On the same day, the song was released to digital download and streaming for those who pre-ordered the album, as well as it premiered on Apple Music's Beats 1 radio station, hosted by Ebro Darden. On September 29, 2015, the song was officially released to urban contemporary radio stations as the album's second single, while being sent to urban adult contemporary radio on October 5, 2015.
## Composition and lyrics
"Unbreakable" was written and produced by Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with additional writing by Thomas Lumpkins. It was co-produced by Tommy McClendon with additional production being done by Dem Jointz. Mixing was done by Serban Ghenea and John Hanes served as the song's engineer. It is a mid-tempo R&B song, with its instrumentation consisting in a thumping bass and a subdued "funky" beat, having a "distinctive Janet sound", according to some critics, and a soul-sample, while Jackson's vocals were considered "breezy" and "soulful". It starts with "a melodic almost a cappella intro, with Jackson singing, "I lived through my mistakes, it's just a part of growing", before it "segways into a legit bop." According to Fuse's Mark Sundstrom, its pre-chorus is "full of rich harmonies that give a retro—dare we say Jackson 5—vibe".
Towards the end, Jackson gives a spoken outro against some finger snaps. Music Times' Carolyn Menyes observed that the lyrics during that outro, "Hello. It's been a while. Lots to talk about. I'm glad you're still here. I dedicate myself to you. I hope you enjoy", directly addresses the listeners who had waited for new music from her. Lyrically, "Unbreakable" is a dedication to her fans, with Jackson expressing thankfulness and praising her loyal fan base and a lover, with lines like, "Never for a single moment did I ever go without your love" and "You made me feel wanted, and I want to tell you how important you are to me." Lewis, one of its producers, commented on the song's lyrics, saying, "Some people think of unbreakable as being hard, but I think unbreakable is just being able to be vulnerable and to be able to withstand what comes to you. She’s lived a lot of life in the last few years."
## Reception
"Unbreakable" received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Andy Kellman of AllMusic praised the "relaxed and wistful groove", as well as "her lead and background vocals in the chorus arranged to stellar effect", picking the song as one of the album's standout tracks. Loren DiBlasi of MTV referred to the song as "classic Janet [with] angelic vocals delivered with timeless R&B style," claiming she "has not lost her touch." Evan Sawdey of PopMatters called it "a solid mid-tempo groove, something that is all well and good until those multi-layered vocal harmonies come in during the chorus and we’re instantly transplanted back to Janet of old, her familiar coo still sounding remarkably fresh after all this time." Maura Johnston of Time noted that its "space-age synth [...] blossoms into a sunny-day soul strut," while giving praise towards Jackson's voice, which according to her, "always notable for the emotion it could pack into even the simplest verse, [being] particularly suited to this type of laid-back R&B." Mark Sundstrom wrote for Fuse that he was "obsessed" with the track and "sold" on the album, also praising its "rich harmonies" that "totally suits Janet's sexy, sultry vocals." Anupa Mistry of Pitchfork called it a "giddy, grateful grown-woman song", Citing "Unbreakable" as one of the album's "affecting surprises", USA Today writer Elysa Gardner named it "brightly infectious", while Carolyn Menyes of Music Times perceived that it "retains the coolness of the first Unbreakable track fans have heard, 'No Sleeep,' while being totally thematically different, focusing on Jackson's return to the world of music."
Michael Arceneaux of Complex opined that the song "successfully conveys the overall theme of the album and Janet’s state of mind—self-assured, truly ready to sing again, and very much in love." For Saeed Saeed of The National, the track is "the clearest example of Jackson in her new Zen-pop mode: one can imagine that a few years ago this would have been a more raucous affair. Here, the track is a mid-tempo jam that revolves around a superb vocal sample as Jackson soulfully hails the blessings of reflection." While noting that "'Unbreakable' is also the title of a song that began her brother Michael’s final album before he died in 2009", Rob Tannenbaum of Billboard remarked that "the high chorus even sounds like something he might’ve written." Entertainment Weekly's Kyle Anderson echoed the same thought, claiming she 'matches the timbre of his croon" on the track. Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Mikael Wood went on to praise Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for creating "grand-scaled but meticulously detailed songs that almost sound as though they’ve been under construction since 2008," citing the song as one example, while praising "Jackson’s lush overdubbed harmonies." Though noting that the song "loops a sweet-soul sample through the verses like an early Kanye West production", Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrote that "the melodies lack the invincible catchiness of Ms. Jackson’s best songs." "Unbreakable" debuted and peaked at number 45 on the UK Indie Chart. It also peaked at number five on the US Billboard's Adult R&B Songs.
## Live performances
"Unbreakable" was performed as the closing number on Jackson's 2015–16 Unbreakable World Tour. During the performance of the song, she would introduce each of her dancers and band members by name to the audience. According to Billboard's Eve Barlow, the rendition was "one of only four new songs during a give-the-people-what-they-want spectacular. (Take note, Madonna). More fool anyone who doubted she had the fight in her".
## Credits and personnel
Credits for "Unbreakable" adapted from Unbreakable liner notes.
- Janet Jackson – vocals, songwriting, producing
- Thomas Lumpkins – songwriting
- Tommy McClendon – producing, vocals
- James Harris III – songwriting, producing, all instruments
- Terry Lewis – songwriting, producing, all instruments
- Dwayne Abernathy – songwriting, producing, mixing
- Serban Ghenea – mixing
- Matthew Marrin – recording
- John Hanes – mixing engineer
## Charts
## Release history |
10,528,017 | Fran (Final Fantasy) | 1,171,078,579 | Fictional character in Final Fantasy | [
"Black characters in video games",
"Characters designed by Akihiko Yoshida",
"Female characters in video games",
"Female soldier and warrior characters in video games",
"Fictional archers",
"Fictional hunters in video games",
"Final Fantasy XII",
"Final Fantasy characters",
"Kemonomimi",
"Square Enix protagonists",
"Video game characters introduced in 2006"
] | Fran (Japanese: フラン, Hepburn: Furan) is a character in the Final Fantasy series of video games. She is a member of the Viera race, a group of rabbit-like humanoid people. She appears in Final Fantasy XII, having left her tribe and worked as a copilot to the pirate Balthier. Her character design was created by Akihiko Yoshida. She is voiced by Nicole Fantl in English and by Rika Fukami in Japanese. Her English voice performance took inspiration from Icelandic singer Björk, which left Square Enix skeptical but eventually sated with their explanations. Fran later appears in the Nintendo DS sequel Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings.
Fran has received mostly popular reception since her debut and is noted for having popularized the fictional Viera race. She is often regarded as one of the highlights of Final Fantasy XII's cast and in the series in general and has been praised for her design by multiple critics. She is considered a rare example of a non-white female character in video games, though this assessment is considered by some to be problematic due to racial implications.
## Concept and creation
Fran's visual appearance was designed by Akihiko Yoshida and her story was written by Daisuke Watanabe for Final Fantasy XII, which had a development period of 2001 to 2006. She is a Viera, a humanoid species that resembles rabbits. She is also co-pilot to her friend Balthier and the mechanic to their ship, the Strahl. Like all Viera, she is exceptionally sensitive to the magical mist that permeates Ivalice, the setting of Final Fantasy XII, which can send her into a rage. The decision to feature non-human species in the world of XII was due to wanting to feature different races and social classes and to represent real-world history. Characters' outfits in XII were made to show more skin due to the setting being hot.
Fran was voiced by Nicole Fantl in English and by Rika Fukami in Japanese, while her motion capture work was performed by Hiroko Harada and Kouhei Takeda. Fukami had her speak in a "straightforward, slightly gruff" fashion. Localizer Alexander O. Smith took inspiration in writing Fran's English dialogue from Icelandic singer Björk, casting for people who can actualize that inspiration. Smith said that he ideally wanted Björk to be cast. Square Enix was initially skeptical of the direction they were taking with Fran's voice as it was significantly different from the Japanese version to a larger extent than the other lead characters, but the staff was able to convince them by explaining that they were trying a new take on her Viera race. Smith identified Fran and the other Viera as some of his favorite characters to write in Final Fantasy XII due to their Icelandic accents.
## Appearances
Before the events of Final Fantasy XII, Fran lived with her sisters Jote and Mjrn in Eruyt Village, a secluded Viera settlement in Golmore Woods, but became restless and desired to see the outside world. This was a major source of conflict between her and the other Viera, especially her sister Jote, who served as the village matriarch. Fran argued that although all Viera begin their lives in the forest, they are not necessarily bound to remain there to the end. When the party encounters an impassable Viera barrier, Fran is forced to return to her former village and ask for help. She learns from Jote that their sister Mjrn has run off. When Fran finds her and brings her back, Mjrn reveals she wishes to leave Golmore, but Fran advises her against doing so, relating how her own independence has cost her her family and her spirituality with Golmore. After Fran departs, she feels as though Jote cares for her, despite her reluctance to say as much.
She later appears in the Nintendo DS sequel Revenant Wings alongside Balthier, which is set on a place called the Sky Continent. She and Balthier initially work to destroy the auralith, one of multiple crystals that keep the Sky Continent afloat that protagonists Vaan and Penelo are trying to protect, though it is later explained that they were trying to prevent the souls of a people called the aegyl which reside in the auralith from being taken. In battle, Fran uses status effects against opponents, a unique combat ability among the playable cast. She also appears as a playable character in Itadaki Street Portable. She was included in Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia as a playable character, where she has the unique ability Viera Commandments.
## Reception
Fran has received mostly positive reception. She is credited with popularizing the Viera race by PCGamesN. Chris Carter and Joe Juba, writing for Game Informer and Destructoid respectively, both enjoyed Fran, regarding her and Balthier as standout characters among Final Fantasy XII's cast. David Lozada and Aoife Wilson, writing for Game Revolution and Vice respectively, regarded her as a standout character in the Final Fantasy series, with the latter regarded a scene of her going into a rage as one of the most memorable in the series. She did not rank among a list of favorite female Final Fantasy characters by Japanese fans, which caused Mollie L. Patterson of Electronic Gaming Monthly disappointment. The Verge said that Fran is their favorite character in the series' 35-year history.
Writers for IGN and Complex found her design attractive, with the former drawing a comparison between Fran and the Playboy bunny. Emma Boyes for IGN and Nadia Oxford for USGamer both enjoyed Fran's design in spite of the impracticality of her armor and heels. Jef Rouner for Houston Press found her design attractive as well, identifying her as the hottest furry character. He noted her height, accent, and figure as highlights. Rouner also noted her as a rare example of black women in games, though he noted that she seemed to be more of an example of "exotic flavoring" due to her species. Responding to this assessment, Alisha Karabinus of NYM Gamer expressed discomfort at the idea of identifying a non-human character as black, commenting that "there's a lot to unpack" with this. Philip Boyes of Eurogamer took issue with Fran's portrayal, particularly how her design demonstrates "othering" and a "male fantasy". Greg Vallentin of Video Gamer found her voice acting to be "cringey", while writer Mattie Brice discussed how her accent is meant to differentiate her from the rest of the cast. Brice found her exotic, citing her accent, skin color, and species, though she felt that she had the least personality of the main cast.
Rémi Lopez in the book La Légende Final Fantasy XII et Ivalice noted that while anthropomorphic characters were not uncommon in the series, Fran was possibly the most intimidating character of the game. He further added that while some sources compared her relationship with Balthier to that of Star Wars characters Chewbacca and Han Solo respectively, their relationship seemed to be one more of mutual respect with the suggestions of a "forbidden romance". Lopez noted that Fran also represents a different idea of the concept of freedom compared to the rest of the cast, shown as a poisoned gift in that it severs her roots with her people, and that while it emphasizes her strength of her character the cost is compounded more by her longer lifespan. This is further reflected in her encouraging her sister to remain with her people, and moreso cold attitude towards Balthier, as she would undoubtedly end up seeing him grow old and die. Lastly Lopez noted that while her appearance in Revenant Wings offered little in ways of expanding her character, he enjoyed that her dialogue reflected on her choices regarding freedom how it affected her view on others to live their own lives. |
67,842,150 | Leyland Landtrain | 1,155,063,906 | British truck | [
"Leyland vehicles",
"Rear-wheel-drive vehicles",
"Trucks",
"Vehicles introduced in 1980"
] | The Leyland Landtrain was a truck that was produced in the 1980s by British Leyland. Designed for the export markets in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, it was particularly popular in Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe. The Landtrain was designed to be used in areas of limited infrastructure, where roads may be rough and fuel scarce. It was powered by four different engines and produced with three different gross vehicle weights (GVW), 19 tonnes (19 long tons; 21 short tons), 30 t (30 long tons; 33 short tons) and 36 t (35 long tons; 40 short tons)
The Landtrain was produced as both a two-axle 4x2 and a three-axle 6x4 rigid and a 6x4 tractor. The truck was produced in the Leyland plant in Wolverhampton between 1980 and 1982, when production moved to Bathgate, and then finally to Watford in 1984. Kits were exported from these plants to Leyland factories in Ibadan, Nigeria, and Thika, Kenya, where they were assembled. The truck ceased production in 1987 after the merger of Leyland with the Dutch company DAF.
## Design and development
Given the project designation of T129, the Landtrain was introduced by British Leyland and marketed as the first truck specifically built for the African, Asian, Latin American and Middle East markets. The design drew upon the expertise of Scammell Lorries, which was also owned by Leyland, and had produced a number of successful large military trucks, including the Commander. Similarly, the truck reflected the design of the Thornycroft tractors which were manufactured by the company at the same time. The Landtrain was produced in a range of variants, designated by a two figure nominal combining the gross vehicle weight (GVW) in tonnes and the designated engine power in brake horsepower (BHP). The truck was launched at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show.
The truck was a bonneted design optimised for operating over poor roads for long distances, where refuelling and servicing facilities were infrequent. To that end, an easy to maintain and robust design was preferred over cutting-edge technology, the chassis was of a straightforward and strong channel section ladder type and fuel tankage could be up to 700 litres (150 imp gal; 180 US gal). Sitting behind rather than above the engine also gave the driver the advantage of not getting warmed by heat rising from the engine, an important consideration in hot climates.
In its three-axle form, the truck was available as a rigid, a tipper and a tractor. As a rigid or tipper, it was 9,337 mm (367.6 in) long, 2,478 mm (97.6 in) wide and 2,780 mm (109.4 in) high, to the top of the cab, with a wheelbase of 5,680 mm (223.6 in). The truck had a GVW that varied between 19 and 36 t (19 and 35 long tons; 21 and 40 short tons). The tractor had a shorter wheelbase of 4,770 mm (187.8 in) and a length of 7,174 mm (282.4 in). Rated gross combined weight (GCW) of the tractor was 65 t (64 long tons; 72 short tons), but an additional trailer could be mounted behind the semi-trailer, where regulations permitted, to create a land train with even more capability.
## Power and transmission
The truck was initially powered by a range of four different six cylinder diesel engines, all of 14 litres (854 in<sup>3</sup>) capacity. Two were produced by Leyland and two by Cummins, with each range including a less powerful naturally aspirated engine and a more powerful equipped with a turbocharger. The least powerful was a Leyland L12 rated at 158 kilowatts (212 bhp) at 2200 rpm. The engine was an adaptation of the larger TL12, which had been previously used in the Marathon 2. The TL12 itself was the second engine available in the Landtrain, but in a lower revving version rated at 210 kW (280 bhp) at 2000 rpm and providing ten per cent more torque. The less powerful of the two Cummins engines was the NHC250 rated at 250 kW (340 bhp) and the more powerful the NTE290 rated at 290 kW (390 bhp). The Cummins design featured a "big cam" design that provided better fuel economy.
Different gearboxes were used depending on the engine fitted. The L12 was matched to the six-speed Eaton 0403 gearbox with overdrive, while the nine-speed Fuller RT09509A or B range-change was used with the TL12 and NHC250. Both were constant-mesh designs. The NTE290 was initially mated with a six-speed ZFAK6-90 gearbox, but this was replaced by the Fuller unit during production. A Dana Splicer twin plate clutch was fitted.
Power was transmitted to the wheels in the two axle version through a hub reduction design derived from that used in the Marathon, rated at 13 tonnes (13 long tons; 14 short tons). The three axle version had double reduction to both rear axles. The axles were each rated at 6.5 t (6.4 long tons; 7.2 short tons). The three-seat cab was simple and was not fitted with air conditioning or other modern conveniences.
## Production
Initially, the Landtrain was produced at the Guy Motors factory in Wolverhampton. Production was expected to be 1000 vehicles a year. Production subsequently moved to the plant in Bathgate in August 1982, which led to the closure of the Wolverhampton plant. Subsequently, when the Bathgate plant closed in June 1984, production was moved to the Scammell plant in Watford. In addition to complete trucks, the plants produced Complete Knock-Down (CKD) kits. These were partially completed vehicles which were exported widely to be assembled locally into vehicles. The Leyland plant in Thika, Kenya, and Ibadan, Nigeria were two of the main plants to receive CKDs. Vehicles were produced with combinations of engine power and GVW as 19–24, 19–29, 30–24, 30–29, 36-24 and 36–29. These designations were inscribed on the cab door.
The trucks were popular in Africa, particularly in Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe. They were used for a wide range of tasks, whether general operations or more specialised work like providing emergency relief in Sudan or helping to rebuild the runway in Port Stanley after the Falklands War. A Landtrain came fifth overall, and first in its class, in the gruelling 1,100-mile (1,800 km) three-day Argungu rally. The sponsor, an Alhaji Chanchanji, gave the prize money to an orphanage near to the Leyland factory in Nigeria.
In February 1987, Leyland merged with the Dutch firm DAF Trucks to form Leyland DAF. Bonneted trucks were dropped from the range and production of the Landtrain stopped following the merger. |
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