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Jeff Tambellini
| 1,171,142,896 |
Canadian ice hockey player
|
[
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"AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans",
"Bridgeport Sound Tigers players",
"Canadian ice hockey left wingers",
"Canadian sportspeople of Italian descent",
"Chilliwack Chiefs players",
"Djurgårdens IF Hockey players",
"HC Fribourg-Gottéron players",
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"Living people",
"Los Angeles Kings draft picks",
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"Manchester Monarchs (AHL) players",
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"Modo Hockey players",
"National Hockey League first-round draft picks",
"New York Islanders players",
"People from Port Moody",
"Seattle Kraken scouts",
"Syracuse Crunch players",
"Tampa Bay Lightning scouts",
"Vancouver Canucks players",
"Växjö Lakers players",
"ZSC Lions players"
] |
Jeff Tambellini (born April 13, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger and current Director of Player Development for the Seattle Kraken of the NHL. Originally selected 27th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, he joined the National Hockey League in 2005. During his rookie season, he was traded to the New York Islanders. He split his first three professional seasons between the NHL and his clubs' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliates, the Manchester Monarchs (Los Angeles) and Bridgeport Sound Tigers (New York). In July 2010, Tambellini signed with the Vancouver Canucks and spent a season with the organization.
During his junior career, Tambellini earned MVP honours in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), while also leading the Chilliwack Chiefs to a Fred Page Cup as league champions and a Doyle Cup as Pacific regional champions. In 2002, he joined the college ranks with the Michigan Wolverines of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). Over three seasons, he won two Mason Cups with Michigan as CCHA champions, while earning several individual honours, including league rookie of the year in 2003 and playoff MVP in 2005. Internationally, he competed for Canada's under-20 team at the 2004 World Junior Championships, earning a silver medal.
## Playing career
### Junior and college
Tambellini played one season in the third-tier Pacific International Junior Hockey League (PIJHL) with the Port Coquitlam Buckaroos in 1999–2000. He scored 31 goals and 64 points over 41 games, earning PIJHL First Team All-Star and Rookie of the Year honours. The following season, he joined the Junior A ranks with the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), recording 51 points over 54 games in his rookie season.
In 2001–02, he improved to 117 points (46 goals and 71 points), receiving the Brett Hull Trophy as the league's leading scorer along with Matt Ellison of the Cowichan Valley Capitals, who also scored 117 points. He was further distinguished with the Verne Dye Memorial Trophy as the Coastal Conference's most valuable player. Tambellini went on to help the Chiefs to a Fred Page Cup as league champions, defeating the Vernon Vipers four games to two in the finals. Advancing to the Doyle Cup, the Chiefs beat the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) champion Drayton Valley Thunder by the same series score to capture the regional title. Competing for the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) title, Chilliwack lost in the Royal Bank Cup semifinals. During the tournament, Tambellini was chosen as the CJHL player of the year, beating out Jade Galbraith of the Drayton Valley Thunder and Tim Vokey of the Cornwall Colts.
Tambellini left the Chiefs after two seasons to play college hockey with the Michigan Wolverines of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), where he served as an alternate captain. After scoring 45 points over 43 games in his freshman year, he received All-Rookie Team, Second All-Star Team and Rookie of the Year honours in the CCHA. In the playoffs, Tambellini helped the Wolverines to his first of two Mason Cups in his college career as CCHA champions.
Going into the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, he was ranked 21st among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. Scouts listed him as a superior skater and defensively responsible with leadership qualities. He went on to be selected in the first round, 27th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings.
Returning to Michigan following his draft, his offensive production declined to 27 points over 39 games. The Wolverines returned to the CCHA finals, but were defeated by the Ohio State Buckeyes. Returning to form in 2004–05, Tambellini notched 24 goals and 57 points over 42 games, earning CCHA First All-Star Team honours. He led the Wolverines to a second Mason Cup championship in three years and was chosen as the CCHA Tournament MVP. Competing in the NCAA tournament, Tambellini was named to the NCAA Midwest Regional All-Tournament and NCAA West Second All-Star Teams.
### Professional
On August 15, 2005, Tambellini signed an entry-level contract with the Kings, foregoing his senior year with Michigan. In late-September, he was assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, following his training camp with Los Angeles. Two months into the season, Tambellini was called up to the Kings, making his NHL debut on November 30, 2005, against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Kings lost the game 3–2, while Tambellini earned nine minutes of ice time. After four pointless NHL games, he was sent back down to Manchester. On March 8, 2006, Tambellini was traded by the Kings, along with defenceman Denis Grebeshkov, to the New York Islanders, in exchange for forward Mark Parrish and defenceman Brent Sopel. Upon being dealt, he was called up from the AHL and played the remainder of the season with New York. He left Manchester with 25 goals and 56 points in 56 games, which finished the 2005–06 AHL season ranked as the third-best points-per-game rate among league rookies.
Playing in his third game with the Islanders, he scored his first NHL goal against Martin Brodeur in a 6–1 win against the New Jersey Devils on March 14, 2006. He finished the campaign with a goal and four points in 21 games with New York. As the Islanders failed to qualify for the playoffs, they assigned Tambellini to their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, for their Calder Cup playoffs. Over seven post-season games, he recorded three points as Bridgeport was eliminated by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the first round.
Tambellini split the 2006–07 season between the Islanders and Sound Tigers. Called up from the AHL on three separate occasions, he recorded two goals and nine points over 23 games with New York. Over 50 AHL games, he led the Sound Tigers with 30 goals and 59 points. The following season, Tambellini set the Sound Tigers single-season scoring record with 76 points in 57 games. His 38 goals ranked second in the league, while his points total was seventh. He was called up to the NHL five times, scoring a goal and four points over 31 games. In the off-season, he was re-signed to a two-year, US\$1.175 million contract on July 16, 2008.
In 2008–09, he began the campaign in the NHL. With the exception of a two-week assignment with Bridgeport in December 2008, he spent the entire season with the Islanders. Over 65 NHL games, he scored seven goals and 15 points, while recording three goals in six games with the Sound Tigers. The following season, Tambellini recorded his first NHL hat trick with his father in attendance on October 31, 2009, against the Buffalo Sabres. Often made a healthy scratch, he completed the season with 14 points over 36 games, while leading the Islanders in shootout percentage with three goals in five attempts.
Becoming an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, Tambellini joined the Vancouver Canucks on July 1, 2010. He signed a one-year, two-way deal paying the league-minimum \$500,000 at the NHL-level and \$105,000 at the minor-league level. He had received interest from other teams, but was quick to accept an offer from his hometown NHL team, commenting that he "grew up want[ing] to be part of the Vancouver Canucks from age six." Tambellini scored his first goal as a Canuck on October 22, 2010, in a 5–1 win against the Minnesota Wild. While earning some time on the team's second line, he played the majority of the season on the fourth unit, finishing with 9 goals and 17 points over 62 games. Assigned to the team's AHL affiliate for brief periods in October and November 2010, he recorded 7 points over 7 games with the Manitoba Moose. A healthy scratch for the majority of the 2011 playoffs, he made his NHL post-season debut in Game 6 of the second round against the Nashville Predators. In total, he dressed in six games with no points during the playoffs as the Canucks advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the third time in team history, losing in Game 7 to the Boston Bruins. Tambellini was the last player to wear sweater \#10 for the Canucks, prior to it being retired in honor of Pavel Bure.
After becoming an unrestricted free agent once more in the off-season, Tambellini signed for the ZSC Lions of the National League A (NLA) in Switzerland. By joining Zurich, he followed after his father and grandfather, who both played for the team during their careers. He was recruited to play overseas by the Lions' Bob Hartley, who previously coached in the NHL for the Colorado Avalanche and Atlanta Thrashers. Tambellini became the team's premiere player in his first season with Zurich, leading the team in scoring and averaging more than 25 minutes a game. He described the Swiss league as a competitive level between the AHL and NHL. In his first season in Zurich, he won the Swiss Championship.
Upon completion of an injury plagued second season with the Lions, Tambellini left as a free agent and signed a one-year contract in Sweden with Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League on March 25, 2013.
In the 2014–15 season, Tambellini skated in 30 games with Fribourg-Gotteron of the Swiss-A league, registering five goals and 13 points. He also played in 20 games with Växjö Lakers in the Swedish Hockey League, recording six goals and nine points. On July 5, 2015, the Tampa Bay Lightning signed Tambellini to a one-year, two-way contract.
After spending the 2015–16 season with the Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, in which he contributed with 49 points in 65 games, Tambellini returned to Sweden in securing a one-year contract with Djurgårdens IF of the SHL on June 10, 2016. Tambellini left Djurgården in February, 2017, having failed to make a significant impact at Djurgården by producing only 4 goals and 5 assists in 41 games. He subsequently rejoined his former team Växjö Lakers, with whom he had won the Le Mat Trophy in 2015.
At the conclusion of the 2016–17 season, Tambellini ended his 12-year professional career, announcing his retirement while returning as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan to complete his degree. He was also announced as the Wolverines' assistant coach.
## International play
Tambellini competed for the Canadian national junior team at the 2004 World Junior Championships, held in Finland. He was the lone NCAA player on Canada's roster. Playing against Ukraine in the round-robin, he scored his first international goal in a 10–0 win. Helping Canada reach the gold medal game, they lost to the United States by a 4–3 score, earning silver. In six games, Tambellini recorded two goals and five points, ranking sixth in team scoring.
## Personal life
Tambellini was born in Calgary, Alberta. His brother Adam Tambellini also plays ice hockey. His father Steve Tambellini, a former ice hockey player and former general manager of the Edmonton Oilers, was playing for the Calgary Flames at the time. Steve also played in the NHL with the New York Islanders, Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks. Tambellini's grandfather, Addie Tambellini, was a member of the Trail Smoke Eaters who were the last Canadian amateur team to win the World Championships in 1961. Tambellini became the second member of his family to serve as the head coach and general manager of the Trail Smoke Eaters. While his father became involved with the Canucks first as a player, then as an executive later in his career, Jeff lived in suburban Port Moody, British Columbia, gaining exposure to the NHL environment.
## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs
### International
## Awards
### Junior
### College
## Coaching career
Tambellini was hired for the 2017–18 season as an assistant coach for the University of Michigan.
From 2018 to 2020, he acted as the General Manager and Head coach of the BCHL Trail Smoke Eaters.
In August 2022, he was hired by the Seattle Kraken as the Director of Player Development.
|
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"## Personal life",
"## Career statistics",
"### Regular season and playoffs",
"### International",
"## Awards",
"### Junior",
"### College",
"## Coaching career"
] | 2,728 | 2,450 |
2,050,805 |
Newton MRT station
| 1,163,464,105 |
Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore
|
[
"Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore) stations",
"Newton, Singapore",
"Railway stations in Singapore opened in 1987"
] |
Newton MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the North South (NSL) and Downtown (DTL) lines. It is located in Newton, Singapore, at the junction of Scotts Road and Bukit Timah Road near Newton Circus. The station serves the offices and condominiums around Newton Circus including Goldbell Towers and Scotts Highpark, and it is within walking distance to the Newton Food Centre.
The NSL station opened on 12 December 1987 as part of the line's extension to Outram Park via Raffles Place station. The NSL station is designated as a Civil Defence Shelter with a reinforced structure. With the opening of DTL Stage 2 on 27 December 2015, Newton became a interchange station. An additional entrance, designed by SAA Architects, serves the new DTL station, which features an artwork Newton by Messymsxi as part of the network's Art-in-Transit programme.
## History
### North South line
The contract for the design and construction of Newton Circus station was awarded to a joint venture between French Dregages et Travaux Publics and Sembawang Shipyard at S\$43 million (US\$ million) in January 1984. The station was one of the stations on the line designated as a Civil Defence Shelter. To facilitate the construction, the segment of Scotts Road from Newton Circus to Orchard Road had to be diverted for about 28 months. In September, the station name was shortened to "Newton", and the site was shifted slightly towards Scotts Road instead of being underneath Newton Circus. On 21 May 1985, Newton station was one of four stations affected by flooding in the area.
During the construction, jet grouting was used to strengthen the soil, which required lane closures along Scotts Road. This was to address the varying ground conditions around the site. Voids were also discovered during the construction (on 21 October 1985 and 18 May 1986), which led the closure of Scotts Road for safety reasons.
The station had an open house on 14 and 15 November 1987, which drew small crowds of about 1,200 people on the first day of its preview. The station opened for service on 12 December when the line extension to Outram Park station was completed. In light of the extension, a new bus stop along Scotts Road was built to serve commuters at the station.
### Downtown line
The station was first announced to be an interchange station with the DTL when the DTL2 (Downtown line Stage 2) stations were unveiled on 15 July 2008. Contract 920 for the design and construction of Newton station and tunnels was awarded to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co. Ltd at a contract value of S\$355.7 million (US\$ million) in September 2009. Construction of the station was targeted to complete by 2015. Four 6.35-metre (20.8 ft) diameter EPS machines were used to construct the bored tunnels. The station opened on 27 December 2015 along with the other DTL2 stations.
As part of Exercise Station Guard 2018, on 14 February 2018, the DTL station implemented security measures such as X-ray machines and walk-through metal detectors for screening commuters. The exercise was part of the emergency preparedness ground deployment exercise, to "test and validate" Singapore's readiness when security measures were enhanced during a national threat. In addition, the exercise also allowed the operator SBS Transit to review their security measures.
### Incidents
On the morning of 13 February 2013, a fire broke out in an MRT tunnel just metres from the station, which disrupted train services on the NSL for over two hours and affected around 15,000 commuters. The fire was caused by the short-circuiting of an electric cable 5 metres (16 ft) away from the station. Initially put out by the staff using a fire extinguisher, the fire reignited and caused smoke from the tunnel to travel to the station. The Singapore Civil Defence Force arrived at the station and managed to put it out. No one was injured during the incident.
On 7 and 8 October 2017, this station was the temporary terminus for northbound trains from Marina South Pier station during the Bishan tunnel flooding, while services were suspended between the Ang Mo Kio and Newton stations. Normal services on the NSL resumed at around 2 pm on 8 October 2017.
## Station details
### Location
Newton station is located near Newton Circus. The NSL station is located underneath Scotts Road, while the DTL station is situated close to Newton Flyover and Bukit Timah Road. The station is close to the offices of Prudential and the UOB-Kay Hian Bank and other developments such as Balmoral Plaza, Goldbell Towers, Scotts Highpark, Sheraton Towers and Cairnhill Community Club. It also serves the Newton Food Centre and educational institutions such as Ascott Center for Excellence, Anglo-Chinese Primary School, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) and the Alliance Francaise De Singapour.
### Services
Newton station is an interchange station between the North South and Downtown lines. On the NSL, the station is between the Novena and Orchard stations, while on the DTL it is between the Stevens and Little India stations. The station code is NS21–DT11 as reflected on official maps.
The DTL station is not directly connected to the NSL station and hence commuters have to exit from either of the stations to transfer to another line via the 56-metre (184 ft) underpass that connects the two existing exits along Scotts Road. The transfer is considered a "valid transfer" of a "journey" as long as it does not exceed 15 minutes.
### Design
The NSL station is simply designed and functional like many of the initial MRT stations. The station has two underground levels – the concourse and platform levels – with an island platform arrangement that allows sharing of a common platform for passengers going in either direction. To give the station a distinct character, Newton station adopts the colour scheme of saffron. The NSL station has a length of 180 metres (590 ft) with a depth of 15 metres (49 ft).
Newton NSL station is one of the first nine underground MRT stations to be designated as a Civil Defence (CD) shelter. As a CD shelter, the station has to be structurally reinforced against bomb attacks with layers of earth-backed, air-backed and airtight walls and slabs. The two entrances of the NSL station are designed to accommodate huge crowds entering the station and are equipped with steel sliding walls and blast locks. It has two diesel generators that provide electricity to the station when the electrical supply to the station fails, and a fully protected 300-cubic-metre (11,000 cu ft) water tank to supply the station when water supply is disrupted.
Designed by SAA Architects, the round entrance serving the DTL station features a curved roof that contrasts against the flyover near the station. The roof is cladded with aluminum bands that creates "undulating curve lines" relating to the ground surface. The combined effect of the light reflecting from the roof and the bands' shadows makes the station appear "alive" during the day, while the station becomes a "beacon" at night that brings commuters towards the station. Intended to be a landmark that brings greenery to the urban landscape, it gives the locality an "energetic visual effect".
### Artwork
The DTL station features "Newton" by Tan Zi Xi (alias Messymsxi) as part of the network's Art-in-Transit programme. Drawing inspiration from Singapore's and Newton's heritage, the artwork presents a speculative landscape of Singapore in 2200 drawn in black and white. Above ground, new buildings were constructed atop the preserved older buildings, as Singapore conserves its heritage while develops more spaces and amenities. The underwater landscape, which uses more organic architectural forms taking the appearance of coral reefs, is meant to be an "oasis" that contrasts against the dirty, crowded environment above ground.
According to the artist, the artwork visualises what Singapore could be in an alternate reality or parallel universe as Singapore evolves and develops upwards and downwards. Through the city's creativity and resourcefulness, the artwork explores how Singapore would utilise its limited space and resources and the fate of its past architecture and heritage.
|
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"## History",
"### North South line",
"### Downtown line",
"### Incidents",
"## Station details",
"### Location",
"### Services",
"### Design",
"### Artwork"
] | 1,751 | 27,839 |
26,522,780 |
Ray Funnell
| 1,167,867,317 |
Commander of the Royal Australian Air Force (born 1935)
|
[
"1935 births",
"Air marshals of the Gulf War",
"Australian aviators",
"Commanders of the Legion of Merit",
"Companions of the Order of Australia",
"Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies",
"Living people",
"Military personnel from Brisbane",
"People educated at Brisbane State High School",
"Royal Australian Air Force air marshals",
"Vice Chiefs of the Defence Force (Australia)"
] |
Air Marshal Raymond George (Ray) Funnell, AC (born 1 March 1935) is a retired senior commander of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He served as Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) from 1987 until 1992. A graduate of RAAF College, he began his career flying CAC Sabre jet fighters in Australia and South East Asia in the 1950s and 1960s. From 1972 to 1975 he commanded No. 6 Squadron, during which time the General Dynamics F-111C swing-wing bomber entered Australian service. He held senior staff posts in the early 1980s. In 1986, he was promoted to air marshal and became the inaugural Vice Chief of the Defence Force. Appointed CAS in July 1987, Funnell was closely involved in the development and dissemination of air power doctrine. He retired from the RAAF in October 1992 following his term as CAS, and was founding Principal of the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies from 1994 to 1998. Since then he has served on various Federal Government committees on immigration and detention.
## Early career and rise to senior command
Raymond George (Ray) Funnell was born on 1 March 1935 in Brisbane, Queensland, and educated at Brisbane State High School. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Air Training Corps in January 1949, and received a flying training scholarship. In 1951, aged 16, he learnt to fly with the Royal Queensland Aero Club. In January 1953 he entered RAAF College as an air cadet, graduating with distinction in 1956. He married his wife Suzanne in 1958; the couple had two sons. Funnell spent much of his early career flying CAC Sabre jet fighters at RAAF Bases Williamtown, New South Wales, and Butterworth, Malaysia, as well as Ubon, Thailand, and Labuan, East Malaysia. As a flight lieutenant in the early 1960s, he instructed on the de Havilland Vampire with No. 1 Applied Flying Training School at RAAF Base Pearce, Western Australia. In 1966 he served as commanding officer of No. 79 Squadron at Ubon.
Squadron Leader Funnell attended RAAF Staff College, Canberra, from January to December 1967. He subsequently served in various staff positions with the RAAF and on exchange with the United States Air Force. In 1971 he became the first RAAF officer to attend the US Air War College, and received a master's degree in political science from Auburn University. Promoted to wing commander, from 1972 to 1975 he was commanding officer of No. 6 Squadron at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. His tenure witnessed the introduction of the General Dynamics F-111C swing-wing bomber to Australian service. On 8/9 April 1974, Funnell flew an F-111 around Australia to commemorate the 1924 circumnavigation of the continent by Wing Commander Stanley Goble and Flight Lieutenant Ivor McIntyre in a Fairey III seaplane. From 1975 to 1978 he was head of the Military Planning Staff for the Australian Defence Force Academy project. He also served as honorary aide-de-camp to Governor-General Sir John Kerr. Funnell was awarded the National Medal for long service in 1977, and a clasp the following year.
## Senior command
Promoted to air commodore, Funnell was appointed Chief of Staff at Headquarters Operational Command in Glenbrook, New South Wales, in 1979. He attended the Royal College of Defence Studies, London, in 1981 and the following year was appointed Director-General of the Military Staff Branch in the Department of Defence, Canberra. In November 1983 he was promoted air vice marshal and became Chief of Air Force Operations and Plans. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) on 10 June 1985. The same year, he took up the position of Assistant Chief of the Defence Force (Policy). On 6 June 1986, he was promoted to air marshal and appointed the first Vice Chief of the Defence Force; the role made him responsible for Australian Defence Force policy and planning, as well as operations.
On 3 July 1987, Funnell succeeded Air Marshal Jake Newham as Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), becoming the first graduate of RAAF College to attain the position; he was also the first incumbent to possess a master's degree. Known for his intellectual curiosity and commitment to the study of air warfare, Funnell ordered the establishment in 1989 of a permanent think-tank and educational institution, the Air Power Studies Centre (later the Air Power Development Centre), and donated the R.G. Funnell library to RAAF Staff College. The Air Power Manual, the RAAF's first self-produced treatise on aerial war fighting, was completed by a development team sponsored by Funnell, and published in 1990. Funnell also championed the publication of The Decisive Factor, based on the writings of Air Vice Marshal Henry Wrigley, who was credited with laying the foundations for the RAAF's modern air power doctrine.
As CAS, Funnell focused on turning the RAAF into the "air power element of a cohesive, integrated defence force". His tenure saw the continuation of a shift in the RAAF's 'centre of gravity' from the south to the north of Australia. RAAF Base Curtin, in North Western Australia, and RAAF Base Tindal, in the Northern Territory, were opened and development proceeded on RAAF Base Scherger in Far North Queensland. At the same time, bases in the south, including Point Cook, Laverton and support units in capital cities, were rationalised. The Air Force was in the process of re-equipping its Mirage III fighter squadrons with the F/A-18 Hornet when Funnell became CAS, and he had to contend with a shortage of pilots that was exacerbated by the extra training time required for the new aircraft. In September 1988, he flew one of the RAAF's recently acquired Pilatus PC-9 turboprop trainers in the Bicentenary Round Australia Air Race. He considered it fitting that the CAS should make the journey, as Stanley Goble had held the same position when he circumnavigated Australia for the first time in 1924. His term coincided with the 1990–91 Gulf War; the RAAF's contribution included transporting Australian hostages and medical staff from the Middle East. Funnell was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) on 12 June 1989 for his service as CAS, and awarded the US Commander of the Legion of Merit in 1991.
## Later life
Funnell retired from the RAAF following completion of his term as CAS on 1 October 1992, and was succeeded by Air Marshal Barry Gration, one of his classmates from the 1953 intake at RAAF College. Funnell's five-year term as CAS was the longest since that of Air Marshal George Jones, who served ten years in the post from 1942 to 1952. In 1993, Funnell became Director of the National Defence College project. From 1994 until 1998, he served as the inaugural Principal of the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies, which subsequently evolved into the Australian Defence College. He became a consultant in 1999, and was awarded the Centenary Medal for "humanitarian and defence services" on 1 January 2001. From 2001 to 2009, he was a member of the Minister's Advisory Council on People Smuggling, and the Immigration Detention Advisory Group (IDAG). He publicly disavowed the Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq but, once battle was joined, opposed the withdrawal of troops and cautioned against anti-war demonstrations. Funnell served as Deputy Chair of the Council for Immigration Services and Status Resolution (CISSR) from 2009 to 2011, and became Deputy Chair of the Federal Minister's Council on Asylum Seekers and Detention (MCASD) in 2012. His recreational activities include motorcycling, photography, walking and bicycling.
|
[
"## Early career and rise to senior command",
"## Senior command",
"## Later life"
] | 1,732 | 31,053 |
38,124,069 |
Brookville Tunnel
| 1,172,995,322 |
Railroad tunnel in Virginia, United States
|
[
"Buildings and structures in Albemarle County, Virginia",
"Chesapeake and Ohio Railway tunnels",
"Railroad tunnels in Virginia",
"Tunnels completed in 1856"
] |
The Brookville Tunnel (also Brooksville Tunnel) was a historic railroad tunnel engineered by Claudius Crozet during the construction of the Blue Ridge Railroad in the 1850s. The tunnel was part of a series of four tunnels used to cross the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia for the Virginia Central Railroad of the United States. The Brookville Tunnel was the second tunnel used to cross the mountains from the east (the easternmost being the Greenwood Tunnel), and was located approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the village of Greenwood, Virginia.
During its construction, numerous cave-ins and landslides occurred because of the fragile and weak rock the tunnel passed through, and at one point, an outbreak of cholera forced work to stop. By October 1856 the tunnel was completed at a cost of \$114,600, having been lined with a thick elliptical brick arch to hold back the earth. The Brookville Tunnel was used by the Virginia Central Railroad, and after 1868, the line's successor, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. After the reorganization of the line in 1878 as the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, the tunnel continued to be used until it was demolished and replaced by a cut during the construction of Interstate 64 in the 1960s and 1970s, at which point it was one of only two of Crozet's original four tunnels still in use.
## History
On March 5, 1849, the Virginia General Assembly passed an act to incorporate the Blue Ridge Railroad. This railroad was to construct a rail line over the Blue Ridge Mountains for the Louisa railroad (renamed as the Virginia Central Railroad in February 1850) from a point near Blair Park at the eastern base of the mountains to Waynesboro in the Shenandoah Valley via Rockfish Gap. Claudius Crozet was appointed as chief engineer of the Blue Ridge Railroad and developed a plan to cross the mountains using a series of four tunnels. The first tunnel from the east was the Greenwood Tunnel, built through a difficult and insecure ridge near Greenwood. Brookville tunnel was located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the Greenwood Tunnel, also built through a small offshoot spur of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Construction on the Brookville Tunnel, or the "middle" or "second tunnel" as it was then called, was begun sometime between 1849 and 1851. The earth encountered at Brookville was of a much weaker quality than at the Greenwood Tunnel, rendering the digging of the tunnel both an extremely dangerous and difficult task. Although the eastern section of the ridge was composed of firm and sturdy rock, the majority of the tunnel passed through a mixture of frail slate that was formed at a steep angle, soapstone, and clay. When exposed to air, this mixture would often disintegrate causing large amounts of earth to fall into the tunnel bore. On two occasions during the tunnel's construction, though great care was taken to provide temporary support, major cave-ins occurred forming craters on top of the ridge, as much as 150 feet (46 m) above the tunnel. Another slide occurred on the outside of the western portal that blocked the entrance to the tunnel and prevented workers from repairing the damage from the two internal cave-ins. Rocks often fell down upon the timbers under which the men worked, creating sounds described as "resembling that of distant thunder". The weakness of the earth, especially in the western sections, necessitated the implementation of a strong arch throughout approximately 500 feet (150 m) of the tunnel and a durable brick lining. Crozet described the nature of the work on the tunnel in an 1854 letter:
> The Brooksville Tunnel is the most difficult work of the kind, I have seen any record of: at the Western entrance, the pressure of the big slides actually causes the bottom to surge up, as is sometime the case in coal mines; in view of the sliding tendency and immense pressure of this ground, it will be advisable to enter on that side with an invested arch to prevent a collapse...This work is vastly more difficult than the Greenwood Tunnel was, though it was not, by any means, an easy safe job.
By this time, the tunnel had come to be known as the "Brooksville Tunnel," after a small stagecoach stop and inn nearby where Crozet's headquarters was located; in later years, the "s" was dropped and the tunnel was simply referred to as the "Brookville Tunnel." In late summer of 1854, an epidemic of cholera broke out among the Irish workers at the tunnel. In a letter to the Virginia Board of Public Works, Crozet states that the epidemic began at the eastern end of the tunnel where around 25 of the total 150 workers perished from the disease. The disease then spread to the western end where another eight workers died before work ceased. During this outbreak, little work could be done on the tunnel, adding yet another delay to the difficult work the Brookville Tunnel posed.
While work on the tunnels continued, the Virginia Central Railroad, eager to connect its eastern division to the line under construction in the Shenandoah Valley, developed plans to use temporary tracks to bypass the incomplete Blue Ridge Railroad. As was done over Rockfish Gap to the west, a temporary track approximately 0.5 miles (0.8 km) long was proposed by the Virginia Central Railroad's Chief Engineer, Charles Ellet, Jr., and constructed around the Brookville Tunnel as the digging continued. Due to the many setbacks and difficulties encountered, the tunnel was not completed until October 1856, just two months prior to the hole-through of the 4,273-foot (1,302 m) Blue Ridge Tunnel at the top of Rockfish Gap. Remarkably, with the exception of the cholera outbreak, no one was injured during the dangerous work completing the Brookville tunnel. The Virginia Central soon after began routing trains through the Brookville tunnel, avoiding the short temporary track.
During the American Civil War (1861–1865), a large crack was found within the tunnel's arch, being in some locations as much as 4 inches (10 cm) wide. Upon examination of the earth above the tunnel, it was found that a section of the earth had slipped, and was resting on the tunnel walls. With the tunnel in danger of collapsing, a plan to address the tunnel's structural issues was developed that put in place a second arch below the original. The new arch was started 12 feet (3.7 m) above the rails and rose to a peak just above what was necessary to clear a brakeman riding atop a railroad car (at that time, 17 feet or 5.2 metres), around 3 feet (0.91 m) below the original arch. Because of the ongoing war and the lack of funds and resources, the new arching could only be completed in 10-foot (3.0 m) segments. It was deemed necessary to re-arch a total of 450 feet (140 m) of the tunnel, and as of 1864, 260 feet (79 m) had been completed at a cost of \$23,390.73 (Confederate dollars).
After the war, the tunnel continued to be used by the Virginia Central Railroad, and after 1868, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad was reorganized as the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in 1878, and continued to route trains through the tunnel up until the tunnel's demolition with the construction of Interstate 64 in the 1960s and 1970s. At the time of the tunnel's demolition, it was one of only two of Crozet's original four tunnels of the Blue Ridge Railroad still in operation (the other, which as of 2013 is still in use, was the 100-foot (30 m) Little Rock Tunnel). Today, Interstate 64 passes over the cut that replaced the Brookville Tunnel.
## Architecture
The Brookville Tunnel was constructed in an elliptical form, a design typical of tunnel construction during the 1800s and also used on the Blue Ridge and Greenwood Tunnels. In a November 1849 report, Crozet describes the design to be used on the tunnels:
> The shape I have adopted is that of an ellipse, formed by bisecting, on each side, the horizontal ordinates of a circle of 32 feet diameter, down to its center, below which the sides are to be made vertical, if no arch is necessary lower down; otherwise, the ellipse is to continue down to the bottom and to be shaped all round with bricks, stones, or iron, as may appear most eligible. This shape leaves ample room for the cars, and, by contracting the roof, is more secure than a semicircle of 16 feet diameter.
Portions of the Brookville tunnel were lined with brick for added strength, with the brickwork originally contracted to Joseph Dettor, a local brickmaker. Because of the poor quality of Dettor's bricks, Crozet decided to use these bricks on the Greenwood Tunnel to the east, which was a stronger bore than Brookville. Crozet estimated in 1854 that the total number of bricks required for the entire tunnel would be upwards of 750,000. After examining the offers of multiple brickmakers, the Virginia Board of Public Works contracted Robert Harris to provide the bricks for the Brookville Tunnel. The resulting arch was between 3–4 feet (0.9–1.2 m) in thickness over the entire length of the tunnel, and formed an opening approximately 20 feet (6.1 m) high and, at the extreme, 15 feet (4.6 m) wide.
During the construction, the timbers that were used to support the fragile sections of the tunnel to be arched were left in place after the arch was completed, as it was thought too hazardous to remove them. When the earth slip occurred during the Civil War, these remaining timbers acted as levers, furthering the cracking and structural instability of the tunnel. As the new arch was constructed, the old timbers were removed, and the space in between the new and old walls was filled with brick and cement.
The original brick portals were replaced by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in 1928 with concrete portals, as part of a series of tunnel upgrades across the line beginning in the 1920s. The new portals no longer bore the distinctive elliptical design of Crozet's original, but had vertical sides and a semi-circular arch.
## Construction Costs
The total cost to complete the Brookville Tunnel amounted to \$114,600, with a cost per foot, at a length of 869 feet (265 m), of \$131.90. By comparison, the cost per foot of the 538-foot (164 m) Greenwood Tunnel was \$138.30, the 100-foot (30 m) Little Rock Tunnel was \$123.90, and the 4,273-foot (1,302 m) Blue Ridge Tunnel was \$108.60. Costs at the Brookville Tunnel were greatly increased from the expected by the frail and insecure earth encountered, contrary to what originally appeared to be solid rock. Workers, both inside and outside laborers, were paid approximately \$1.12 per day, while miners were paid \$1.37 per day, equivalent to \$ and \$, respectively, today.
|
[
"## History",
"## Architecture",
"## Construction Costs"
] | 2,348 | 34,894 |
3,532,224 |
Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy
| 1,173,340,930 | null |
[
"1994 American television episodes",
"The Simpsons (season 6) episodes"
] |
"Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy" is the tenth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It was first broadcast on the Fox network in the United States on December 4, 1994. In the episode, Homer and Marge's sex life wanes, so Grampa restores it with a homemade revitalizing tonic. He and Homer travel town-to-town selling the elixir, but they are estranged after Grampa reveals that Homer's conception was unintentional.
The episode was written by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein, and directed by Wes Archer. After its initial airing on Fox, the episode was later released as part of a 1999 video collection: The Simpsons – Too Hot For TV, and released again on the 2003 DVD edition of the same collection. The episode features cultural references to songs such as "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" and "Celebration", as well as a reference to the 1963 film The Nutty Professor.
"Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy" received a positive reception from television critics, and acquired a Nielsen rating of 9.5.
## Plot
When Homer and Marge's sex life fizzles, they seek help to spice up their marriage. Homer peruses books like the Kama Sutra, but Marge wants "a tasteful book" so they settle on Mr. and Mrs. Erotic American, a Paul Harvey book-on-tape. Harvey recommends couples bathe together, but their faucet breaks because the Simpsons' bathtub cannot accommodate Homer and Marge. Next, they try renting a sexy theme room at a hotel, but are forced to sleep in a utility room because the rooms are sold out.
Grampa concocts a tonic that he guarantees will put the spark back into their relationship. The elixir works, so Homer and Grampa sell Simpson & Son Revitalizing Tonic to the public in a travelling medicine show. During their travels, they visit the farmhouse where Homer spent his childhood. After they bicker, Grampa angrily tells Homer he is the result of an unplanned pregnancy that would not have happened without the tonic, labelling him as an accident. Horrified, Homer stops the car and abandons Grampa.
While their parents are enjoying enhanced sex lives from the tonic, the town's children grow suspicious of their absences during their frequent trysts. Ralph, Milhouse, Bart and their friends hatch conspiracy theories in the Simpsons' treehouse. After Lisa sarcastically suggests parents are going to bed early because they are "reverse vampires" who must avoid nightfall, the other children decide the RAND Corporation is conspiring with space aliens to deprive children of dinner by forcing their parents to retire early.
Unwilling to forgive Grampa, Homer resolves to be a better father to Bart, Lisa and Maggie. Bart and Lisa soon realize that smothering them is just as bad as neglecting them. Homer returns to the farmhouse to think. He sees an old photograph of himself as a child on Christmas morning and is sad that his father was not even present when he met Santa Claus. Homer realizes his father was wearing a Santa costume and really does love him. Homer reunites with Grampa, who has also gone to the farmhouse to reflect. They both admit they are screw-ups — each having caused separate fires in the farmhouse — and reconcile as the house burns down behind them.
## Production
The episode was directed by Wes Archer, and was written by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein. It was originally intended to deal with Homer and Marge's problematic sex life, but later developed into a story about the relationship between Homer and Grampa. Dan Castellaneta provides the voices for both Homer and Grampa. Castellaneta therefore had to talk to himself when he recorded the voices of the two characters in their interactions for this episode. Castellaneta says that it is hard for him to do Grampa's voice for an extended period of time because it is "wheezy and airy".
Homer and Marge spend the night at an inn, called the Aphrodite Inn, to spice up their sex life. The inn was partly based on the Madonna Inn, which, as in the episode, features different kinds of sex-oriented rooms with unusual names that are supposed to spice up a couple's love life. The design of the old farmhouse was inspired by the house featured in the 1993 film Flesh and Bone. Bart's obsession with conspiracy theories was inspired by the writers' observation that children around Bart's age go through a stage where they become "addicted" to information about UFOs and paranormal phenomena. Bill Oakley himself had gone through the same thing when he was around 10 years old.
## Cultural references
Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States, is shown celebrating Lisa's purchase of his book, Sane Planning, Sensible Tomorrow, by listening to "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang. Additionally, a parody of The X-Files' theme song is played in the background of the scene leading into Gore's celebration. "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" is played during a chase scene, reminiscent of a recurring theme of the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. When Professor Frink takes the tonic, he transforms into a suave man with a deep voice, which is a reference to Jerry Lewis transforming into Buddy Love in The Nutty Professor. Grampa, within proper context, successfully pronounces the word pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. “ JFK is referenced with Milhouse quoting “We’re through the looking glass here people”
## Reception
### Critical reception
Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, the authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, said it was "an amazing episode, in which Homer actually has an argument with someone, rather than backing down. As he and his father drift further apart, so the family are at a loss at what to do. You can't help but feel sorry for Grampa as a piece of Simpson family history goes up in flames".
Nate Meyers for Digitally Obsessed praised Dan Castellaneta's role in the episode and said: "Dan Castellaneta's work as both Homer and Grampa Simpson in [the episode] is full of emotion and brilliant comic timing. Watch the closing scene carefully as Homer returns to his childhood home, because Castellaneta gracefully dances between a tender father-son relationship and flat-out comedy".
Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide said he "didn’t remember this as a very good episode, but it actually turns out to be quite strong. The initial plot in which Homer and Marge can’t get it together offers plenty of funny moments, and the scenes in which Homer battles with his dad offer depth and much humor. It’s also hard to beat the children's fears of the reverse vampires".
### Ratings
In its original broadcast, "Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy" finished 58th in the ratings for the week of November 28 to December 4, 1994, with a Nielsen rating of 9.5. The episode was the third highest rated show on the Fox network that week.
## Merchandise
The episode was included on a 1999 Region 2 VHS release titled "The Simpsons: Too Hot for TV", which included several other episodes that were deemed to be too raunchy for airing on television. It was released on DVD as part of the same release in 2003.
It was included in The Simpsons season 6 DVD set, which was released August 16, 2005 – The Simpsons – The Complete Sixth Season.
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"## Cultural references",
"## Reception",
"### Critical reception",
"### Ratings",
"## Merchandise"
] | 1,581 | 33,318 |
62,870,517 |
The Angry Family
| 1,135,604,148 | null |
[
"2001 American television episodes",
"Everybody Loves Raymond episodes",
"Television episodes about dysfunctional families"
] |
"The Angry Family" is the season six premiere of the American sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005), a series about the titular Newsday sportswriter Ray Barone (Ray Romano) and his oddball family. In the episode, all of the Barones are in a counseling session after Ray's son Michael (Sullivan Sweeten) presents a short story in class about an "Angry Family," which they assume is about them. Directed by Gary Halvorson and written by series creator and showrunner Philip Rosenthal, the episode also features early roles for future Empire star Rhyon Nicole Brown and Reba star Mitch Holleman. Originally broadcast on CBS on September 24, 2001, "The Angry Family" has been critically well-received and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.
## Plot
The Barones attend a gathering at Michael's school, where the students present their own short stories to their parents. Michael showcases "The Angry Family," which depicts parents and grandparents angry at each other and screaming to the point of "hurt[ing] the kids' ears." Most of the parents show a hint of discomfort with the story, the Barones horrified. Ray, Debra, Frank, and Marie are hurt by their supposed portrayals in the story, Robert concerned about not even being mentioned. Ray blames Debra for the yelling, Debra retorting that Ray is the source of it. At a parent-teacher meeting Ray and Debra have with Eileen, Michael's teacher, they try to act as normal of a family as possible. However, this fails and Eileen mentions Debra is behaving in a similar way to the characters in "The Angry Family." Debra lashes out at the teacher, stating her feelings about his husband's relatives.
This leads to a counseling session involving the family, Father Hubley, Eileen, and counselor Adam Burk. When Burk asks for the origins of the family's anger, Marie points to Debra, who reacts negatively to the accusation. Robert, as an "outsider" of the family drama, claims Raymond to be the source due to being the center of love and affection by his relatives. Frank then suggests Marie, reasoning that she can't handle his son being married to Debra. The accusation leads to an enraged Marie commenting on modern society and the child psychology field's over-rewarding of the children and constant blame on mothers. Father Hubley concludes that there is no one source to the problem, that it's a result of all the family members being very close to each other, and that Michael's story was a "sweet" and "simple" way to send a message. The meeting ends with Hubley offering parenting books to the Barones. As Ray and Debra are about to go to bed, Michael comes to their room and tells them the book was actually inspired by the animated series Monster Maniacs, which depicts a family yelling at each other.
## Production
Show-runner Philip Rosenthal wrote "The Angry Family" based on an experience he had in 2001, when he saw his son Ben read a story for his elementary school project, also titled "The Angry Family" and about a mother and father squabbling with each other. Rosenthal admitted to conceiving the episode at Ben's presentation: "At first, I was mortified. And the very next split-second, I thought, 'How lucky am I that I have a son who writes such beautiful material for my television show?' I apologize to Ben for his therapy later, but listen, I've got a show to do." He later admitted "The Angry Family" was his favorite Raymond episode. "The Angry Family" is Gary Halvorson's 15th directing credit for Everybody Loves Raymond, after "High School," "The Letter," "Civil War," "How They Met," and a plethora of fifth season episodes.
## Analysis
Ashley Spurgeon described the premise of "The Angry Family" as a symbolic commentary of child characters being the worst parts of most sitcoms: "one of the kids writes a short story called 'The Angry Family,' and everyone has to go see a counselor." SUNY Press' book The Sitcom Reader (2016) suggested the twist of Michael's inspiration for his story being a TV series was a message of most families in sitcoms, including Raymond: "the Barones of Everybody Loves Raymond are flawed, hurtful, and selfish, but they love each other, and that premise endures everything will work out in the end."
## Reception
When "The Angry Family" first aired on September 24, 2001, it was the third highest-viewed program of the week; it had a Nielsen rating (a percentage of 100.8 million televisions) of 14.4 as a result of having 7 million viewers. Upon the initial airing of the episode, the Los Angeles Daily News scored it three-and-a-half stars out of four and claimed it "finds the writers and cast in championship-season form." The first half of the sixth season of Everybody Loves Raymond topped lists of best fall 2001 series from the Daily Herald and the Orlando Sentinel, both of which claimed "The Angry Family" to be a highlight of the season. Upon the 2005 end of Everybody Loves Raymond, Chris Hunt of The Oregonian ranked it the ninth best Raymond episode. DVD Talk praised "The Angry Family" for starting the sixth season out "with a bang," elaborating that it was "full of fun moments."
For writing "The Angry Family," Philip Rosenthal was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. Jennifer Crittenden, in the same ceremony, was also nominated for the award for writing "Marie's Sculpture." This marked second and third instances Everybody Loves Raymond was nominated for the writing accolade, as Romano and Rosenthal were previously nominated in 2000 for their work on "Bad Moon Rising."
## Home media
On May 9, 2006, "The Angry Family," along with the rest of the sixth season of Everybody Loves Raymond, was released to DVD.
## See also
- Dysfunctional family
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"## Analysis",
"## Reception",
"## Home media",
"## See also"
] | 1,271 | 22,742 |
260,856 |
Petronius Maximus
| 1,173,361,000 |
Roman emperor in 455
|
[
"390s births",
"455 deaths",
"4th-century Romans",
"5th-century Christians",
"5th-century Roman consuls",
"5th-century Western Roman emperors",
"5th-century murdered monarchs",
"Comites sacrarum largitionum",
"Deaths by stoning",
"Imperial Roman consuls",
"Imperial Roman praetors",
"Lynching deaths",
"Murdered Roman emperors",
"Patricii",
"Petronii",
"Praetorian prefects of Italy",
"Theodosian dynasty",
"Urban prefects of Rome",
"Year of birth uncertain"
] |
Petronius Maximus (c. 397 – 31 May 455) was Roman emperor of the West for two and a half months in 455. A wealthy senator and a prominent aristocrat, he was instrumental in the murders of the Western Roman magister militum, Aëtius, and the Western Roman emperor, Valentinian III.
After the assassination of the Western Roman magister militum, Aëtius, and the subsequent death of the Western Roman emperor, Valentinian III, Maximus secured the support of the Senate and utilized bribery to gain the favor of palace officials, enabling him to ascend to power. He strengthened his position by forcing Valentinian's widow to marry him and forcing Valentinian's daughter to marry his son. He cancelled the betrothal of his new wife's daughter to the son of the Vandal king Genseric. This infuriated both his stepdaughter and Genseric, who sent a fleet to Rome. Maximus failed to obtain troops from the Visigoths and he fled as the Vandals arrived, became detached from his retinue and bodyguard in the confusion, and was killed. The Vandals thoroughly sacked Rome in their retaliatory invasion.
The reign of Petronius Maximus marked a significant period of instability and decline for the Western Roman Empire. His brief and controversial rule reflected the political fragmentation and lack of centralized authority that plagued the empire during its final years. The invasion and sacking of Rome by the Vandals underlined the growing vulnerability of the Western Roman Empire, which would ultimately culminate in its collapse in 476.
## Early career
Petronius Maximus was born about 397. Although he was of obscure origin, it is believed that he belonged to the Anicius and Petronius families. Related to the later Emperor Olybrius, Maximus was the son of Anicius Probinus, and the grandson of Anicia Faltonia Proba and Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus, who was prefect of Illyricum in 364, prefect of Gaul in 366, prefect of Italy from 368 to 375 and again in 383 and consul in 371.
Maximus had a remarkable early career. His earliest known office was praetor, held in about 411; around 415 he served as a tribunus et notarius, which was an entry position to the imperial bureaucracy and led to his serving as comes sacrarum largitionum (count of the sacred largess) between 416 and 419. From January or February 420 to August or September 421 he was praefectus urbi of Rome, meaning that he had executive authority for much of the municipal administration of Rome; he held the office again sometime before 439. As praefectus he restored the Old St. Peter's Basilica. He was also appointed praetorian prefect, a leading military and judicial position, sometime between 421 and 439. It was either while holding this post or during his second urban prefecture that he was appointed consul for the year 433. Becoming a consul was considered the highest honour of the Roman state. From August 439 to February 441 he held the praetorian prefecture of Italy, the most important administrative and judicial non-imperial position in the Western Empire. He was awarded a second consulship in 443. In 445 he was granted the title of patrician, the Empire's senior honorific title, which was limited to a very small number of holders. During this year he was briefly the most honoured of all non-imperial Romans, until the third consulate of Flavius Aëtius, generalissimo, or magister militum, of the Western Empire, the following year. Between 443 and 445 Maximus built a forum, the Forum Petronii Maximi, in Rome, on the Caelian Hill between the via Labicana and the Basilica di San Clemente.
## Murder of Valentinian III and accession of Maximus
According to the historian John of Antioch, Maximus poisoned the mind of the Emperor against Aëtius, resulting in the murder of his rival at the hands of Valentinian III. John's account has it that Valentinian and Maximus placed a wager on a game that Maximus ended up losing. As he did not have the money available, Maximus left his ring as a guarantee of his debt. Valentinian then used the ring to summon to court Lucina, the chaste and beautiful wife of Maximus, whom Valentinian had long lusted after. Lucina went to the court, believing she had been summoned by her husband, but instead found herself at dinner with Valentinian. Although she initially resisted his advances, the Emperor managed to wear her down and succeeded in raping her. Returning home and meeting Maximus, she accused him of betrayal, believing that he had handed her over to the Emperor. Although Maximus swore revenge, he was equally motivated by ambition to supplant "a detested and despicable rival", so he decided to move against Valentinian.
According to John of Antioch, Maximus was acutely aware that while Aëtius was alive he could not exact vengeance on Valentinian, so Aëtius had to be removed. He therefore allied himself with a eunuch of Valentinian's, the primicerius sacri cubiculi Heraclius, who had long opposed the general, with the hope of exercising more power over the emperor. The two of them convinced Valentinian that Aëtius was planning to assassinate him and urged him to kill his magister militum during a meeting, which Valentinian did with his own hands, with the help of Heraclius, on 21 September 454.
Once Aëtius was dead, Maximus asked Valentinian for Aëtius's now-vacant position, but the Emperor refused; Heraclius, in fact, had advised the Emperor not to allow anyone to possess the power that Aëtius had wielded. According to John of Antioch, Maximus was so irritated by Valentinian's refusal to appoint him as his magister militum that he decided to have Valentinian assassinated as well. He chose as accomplices Optilia and Thraustila, two Scythians who had fought under the command of Aetius and who, after the death of their general, had been appointed as Valentinian's escort.
Maximus easily convinced them that Valentinian was the only one responsible for the death of Aetius, and that the two soldiers must avenge their old commander, while at the same time also promising them a reward for the betrayal of the Emperor. On 16 March 455 Valentinian, who was in Rome, went to Campus Martius with some guards, accompanied by Optilia, Thraustila and their men. As soon as the Emperor dismounted to practice with the bow, Optilia came up with his men and stabbed him in the temple. As Valentinian turned to look at his attacker, Optila finished him off with another thrust of his blade. At the same moment, Thraustila killed Heraclius. The two Scythians took the imperial diadem and robe and brought them to Maximus.
The sudden and violent death of Valentinian III left the Western Roman Empire without an obvious successor to the throne. Several candidates were supported by various groups of the imperial bureaucracy and the military. In particular, the army's support was split among three main candidates: Maximianus, the former domesticus (bodyguard) of Aëtius, who was the son of an Egyptian merchant named Domninus who had become rich in Italy; the future emperor Majorian, who commanded the army after the death of Aetius and who had the backing of the Empress Licinia Eudoxia; and Maximus himself, who had the support of the Roman Senate and who secured the throne on 17 March by distributing money to the officials of the imperial palace.
## Reign and death
After gaining control of the royal palace, Maximus consolidated his hold on power by immediately marrying Licinia Eudoxia, the widow of Valentinian. She married him reluctantly, suspecting that he had been involved in the murder of her late husband; and indeed Maximus treated Valentinian III's assassins with considerable favour. The eastern court at Constantinople refused to recognise his accession. To further secure his position Maximus quickly appointed Avitus as magister militum and sent him on a mission to Toulouse to gain the support of the Visigoths. He also proceeded to cancel the betrothal of Licinia's daughter, Eudocia, to Huneric, the son of the Vandal king Geiseric, and married her to his own son. Again he anticipated that this would further his and his family's imperial credentials. This repudiation infuriated the Vandal king, who only needed the excuse of Licinia's despairing appeal to the Vandal court to begin preparations for the invasion of Italy.
By May, within two months of Maximus gaining the throne, news reached Rome that Geiseric was sailing for Italy. As the news spread, panic gripped the city and many of its inhabitants took to flight. The Emperor, aware that Avitus had not yet returned with the expected Visigothic aid, decided that it was fruitless to mount a defence against the Vandals. So he attempted to organise his escape, urging the Senate to accompany him. However, in the panic, Petronius Maximus was abandoned by his bodyguard and entourage and left to fend for himself.
As Maximus rode out of the city on his own on 31 May 455, he was set upon by an angry mob, which stoned him to death (another account has it that he was killed by "a certain Roman soldier named Ursus"). His body was mutilated and flung into the Tiber. He had reigned for only 75 days. His son from his first marriage, Palladius, who had held the title of caesar between 17 March and 31 May, and who had married his stepsister Eudocia, was probably executed.
## Aftermath
On 2 June 455, three days after Maximus' death, Geiseric captured the city of Rome and sacked it for two weeks. Amidst the pillaging and looting of the city, and in response to the pleas of Pope Leo I, the Vandals are said to have refrained from arson, torture, and murder. Some modern historians assert that temples, public buildings, private houses and even the emperor's palace were destroyed. The Vandals also shipped many boatloads of Romans to North Africa as slaves, destroyed works of art and killed a number of citizens. The Vandals' activities during the sack gave rise to the modern term vandalism. Geiseric also carried away the empress Licinia Eudoxia and her daughters Placidia and Eudocia.
## See also
- Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire
|
[
"## Early career",
"## Murder of Valentinian III and accession of Maximus",
"## Reign and death",
"## Aftermath",
"## See also"
] | 2,310 | 35,002 |
35,756,680 |
Kvinneakt
| 1,078,268,998 |
Statue in Portland, Oregon, U.S.
|
[
"1973 sculptures",
"1975 establishments in Oregon",
"Abstract sculptures in Oregon",
"Bronze sculptures in Oregon",
"Nude sculptures in Oregon",
"Outdoor sculptures in Portland, Oregon",
"Relocated buildings and structures in Oregon",
"Sculptures of women in Oregon",
"Sculptures on the MAX Green Line",
"Southwest Portland, Oregon",
"Statues in Portland, Oregon",
"Vandalized works of art in Oregon"
] |
Kvinneakt ("female nude" in Norwegian) is an abstract bronze sculpture located on the Transit Mall of downtown Portland, Oregon. Designed and created by Norman J. Taylor between 1973 and 1975, the work was funded by TriMet and the United States Department of Transportation and was installed on the Transit Mall in 1977. The following year Kvinneakt appeared in the "Expose Yourself to Art" poster which featured future Mayor of Portland Bud Clark flashing the sculpture. It remained in place until November 2006 when it was removed temporarily during renovation of the Transit Mall and the installation of the MAX Light Rail on the mall.
Originally located on Fifth Avenue, the sculpture was reinstalled on the mall in 2009 at a different location, on SW Sixth Avenue between Alder and Morrison, where it remains. According to TriMet, Kvinneakt is one of 40 public art sculptures in the Transit Mall's art collection. The sculpture is part of the City of Portland and Multnomah County Public Art Collection courtesy of the Regional Arts & Culture Council and is administered by the City of Portland Metropolitan Arts Commission.
## History
Kvinneakt was designed and created by Norman J. Taylor, a Seattle-based artist and professor of sculpture at the University of Washington, between 1973 and 1975. The piece is an abstract bronze sculpture depicting a full-length nude woman measuring 71" x 38" x 25". Kvinneakt was one of 11 sculptures selected for the Portland Transit Mall from more than 500 entries entered in a juried competition. The works were purchased through a budget of \$250,000; Kvinneakt was commissioned at a cost of \$6,500. Funding sources for the project included Tri-Met (20 percent) and the United States Department of Transportation (80 percent). Of the 11 sculptures, only Kvinneakt and Kathleen McCullough's (née Conchuratt) Cat in Repose were considered "figurative". Claiming his intention was not to be vulgar, Taylor said: "It's about grace and motion and a certain beauty and pride in the human figure. That may be sensual, but that's far different from sex." According to the Regional Arts & Culture Council, Taylor intended the piece to be "confrontational"; he admitted, "the worst reaction you could give my work is no reaction."
Kvinneakt was installed on the newly built Transit Mall in 1977. The bronze sculpture was sited on SW Fifth Avenue near Washington Street (between Washington and Stark). In 1978, Kvinneakt appeared on the "Expose Yourself to Art" poster, which featured future Portland Mayor Bud Clark flashing the nude woman.
In 1981, about 30 minutes before the start of April Fools' Day, three men attempted to steal the 250-pound (110 kg) statue, breaking it free from its pedestal and dragging it towards a waiting car before being spotted by a city worker and fleeing the scene. Damage from the incident included a broken right index finger and other cracks. Repairs cost \$3,000 and were undertaken by Norman Taylor, who also strengthened the sculpture's body and its connections to its base. Kvinneakt was reinstalled at Fifth Avenue and Washington six months later, in October 1981.
The sculpture has served as a stop on walking tours of the city, including the Metropolitan Arts Commission's 1987 Portland Public Art walking tour and the 2003 Public Art Conference's walking tour of downtown. On November 7, 2006, Kvinneakt was temporarily removed for renovation of the Transit Mall and installation of the MAX Light Rail along the mall. Its removal was supervised by staff of the Regional Arts & Culture Council. During this time Kvinneakt and other removed works were cleaned and refurbished. In September 2009, the statue was re-sited on SW Sixth Avenue between Alder and Morrison. Representatives from the Regional Arts & Culture Council and the TriMet Public Art Program conducted the unveiling. According to the former organization's public art manager, the sculpture will likely remain in its current location for as long as 30 years.
There have been other instances when Kvinneakt was used to make a statement or act as a prop. On April Fools' Day, 1982, the Portland Rainmakers gathered around the sculpture, issued a proclamation condemning nudity, "even in statues, for viewing by the general public", and left the statue covered with a "size 42-plus", lacy bra. In 1984 the statue was vandalized with the painted text "Jesus Saves". In January 1985, on the day Bud Clark took the oath of office as Mayor of Portland, Kvinneakt was draped anonymously with a sash reading "Congratulations". In 2007 Tom Burkleaux, founder of New Deal Vodka, posted an image of the sculpture on the company's website with the woman's nipples airbrushed out, protesting censorship after the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau deemed the website "offensive". In 2012, Century of Action, a project of the Oregon Women's History Consortium, used the sculpture to promote women's suffrage by placing a "Votes for Women" sash across her chest as part of the organization's "Sash Project".
## Reception
Kvinneakt is often referred to as the most notorious of the sculptures installed in the Transit Mall during the 1970s. In addition to being somewhat controversial because it is a nude, the sculpture has also received mixed reviews as a work of art. In 1981, Taylor recalled that following the sculpture's first installation one man told him that "he ought to be ashamed of himself." In 1985, Jeff Kuechle of The Oregonian listed the work as one of the city's "worst sculptures". In the article, Claire Kelly, director of Portland State University's art and architecture program said, "She's more than simplistic, she's absurd. It's not a piece that belongs on public display." In contrast, Monk Magazine described the sculpture as "the best-looking girl in Portland" with "her stunning eyes and voluptuous figure". According to the magazine, Portland is the only city in the United States with a "flasher statue". The sculpture was included in Kate Chynoweth's 2003 book, The Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest: A Romantic Travel Guide, as one of Portland's "romantic highlights".
## See also
- Depictions of nudity
|
[
"## History",
"## Reception",
"## See also"
] | 1,342 | 21,253 |
5,901,240 |
Barge of the Dead
| 1,146,097,739 | null |
[
"1999 American television episodes",
"Star Trek: Voyager (season 6) episodes",
"Television episodes about the afterlife",
"Television episodes written by Bryan Fuller",
"Television episodes written by Ronald D. Moore"
] |
"Barge of the Dead" is an episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. It is the third episode of the sixth season and was first broadcast by UPN on October 6, 1999. "Barge of the Dead" was developed from a story by Ronald D. Moore and Bryan Fuller, who wrote the teleplay, and was directed by Mike Vejar. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet and Maquis crew of the starship USS Voyager after they are stranded in the Delta Quadrant, far from the rest of the Federation.
In this episode, the half-Klingon, half-human B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) has a near-death experience and appears to be sent to the Klingon version of Hell known as Gre'thor. There she encounters her Klingon mother Miral (Karen Austin), who is damned because of Torres' refusal to fully accept her own identity as a Klingon. After being resuscitated by the Voyager crew, Torres becomes intent on revisiting Gre'thor to save her mother. The episode also guest stars Eric Pierpoint as Kortar, who ferries the souls of the dishonored on the Barge of the Dead, and Sherman Augustus as the dead Klingon Hij'Qa.
Moore originally developed the episode as part of a pitch for the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Soldiers of the Empire". The idea was initially rejected, but was revisited for Star Trek: Voyager. Following the episode's completion, both Moore and Fuller left the series because of dissatisfaction with their lack of control over its direction, and the perceived absence of strong story arcs across multiple episodes. "Barge of the Dead" was one of several episodes that addressed Torres' strained relationship with her parents and her Klingon heritage. Scholars have offered a range of opinions on Gre'thor, with the setting and ideology compared to Norse mythology, Greek mythology, and Catholic theology. The episode received a Nielsen rating of 3.8/6 ratings share, meaning 3.8 percent of all households with a television viewed it and six percent of homes then viewing television were tuned to it. It was a drop from the episode broadcast the previous week. Critical response to the episode was mixed; some television critics commended the focus on Torres, and praised Dawson's performance, while others were critical of the representation of Klingon spirituality.
## Plot
While returning from an away mission, B'Elanna Torres encounters interference from an ion storm which results in a concussion. Commander Chakotay finds a Klingon artifact lodged inside Torres' shuttlecraft, and Torres sees this emitting blood and hears voices speaking in the Klingon language. Since the USS Voyager is stranded in the Delta Quadrant, the ship is several thousand light-years away from Klingon-controlled space. Morale officer Neelix plans a celebration of the discovery of the object, believing it originates from the Alpha Quadrant and thus proves Voyager is getting closer to home; Torres resists the proposal for a party. She consults with Security Chief Tuvok, who believes her negative response to the object stems from her hatred of her Klingon heritage. Tuvok assaults Torres with a Klingon weapon called a bat'leth, saying she is not a true Klingon before dismissing her as dishonored. While attending the festivities in the mess hall, Torres notices the Doctor and Seven of Nine singing Klingon drinking songs and Tom Paris eating Klingon cuisine. After witnessing several Klingon warriors killing the crew, she falls and finds herself aboard a boat. Torres discovers she is being transported to Gre'thor on the Barge of the Dead, and that her mother Miral was placed aboard as a dishonored soul.
Torres awakes to find she has been in a coma the entire time. She had almost died from the accident in the ion storm. Chakotay believes Torres' encounter with her mother was a hallucination prompted from her near-death experience, but she believes that it was real. Torres believes her mother is being punished because of her daughter's dishonor, saying that she must return to the Barge of the Dead to rescue her. Captain Kathryn Janeway permits Torres to put herself in an induced coma, with the Doctor monitoring the procedure. After being placed in a coma, Torres successfully returns to the barge. She reunites with her mother, but they argue about whether or not she has truly embraced Klingon spirituality. Miral responds by telling her she does not understand what it truly means to be a Klingon. After their conversation, Torres decides to take her mother's place on the barge; even though Miral resists the transference, she is allowed to move on to Sto-vo-kor (a version of the afterlife similar to the Norse Valhalla) while Torres is escorted into Gre'thor. She discovers that Voyager is her version of Gre'thor, and is confronted by alternate versions of the crew. Miral returns to explain that she cannot fully be released into Sto-vo-kor until Torres completes her journey. Tuvok attacks Torres again with a bat'leth, but she surrenders rather than fighting back. Miral identifies this as the first step in her path. She informs Torres that they will reunite either in Sto-vo-kor or when Torres returns home. Torres is resuscitated and embraced by Janeway.
## Production
The 43-minute, 56-second episode was developed from a story by Ronald D. Moore and Bryan Fuller, who wrote the teleplay, and was directed by Mike Vejar. David Bell edited the music, and Richard D. James was the production designer. The concept for the episode developed from Moore's failed pitch for the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Soldiers of the Empire", which would have seen the Klingon starship Rotarran travel to Gre'thor. Moore's idea was rejected as "too philosophical for this late in the season". The barge would later appear in Star Trek Online, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Cryptic Studios based on the Star Trek franchise.
Moore contributed to only two episodes in Star Trek: Voyager, the other being "Survival Instinct", the immediate predecessor to "Barge of the Dead". Discussing why he left the series, he said he wanted to further develop more of its story arcs and characters, particularly focusing on the "internal strife among people trapped aboard ship(s) without any reasonable hope of finding sanctuary anytime soon".
Fuller also left Star Trek: Voyager after the completion of the episode, citing disappointment in his lack of control over the show's direction. He said he "began to get itchy and wanting to tell stories with a little more emotional depth", and that he disliked how syndication discouraged longer story arcs spanning multiple episodes. Fuller's episodes frequently focused on "character development through adversity". ExtremeTech's Joel Hruska wrote that the show's later seasons would typically feature Seven of Nine, the Doctor, and Janeway to the detriment of the rest of the cast, while Fuller would draw more attention to the more underused characters. While discussing the episode, actress Roxann Dawson described the storyline as a "classic Star Trek story" due to its focus on family. The episode features Karen Austin as Torres' mother Miral, and also includes Eric Pierpoint as Kortar, who ferries the souls of the dishonored on the Barge of the Dead, and Sherman Augustus as the dead Klingon Hij'Qa.
## Analysis
TrekToday'''s Edward James Hines identified "Barge of the Dead" as the final part of a "probably unplanned 'Torres Trilogy'", which also included the episodes "Day of Honor" and "Extreme Risk". Each one was broadcast as the third episode of their respective seasons; Hines viewed each installment of the trilogy as being linked by Torres' fear of death. He wrote that the episode showed how Torres becomes "responsible to herself and to others—no matter the risk—while choosing to live". Writer Paul Ruditis viewed the emphasis on Torres' "duality of nature" as leading to the development of several episodes prominently showcasing her character, including "Barge of the Dead". Ruditis connected Torres' storyline to Seven of Nine's in "Survival Instinct", writing that they both "deal with issues of life and death, with dramatic results". He referred to "Barge of the Dead" and "Survival Instinct" as "equally dark episodes". "Barge of the Dead" was also one of three episodes featuring Torres' relationship with her parents, with the season seven episodes "Lineage" and "Author, Author" resolving her estrangement from her father.
"Barge of the Dead" was the first episode to provide a detailed account of Gre'thor, which was previously referenced only in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The title was developed from "the Klingon belief that the dead travel to Gre'thor on a barge steered by a ferryman". Religious studies scholars Ross Kraemer, William Cassidy, and Susan L Schwartz interpreted the representation of Gre'thor and Klingon spirituality as borrowing from Norse and Greek mythology, specifically the crossing of the rainbow bridge Bifröst or the river Styx. Exploring the influence of the Greek story of Odysseus (Latin: Ulysses) on Star Trek: Voyager, the Classical philologist Otta Wenskus points to Siren-like creatures who call out with the voices of those loved by those on the barge. Though the motif of a barge and ferryman is not present in Homer's portrayal of the underworld in the Odyssey, it was subsequently popularized by its use in Virgil's Aeneid and Dante's Inferno. The pediatrician Victor Grech, in a paper on Klingon culture, interpreted Torres' belief in the Klingon mythological figure Fek'lhr, who tortures the souls of the dishonored, as being in line with Catholic views of Satan.
Kraemer, Cassidy, and Schwartz argued that "Barge of the Dead" mirrored the Star Trek: The Next Generation season six episode "Rightful Heir" by not providing a clear answer as to whether Torres' experiences in the Klingon afterlife were real or part of an hallucination. The Native American studies scholar Sierra S. Adare was critical of the portrayal of Chakotay—a Native American character—as dismissive of Torres' sincere belief in her experiences, writing that "[n]o Native person would ever dismiss another's visions as hallucinations or tell them to ignore their religious beliefs". She cited it as one instance in which the series represented Chakotay as "the quintessential Tonto in outer space".
## Broadcast history and release
"Barge of the Dead" was first broadcast on October 6, 1999, on UPN at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time in the United States. The episode received a Nielsen rating of 3.8/6 ratings share. This means 3.8 percent of all households with a television viewed the episode, while among those households watching TV during this time period six percent of them were actively watching the program. "Barge of the Dead" placed in 93rd place overall for the week. This marked a drop in viewership compared to the previous episode, "Survival Instinct", which had earned a 3.9 rating.
The episode was first released for home media use on VHS as part of a two-episode collection with "Survival Instinct". It was released on DVD as part of the sixth season on December 7, 2004. It was the only Star Trek: Voyager episode included on the DVD compilation Star Trek Fan Collective – Klingon, which was released on August 1, 2006. The episode has also been made available on numerous streaming video on demand services, such as Amazon Video, iTunes, Hulu, and Netflix.
## Critical reception
Television critics responded positively to Dawson's performance and the episode's focus on Torres. IGN's Peter Schorn wrote that the episode was "[a]nchored by Dawson's panicked performance", and praised the focus on the character's internal conflict. While reviewing the episode as a part of the "Torres Trilogy", Edward James Hines praised it as "impressively manag[ing] to weave an evolving story of personal exploration"; he wrote that all of the episodes involved in the trilogy left a "legacy of imaginative, gut-wrenching storytelling".
The representation of Klingon mythology garnered negative reviews from critics. Despite her praise of Dawson, Tim Russ, and Kate Mulgrew, TrekToday's Michelle Erica Green felt the episode bore too many similarities to earlier Star Trek installments and the 1990 film Flatliners. Hines, writing for the same publication, disliked how Fek'lhr, introduced in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Devil's Due", was absent and felt he could have been represented with CGI animation. She criticized the parallels between Miral and Janeway, and wrote that certain scenes would have been effective without Janeway. Ranking it at number thirteen out of the twenty-two Star Trek episodes written by Fuller, Blastr's Dany Roth praised the writer's attempt to better address Torres as a character, but felt his approach to the afterlife and spirituality were too direct and literal. John Andrews of Den of Geek! enjoyed the episode's emphasis on Torres and Klingon mythology, but felt it was "still pretty hokey". In a 2017 The Daily Dot article, Gavia Baker-Whitelaw described "Barge of the Dead" as a "refreshing change from all those Worf episodes, because it's all about women". She included it in her list of Klingon-centric episodes people should watch in preparation of Star Trek: Discovery, which is the first Star Trek'' installment to feature an entire Klingon crew in the main cast.
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"## Analysis",
"## Broadcast history and release",
"## Critical reception"
] | 2,878 | 38,820 |
51,491,600 |
Million Dollar Backfield (San Francisco 49ers)
| 1,087,899,455 |
1950s NFL offensive backfield
|
[
"Nicknamed groups of American football players",
"San Francisco 49ers"
] |
The Million Dollar Backfield was a National Football League (NFL) offensive backfield of the San Francisco 49ers from 1954 to 1956. Featuring quarterback Y. A. Tittle, halfbacks Hugh McElhenny and John Henry Johnson, and fullback Joe Perry, the backfield was also referred to as the "Fabulous Foursome" and "Fearsome Foursome" by sportswriters. Formed well before players earned six-figure salaries, the unit was named as such for its offensive prowess, and compiled record offensive statistics. It is regarded as one of the best backfields compiled in NFL history, and is the only full house backfield to have all four of its members enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
## Line-up
## History
The 49ers in the 1950s used the T formation, sometimes referred to as a full house backfield, which deployed a quarterback, fullback, and two halfbacks. Such a formation was common at the time at both the college and professional levels, as teams sought to emulate the success the Chicago Bears had with the formation over the previous decade. The Million Dollar Backfield began its construction in 1948 with the team's signing of speedy fullback Joe Perry. In 1951 the 49ers drafted quarterback Y. A. Tittle. Tittle had played the previous three seasons with the Baltimore Colts, and became available in that year's draft after the Colts folded. The next year the 49ers drafted halfback Hugh McElhenny in the first round. McElhenny proved to be an explosive play-maker and was recognized as the NFL's rookie of the year in 1952. All three were invited to play in the Pro Bowl for 1953, comprising the starting offensive backfield for the West. The final piece came in 1954, when John Henry Johnson joined the team. Johnson became known for his powerful running and his blocking, which served to complement the finesse of Perry and McElhenny.
The "Million Dollar Backfield" moniker was first applied by 49ers public relations man Dan McGuire to describe the collective talent of the backfield. Despite the name, not even when combined did the players' salaries approach the million dollar figure. In reality, at the time, players often took off-season jobs to supplement their income; Tittle launched his own insurance agency while with the 49ers, and McElhenny worked as a salesman for the Granny Goose potato chip company. Johnson, who never made more than \$40,000 (\$361,000 in 2017 dollars) in a season, joked in 1987 that he was "still looking for the million."
For three seasons, the backfield challenged opposing defenses with Tittle's arm, Johnson's power, the speed of Perry, and the elusiveness of McElhenny. "There was no greater running backs than Hugh McElhenny, John Henry Johnson and Joe Perry in the same backfield," Tittle reminisced. "It made quarterbacking so easy because I just get in the huddle and call anything and you have three Hall of Fame running backs ready to carry the ball." They achieved their greatest success during their first year together, in 1954, in which they shattered the team record for rushing yards in a season. The 49ers led the league with 2,498 rushing yards and 28 rushing touchdowns, and averaged 5.7 yards per carry and 208.2 rushing yards per game. Perry, McElhenny, and Johnson each finished the season in the top ten in rushing yards, with Perry and Johnson finishing first and second, respectively. McElhenny ranked eighth despite playing in only six games before being sidelined by a season-ending shoulder injury. Tittle, Perry, Johnson, and Detroit Lions halfback Doak Walker comprised the starting backfield in the 1955 Pro Bowl, and Perry was deemed the NFL's Player of the Year by the United Press. With the highly potent offense, many thought San Francisco was due to win an NFL championship, but defensive problems landed the 49ers in third place behind the Lions and Bears in 1954. Moreover, the offense struggled after McElhenny's injury.
Perry, taking advantage of Johnson's blocking, became the first NFL player to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons when he did so in 1954 and 1955. Writing for Jet magazine in 1955, sportswriter A. S. "Doc" Young called Perry "the bellwether of the greatest rushing backfield in pro football." McElhenny was a valuable asset in the passing game, becoming a favorite target of Tittle on screen passes. Tittle's 17 touchdown passes in 1955 led the league. In 1956, McElhenny became the team's leading ball carrier, recording career-highs with 185 carries for 916 yards and eight touchdowns. As the 49ers' defensive struggles continued, Johnson was traded to Detroit after the 1956 season in exchange for a defensive back, effectively disbanding the Million Dollar Backfield. The backfield of Tittle, Perry, and McElhenny remained intact through the 1960 season. The nearest the 49ers came to a championship in the 1950s was in 1957, when the team finished with an 8–4 record and was defeated by the Lions in that year's Western Conference playoff.
## Legacy
The 49ers' Million Dollar Backfield is regarded as one of the best backfields in NFL history, and is the only full-house backfield to have all four of its members enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. By virtue of their memberships in the pro hall of fame, all four were automatically inducted as charter members of the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame in 2009. Longtime 49ers coach Bill Walsh co-authored a book about the backfield in 2000 entitled The Million Dollar Backfield: The San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s. In 2014, a sculpture comprising the four players, crouched over as if in a huddle, was erected in Levi's Stadium.
Tittle played for the 49ers until 1960, after which he was traded to the New York Giants, with whom he had the most successful years of his career; he was named AP NFL MVP in 1963, led the team to three straight NFL championship games, and broke several passing records. Consequently, the trade of Tittle for guard Lou Cordileone is seen as one of the worst trades in 49ers franchise history. Tittle retired as the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions, attempts, total offense, and games played. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971.
McElhenny made five Pro Bowl appearances with the 49ers before being released by the team in 1960. He was then picked in the 1961 expansion draft by the Minnesota Vikings, with whom he made his final Pro Bowl appearance. He played for the Vikings for two seasons, then reunited with Tittle on the Giants in 1963, and played his final season in 1964 with the Detroit Lions. A member of the NFL's 1950s All-Decade Team, McElhenny retired having amassed the third most all-purpose yards of any player in NFL history. The 49ers retired his No. 39 jersey, and he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970.
Johnson played only three seasons with the 49ers. Like Tittle, Johnson had a late-blooming career; his most productive years came with the Pittsburgh Steelers, well after his time in San Francisco. He remains the oldest player to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season, when he did so in 1964 at age 35. He retired in 1966 with the third most career rushing yards in the NFL. Johnson's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame came in 1987, and was an honor that contemporaries felt was fifteen years overdue.
Perry was with San Francisco for fourteen of his sixteen seasons as a pro, during which he became one of the first black stars in American football. Despite sharing carries with McElhenny and Johnson, Perry's greatest individual success came while playing in the Million Dollar Backfield. After a brief stint with the Baltimore Colts, Perry returned to the 49ers in 1963 for his final season, and he retired as the NFL's all-time leading rusher. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969, his first year of eligibility, and the 49ers retired his No. 34 jersey in 1971.
On June 9, 2011, it was announced that Johnson and Perry, who died within months of each other, would have their brains examined by researchers at Boston University who are studying head injuries in sports. Both men were suspected of suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disorder linked to repeated brain trauma.
## See also
- History of the San Francisco 49ers
- Million Dollar Backfield (Chicago Cardinals)
- Four Horsemen (American football)
|
[
"## Line-up",
"## History",
"## Legacy",
"## See also"
] | 1,930 | 17,508 |
36,348,129 |
Nicole Esdaile
| 1,156,714,740 |
Australian female goalball Paralympian (born 1987)
|
[
"1987 births",
"Goalball players at the 2012 Summer Paralympics",
"Goalball players at the 2016 Summer Paralympics",
"Living people",
"Paralympic goalball players for Australia"
] |
Nicole Esdaile (born 1 June 1987) is an Australian goalball player and is classified as a B2 competitor. She took up the sport in 1999, and made her national team debut in 2010. Subsequently, she has competed at the 2010 Goalball World Championships, 2011 IBSA Africa Oceania Goalball Regional Champions and 2011 IBSA Goalball World Cup. She was selected to represent Australia at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in goalball .
## Personal life
Esdaile was born on 1 June 1987, and has a visual disability called oculocutaneous albinism.
## Goalball
Esdaile is a goalball player, and is classified as a B2 competitor. Her introduction to the sport was in primary school in 1999. She has continuously played it since then.
Esdaile made her national team debut in 2010 at the Goalball World Championships. In a game against Greece, she scored a goal immediately following a penalty. As a member of the 2011 team, she finished sixth at the IBSA Goalball World Cup. Her team made it the quarter finals before losing to Russia 3–6. Her team then met the Spain women's national goalball team to try to earn a spot in the fifth/sixth place match. Australia walked away 8-7 victors, but lost the fifth/sixth place match to the Israel women's national goalball team 6–8.
She was with the team during the 2011 IBSA Africa Oceania Goalball Regional Champions, which served as the Paralympic qualifying tournament. In her first game against New Zealand, her team won 11-4 after leading 7–1 at the half. She scored three goals in the team's victory. She also played in a match against Germany, and in the final match against New Zealand women's national goalball team, which Australia won, with Esdaile scoring a pair of goals.
Esdaile was a named a member of the Aussie Belles that was going to the 2012 Summer Paralympics. That the team qualified for the Games came as a surprise, as the Australian Paralympic Committee head been working on player development with the idea of qualifying for the 2016 Summer Paralympics.
An Australian team had not participated since the 2000 Summer Paralympics, when they earned an automatic selection as hosts, and the team finished last in the competition. The country has not medalled in the event since 1976. Going into the Paralympics, the team was ranked eighth in the world. In the 2012 Summer Paralympics tournament, the Belles played games against Japan, Canada, the United States and Sweden. They lost every game, and did not advance to the finals. Esdaile was the team's lead scorer, with four goals.
The Belles originally failed to qualify for the 2016 Paralympics after finishing third at the IBSA Goalball Asia Pacific Championships in Hangzhou, China. They were displaced to allow for an African team, Algeria as it turned out, to compete in goalball for the first time. But following the re-allocation of Russia's spot, the Belles found themselves getting a last minute invite to Rio.They entered the tournament ranked ninth in the world. They performed better this time, fighting Uzbekistan to a draw, but they needed a win or draw in their final game against Canada to progress to the quarter finals, but lost 6–0, ending their second Paralympic campaign.
|
[
"## Personal life",
"## Goalball"
] | 760 | 4,482 |
442,317 |
Sonic Advance
| 1,170,863,187 |
2001 video game
|
[
"2001 video games",
"Android (operating system) games",
"Dimps games",
"Game Boy Advance games",
"Games with GameCube-GBA connectivity",
"Infogrames games",
"J2ME games",
"Multiplayer and single-player video games",
"N-Gage games",
"Sega video games",
"Side-scrolling platform games",
"Side-scrolling video games",
"Sonic Team games",
"Sonic the Hedgehog video games",
"THQ games",
"Video games developed in Japan",
"Video games produced by Yuji Naka",
"Video games scored by Tatsuyuki Maeda",
"Video games scored by Yutaka Minobe",
"Virtual Console games",
"Virtual Console games for Wii U",
"Windows games"
] |
is a 2001 platform game developed by Dimps for the Game Boy Advance (GBA). It was the first Sonic the Hedgehog game released on a Nintendo console with Sonic Adventure 2: Battle on the GameCube, and was produced in commemoration of the series' tenth anniversary. The story follows Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy as they journey to stop Doctor Eggman from taking over the world. Controlling a character, players are tasked with completing each level, defeating Eggman and his robot army, and collecting the seven Chaos Emeralds.
Development began after Sega shifted its focus to third-party software development, due to the poor performance of the Dreamcast console. Sega recruited Dimps to lead development, making the game the first in the franchise developed by the studio. While Sonic Advance follows a similar style of gameplay to the Sega Genesis Sonic games, certain concepts and designs were reused from newer games such as Sonic Adventure (1998). The game has been ported to Nokia's N-Gage and Android devices, and is available on the Wii U via the Virtual Console in Japan.
Sonic Advance received positive reviews for its graphics, character animations, and faithfulness to the original Genesis games, but was criticized for its short length and special stages. It was a major commercial success, selling 1.21 million copies in the United States and is among the GBA's bestselling games. The game was followed by two sequels also on the Game Boy Advance; Sonic Advance 2 (2002) and Sonic Advance 3 (2004).
## Gameplay
Sonic Advance is a side-scrolling platform game reminiscent of the original Sonic the Hedgehog games released for the Sega Genesis. Players journey through an island to defeat Doctor Eggman, who is attempting to capture its animal population to turn them into evil robots. Players select one of four characters, each with their own unique set of moves. Sonic the Hedgehog is fastest and can perform an "insta-shield" that protects him for a moment; Tails can fly or swim for a short time; Knuckles the Echidna can glide through the air, swim above water for a few seconds and climb walls; and Amy Rose can destroy enemies using a hammer. Except for Amy, each character can defeat enemy robots by jumping and curling into a ball, or by performing a spin dash on the ground to gain speed. By entering a cheat code, players can control Sonic while Tails runs alongside him, similar to Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992).
The game takes place over six levels called zones. Each zone is split into two acts, where the player must guide their selected character past enemies and obstacles such as spikes and bottomless pits to reach the end in under ten minutes. Scattered around acts are springboards, boost pads, and golden rings, which serve as a form of health; players survive hits as long as they have at least one ring, but their rings will scatter and disappear after a short period. Players collect canisters that contain power-ups such as speed shoes, elemental shields, and invincibility. The first act ends when players pass a signpost, and the second culminates in a boss fight with Eggman; after hitting him eight times, Eggman will flee and drop a capsule of captured animals. Each character starts the game with a number of lives, which are lost when they are hit with no rings in their possession, crushed, drown, fall in a bottomless pit, or exceed an act's 10-minute limit. The game ends when the player runs out of lives, although they can retry the current act from the beginning if they have any continues.
Special springs can be found near the top of certain acts. By jumping on them, the player can reach a special stage, where they are sent down a tube to collect rings. If they collect enough rings, the player receives a Chaos Emerald. Collecting all seven Emeralds unlocks an extra boss fight. The game also features a minigame, Tiny Chao Garden, where players can raise Chao. Players can transfer their Chao between the Tiny Chao Garden and the Chao Garden from the GameCube versions of Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2. The game also features a competitive multiplayer mode, where up to four owners of the game can race to the end of a level or search for Chao.
## Development and release
In January 2001, Sega, facing financial troubles with the underperformance of its Dreamcast console, shifted from first to third-party software publishing, with Sony Computer Entertainment's PlayStation 2 and Nintendo's Game Boy Advance (GBA) being primary focuses. A team of developers was formed to begin development on Sonic the Hedgehog Advance (later renamed Sonic Advance), a Sonic game for the GBA to commemorate the series' 10th anniversary. Dimps, a studio formed by several former Neo Geo Pocket Color developers and funded by Sega, Sony, and Bandai, developed the game with assistance from Sonic Team. Sonic Team conceived the game, but was understaffed on employees familiar with the GBA hardware and so recruited Dimps. Several Dimps members worked on the critically acclaimed Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (1999) for the Neo Geo Pocket Color.
The developers decided to return to a gameplay style similar to the original Genesis Sonic games, which Naka felt was refreshing. Despite this, they also incorporated concepts from Sonic Adventure (1998), such as the ability to grind on rails and the modernized character designs by Yuji Uekawa. As the Sonic games released for the Dreamcast allowed players to download minigames onto the Visual Memory Unit (VMU), the development team decided to expand upon this by using a similar concept with the GameCube's GBA link cable, making Sonic Advance one of the first games to use the cable. It also features graphical techniques such as rotation effects and Mode 7.
Sega announced Sonic Advance and two other GBA games on January 30, 2001. A video containing footage of the game's first level was featured at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in May 2001, and demo versions were showcased at Nintendo Space World and the Tokyo Game Show later that year. Sega released Sonic Advance in Japan on December 20, 2001, while THQ released it in North America on February 4, 2002. The game was released in Europe on March 8, 2002, where Infogrames handled marketing and distribution. A port for Nokia's N-Gage, SonicN, was released worldwide on October 7, 2003. In 2005, it was compiled with ChuChu Rocket!, Sonic Pinball Party, and Sonic Battle in separate bundle packs for the GBA. The game was released on Android on November 25, 2011, and on the Wii U's Virtual Console on February 18, 2015. Both of these rereleases are exclusive to Japan.
## Reception
Sonic Advance received "generally favorable reviews", according to review aggregation website Metacritic. The game sold 1.21 million copies in the United States, making it one of the bestselling games for the GBA. It earned \$36 million by August 2006. During the period between January 2000 and August 2006, it was the 12th highest-selling game launched for the GBA, Nintendo DS or PlayStation Portable in the United States.
The game's presentation was well received. Electronic Gaming Monthly called Sonic Advance the best-looking 2D Sonic game. GameSpot praised its detailed scenery and animation, describing them as solid and faithful to the original Genesis games. Nintendo World Report described its use of graphical techniques as elegant, praising its anime-inspired character animations, and compared them positively to the critically acclaimed Super Nintendo Entertainment System game Super Mario World (1990). The game's music and audio was also praised; GameSpot called it comfortable and catchy. Reviewers also praised the gameplay, with many comparing it favorably to the original games. IGN wrote the game's new ideas, such as the ability to grind on rails, were clever and determined that Sonic felt better on the GBA, rather than the Genesis. AllGame said the game relied too much on nostalgia, but felt it was still a "winning formula" and called the game enjoyable. The game's use of the GameCube link cable was praised; IGN noted the replay value and variety it offered, and GameSpot called it interesting, and felt it made good use of the GBA's connectivity to the GameCube.
Certain elements received more mixed responses. GameSpot felt that Sonic Advance lacked polish, and criticized the difficult special stages. IGN's only criticism was the presence of problems from earlier games, such as "an inviting stretch of roadway that begs to have your character blaze across it at top speed, only to have a spike strip jab you in the feet somewhere in the middle". Nintendo World Report thought the game was too short and criticized the exclusion of the Super Sonic replay mode from earlier games. Reviews for the N-Gage version were mixed; GameSpot criticized its choppy frame rate and encouraged readers to buy the superior GBA version instead. IGN agreed and felt the N-Gage's vertical screen and omission of the multiplayer modes had a negative impact on the ported version. Overall, reviewers felt Sonic Advance was a solid addition to the Sonic franchise. Nintendo World Report felt the game was not perfect, but was still a game that "deserves a spot in your GBA case". IGN agreed, and stated the game successfully recaptured the spirit of classic Sonic gameplay while feeling unique and taking advantage of the GBA's capabilities.
## Legacy
In 2009, Official Nintendo Magazine named Sonic Advance among the best games for Nintendo consoles. Later that year, they ranked the game 75th on a list of greatest Nintendo games, calling it "the finest Sonic game since the Mega Drive golden years and remains a 2D classic. GamesRadar called it the 13th best Sonic game in 2017. The same year, USgamer named it the sixth best, stating that while it did not feel like the classic Genesis games, its graphics were "gorgeous", which helped make the game a standout for the franchise.
Sonic Advance was the first Sonic game released for a Nintendo console. GamesRadar considered this significant, as Nintendo and Sega were fierce rivals throughout the 1990s; Sonic Advance helped end this rivalry by "reducing Sonic's die-hard brand loyalty to a distant memory from the halcyon-toned 1990s". The two companies worked closely in the following years, collaborating for the first time in 2003 with F-Zero GX. In 2007, both Sonic and Nintendo's mascot Mario featured in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. Nintendo Power wrote that Sonic—created as opposition to Nintendo—seemed at home on Nintendo consoles; GamesRadar said Sega and Nintendo were now "like old friends".
Sonic Advance was also the first Sonic game developed by Dimps. Sega continued to contract the company in following years to create many games in the series. The first of these were two sequels to Sonic Advance—Sonic Advance 2 (2002) and Sonic Advance 3 (2004). Dimps also developed the Nintendo DS games Sonic Rush (2005) and Sonic Rush Adventure (2007), the handheld versions of Sonic Colors (2010), Sonic Generations (2011), and Sonic Lost World (2013), and co-developed Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (2010) and the PlayStation 2 and Wii versions of Sonic Unleashed (2008) with Sonic Team. Several journalists have noted that Dimps' handheld games have received consistently better reviews than Sonic Team's home console games. GamesRadar wrote this was because Dimps "managed to keep the spirit" of the original games alive in theirs.
|
[
"## Gameplay",
"## Development and release",
"## Reception",
"## Legacy"
] | 2,437 | 7,225 |
3,046,174 |
Majin Tensei
| 1,138,870,476 |
Video game spinoff series
|
[
"1994 video games",
"Atlus games",
"Japan-exclusive video games",
"Megami Tensei spin-off games",
"Mobile games",
"Sega Games franchises",
"Sega Saturn games",
"Sega Saturn-only games",
"Super Nintendo Entertainment System games",
"Tactical role-playing video games",
"Video game franchises",
"Video game franchises introduced in 1994",
"Video games about demons",
"Video games developed in Japan",
"Windows games"
] |
Majin Tensei is a series of strategy video games published by Atlus. It is a spin-off from Atlus' Megami Tensei franchise, and began with 1994's Majin Tensei. Since then, four further titles have been released: Majin Tensei II: Spiral Nemesis (1995), Ronde (1997), Majin Tensei: Blind Thinker (2007) and Majin Tensei: Blind Thinker II (2008). The player navigates a field seen from a top-down or three-quarters perspective as a human character, and battles demons; they can also recruit demons, and fuse multiple allied demons to create new, stronger demons.
The various titles have been developed by Atlus, Multimedia Intelligence Transfer and Bbmf Corporation, and feature music by Hidehito Aoki and Misaki Okibe. Aoki made use of ambient music, while also incorporating other elements into the compositions, including funk and synthesized piano. Soundtrack albums for the first two games were published by Pony Canyon, and a Majin Tensei manga was published by Enix. The series' gameplay, visuals and music have all been well received by critics, with particular praise to the demon fusion, the large character art and backgrounds for the battle scenes, and the use of ambient music. An exception was Ronde, which was heavily criticized, particularly for its visuals.
## Games
- ''''' was released on January 28, 1994 for the Super Famicom. It was re-released through the Nintendo Power flash memory service on December 1, 1997, and digitally through the Virtual Console service for Wii and Wii U on September 6, 2011 and July 15, 2015. It is set in a Japanese city that has been invaded by demons, and focuses on gameplay rather than plot; the player takes the role of the Hero, and joins forces with the Heroine.
- ''''' was released on February 19, 1995 for the Super Famicom. It was re-released through the Nintendo Power service on December 1, 1997, and through Virtual Console for Wii and Wii U on December 13, 2011 and June 1, 2016. It has a larger focus on narrative than the first game, and is set in Tokyo following a demon invasion. Naoki Takauchi defends the city with his friends, but has to reunite them after their base of operations gets invaded; he is aided in this by a young girl named Aya.
- ''''' was released on October 30, 1997 for the Sega Saturn. It is set in the near future, and follows Asuka, Satoshi, Keita, Sakurako, and Charlie, who try to save Asuka's younger brother after he has been kidnapped by a living statue of Moloch in a demon museum.
- ''''' was released on August 15, 2007 for mobile phones. It is set in Neo Tokyo in the year "20XX", where a project to develop new energy technology is underway, and follows the Hero and a man who accompanies him.
- '''''''' was released on March 14, 2008 for mobile phones. It is set in Tokyo, and follows Takeru and the artificially created demon Zora.
## Gameplay
The Majin Tensei titles are strategy games in which the player takes the role of a human character who battles against demons. They navigate a field – seen in a top-down perspective in Majin Tensei and in a three-quarters perspective starting in Majin Tensei II – with characters represented by small, stick figure-like sprites, and switch to scenes with large, detailed characters when engaging in battle; in the first Majin Tensei, only the opponent is shown in battle scenes, while Majin Tensei II uses a split-screen presentation to show both sides. Ronde is an exception, and instead uses 3D graphics with a scrolling camera. On the field, the player can access pools that regenerate their energy, and starting in Majin Tensei II, they can use the terrain to gain an advantage in battles, increasing their defense rating. The player can also use items, which are bought using money they earn from battles. To attack enemies or support allies, the player needs to move their units on the field so that they are adjacent to the target of the action.
In addition to fighting, the player can choose to talk to demons encountered on the field, and attempt to recruit them to their party; the success of this depends on the player's level, with more powerful demons only being recruitable if the player's level is sufficiently high. In Ronde, the player does not initiate these conversations themselves, however: instead, defeated demons sometimes choose to talk to the player, and sometimes decide to join their party. Like in other Megami Tensei games, the player can fuse multiple allied demons with each other, thereby creating more powerful demons. In Ronde, the player can form contracts with demons, allowing human characters to use demon magic. Demons are fueled by magnetite, so the player needs to manage the supply of this, and thus cannot have too many allied demons on the field at once or take too long to finish a battle. By clearing battles, the player can advance to the next chapter. The games' stories are affected by player choices, and have multiple endings.
## Development
The first two games were developed by Atlus, while Ronde was handled by Multimedia Intelligence Transfer, and the Blind Thinker titles by Bbmf Corporation. All the games were published by Atlus in Japan; none of them have been released in English, but the user interface of Majin Tensei II is in English rather than Japanese, and English fan translations of the first two games were released in 2019 and 2018, respectively.
Rather than the Megami Tensei series regular Tsukasa Masuko, the soundtracks for the first two games were composed by Hidehito Aoki; he composed the Majin Tensei music on his own, and cooperated with Misaki Okibe on Majin Tensei II. He made use of ambient music, while also incorporating elements of funk, electronic distortion and sound effects; for the second game, he also introduced a focus on synthesized piano in the compositions. Music albums featuring the first two games' original soundtracks, along with new arrangements, were released by Pony Canyon: Majin Tensei Excellence Sound Collection was published on March 18, 1994, and Majin Tensei II: Spiral Nemesis Excellence Sound Collection on May 19, 1995. A manga by Shinshū Ueda, Majin Tensei: The True Remembrance, was published by Enix in five volumes.
## Reception
The gameplay, which several publications found similar to the Fire Emblem series, was well received, with multiple Famitsu reviewers commenting on how enjoyable they found the demon fusion. Kurt Kalata and Christopher J. Snelgrove of Hardcore Gaming 101 called Majin Tensei an interesting take on the genre, and worth playing; they said that while many players prefer Majin Tensei II, they enjoyed the first one more, but still found the second game decent; one change between the two that they liked was the larger focus on narrative, compared to the first game's focus on combat. They were highly critical of Ronde, labeling it a kusoge ("shit game"); they said that it was not "completely terrible", but that it felt like "a poor man's Shining Force III".
Kalata and Snelgrove criticized the first two games' field graphics for being small and only featuring little animation, while praising the battle graphics, noting their size, level of detail and high-quality backgrounds, and calling them superior to their counterparts in all other Super Famicom Megami Tensei games. They did however think that the battles in Majin Tensei II were visually a step down in quality. They criticized Ronde's visuals, saying that it was among the worst looking games from the 32-bit era, with characters looking like "blobs of discolored pixels", jerky camera movements, and slow-loading and visually unpleasing battles, and called the game "a total affront to the senses". RPGFan's Patrick Gann thought that the first Majin Tensei's music was weaker than Masuko's compositions, as well as Aoki's later compositions for the Megami Tensei spin-off series Persona, but still well done; in contrast, he called Majin Tensei II's music a pinnacle for the Super Famicom titles in the series, but still criticized its heavy use of synth. Kalata and Snelgrove enjoyed the "moody synth soundtrack" and opening of Majin Tensei II, while calling Ronde's soundtrack mediocre. Chris Greening at VGMO called Majin Tensei "one of the most individualistic and accomplished ambient scores on the Super Nintendo", enjoying the mix of conventional ambiance and funk, saying that it both enhanced the game's mood and worked as stand-alone music. On the other hand, he found Majin Tensei II'''s soundtrack "pleasant but disappointing", saying that several of the compositions were underdeveloped, uninspired or repetitive, while noting more developed tracks such as "A.D. 1995 Story" as highlights.
|
[
"## Games",
"## Gameplay",
"## Development",
"## Reception"
] | 1,950 | 27,981 |
41,693,829 |
Ranulf de Broc
| 1,146,878,760 |
12th-century Anglo-Norman nobleman
|
[
"12th-century English people",
"Anglo-Normans"
] |
Ranulf de Broc (sometimes Rannulf de Broc; died around 1179) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman and royal official during the reign of King Henry II of England. He held two offices in the royal household as well as performing other administrative duties for the king. During the Becket controversy (lasting until Becket's death in 1170) between King Henry and Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, de Broc supported the king and was granted the administration of the exiled archbishop's lands during the later half of the 1160s. This earned de Broc three sentences of excommunication from the archbishop because of de Broc's financial exactions from the estates. De Broc was with the four men who murdered Becket in December 1170, although he did not take part in the actual murder. At de Broc's death around 1179, he left behind a widow and five daughters, who were his co-heiresses.
## Early life and career
De Broc was the son of Oin Purcel and was the nephew of Nigel de Broc. De Broc held the offices of usher and marshall in the royal household under King Henry II. He was receiver of the forest of Witingelega in Hampshire from 1158 to 1168.
## Administrator of Canterbury
During the Becket controversy, which began in October 1163, de Broc supported King Henry II of England and was appointed to oversee the lands and income of the see of Canterbury while Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was in exile after fleeing England in October 1164. The estates were given into de Broc's custody at Christmas 1164, although the grant was back-dated to Michaelmas (29 September) 1164. De Broc was to pay the king 1562 pounds 5 shillings and 5.5 pence annually from the revenues of the estate. Ranulf entrusted the day-to-day administration of Canterbury to his kinsman Robert de Broc. The de Brocs continued to administer the estates until Michaelmas 1170. Soon after de Broc took up the administration of Canterbury, Becket accused de Broc of despoiling the Canterbury estates. Historians are not clear on whether Becket's charges were just propaganda or if the estates were actually damaged. De Broc managed to secure the support of some of the monks of the cathedral chapter of Canterbury, as some monks were willing to inform de Broc of any proceedings of the chapter that were favourable to Becket.
Late in December 1164 de Broc was one of the royal officials who took possession of the archiepiscopal residence at Lambeth for the king as well as arresting the relatives, clerks, and members of the household of Becket who had aided Becket's flight into exile. In June 1166 Becket excommunicated de Broc for his part in administering the archiepiscopal estates for the king while Becket was in exile. Becket again excommunicated de Broc in April 1169, along with Robert de Broc and a number of other royal officials.
## Role in Becket's murder
In July 1170, Becket and the king were reconciled and the king agreed that the archiepiscopal estates would be returned to Becket's control. But difficulties dragged on and Becket accused de Broc of stripping the estates of the recent harvest and storing it away from the archbishop's control. In November, John of Salisbury was sent by Becket to England to inspect the estates prior to Becket's return from exile. John claimed that although de Broc had originally returned custody of the estates to Becket's officials, shortly before John's arrival de Broc had regained control of the estates and expelled Becket's officials. De Broc was also accused of seizing a cargo of the archbishop's wine and destroying the ship carrying it.
Later in 1170, de Broc was involved in an attempt to keep Becket from returning to England. Working with de Broc were Roger de Pont L'Évêque – the Archbishop of York, Gilbert Foliot – the Bishop of London, Josceline de Bohon – the Bishop of Salisbury, Gervase de Cornhill – the Sheriff of Kent, and Reginald de Warenne. De Broc was part of the party that met Becket at Sandwich on 1 December 1070 when the archbishop returned to England. The group, led by Gervase of Cornhill, complained that Becket was sowing dissension in the land by his excommunication of the Archbishop of York and the Bishops of London and Salisbury, but Becket managed to calm the officials by stating he would consider the matter and reply to them the next day. The next day the group was accompanied by some clergy sent by the three excommunicated ecclesiastics, but nothing was accomplished by this meeting except further offers from Becket to consider other options.
Becket excommunicated both de Brocs again on Christmas Day, 1170. On 28 December 1170, de Broc received at Saltwood Castle four knights – William de Tracy, Reginald fitzUrse, Hugh de Morville, and Richard le Breton – who had arrived from the continent. The five men conceived a plan to surround Canterbury Cathedral and force Becket to rescind his excommunications. On 29 December 1170, the five men arrived at Canterbury, where it appears that de Broc was in charge of the soldiers surrounding the cathedral while the other four went inside to negotiate with the archbishop. The four did not succeed in persuading the archbishop and the situation degenerated into the four men murdering Becket at one of the altars of the cathedral. After this, the four rejoined de Broc and searched the archiepiscopal residence for papers and other documents that de Broc was to send to the king. The party then returned to Saltwood.
## Later career and death
In the Revolt of 1173–74 by Henry II's sons against their father, the king gave de Broc custody of Haughley Castle. On 13 October 1173, Robert de Beaumont, the Earl of Leicester, captured the castle for the rebels and burned it to the ground.
De Broc married Dametta de Gorron, who brought lands at Frollebury (Frobury) in Hampshire and Chetton, Eudon and Berwick in Shropshire to the marriage. Besides his wife's lands, de Broc also held lands worth half a knight's fee at Angmering in Sussex and lands worth a full knight's fee at Pepperharrow.
De Broc's marriage produced five daughters, who were de Broc's coheiresses when he died around 1179. Dametta died in 1204. The eldest daughter was Edelina, and the other four were Felicia, Sibil, Lucy, and Clemence. Edelina married Stephen of Turnham, Felicia married William Harang, Sibil married William de Arundel and Ralph Belet, and Clemence married William de Tatlington.
Ranulf was buried in the castle's chapel of Vernay, next to Airvault. The chapel is dedicated to St Thomas, in expiation of the murderer of Thomas Becket. His funeral monument holds an epitaph which is : "Hic expecto resurectioni mortuorum" (Here, I am waiting for the resurrection of the deads) (pages 125-126). A common citation in epigraphical's sources since the deaths's resurrection was proclaimed during the First Council of Nicaea in 325.
|
[
"## Early life and career",
"## Administrator of Canterbury",
"## Role in Becket's murder",
"## Later career and death"
] | 1,598 | 32,896 |
48,585,351 |
Yalla (Inna song)
| 1,169,042,307 | null |
[
"2015 singles",
"2015 songs",
"Dance-pop songs",
"English-language Romanian songs",
"Inna songs",
"Song recordings produced by Play & Win",
"Songs written by Inna"
] |
"Yalla" is a song recorded by Romanian singer Inna for her eponymous fourth studio album (2015) and its Japanese counterpart, Body and the Sun (2015). It was released on 3 November 2015 through Empire and Roton. The recording was written by Marcel Botezan, Sebastian Barac, Nadir Tamuz Augustin and Inna, while production was handled by the first two under the name of Play & Win. A dance-pop and Eurodance track, "Yalla" is sung in both English and Arabic.
Music critics were positive towards the song, commending its production and commercial appeal. An accompanying music video for "Yalla" (which received notable airplay in Romania) was shot by Barna Nemethi in Marrakesh, Morocco and premiered on YouTube on 12 November 2015. Featuring Inna chased by a man at a bazaar, it attracted multiple comments written in Arabic. To promote the single, Inna also had various concert venues. Commercially, "Yalla" peaked at number 13 in Romania and at number 18 on the Polish dance chart.
## Composition and release
"Yalla" was written by Marcel Botezan, Sebastian Barac, Nadir Tamuz Augustin and Inna, while production was handled by the first two under the name of Play & Win. It is a dance-pop song performed in English and its refrain in Arabic. Italian publication RnB Junk's Daniele Traino wrote that the track combined Inna's "typical" Eurodance style with oriental sounds, comparing its vibe to Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" (1987). German portal Hitfire likened the recording to Major Lazer and DJ Snake featuring MØ's "Lean On" (2015), writing that the success of the latter possibly influenced the singer to release "Yalla" as a single. A digital remixes extended play of the song was released on 3 November 2015 by Empire and Roton. The single version features an additional second verse not included on the version featured on her eponymous and fourth studio album (2015) and its Japanese counterpart Body and the Sun.
## Reception
Music critics were positive towards the song. Traini from RnB Junk wrote that "Yalla" was one of the most captivating, refined and peculiar songs from Inna's eponymous studio album, noting its commercial appeal. An editor of Pro FM listed the recording in their list of "16 hits with which Inna made history". Jonathan Currinn, writing in his own website, said that the singer "appeal[ed] to people around the world" by including Arabic language in "Yalla", while portal Hitfire commended the "strong" strophes of the song, Inna's vocals and the beat. The recording debuted on native Airplay 100 at number 94 on 12 November 2015, climbing to number 80 the next week. It reached its peak position at number 13 on 1 May 2016. In Poland, "Yalla" reached position 18 on ZPAV's Dance Top 50 component chart.
## Music video and promotion
Inna performed a stripped-down version of "Yalla" on Radio ZU on 17 November 2015. "Yalla" was set on the track list of concert tours that promoted Inna and Body and the Sun in Europe and Japan. The singer also provided live performances of the recording at festival Alba Fest held in Alba Iulia, Romania, and at the World Trade Center Mexico,
An accompanying music video for "Yalla" was filmed by Barna Nemethi in Marrakesh, Morocco over three days, with Inna and John Perez acting as co-directors. While both Perez and Bogdan Daragiu were the directors of photography, Khaled Mokhtar handled the editing process. The outfits worn in the clip were inspired by and adapted to Arab culture; designers included Cristina Săvulescu, Mădălina Dorobanţu from Pas du Tout, Wanda's Dream New York, Artizana and Tria Alfa. The music video was uploaded onto Inna's official YouTube channel on 12 November 2015, with a teaser of it released few days prior. The clip features a dromedary, the second animal to appear in one of Inna's music videos after "Diggy Down" previously featured a snake.
The video commences with Inna coming out from a body of water, following which she gets chased by a man—played by Yassir Lamrani Selmane—at a bazaar and through the surroundings of a building. This is followed by the singer and her female background dancers performing choreography. Scenes interspersed through the main plot portray Inna singing in front of a door, and her in a desert with a dromedary and dancing around a fire with her backup dancers. Regarding the singer's appearance in the music video, Yohann Ruelle of Pure Charts wrote, "Inna knows how to turn on the temperature!" Valentina Malfroy from website Aficia commended the quality of the visual and saw Inna as charming. An editor of Vagalume thought Inna "plays a girl who abuses her sensuality in typical costumes and a lot of Arabic dance to enchant her love interest." Currinn, writing in his own website, praised Inna's choreography and the video overall, whilst Hitfire recommended the clip and said it matched the song. After its release on YouTube, the music video attracted many comments written in Arabic. It received notable airplay in Romania, peaking at number seven on Media Forest's TV Airplay chart.
## Track listing
Digital remixes EP
1. "Yalla" – 2:51
2. "Yalla" (Extended version) – 4:04
3. "Yalla" (A Turk Remix) – 1:28
4. "Yalla" (Deepierro Offir Malol Remix Edit) – 3:15
5. "Yalla (DJ Amine Radi Moroccan Remix)" – 3:58
6. "Yalla" (DJ Asher ScreeN Remix) – 3:56
## Charts
### Weekly charts
### Year-end charts
|
[
"## Composition and release",
"## Reception",
"## Music video and promotion",
"## Track listing",
"## Charts",
"### Weekly charts",
"### Year-end charts"
] | 1,313 | 6,141 |
5,548,652 |
Teenage Whore
| 1,117,813,307 | null |
[
"1991 singles",
"1991 songs",
"Hole (band) songs",
"Songs about prostitutes",
"Songs about teenagers",
"Songs with feminist themes",
"Songs written by Courtney Love",
"Songs written by Eric Erlandson"
] |
"Teenage Whore" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole. It is the first track on the band's debut studio album, Pretty on the Inside (1991), and was released as a single in the United Kingdom on the European label, City Slang in September 1991. The single was released in both compact disc as well as 12" and 7" vinyl, with "Drown Soda" and "Burn Black" as b-sides. Though it did not chart in the United States, the single gained popularity in the United Kingdom upon its release, peaking at \#1 on the UK Indie Chart in September 1991.
Recorded in March 1991 during the studio sessions for Pretty on the Inside, the track featured production by Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and Gumball frontman Don Fleming. The song's lyrics, written by frontwoman Courtney Love, narrate a dejected teenaged prostitute who has been abandoned by her mother. Heavily influenced by noise rock and grindcore, the band's musical arrangements on the song feature rapid string muting, tritones, and a noted "sonic uncleanliness."
## History
### Recording and composition
"Teenage Whore" was written by bassist Jill Emery, lead guitarist Eric Erlandson, drummer Caroline Rue and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Courtney Love in 1991 and was one of the first songs written by Hole's second line up, featuring Emery, after the departure of original bassist Lisa Roberts and additional guitarists Mike Geisbrecht and Errol Stewart. It was recorded over a period of four days in March 1991 during sessions for Pretty on the Inside at Music Box Studios in Los Angeles. It was produced by Sonic Youth musician Kim Gordon and Gumball frontman Don Fleming.
The musical composition of "Teenage Whore" follows the status quo of Pretty on the Inside, which is most often noted for its extreme abrasiveness, though it is also noted for its sophisticated use of melodic structure which is buried under arrangements. Spin addressed this, saying: "at first [the song] comes across like a ranting noisy rage, but underneath is a surprisingly lush melody." The song's main verse riff follows an E-G-F chord progression, with the bridge composed of a layering of diminished fifths and muted strings, evoking a "sonic uncleanliness." As with the majority of the band's songs, the lyrics to "Teenage Whore" were written by Love, and deal with a negative self image and real or imagined perception of oneself as a "whore", which is reinforced by the narrator's mother.
### Release
"Teenage Whore" was issued as a single through Hole's European label, City Slang, in September 1991 to promote Pretty on the Inside, and entered the UK Indie Chart at number 1. The song later appeared on the soundtrack of the 1994 film S.F.W.. By September 17, 1991, it was at number 2 on the UK Indie Chart, after "Head Like a Hole" by Nine Inch Nails.
The single was available on 7" vinyl on pink, clear and transparent green vinyls, with "Drown Soda" as a b-side, and on 12" vinyl and compact disc with "Drown Soda" and "Burn Black" as b-sides (both of which had been recorded during alternate recording sessions, at Fun City Studio in New York City, and Radio Tokyo in Los Angeles, respectively). This marked the band's first CD release, as all of their prior singles had been released solely on vinyl.
"Burn Black" had previously been issued as a b-side on the band's previous single, "Dicknail", which had been released on Sub Pop Records in March 1991, when the band began recording Pretty on the Inside. On The Chart Show, the song's title was censored, with the word "whore" being replaced with dots.
## Critical reception
Music columnist Everett True referred to "Teenage Whore" as "the most unsettling thing I've heard since Patti Smith uncovered "Piss Factory" ... only it's way more personal." In the 1995 book The Sex Revolts: Gender, Rebellion, and Rock 'n' Roll, music scholars Simon Reynolds and Joy Press reflected on the track, writing: ""Teenage Whore" turns the lowliest member of rock society, the groupie, into the ultimate (anti) heroine. Love rasps out an unclassifiable alloy of growling defiance and retching disgust, while Hole's torturous music grinds out her humiliation and hatred with a creakiness that betrays how long this howl has been lurking in the back of the throat." Cultural theorist Jan Jagodzinski also reads the song as the narrative of a groupie and representing a "desublimated ugly aesthetic of the abjected mother." In The Rough Guide to Rock, the song is noted as "coercing the listener into Love's anguish" as well as representing the band's early stylistic choices and aesthetic, characterized by "drone" and featuring "poetic turns of phrase."
## In popular culture
The song was later featured on the official soundtrack of the film S.F.W. (1994). Comedian Jen Kirkman references the song in her book I Know What I'm Doing–and Other Lies I Tell Myself: Dispatches from a Life Under Construction (2016).
## Track listing
All songs written by Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson, Jill Emery, and Caroline Rue, except where noted.
German 7" single (SLANG 013)
1. "Teenage Whore" – 2:59
2. "Drown Soda" (Love, Erlandson) – 4:52
German 12" single (SLANG 011)
1. "Teenage Whore" – 2:59
2. "Drown Soda" (Love, Erlandson) – 4:52
3. "Burn Black" – 4:56
German CD single (SLANG 013)
1. "Teenage Whore" – 2:59
2. "Drown Soda" (Love, Erlandson) – 4:52
3. "Burn Black" – 4:56
## Credits and personnel
Hole
- Courtney Love – vocals, guitar
- Eric Erlandson – guitar
- Jill Emery – bass
- Caroline Rue– drums, percussion
Technical
- Kim Gordon – producer, engineer
- Don Fleming – producer, engineer
- Brian Foxworthy – engineering, mixing
- Wharton Tiers – engineer, mixing (on "Drown Soda")
- Jack Endino – mixing (on "Burn Black")
Art direction
- Michael Levine – photography
## Charts
|
[
"## History",
"### Recording and composition",
"### Release",
"## Critical reception",
"## In popular culture",
"## Track listing",
"## Credits and personnel",
"## Charts"
] | 1,421 | 15,315 |
32,403,864 |
NBR 224 and 420 Classes
| 1,126,573,589 |
Two classes of British 4-4-0 locomotives
|
[
"4-4-0 locomotives",
"Compound locomotives",
"North British Railway locomotives",
"Passenger locomotives",
"Railway locomotives introduced in 1871",
"Scrapped locomotives",
"Standard gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain"
] |
The NBR 224 and 420 Classes consisted of six steam locomotives of the 4-4-0 wheel arrangement built by the North British Railway (NBR) in 1871 and 1873. No. 224 had three claims to fame: it was the first inside-cylinder 4-4-0 engine to run in Great Britain; it was the locomotive involved in the Tay Bridge disaster; and after rebuilding in 1885, it was the only compound-expansion locomotive on the NBR, and one of just three tandem compounds in Britain.
Intended for express passenger trains on the Edinburgh–Glasgow, Edinburgh–Carlisle, and Burntisland–Dundee routes, they handled these well. When trains from London to Edinburgh began to be forwarded via Carlisle over the NBR in mid-1876, these heavier trains were beyond the locomotives' capabilities, and they had to be removed from front-line service on the Carlisle line. Rebuilt between 1885 and 1897, they remained in service until 1914–19.
## History
Thomas Wheatley became locomotive superintendent of the North British Railway (NBR) at the start of February 1867. During his tenure of seven years, he provided the NBR with 185 new locomotives; but only eight of these were suitable for hauling express passenger trains, the first two of which were 2-4-0s built in 1869 (the 141 Class), which were considered to be very good engines.
In 1871, Wheatley followed these with two 4-4-0s, nos. 224 and 264, which were built at the NBR's Cowlairs locomotive works. These two locomotives formed the 224 Class. A leading bogie was chosen because of the preponderance of sharp curves on the NBR; the bogie wheels were quite small, at 2 ft 9 in (840 mm) diameter, and had solid centres, without spokes. The bogie centre was fixed, as opposed to the Adams type used later by the NBR, and the bogie wheelbase was 6 ft 0 in (1,830 mm). The coupled wheels were 6 ft 6 in (1,980 mm) diameter, and the other principal dimensions were: cylinders 17 in (430 mm) diameter by 24 in (610 mm) stroke; coupled wheelbase 7 ft 7 in (2,310 mm).
No. 224 was the first inside-frame inside-cylinder 4-4-0 to run in Great Britain, and predated the G&SWR 6 Class by some two years, the latter being introduced in July 1873. This layout, the 4-4-0 with inside frames and inside cylinders, became widespread across most of Great Britain, with the Great Western Railway being the only main-line company which did not eventually possess the type. There had been earlier 4-4-0 designs on other railways, but these either had outside cylinders (such as nos. 160 & 161 (built 1860) of the Stockton and Darlington Railway) or outside frames (such as the "Whitby Bogies" (1864–65) of the North Eastern Railway).
The 224 Class were used on express passenger trains, no. 264 being used both on the Waverley Route between Edinburgh and Carlisle and on the line between Edinburgh and Glasgow. No. 224 was used in Fife, which in the days before the construction of the Forth Bridge, was an isolated part of the NBR system.
The 224 Class were followed in 1873 by the four locomotives of Wheatley's 420 Class, nos. 420–3. These differed from the 224 Class in several respects: the bogie wheels were 3 ft 4 in (1,020 mm) diameter instead of 2 ft 9 in (840 mm); the coupled wheelbase was 7 ft 9 in (2,360 mm) instead of 7 ft 7 in (2,310 mm); the dome was mounted on the boiler barrel instead of the firebox; and the rear wheel splashers were shaped to the wheel instead of being square-topped. They were intended for use on the Waverley route, over which an increase of traffic was anticipated: the Midland Railway (MR) were at the time building their Settle–Carlisle line. This route not yet being open, and the English traffic being entirely in the hands of the London and North Western Railway which worked closely in tandem with the Caledonian Railway, the NBR's main rival, the trains over the Waverley route were comparatively light and well within the capabilities of the 420 Class.
The MR opened the Settle and Carlisle line on 1 May 1876, and a through service using that route between London St Pancras and Edinburgh Waverley was introduced at the same time. There were two trains each day in each direction – one in the daytime, and one overnight. North of Carlisle, the trains were operated by the NBR over their Waverley route. Each company used its own locomotives over their respective lines, and initially the locomotives used by the NBR were the 420 Class, no. 421 being equipped with the Westinghouse brake (as were three other locomotives at a cost of £90, or £ as of , per engine), the brake with which MR carriages were then fitted. But these locomotives proved insufficiently powerful, a second engine often being needed to assist in climbing the gradients, particularly those at Falahill (between Tynehead and Heriot) and at Whitrope (between Shankend and Riccarton Junction). Wheatley's successor, Dugald Drummond, offered the opinion that NBR express locomotives of the period were "like skinny chickens, all legs and wings". As a result, Drummond designed a new class of 4-4-0 (the 476 Class) which began to displace the Wheatley 4-4-0s from the through trains in 1877, and which were capable of maintaining the schedule of 2 hr 35 min for 98 miles (158 km) (with three intermediate stops). The 420 Class remained on the Waverley route, but were used on the local trains, which were lighter than the through trains from England.
### No. 224 and the Tay Bridge disaster
Until the opening of the Forth Bridge in 1890, passengers from Edinburgh to Dundee would cross the Firth of Forth by a ferry from Granton which connected with trains at Burntisland. Further north, the Firth of Tay had been bridged in 1878, and trains could travel through from Burntisland to Dundee and onward to Aberdeen.
On 28 December 1879, the regular engine for the 1.30 p.m. mail train from Dundee to Burntisland (no. 89 Ladybank of the 88 Class, an 0-4-2T) failed, and no. 224 (which was based at Dundee, and spare at the time) was called out to work the train. It did so without incident on the southbound run, but when working the 5.20 p.m. northbound service later in the day, due to arrive at Dundee a little before 7.30, it was on the Tay Bridge when shortly after 7.13 p.m. the latter collapsed. The driver, David Mitchell, and "stoker" (fireman), John Marshall, of no. 224 had no warning of the impending disaster, and neither closed the regulator nor applied the brakes; they were among the 75 people killed. Despite the fall, the locomotive was relatively undamaged, being protected by the bridge girders which formed a cage around the train as they fell together.
In April 1880, an attempt to recover the locomotive failed when the chains broke. Two days later, a second attempt also failed because the salvage equipment broke after the locomotive had been brought to the surface. One week later, it was recovered, and stood on the bank of the Tay until it was sent to Cowlairs on its own wheels for repairs, after which it was returned to traffic. It gained the nickname "The Diver" as a result of its accident and difficult recovery.
After this, drivers refused to take no. 224 across the second Tay Bridge (which was built to a new design and opened in 1887). However, on the 29th anniversary of the disaster, 28 December 1908, no. 224 was used on the Sunday evening mail to Dundee via the Tay Bridge.
### Rebuilding
Matthew Holmes, locomotive superintendent of the NBR between 1882 and 1903, rebuilt no. 224 as a four-cylinder tandem compound in 1885. In this form, the low-pressure cylinders, which were 20 in (510 mm) diameter, were mounted in the position previously occupied by the original cylinders, above the bogie centre; and the high-pressure cylinders, which were of diameter 13 inches (330 mm), were placed in front of these; the common stroke remained at 24 in (610 mm). The engine was given a modified form of Joy valve gear. The boiler pressure was 140 pounds per square inch (970 kPa), and the grate area 16.6 sq ft (1.54 m<sup>2</sup>). The chief features of the design had been patented (no. 16,967 of 1884) by W.H. Nesbit (or Nisbet), who was a cousin of Holmes. Although not entirely successful, it did somewhat better than the only two other British tandem compounds – Great Western Railway nos. 7 & 8, of 1886; although the tandem compound system was more widely used in the USA and Russia. No. 224 was rebuilt back into simple expansion form during 1887.
On the NBR, locomotives were generally rebuilt when their boilers wore out. No. 224 received two new boilers in the course of its life: one was fitted by Drummond, the other by Holmes. Holmes ultimately rebuilt all of the locomotives: other than no. 224, nos. 420/1 were rebuilt in 1887, nos. 422/3 in 1890 and no. 264 in 1893. No. 224 then received its third rebuilding in 1897. In later years, no. 224 was used on secondary and branch line trains.
### Final years
Every six months, the NBR renumbered some of its older locomotives into a "duplicate list", in order to vacate numbers for new construction. Accordingly, in 1913, nos. 224 and 264 were placed on the duplicate list, becoming nos. 1192/8 respectively; nos. 420–3 were similarly treated in 1914, becoming 1241–4 in the same order. No. 1244 was withdrawn from service in 1914, the others following in 1915 (no. 1241), 1917 (no. 1198), 1918 (nos. 1242/3) and 1919 (no. 1192). These were the only classes of 4-4-0 on the NBR to be completely withdrawn before the 1923 Grouping. As such, they were not among the 183 locomotives of this wheel arrangement which were passed by the NBR to the London and North Eastern Railway when the latter company was formed at the start of 1923 by the amalgamation of the NBR with several other railways.
The number plate from the tender of no. 224 has been preserved at Selkirk Museum.
## Summary
The locomotives may have been named after 1875 – it has been stated that Drummond, who replaced Wheatley in 1875, named NBR engines "including those already in service".
|
[
"## History",
"### No. 224 and the Tay Bridge disaster",
"### Rebuilding",
"### Final years",
"## Summary"
] | 2,532 | 29,804 |
707,599 |
X-Men vs. Street Fighter
| 1,166,763,311 |
1996 video game
|
[
"1996 video games",
"2D fighting games",
"Arcade video games",
"CP System II games",
"Crossover fighting games",
"Fighting games",
"Martial arts video games",
"Marvel vs. Capcom",
"PlayStation (console) games",
"Sega Saturn games",
"Street Fighter games",
"Tag team videogames",
"Video games based on X-Men",
"Video games developed in Japan",
"Video games featuring female protagonists",
"Video games set in London",
"Video games set in New York City",
"Video games set in the United States"
] |
is a crossover fighting video game developed and published by Capcom. It is Capcom's third fighting game to feature Marvel Comics characters, following X-Men: Children of the Atom and Marvel Super Heroes, and is the first installment in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. As the title suggests, the game includes characters from Marvel's X-Men franchise and the cast from Capcom's Street Fighter series. Originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1996, it was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1997 and the PlayStation in 1998.
X-Men vs. Street Fighter features gameplay similar to Street Fighter, but incorporates dual-character selection and tag team-based combat. Each player selects two characters to compete in a one-on-one battle, attempting to defeat the opposing team. The players are given the ability to switch between their characters at any point during the match. The game also incorporates numerous elements from X-Men: Children of the Atom and Marvel Super Heroes.
The game was released to generally positive reviews, with critics praising its gameplay and sprite animation quality. While the Sega Saturn port received praise for maintaining the experience of the original arcade version, the PlayStation port was met with mixed to negative critical reception for removing several features, such as tag team battles. The changes were done in response to the technical limitations of the PlayStation. A sequel to the game, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, was released in 1997.
## Gameplay
Similar to Capcom's various Street Fighter titles, X-Men vs. Street Fighter is a 2D fighting game in which players control various characters to engage in one-on-one combat, attempting to knock out the opponent by depleting their health. It is the first formal installment in the Marvel vs. Capcom series and features dual-character selection and tag team battles. Instead of the typical best-of-three round format, matches consist of a single round. Players select two characters at the beginning of a match, each sporting their own life gauge. Players control one character at a time, while the other awaits off-screen. The starting character can tag in the off-screen character at any time during the fight. The dormant character will also slowly recover a portion of their vitality while the current character is fighting. If one character loses all of their vitality, then the tag partner will automatically come into play. The match continues until both characters on either team are defeated. If the timer runs out before either team is knocked out, then the player with the most combined remaining health is declared the winner.
The game borrows numerous gameplay conventions from Capcom's previous Marvel-licensed ventures, X-Men: Children of the Atom and Marvel Super Heroes, such as the "Super Jump", the ability to jump higher than normal, and "Aerial Rave", the ability to perform combos on the opponent while in the air. X-Men vs. Street Fighter also includes a meter system similar to the two aforementioned games called the "Hyper Combo Gauge". As characters perform moves and receive damage, the players' Hyper Combo Gauges will gradually fill. Players can expend their meter to perform various special techniques, such as the "Hyper Combo", which unleashes high amounts of damage; "Variable Combination", where both characters use their Hyper Combos simultaneously; and "Variable Counter", which transforms a defensive block into an offensive counterattack by tagging in the off-screen character.
### Modes
The arcade, Sega Saturn, and PlayStation versions of X-Men vs. Street Fighter all include Arcade Mode and Versus Mode. In Arcade Mode, the player fights several artificial intelligence-controlled teams before competing in a final battle against the boss character, Apocalypse, an antagonist from the X-Men series. In Versus Mode, two players can fight against each other locally. The PlayStation port also features Training Mode, where players can practice moves and combos against non-aggressive computer opponents, and Survival Mode, where players fight against endless waves of teams.
## Playable characters
X-Men vs. Street Fighter features a roster of 17 playable characters. The character sprites for the X-Men characters were drawn from X-Men: Children of the Atom, with the exception of Rogue, Gambit, and Sabretooth, who had not appeared in a previous Capcom fighting game. The sprite designs themselves are based on the characters' appearances from the 1990s animated X-Men television series, complete with the original voice actors. The Street Fighter character sprites are reused from Street Fighter Alpha 2. Similar to his secret guest appearance in Children of the Atom, Akuma appears as a hidden character in X-Men vs. Street Fighter. In order to create a level playing field between the cast of Street Fighter and the X-Men series' superheroes and supervillains, the Street Fighter characters were re-imagined with highly exaggerated versions of their special moves. For example, Ryu comes equipped with a "super Hadouken" that fills the entire screen.
### X-Men characters
- Cyclops
- Gambit
- Juggernaut
- Magneto
- Rogue
- Sabretooth
- Storm
- Wolverine
### Street Fighter characters
- Akuma
- Cammy
- Charlie Nash
- Chun-Li
- Dhalsim
- Ken Masters
- M. Bison
- Ryu
- Zangief
## Development and release
X-Men vs. Street Fighter debuted in Japan in September 1996 for the CP System II arcade board, and was released worldwide later on in 1996. The game received a port to the Sega Saturn in Japan on November 27, 1997. The port was the first game announced to support the Saturn's 4MB RAM cartridge. It utilized the cartridge peripheral, which was packaged alongside the game, to deliver an arcade-perfect conversion. Though Capcom USA said the game would eventually come out in the U.S., Sega's decision not to manufacture the requisite 4 MB RAM cartridge in the U.S. presented a major obstacle to the game's release there. Additionally, several major U.S. retailers announced that they would be clearing out all Saturn hardware and software inventory in the second quarter of 1998, casting doubt on whether Capcom could get X-Men Vs. Street Fighter onto retailer shelves if they went ahead with the release. Ultimately, the Saturn version was never officially released in North America. An imported version was sold at certain Electronics Boutique locations. Sega had initially intended to release the game in Europe bundled with the expansion cartridge; however, these plans were eventually shelved.
At a November 6, 1996 press conference, Capcom announced that the home version of X-Men vs. Street Fighter would be exclusive to the Saturn. Facing ongoing accusations of favoritism towards the Saturn (due to the perceived superiority of the Saturn version of Street Fighter Alpha 2 over the PlayStation version, and the home version of Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge being Saturn exclusive), Capcom later rescinded this announcement, stating instead that PlayStation and Saturn versions of X-Men vs. Street Fighter would be released simultaneously and would both be arcade-perfect. However, the PlayStation version was not released until February 26, 1998 in Japan, where it was renamed X-Men vs. Street Fighter: EX Edition. The PlayStation port was also released in North America on June 11, 1998, and Europe in November 1998.
Moreover, due to the memory limitations of the PlayStation, both the graphics and gameplay of the port were altered. Several frames of character sprite animations were removed to reduce the amount of RAM usage. Most notably, the tag team combat was omitted. Instead of being able to switch between characters at will, the second character only comes into play during certain attacks, such as Variable Combinations and Variable Counters. In addition, the one-round battles used in the arcade and Sega Saturn versions were extended to a two-out-of-three round setup. The PlayStation version includes a code that allows players to compete in "pseudo-tag team matches", provided that each player uses their opponent's starting character as their partner. For example, if Player 1 is controlling Ryu and Player 2 is controlling Wolverine, then Player 1's partner will be Wolverine and Player 2's partner will be Ryu. The Hyper Combo Gauge also requires roughly half as many hits to fill as it does in the arcade and Saturn versions, enabling more frequent combos. The PlayStation version has training and survival modes, neither of which are included in other versions of the game.
In June 2020, it was announced that X-Men vs. Street Fighter would be included in home arcade cabinets from Arcade1Up alongside other games like Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes.
## Reception
In Japan, Game Machine listed X-Men vs. Street Fighter on their November 1, 1996 issue as being the most-successful arcade game of the month, outperforming titles such as Quiz Nanairo Dreams and Stakes Winner 2. A reviewer for Next Generation scored the arcade version three out of five stars. He complimented the tag team mechanic and noted that the game continued the inflation of explosive projectiles and lengthy combos from Capcom's previous 2D fighters, but felt this breed of game had been milked out, concluding, "X-Men Vs. Street Fighter is a fun game, but it's just a bit of an overdose of the kind of game of which we've already played way too much." In a retrospective review, AllGame gave it a score of four stars out of five, praising its combination of two of the most popular franchises of its era and its tag team mechanic.
X-Men vs. Street Fighter was only mildly popular when first released in North American arcades, but after several months it caught on and became a hit.
A number of U.S. publications reviewed the Saturn version as an import. Reviewers praised the Saturn edition's close recreation of the original arcade version, particularly the animation and sound quality, fast loading times, and absence of slowdown. Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot commended the character sprite animations and background details, claiming that "there is no better looking 2D fighter on any console system". While Gerstmann also praised the port for its fast loading times and lack of slowdown, he criticized the game for its defense-oriented gameplay and recycling of the Street Fighter music themes. Game Informer lauded the port for running and looking identical to its arcade counterpart, declaring it "one of the best arcade conversions ever seen to date." Next Generation focused all its praises on the requisite 4 MB RAM cart, viewing the performance improvement resulting from a simple increase in RAM as a foretaste of the possibilities of the next generation of consoles. GamePro was pleased by the tag team feature, responsive controls, and accurate arcade conversion, though they remarked that "the gameplay at times relies more on flash than actual skill." They gave it a 4.5 out of 5 for graphics and a perfect 5.0 in every other category (sound, control, and fun factor), calling it "one of the most fun fighting games ever to hit the home market." Rich Leadbetter, reviewing the later cancelled European edition of the Saturn port for the British Sega Saturn Magazine, criticized the lack of PAL optimization and compared the game unfavorably to its predecessor Marvel Super Heroes, saying the selection of characters is less exciting and the lack of console-exclusive modes is conspicuous. However, he acknowledged that X-Men vs. Street Fighter is a much more accurate conversion of its arcade counterpart, and concluded it to be outstanding in absolute terms.
The PlayStation version, on the other hand, received mixed reviews, holding a 64% on the review aggregation website GameRankings. Many reviewers' critiques were centered on the port's various changes as a result of the PlayStation's technical restraints. Electronic Gaming Monthly, GameSpot, Next Generation, GamePro, and Game Revolution all lambasted the port for its removal of tag team battles (which they regarded as X-Men vs. Street Fighter's defining feature) and extremely frequent slowdown. Reviews also criticized the low frame rate and noticeable decline in animation quality. Jeff Gerstmann, again reviewing the game for GameSpot, argued that Capcom should never have released X-Men vs. Street Fighter for the PlayStation, since it clearly could not handle a decent conversion. While Game Informer and IGN shared many of the same criticisms, both maintained that, while the PlayStation port paled in comparison to the Sega Saturn version, it was still a solid fighting game. GamePro said it was "worth a cautionary rental at best", arguing that the slowdown is not only frequent but dramatic enough to throw off the player's timing, making the port not fun to play. They gave it a 3.0 out of 5 for control, 2.0 for fun factor, 4.0 for sound, and 2.5 for graphics. Electronic Gaming Monthly's four-person review team was split: Dan Hsu and Shawn Smith both said that while the conversion is so terrible that anyone who had played the arcade or Saturn versions would have a hard time enjoying it, it was decent fun on its own merits, while John Ricciardi and Sushi-X both agreed with GamePro that the slowdown kills any enjoyment of the game. Next Generation stated that "If you've never seen a Capcom fighting game before, this might be fun for a few minutes, but there is not one single positive thing to be said for the trade-offs that Capcom made to get this game to PlayStation. Ouch."
## Sequel
A sequel to X-Men vs. Street Fighter was released by Capcom in 1997. Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, while similar in terms of gameplay and art style, replaces a majority of the X-Men cast with characters from other Marvel Comics properties, such as Captain America and Spider-Man. The game is notable for introducing "assists" into the Marvel vs. Capcom series, which allow players to summon their off-screen character to perform an attack during battle. Like X-Men vs. Street Fighter, the game was ported to the Sega Saturn and PlayStation, which were released in 1998 and 1999, respectively.
|
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"## Gameplay",
"### Modes",
"## Playable characters",
"### X-Men characters",
"### Street Fighter characters",
"## Development and release",
"## Reception",
"## Sequel"
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15,492,956 |
Esperanza (Enrique Iglesias song)
| 1,147,264,589 | null |
[
"1990s ballads",
"1998 singles",
"1998 songs",
"Enrique Iglesias songs",
"Fonovisa Records singles",
"Pop ballads",
"Songs written by Chein García-Alonso",
"Songs written by Enrique Iglesias",
"Spanish-language songs"
] |
"Esperanza" (English: "Hope") is a song by Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias for his third studio album Cosas del Amor (1998). It was co-written by Igleias and Chein García-Alonso with Rafael Pérez-Botija handling its production. A power ballad, it is a confessional song of love and forgiveness. Upon "Esperanza"'s release, one reviewer lauded Iglesias's vocals and the song's arrangements while another found it too similar to his debut single "Si Tú Te Vas". Filmed in Malibu, California, the accompanying music video for "Esperanza" was directed by Emmanuel Lubezki, which won Video of the Year at the 11th Annual Lo Nuestro Awards in 1999. "Esperanza" also won "Song of the Year" and an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Latin Award in the same year. Commercially, it reached number one in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama as well as the Billboard Hot Latin Songs and Latin Pop Airplay charts in the United States, while becoming top-five hit in Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador.
## Background and composition
On 30 July 1998, Iglesias announced that he was recording his third studio album, Cosas del Amor, at Ocean Way Recording in Los Angeles, California. It was produced by Spanish producer Rafael Pérez-Botija, who had previously worked with Iglesias on his past records. Cosas del Amor, which was released on 22 September 1998, features a collection of power ballads. One of the ballads from the album, "Esperanza", was written by Iglesias and Chein Alonso Garcia and is a "confessional song of forgiveness and love". The song was later included on Iglesias's compilation albums The Best Hits (1999) and the deluxe edition of Enrique Iglesias: 95/08 Éxitos (2008).
## Promotion and reception
"Esperanza" was released as the lead single from the album on 7 September 1998 by Fonovisa Records. Its music video was filmed in Malibu, California and directed by Emmanuel Lubezki. The video features Argentine model Inés Rivero, whom Iglesias is attempting to resuscitate after drowning while also reminiscing about the past with her. It won Video of the Year at the 11th Annual Lo Nuestro Awards in 1999. Joey Guerra of the Houston Chronicle praised Iglesias's "nuanced vocal" style and the song's "winsome" arrangement; however, Russell McCrory from The Monitor was less favorable towards the track, where he felt that "Esperanza" was too similar to his 1995 debut single "Si Tú Te Vas". The single received the Song of the Year award at the inaugural Ritmo Music Awards in 1999, and was recognized as one of the best-performing songs of the year on the Pop/Ballad field at the ASCAP Latin Awards. "Esperanza" was included on the set list of Iglesias's second world tour—the Cosas del Amor Tour, where he embarked on the same year.
Commercially in Latin America, it reached number one in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama, and was a top-five hit in Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Honduras. In the US, "Esperanza" debuted at number four on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart on the week of 26 September 1998. It reached the number one position on the chart in the week of 24 October 1998 following the chart's two week hiatus due to damage to the Broadcast Data Systems in Puerto Rico caused by Hurricane Georges. It spent four consecutive weeks in this position before being replaced by Shakira's song "Ciega, Sordomuda". The track additionally peaked atop the Latin Pop Airplay chart for four consecutive weeks.
## Charts
### Weekly charts
### Year-end charts
## Track listing
European CD single
1. "Esperanza" — 3:12
2. "Viviré y Moriré" — 4:04
3. "Revolución" — 3:55
4. "Por Amarte" — 4:05
US CD single
1. "Esperanza" (Fernando's Club Mix) — 6:18
2. "Esperanza" (Fernando's Dub Mix) — 5:19
3. "Esperanza" (Fernando's radio edit) — 4:08
4. "Esperanza" (album version) — 3:09
## See also
- List of number-one Billboard Hot Latin Tracks of 1998
- List of Billboard Latin Pop Airplay number ones of 1998
|
[
"## Background and composition",
"## Promotion and reception",
"## Charts",
"### Weekly charts",
"### Year-end charts",
"## Track listing",
"## See also"
] | 1,023 | 9,403 |
12,542,372 |
Turkestan red pika
| 1,149,834,334 |
Species of mammal
|
[
"Mammals described in 1873",
"Mammals of Central Asia",
"Pikas",
"Taxonomy articles created by Polbot"
] |
The Turkestani red pika (Ochotona rutila) is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. The summer fur at its back is bright rufous and the ventral fur is white or ochraceous. The winter dorsal fur is pale brown and the ventral fur is white or light ochraceous in colour. It is found in the mountains of western Xinjiang in China, and sporadically also in the central Asian mountains in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The female has a low fertility rate, and gives birth to offspring during the breeding season from spring to summer. She generally produces two litters each year, with two to six young. It is rated as a species of least concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species, but it is considered to be near-threatened within the China part of its range.
## Taxonomy
The Turkestan red pika is one of the 30 recognized species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It was first described by the Russian naturalist Nikolai Alekseevich Severtzov in 1873. In 1951, Ellerman and Morrison-Scott included the Chinese red pika (Ochotona erythrotis) and the Glover's pika (Ochotona gloveri) as subspecies of the Turkestan red pika. Multiple authors (Gureev in 1964; Weston in 1982; Feng and Zheng in 1985; and Feng, Cai, and Zheng in 1988) have since separated them as independent species, based on their colouration, zoogeography (branch of the science of biogeography that is concerned with the present and past geographic distribution of animal species), and skull morphology. The mammalogists Robert S. Hoffmann and Andrew T. Smith listed the Turkestan red pika as a species in the third edition of Mammal Species of the World that was published in 2005. Currently, it has no recognized subspecies.
## Description
The Turkestan red pika measures 19.6 to 23 cm (7.7 to 9.1 in) in length, of which 9.5 to 11 cm (3.7 to 4.3 in) is the tail. It weighs 220 to 320 g (7.8 to 11.3 oz). The skull is large, measuring 4.6 to 5.3 cm (1.8 to 2.1 in) in length, and is moderately arched, and has broad and flat interorbital region (region of the skull is located between the eyes, anterior to the upper and back part of the skull). The frontal bone has no alveolus (hollow cavity in bone. Not the same structure as a pulmonary alveolus) above it. The front portion of the nasal cavities are noticeably inflated, and are usually longer than the middle part of the frontal bone. It has 2.7 to 2.9 cm (1.1 to 1.1 in) long ears which have grayish black dorsal sides. The summer dorsal fur is bright rufous, and it is white-spotted at the neck behind the ears, and the spots sometimes form a broad, yellowish white collar. The flanks (sides of the body between the rib cage and the uppermost and largest part of the hip bone) have yellowish cinnamon-buff tinge. The ventral fur is white or ochraceous in colour, but the chest has a rust-red transverse stripe. The winter dorsal fur is pale brown and the ventral fur is white or light ochraceous in colour. The hindfeet are 3.6 to 3.9 cm (1.4 to 1.5 in) long. The anterior palatine foramen (funnel-shaped opening in the bony plate of the skull, located in the roof of the mouth, immediately behind the incisor teeth where blood vessels and nerves pass) and the palatal foramen are combined.
In contrast with most other pikas, the Turkestan red pika is a quiet species, and is also commonly known as the "silent" pika. It has no alarm calls and no song vocalizations. In alarm conditions, it takes cover under rocks and emits a chattering call which is similar to that of the northern pika (Ochotona hyperborea) and two subspecies of the alpine pika, O. a. cinereofusca, and O. a. scorodumovi. Individuals belonging to the same species are alerted by this signal.
## Distribution and habitat
The region of Turkestan is present in central Asia between the Gobi Desert and the Caspian Sea, and comprises Xinjiang, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Turkestan red pika is found in the mountains in western Xinjiang in China, and sporadically in the central Asian mountains such as the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan, and the Tien Shan Mountains in southeastern Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and southeastern Kazakhstan. It is also probably found in northern Afghanistan. It is considered to be commonly found in the Iskanderkul Lake area of Tajikistan, and the Great Alma-Ata Lake area in Kazakhstan. Its range is allopatric with that of the Chinese red pika.
It is a rock-dwelling pika which usually inhabits talus deposits (collection of broken rock pieces at the base of cliffs, volcanoes, or valley shoulders, accumulated due to periodic rockfall from adjacent cliff faces) and takes shelter in large boulders. It is typically found at moderate elevations of less than 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) from sea level, despite the availability of the talus environment.
## Behavior and ecology
The Turkestan red pika is a diurnal species, and is more active at dusk than at dawn. It lives in families consisting of the adult male, adult female and, during the reproductive season, their young. The population levels tend to remain constant each year. It has a low population density of 12 to 20 individuals, or 3 to 3.5 families, per hectare. Adjacent family territory centres are generally separated by 50 to 100 m (160 to 330 ft), but can be as close as 20 to 30 m (66 to 98 ft). Like other pika species, it is a generalist herbivore, and stores vegetation in the form of hayplies (piles of grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that serve as animal fodder). However, unlike most other pikas, it does not feed in open meadows, but in an area of within 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) from the talus-vegetation edge. They have wide home ranges and can find sufficient food, as the vegetation on the talus is widely dispersed.
The female has a low fertility rate, and generally produces two litters each year, with two to six (averaging 4.2) young, during the breeding season from spring to summer. The offspring are not reproductively active in their birth summer. Throughout much of the summer after their birth, the young live with their parents and forage on vegetation stored by them. During the following winter most juveniles live with their parents. The adult male and the female are rarely seen together during autumn, even though they have a mutual home range.
The stoat (Mustela erminea) is a major predator, and 19% of its feces were found to contain furs of the Turkestan red pika.
## Status and conservation
Since 1996, the Turkestan red pika is rated as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. This is because although it has a patchy distribution, it is a widespread species in suitable habitat. It also has a stable population trend. There are no known major threats to the species, although low population density and low fertility rates are possible reasons for concern. At one time it used to be trapped for its fur, but that practice has now stopped. It is considered a near threatened species by the Chinese authorities in its distribution in that country.
|
[
"## Taxonomy",
"## Description",
"## Distribution and habitat",
"## Behavior and ecology",
"## Status and conservation"
] | 1,754 | 24,861 |
147,806 |
Okonomiyaki
| 1,171,106,959 |
Japanese savory pancake
|
[
"Culture in Hiroshima Prefecture",
"Culture in Osaka Prefecture",
"Japanese cuisine",
"Okinawan cuisine",
"Pancakes",
"Table-cooked dishes",
"Tourist attractions in Hiroshima Prefecture"
] |
Okonomiyaki (Japanese: お好み焼き) is a Japanese teppanyaki, savoury pancake dish consisting of wheat flour batter and other ingredients (mixed, or as toppings) cooked on a teppan (flat griddle). Common additions include cabbage, meat, and seafood, and toppings include okonomiyaki sauce (made with Worcestershire sauce), aonori (dried seaweed flakes), katsuobushi (bonito flakes), Japanese mayonnaise, and pickled ginger.
Okonomiyaki is mainly associated with two distinct variants from Hiroshima or the Kansai region of Japan, but is widely available throughout the country, with toppings and batters varying by area. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning "how you like" or "what you like", and yaki, meaning "grilled". It is an example of konamono (konamon in the Kansai dialect), or flour-based Japanese cuisine.
It is also called by an abbreviated name "Okono", where the O is a politeness prefix and kono means favorite.
A liquid-based okonomiyaki, popular in Tokyo, is called monjayaki (also written as monja yaki) and abbreviated as "monja". Outside of Japan, it can also be found served in Manila, Taipei, Bangkok, and Jakarta by street vendors.
## History
A thin crêpe-like confection called funoyaki [ja] may be an early precursor to okonomiyaki. Records of the word funoyaki appear as far back as the 16th century, as written about by tea master Sen no Rikyū, and though the dish's ingredients are unclear, it may have included fu (wheat gluten). By the late Edo period (1603–1867), funoyaki referred to a thin crêpe baked on a cooking pot, with miso basted on one side. This confection is the ancestor of the modern confections kintsuba (金つば), which is also called gintsuba (銀つば) in Kyoto and Osaka, and taiko-yaki (also known as imagawayaki), which both use nerian (練り餡), a sweet bean paste.
In the Meiji era (1868–1912), monjiyaki (文字焼き), a related confection, was popular with children at dagashiya (駄菓子屋), shops selling cheap sweets. This was made by drawing letters (monji) or pictures with flour batter on a teppan (iron griddle) and adding ingredients of choice. The confectionary was also called dondonyaki (どんどん焼き), from the onomatopoeia of the stall sellers beating drums to attract customers.
The first appearance of the word "okonomiyaki" was at a shop in Osaka in the 1930s. After the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake when people lacked amenities, it became a pastime to cook these crêpes, and after World War II (when there was a short supply of rice) okonomiyaki emerged as an inexpensive and filling dish for all ages, often with savory toppings, such as meat, seafood, and vegetables. This "okonomiyaki boom" saw household equipment and ingredients for the dish become commercially available. Monjiyaki also developed into the related modern dish monjayaki (モンジャ焼き), which has a more runny batter due to more added water, resulting in a different cooked consistency.
The issen yōshoku [ja] (cheap Western-style cuisine) of Kyoto, which developed in the Taishō period (1912–1926), may have produced an early form of modern savory okonomiyaki in the form of a pancake with Worcestershire sauce and chopped scallion.
## Variations by region
The dish is known for two distinct main variants, one in Kansai and Osaka and one in Hiroshima. Another variety is hirayachi, a thin and simple type made in Okinawa.
### Kansai area
Okonomiyaki in the Kansai or Osaka style is the predominant version of the dish, found throughout most of Japan. The batter is made of flour, grated nagaimo (a long type of yam), dashi or water, eggs, shredded cabbage, and usually contains other ingredients such as green onion, meat (usually thinly sliced pork belly or American bacon), octopus, squid, shrimp, vegetables, konjac, mochi, or cheese.
It is sometimes compared to an omelette or a pancake and is sometimes referred to as a "Japanese pizza" or "Osaka soul food". The dish can be prepared in advance, allowing customers to use a teppan or special hotplates to fry after mixing the ingredients. They may also have a diner-style counter where the cook prepares the dish in front of the customers.
It is prepared much like a pancake. The batter and other ingredients are pan-fried on both sides on a teppan using metal spatulas that are later used to cut the dish when it has finished cooking. Cooked okonomiyaki is topped with ingredients that include okonomiyaki sauce (made with Worcestershire sauce), aonori (seaweed flakes), katsuobushi (bonito flakes), Japanese mayonnaise, and pickled ginger (beni shōga).
When served with a layer of fried noodles (either yakisoba or udon), the resulting dish is called modan-yaki (モダン焼き), the name of which may be derived from the English word "modern" or as a contraction of mori dakusan (盛りだくさん), meaning "a lot" or "piled high" signifying the volume of food from having both noodles and okonomiyaki. Negiyaki (ねぎ焼き) is a thinner variation of okonomiyaki made with a great deal of scallions, comparable to Korean pajeon and Chinese green onion pancakes.
A variation called kashimin-yaki is made of chicken and tallow instead of pork in Kishiwada, Osaka. In Hamamatsu, takuan (pickled daikon) is mixed in okonomiyaki. Stewed sweet kintoki-mame is mixed in okonomiyaki in Tokushima Prefecture.
### Hiroshima area
In the city of Hiroshima, there are over 2000 okonomiyaki restaurants, and the prefecture has more of those restaurants per capita than any other place in Japan. Issen yōshoku (一銭洋食, lit. "one-coin Western food"), a thin pancake topped with green onions and bonito flakes or shrimp, became popular in Hiroshima prior to World War II. After the atomic bombing of the city in August 1945, issen yōshoku became a cheap way for the surviving residents to have food to eat. Because the original ingredients were not always easy to obtain, many of the street vendors and shops began making it "cooked how you like it" (お好み焼き, okonomiyaki), using whatever ingredients were available.
The ingredients are layered rather than mixed. The layers are typically batter, cabbage, pork, and yakisoba. Optional items such as squid, octopus, dried bonito flakes, and other seafood, as well as nori flakes or powder, mung bean sprouts, egg, chicken, cheese, and other ingredients, depending on the preferences of the cook and the customer. Noodles (yakisoba, udon) are also used as a topping with fried egg and a generous amount of okonomiyaki sauce.
The amount of cabbage used is usually three to four times the amount used in the Osaka style. It starts out piled very high and is pushed down as the cabbage cooks. The order of the layers may vary slightly depending on the chef's style and preference, and ingredients vary depending on the preference of the customer. This style is also called Hiroshima-yaki or Hiroshima-okonomi.
In and around the Hiroshima area, there are a number of variations on the style. Fuchuyaki (府中焼き, fuchūyaki) is made with ground meat instead of pork belly in Fuchū, Hiroshima. Oysters (kaki) are mixed in okonomiyaki to make kaki-oko in Hinase, Okayama. On the island of Innoshima, a variety called Innoshima okonomiyaki (因島お好み焼き) (or in'oko (いんおこ) for short) includes udon, bonito flakes, Worcestershire sauce, and vegetables fried with uncooked batter. Together with "Onomichiyaki", in'oko is considered a B-class gourmet food along the Shimanami Kaidō. There is a restaurant in Hiroshima where customers can order jalapeños, tortilla chips, chorizo, and other Latin American items either in—or as a side dish to—okonomiyaki.
Otafuku, one of the most popular brands of okonomiyaki sauce, is based in Hiroshima and has an okonomiyaki museum and a cooking studio there. Okonomi-mura, in Naka-ku in Hiroshima, was the top food theme park destination for families in Japan according to an April 2004 poll.
### Okinawa
Hirayachi (Okinawan: ヒラヤーチー hirayaachii) is a thin, very simple Okinawan pancake-like dish similar to buchimgae. It is basically "a savory Okinawan crepe with leeks", and is sometimes called "Okinawan style okonomiyaki". The name means "fry flat" in the Okinawan language.
People cook it at home, so there are few okonomiyaki restaurants in Okinawa, with none of them serving hirayachi. The ingredients consist of eggs, flour, salt, black pepper and green onions, fried with a little oil in a pan.
### Other areas
The Tsukishima district of Tokyo is popular for both okonomiyaki and monjayaki (the district's main street is named "Monja Street"). In some areas of Kyoto city, an old-style okonomiyaki called betayaki (べた焼き) is served. The dish is prepared in layers of thin batter, shredded cabbage and meat, with a fried egg and noodles.
Okonomiyaki is popular streetfare in cities including Manila, Taipei, Bangkok, and Jakarta.
## See also
|
[
"## History",
"## Variations by region",
"### Kansai area",
"### Hiroshima area",
"### Okinawa",
"### Other areas",
"## See also"
] | 2,252 | 15,153 |
2,548,492 |
Zero Hour (Stargate SG-1)
| 1,116,290,924 | null |
[
"2004 American television episodes",
"Stargate SG-1 episodes"
] |
"Zero Hour" is the fourth episode from Season 8 of the military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. It was written by producer Robert C. Cooper and directed by Peter Woeste. Clips of the episode were shown on Late Night with Conan O'Brien before Season 8 began, with Late Night graphic designer Pierre Bernard making a cameo appearance in the episode. The first airing of "Zero Hour" on July 30, 2004 on the American Sci Fi Channel was viewed by 3 million people. The episode received mixed reviews.
"Zero Hour" takes place shortly after the promotion of main character Jack O'Neill from Colonel to Brigadier General. With O'Neill being the new leader of Stargate Command (SGC), Lt. Col. Samantha Carter has assumed O'Neill's old position as leader of the SG-1 unit. The idea to have the episode focus on General O'Neill solving various problems at his new job came from the writers' wondering what the general of the SGC does while his teams are on missions.
## Plot
The episode takes place over the course of five days, counting down to an at first unrevealed event named "Zero Hour". Five days to Zero Hour, General O'Neill is introduced to his new administrative aide, Mark Gilmor, who makes a suspicious phone call. Meanwhile, O'Neill's new position as a general is twofold. He needs to decide decorations for an upcoming official visit, and prepare SG-1 for its next offworld trip. A quickly growing alien plant and the arrival of two brawly Amrans, possible trade partners from another world, lead O'Neill to write a letter to General Hammond, his predecessor.
At four days to Zero Hour, the alien plant has grown to cover many areas of the base. After SG-1 go missing on their off-world mission, a Goa'uld named Ba'al contacts Stargate Command and suggests an exchange of the captured SG-1 against Camulus, another Goa'uld who requested asylum on Earth several episodes before. With the help of Camulus, a potent power source is found and brought back to Stargate Command, only to find it tainted by Camulus (powering it up could result in the destruction of the Solar System). With the SGC suffering from a temporary electricity failure caused by the alien plants, Ba'al's renewed contacting only results in O'Neill's mocking. Exhausted by sleep deprivation two days to Zero Hour, O'Neill finishes his letter to General Hammond to inform him of his resignation.
Although Camulus leaves Earth, Ba'al does not send back SG-1. When all SG teams announce their trust and support for the general, SG-1 dial the Stargate from offworld, revealing that they were never captured by Ba'al but instead were trapped in a secret base. After their safe return, O'Neill attests new SG-1 leader Samantha Carter's positive leadership skills. It is revealed that the ZPM Camulus was given to supposedly kill Ba'al (which Ba'al would use to destroy Earth) was actually the dead one from Antarctica. Zero Hour makes up the last minutes of the episode. The President is about to arrive, and Gilmor announces that his special assignment, initiated by the President's order, will end the next day. Gilmor expresses his respect, and as they leave to greet the President, the camera zooms in on the resignation letter on O'Neill's desk, with the last words, "Never mind".
## Production
Despite being fourth in the airing order, "Zero Hour" was filmed as the seventh out of the twenty episodes of Season 8. The limited availability of Richard Dean Anderson (Jack O'Neill), who only worked 3.5 days out of five working days a week during the eighth season, extended the seven-day filming period to four weeks. With "Zero Hour" being a bottle episode to save money, director Peter Woeste filmed the majority of the episode on the standing SGC sets at The Bridge Studios, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The labs of Dr. Lee and Carter were filmed in the same room of the standing set, and a storage room for filming equipment was remodeled into the office of Gilmor. Second unit director Andy Mikita was responsible for the off-world scenes of the SG teams, filmed in Tynehead Park, one of the few undeveloped Vancouver locations that still allows filming. O'Neill in his sleeping quarters was the episode's last filmed scene, shot in two takes to allow Anderson to catch his flight home to Los Angeles.
The inspiration for the episode came from the SG-1 writers wondering for years what George Hammond, the SGC leader from seasons one through seven, does while SG-1 is away on missions. Imagined scenarios ranged from the general dealing with minor decisions like bunting and lunch buffet, to averting major emergencies and threats. The episode's working title was "A Day in the Life of General O'Neill", but writer Robert C. Cooper felt "Zero Hour" was more appropriate, referring to the President's visit at the end of the episode. The subplot of the SGC being overrun with plant life originates in a Season 4 idea by writer and producer Brad Wright. To not interrupt the shooting process, the set was decorated with various plants and vines overnight. Some plants were plastic, but real plants were used for the torching scenes, sprayed to be flame retardant so as not to burn the whole set. Jim Menard as the director of photography was responsible for the green lighting when the emergency lighting goes off. He achieved depth by using differently-colored lights in the control room and near the gate.
"Zero Hour" features several guest stars. Los Angeles actor David Kaufman was brought in to play the part of Mark Gilmor, a red herring to the story. Cliff Simon, flown in from L.A. for a day's work, filmed most of his scenes as Ba'al against green-screen in the gateroom for a "hologram feel". Bill Dow (Dr. Lee) was doing theater work in Vancouver during the filming of this episode, necessitating the producers to schedule around his availability. Gary Jones's character, an SG-1 semi-regular technician who sported the name "Norman Davis" on his uniform for years, received a new name in this episode: "Walter Harriman". After O'Neill had referred to him as "Walter" in the Season 4 episode "2010", the producers could not get clearance for a renaming into "Walter Davis". The new name is based on General Hammond referring to Jones's character as "Airman" (sounding like "Harriman") in the pilot episode, and SG-1 writer Joseph Mallozzi explained the resulting incongruity as a married-name issue. One scene in "Zero Hour" features Pierre Bernard, a graphic designer for the NBC show Late Night with Conan O'Brien, as technician O'Brien. The SG-1 producers saw Bernard ranting on Late Night about Stargate SG-1 being better without Daniel Jackson (actor Michael Shanks was not part of SG-1 during Season 6), and gave him a cameo spot.
## Reception
Producer Robert C. Cooper was satisfied with "Zero Hour", claiming that Richard Dean Anderson "is fantastic in this episode. It's new-yet-classic O'Neill and fans of the character will be forever pleased with this." When "Zero Hour" first aired on the Sci Fi Channel on July 30, 2004, it achieved a 2.2 Household rating, equaling approximately 3 million viewers. Tied with "Icon", this marked the sixth-highest rating for any Season 8 episode of Stargate SG-1.
DVD Talk called "Zero Hour" "a playful episode" with a "funny sub-plot involving an alien plant", but recognized the episode's contribution to the overall story arc. TV Zone considered the plant threat "a nice change" but regretted that it was only a red herring for a later plot revelation. Bringing the plants to the SGC at all was regarded irritating, as the "obvious move [to build a secure lab on an uninhabited planet] doesn't make for such good drama." O'Neill acting as the new leader made "the Goa'uld threat [...] a laugh" and "an amazing change from the events from the series' early days" where O'Neill took this race more seriously. The actual zero hour plot concerning the "harassed" O'Neill was considered "a nice touch". Conan O'Brien, who had shown a clip of Pierre Bernard's scene in his late night show before the first airing, congratulated Bernard for doing a good job, and Bernard would be invited back to the Stargate SG-1 set for a scene in the 200th episode of the show.
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"## Reception"
] | 1,811 | 15,329 |
9,107,804 |
1876 FA Cup final
| 1,154,814,805 | null |
[
"1875–76 in English football",
"1876 in sports",
"1876 sports events in London",
"FA Cup finals",
"March 1876 events"
] |
The 1876 FA Cup final was a football match between Wanderers and Old Etonians on 11 March 1876 at Kennington Oval in London. It was the fifth final of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup (known in the modern era as the FA Cup). Wanderers had won the Cup on two previous occasions. The Etonians were playing in their second consecutive final, having lost in the 1875 final. Both teams had conceded only one goal in the four rounds prior to the final. In the semi-finals Wanderers defeated Swifts and the Etonians beat the 1874 FA Cup winners Oxford University.
The match finished in a 1–1 draw, the second time an FA Cup final had finished all-square. John Hawley Edwards scored for Wanderers, but the Etonians equalised with a goal credited in modern publications to Alexander Bonsor, although contemporary newspaper reports do not identify him as the scorer. A week later, the replay took place at the same venue. The Etonians were forced to make a number of changes due to players being unavailable, and the revised team was no match for the Wanderers, who won 3–0. Charles Wollaston and Thomas Hughes scored a goal apiece in a five-minute spell before half-time, and Hughes added the third early in the second half.
## Route to the final
Old Etonians, the team for former pupils of Eton College, had reached the 1875 final but been defeated by Royal Engineers. Wanderers had won the competition in both 1872 and 1873 but had not progressed beyond the quarter-finals in the subsequent two seasons. Both teams entered the 1875–76 competition at the first round stage and were allocated matches at home. Wanderers defeated a team from the 1st Surrey Rifles regiment 5–0, and the Etonians overcame Pilgrims 4–1. In the second round Wanderers defeated Crystal Palace (not the current professional club) 3–0 and the Etonians had an easy win over Maidenhead, scoring eight goals without reply.
At the quarter-final stage, Wanderers took on the world's oldest football club, Sheffield F.C. and won 20, and the Etonians gained a 1–0 victory over Clapham Rovers. Both semi-final matches took place at Kennington Oval in London, as stipulated in the original rules of the competition. The Etonians beat the 1874 FA Cup winners Oxford University 10 in the first semi-final, and a week later Wanderers clinched their place in the final, defeating the Slough-based club Swifts 21.
## Match
### Summary
Three sets of brothers played in the match. Francis and Hubert Heron lined up for the Wanderers, while the Etonians' team included Hon. Edward Lyttelton and his brother Hon. Alfred Lyttelton and Albert Meysey-Thompson and his brother Charles. The latter pair's surname had been simply Thompson until it was changed in 1874, and for the final Albert played under the name Thompson and Charles under the name Meysey. This is the only occasion that two or more pairs of brothers have played in the same FA Cup final. Later that year, Francis Birley married Margaret, sister of his teammate Jarvis Kenrick.
The Etonian team also included Julian Sturgis, who had been born in the U.S. and was the first foreign-born player to appear in the Cup Final (discounting those born to British parents in the British Empire), as well as Arthur Kinnaird, who had captained Wanderers to victory in the 1873 FA Cup final. Wanderers began the match with two full-backs, two half-backs and six forwards, while the Etonians opted for one full-back, two half-backs and seven forwards.
Wanderers won the coin toss and chose to start the game defending the Harleyford Road end of The Oval. The crowd was estimated at 3,500, the largest for an FA Cup final up to that point. The match was played in a strong wind, to the extent that when Frederick Maddison took a corner kick for Wanderers, the gale blew the ball back out of play. The Wanderers dominated the early stages of the game, but the Etonians kept them at bay for around 35 minutes until Charles Wollaston eluded Thompson and passed the ball to John Hawley Edwards, who kicked it narrowly under the crossbar of the Etonians' goal to give Wanderers the lead. In the second half the Old Etonians had the wind in their favour and had the better of the play. Around five minutes after the interval, a corner kick to the Etonians led to a "scrimmage" (a term in common use at the time to describe a group of players struggling to gain possession of the ball) in front of their opponents' goal, which resulted in the ball and a number of players being forced over the goal-line, uprooting the goalposts in the process. Modern sources credit the goal to Alexander Bonsor, but contemporary newspaper reports in The Sporting Life and Bell's Life in London do not mention his name, merely noting that the goal was scored "from a scrimmage". Neither team could manage to score another goal, and the game finished with the scores level, meaning that for the second successive season a replay would be needed to determine the winners of the competition.
### Details
## Replay
### Summary
The replay took place one week later at the same venue. The Wanderers fielded an unchanged team, but the Etonians had to make a number of changes, as Meysey was injured and three other players were unavailable due to other commitments. One of the replacements, Edgar Lubbock, had not long recovered from a bout of illness and was noted as being out of practice, and Kinnaird was still suffering the after-effects of an injury sustained in the original match.
The weather on the day of the match was extremely cold, with the threat of snow. The Etonians began the match playing in a rough manner, and there were also many appeals from the players for handball, which disrupted play. After around half an hour, the Wanderers' forwards surged towards their opponents' goal and Charles Wollaston got the final kick which sent the ball past goalkeeper Quintin Hogg, one of the replacement players brought in for the replay. Almost immediately afterwards, another massed attack by the Wanderers led to Thomas Hughes doubling the lead.
Soon after half-time, Hawley Edwards, Francis Heron and Jarvis Kenrick combined in a skilful attack and set up Hughes to score his second goal of the game. Although the Wanderers' goalkeeper, W. D. O. Greig, was called into action several times, the Etonians were unable to get the ball past him, and the match finished 3–0 to the Wanderers. The winning team's captain Francis Birley was praised for his performance by the press, as were both Lyttleton brothers for the Etonians.
### Details
## Post-match
As occurred each year until 1882, the winning team did not receive the trophy at the stadium on the day of the match, but later in the year at their annual dinner. In addition to receiving the Cup, the winning team each received a gold medal from the committee of Surrey County Cricket Club. A week after the replay, four of the victorious Wanderers were chosen to represent London in a match against an equivalent team from Sheffield. Despite their presence, the London XI lost the game 6–0.
|
[
"## Route to the final",
"## Match",
"### Summary",
"### Details",
"## Replay",
"### Summary",
"### Details",
"## Post-match"
] | 1,587 | 22,130 |
19,812,609 |
My Life in Orange
| 1,140,663,273 |
Book by Tim Guest
|
[
"2004 non-fiction books",
"Biological weapons in popular culture",
"British autobiographies",
"Rajneesh movement"
] |
My Life in Orange: Growing Up with the Guru is an account of a child growing up in the Rajneesh movement led by Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. The book is a firsthand account, written by Tim Guest at the age of 27, years after his experiences. The book was published in 2004 by Granta Books. The book's title is a reference to the term "the orange people", which was used to refer to members of the Rajneesh movement due to the color they dyed their clothes.
Guest describes how his mother was initially raised in strict Catholicism, but later turned to a tape of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh after going through a period of experimenting with sex and drugs. She dyed all of her clothes orange, took on the name of "Ma Prem Vismaya", and "Yogesh" for her son, and moved to a Rajneesh movement commune near Bombay. Guest's mother moved to many different communes, and had leadership roles within the movement, eventually running a commune in Suffolk. Guest recounts how he regretted the absence of his mother's presence during this time, and describes controversial living conditions with other children at the various ashrams. Guest and his mother moved to the 64,000-acre (260 km<sup>2</sup>) commune in Oregon, but his mother was demoted in position and sent to live at a different commune in Cologne. His family later disassociated from the Rajneesh movement and moved back to North London, where they each encountered difficulties reintegrating back into mainstream society.
My Life in Orange received generally positive reviews, and was highlighted in a "Top 20 non-fiction" list by The Daily Telegraph, and a "50 Best Books for the Beach" by The Independent. Kirkus Reviews called the book "a rightly disturbing record of malignant child neglect by people who sought a heaven, but made a hell", and William Leith of New Statesman described it as "an excellent study of what happens when a charismatic leader comes into contact with a group of rudderless, dispirited people". Publishers Weekly called it "an absorbing book about survival and good intentions gone awry".
## Author
Tim Guest attended Sussex University where he studied psychology, and obtained a M.A. degree in creative writing from the University of East Anglia. Guest was a journalist for The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph. After the publication of My Life in Orange, Guest later wrote a book about the phenomenon of electronic virtual worlds and video games, titled Second Lives: A Journey Through Virtual Worlds, published in 2008 by Random House. On 31 July 2009, Guest died of a suspected heart attack at 34 years old. He was found dead by his wife Jo; despite her efforts to resuscitate him, she was unable to revive him. It was later determined that Guest had died of a morphine overdose.
## Contents
Tim Guest's mother Anne was born in 1950 into a Catholic family. She took courses in psychology at the University of Sheffield. His father was a psychologist on staff at the university. She gave birth to Tim Guest in 1975. Guest's mother fell in love with another man when Guest was six months old. She became a feminist, studied Ronald David Laing, and experimented with sex and drugs. Guest's mother became a follower of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh when Guest was a toddler, after listening to a cassette tape of Rajneesh which displayed the cover text "Surrender to me, and I will transform you", and was titled: "Meditation: the art of ecstasy". Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh taught his followers his perspective on chaotic therapy, sexual freedom and mysticism. She brought her son into the movement in 1979. She was given the name of "Ma Prem Vismaya" (Sanskrit: Mother Love Wonder), and dyed all of her clothes orange.
In 1981, his mother took him to live on an ashram operated by Rajneesh in Poona, India. Guest was renamed as "Yogesh" by Rajneesh. As the Rajneesh movement grew in influence and became involved in controversy, Guest's mother became more involved in the movement. Guest was moved to various Rajneeshee communes, including London, Devon, India, Oregon and Germany. Guest was moved at times to communes and sent to live without his mother. Guest's mother was involved in running the commune and his father lived in the United States. He was raised by other members of the Rajneesh movement, and lived with other children in the ashrams.
His mother ran a commune called "Medina Rajneesh" in Suffolk, and Guest went to a school run on the commune where no history classes were given. Guest describes multiple rules he disliked which he had to observe while living on the Osho commune, including a restricted diet and mandated worship. His stuffed animals and books were taken away from him. He did not spend much time with his mother, because she was frequently working for the movement. When Rajneesh moved from India to Oregon, Guest and his mother moved to Oregon as well, and though Guest enjoyed roaming on the 64,000-acre (260 km<sup>2</sup>) commune he still wished to spend time with his mother.
His mother was later demoted in leadership status by other members of the female leadership of the commune, and sent with Guest to a commune in Cologne. Guest had difficulty learning German, and spent time hiding behind a pile of mattresses with a book and playing with Legos. He describes his childhood in the Rajneesh movement as "somewhere in between Peter Pan and Lord of the Flies", and writes that he had 200 "mothers", but did not spend time with his own mother. According to Guest, group leaders in the Rajneesh movement often initiated fourteen and fifteen-year-old girls into sex. Guest and his mother left the movement when he was a teenager, and she burned all of her orange clothing. Guest himself left at first; he phoned his mother at age 10 to inform her he was leaving to live with his father in San Francisco.
When his mother left the group, Guest moved back with her to the United Kingdom. Guest, his mother and stepfather Martin moved to north London, and he began the process of experiencing adolescence in a society different from that inside the Rajneesh movement. Guest reentered society at age 11, and faced confusion over the contrast in experiences between his childhood in the Rajneesh movement and his new experiences as a teenager in London. He enrolled in the Haverstock School in north London, but had trouble during his teen years with drugs and alcohol. He had difficult relations with his stepfather, and had not spent much time with him prior to the move to London. Anne and Martin went through a period of time where they thought they were beings from a different world, and read books on UFOs. Guest fostered his interest in reading, and went on to study at university.
## Reception
My Life in Orange received generally positive reviews in book trade publications and in the media. The New Yorker critic John Lahr characterized My Life in Orange as "one of the best autobiographies of the decade". The Daily Telegraph placed the book in its "Top 20 non-fiction" list of "the year's best biographies, histories and memoirs" for 2004, and The Independent highlighted the book among its "50 Best Books for the Beach". A review in Reference & Research Book News commented that participants in the Rajneesh movement created "adults like Guest who are marked by the neglect suffered in a childhood among the completely self-absorbed". Kirkus Reviews described the book as "a rightly disturbing record of malignant child neglect by people who sought a heaven, but made a hell". My Life in Orange was highlighted among Kirkus Reviews "Best books for reading groups". In his review of the book for M2 Best Books, Peter Haswell concluded: "A thoroughly enjoyable read and a fascinating insight into the workings of a commune along with the people, their beliefs and their attitudes. Both amusing and sad. Pretty much something for everyone."
The book received a favorable review in New Statesman, and William Leith wrote: "This is an excellent study of what happens when a charismatic leader comes into contact with a group of rudderless, dispirited people. They follow him blindly. They let him get away with anything." Montagu Curzon of The Spectator wrote that "Guest makes an astonishingly mature debut (he is 27) and has the rare ability to describe childhood as a small child lives it; accepting, helpless, curious." Lois Kendall gave the book a positive review in Cultic Studies Review, and wrote: "The book is deep, yet light and readable, both for those who have had similar life experiences and who, I am sure, will find solace in this book, and for those with no such personal experience, who will find the narrative fascinating." Publishers Weekly characterized My Life in Orange as "Honest and vivid, this is an absorbing book about survival and good intentions gone awry." Gillian Engberg of Booklist called the book a "stirring memoir", and wrote: "Guest writes with a reporter's sense of economy and restraint, letting absurd, even shocking details speak for themselves." Christopher Hart gave the book a positive review in The Sunday Times, and wrote: "Tim Guest’s extraordinary account of his childhood in the communes of Bhagwan, the notorious Indian guru, is a survivor’s tale, poignant, funny and wise."
A review in The Daily Telegraph commented that "the main failure of Guest's otherwise excellent book is the absence of character: even his mother comes across rather as a history than a personality." "My Life in Orange, though slightly patchwork in its construction, is an absorbing piece of writing, all the more compelling for begging as many questions as it answers and for the author's refusal to ask for pity," wrote Geraldine Bedell in a review of the book in The Observer. Director of the Cheltenham Festival of Literature, Christopher Cook, characterized My Life in Orange as "the most extraordinary account of his [Tim Guest's] childhood and the bravest writing I've read in ages". Sudipta Datta of the Indian Express described the book as "a postcard from the past that the Osho ashram may not rave about." Datta noted though that after having been angry with his mother and Rajneesh, Guest had reconciled with his family, reclaimed his childhood and come to see Rajneesh as "a loveable rogue who got away with doing his own thing". Catherine A. Powers of The Boston Globe characterized the book as a "moving, superbly written account of growing up in the midst of ... cruel madness". Michael E. Young of The Dallas Morning News gave the book a favorable review, and wrote: "The book offers a glimpse into the thoughts of the followers, and examines the fine line between spirituality and insanity, between religion and cult." Shane Hegarty of The Irish Times characterized the book as "an intriguing and often humorous mix of straightforward 1980s nostalgia and cult delusion".
## See also
- Breaking the Spell: My Life as a Rajneeshee and the Long Journey Back to Freedom (2009)
- Child neglect
|
[
"## Author",
"## Contents",
"## Reception",
"## See also"
] | 2,339 | 8,365 |
54,080,415 |
The Louvre (song)
| 1,169,078,269 |
2017 song by Lorde
|
[
"2017 songs",
"Lorde songs",
"Song recordings produced by Jack Antonoff",
"Song recordings produced by Lorde",
"Songs written by Jack Antonoff",
"Songs written by Lorde"
] |
"The Louvre" is a song recorded by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde for her second album, Melodrama (2017). She co-wrote and co-produced the track with Jack Antonoff, with additional production from Flume and Malay. "The Louvre" is an electropop song that has influences of other genres such as indie rock and ambient music. Its name derives from the Louvre, an art museum in Paris, France. The lyrics talk about Lorde's honest, lightly-manic analysis of a newly-sparked romance comparing it to a painting hung behind the quintessential works of the Louvre.
Reviewers praised the song's lyrics and production, and it landed on several year-end lists. Its guitar riff was compared to Bruce Springsteen's song "Born to Run" (1975), and the sound to Taylor Swift's album 1989 (2014). The track centers around themes of obsession and infatuation as it continues the narrative established in the previous song, "Homemade Dynamite". Lorde performed "The Louvre", with five other songs, as part of a re-imagined Vevo series at the Electric Lady Studios where she recorded most of her album, and at the 2017 Glastonbury Festival. It was part of the set list of her Melodrama World Tour (2017–18).
## Recording and composition
Lorde recorded "The Louvre" at three different locations in the United States. She began recording at Conway Recording Studios, in Los Angeles, California, assisted by recording engineer Eric Eylands. They also recorded at Rough Customer Studio, in Brooklyn Heights, New York, with Barry McCready and Jack Antonoff. Recording was completed at Westlake Recording Studios, in Los Angeles, with Greg Eliason. John Hanes mixed the song at MixStar Studios, assisted by John Hanes. Flume provided the song's bass line and drums, while Malay produced the electronic beats. Both provided additional production for the track.
"The Louvre" is composed in the key of C Major with a tempo of 124 beats per minute. Lorde's vocals span a range of E<sub>3</sub> to A<sub>4</sub> and its chord progression follows a sequence of C–C/E–F<sub>5</sub>–A<sub>5</sub>–G<sub>5</sub> in the verses and outro. It is an electropop song, with influences of other genres such as indie rock and ambient music. According to Nolan Feeley of Entertainment Weekly, "The Louvre" describes the early stages of a casual relationship "doomed to fail". The song starts with Lorde's voice accompanied by a guitar, before becoming "a storm of glitchy electro-pop." NME described it as a "wide-eyed, heart-skippy pop" track. Alexis Petridis of The Guardian stated that it seemed "highly unlikely that any pop song this year" would craft a better chorus than "The Louvre". Newsweek noted Phil Collins' influence on the track, while its guitar riff was compared to Bruce Springsteen's song "Born to Run" (1975) and the production on Taylor Swift's album 1989 (2014).
In a podcast interview with The Spinoff, Lorde revealed that she wanted to evoke the feeling of the "big sun-soaked dumbness of falling in love," and the intense emotion of "big dumb joy". She said that the "instrumentation" helped reflect those emotions. The singer also disclosed that Frank Ocean's Blonde (2016) album served as inspiration for constructing the track's sound. Lorde spoke of how in a "post-Blonde landscape", instrumentation in songs has become more flexible. She stated that she could have made a "big, easy single" but refrained from doing so as she felt it would not mean much to "simplify the journey" or "force a big chorus."
## Reception
"The Louvre" received widespread critical acclaim from music critics, with many praising its lyrics and production; it was also called a stand-out track on Melodrama. In a review roundup for The Fader, editor Aimee Cliff said that Lorde captured the "self-importance of first love so well." Patrick D. McDermott compared the guitar outro to the work of The Cure or The Cranberries. Will Richards from DIY noted that a "rushed lyric half way through the second verse epitomises the whole record". Kitty Empire of The Guardian called it a "dazzling synthesis of pro-dramatics and originality", while Pitchfork's Stacey Anderson noted the song captured a "shared frequency of love just as irrepressibly grandiose as its sound".
Several critics placed "The Louvre" on their year-end, best songs lists. Stereogum put the recording in the number 13 spot on its year-end list. On their year-end list, Vice editor Larry Fitzmaurice ranked the song at number 47, calling it one of the album's "weirdest moments". On Spin's year-end list, "The Louvre" was ranked at number nine, with the publication calling it one of Lorde's "strongest [songs] to date". Pitchfork ranked the track at number 42 of the year-end list, while on their retrospective list of the 200 Best Songs of the 2010s, "The Louvre" ranked at number 43. The publication praised Lorde for being able to take a "feeling everyone knows and transform it into something fresh".
"The Louvre" entered the Recorded Music NZ Heatseeker Singles chart at number one on 26 June 2017. It also entered the NZ Artists Singles Chart at number five that week, before peaking at number four. It was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for exceeding 35,000 shipments.
## Live performances
Lorde first performed "The Louvre" at the Glastonbury Festival. The performance began with a clear box slowly filling with dancers, followed by Lorde's arrival. The box was described as tilting "back-and-forth" above the singer's head as the performance continued. She dedicated the track to any audience member "harbouring a secret crush." The performance received acclaim from critics, with The Independent giving it a four out of five-star review, calling it a "bold and brilliant" debut.
The track was also performed at the Bowery Auditorium in New York City, on the night of the singer's album release party, with two other tracks. For the Melodrama World Tour (2017–18), Lorde performed "The Louvre" after her first costume change. It was proceeded by vintage video snippets that flicker across a "giant old-school TV." A reviewer for the London Evening Standard described the videos as "art and music merged into a cohesive exploration of love, loss and loneliness." The track was performed second in a set of three acts. After the clips, Lorde returned to the stage wearing a white gown, a different look from the black chiffon dress she wore earlier. She prefaced each song with a backstory, saying "The Louvre" is about the "ups and downs of a new crush."
## Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Melodrama.
Recording and management
- Published by Songs Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Songs, LLC, and Ducky Donath Music (BMI)
- Recorded at Conway Recording Studios, Westlake Recording Studios (Los Angeles) and Rough Customer Studio (Brooklyn Heights, New York)
- Mixed at MixStar Studios (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
- Mastered at Sterling Sound Studios (New York City)
Personnel
- Lorde – songwriting, vocals, production
- Jack Antonoff – songwriting, production
- Flume – additional production
- Malay – additional production
- Serban Ghenea – mix engineering
- John Hanes – mixing
- Randy Merrill – mastering
- Barry McCready – engineering assistance
- Eric Eylands – engineering assistance
- Greg Eliason – engineering assistance
- Laura Sisk – engineering
## Charts
## Certifications
|
[
"## Recording and composition",
"## Reception",
"## Live performances",
"## Credits and personnel",
"## Charts",
"## Certifications"
] | 1,690 | 11,201 |
1,569,045 |
Empires: Dawn of the Modern World
| 1,171,457,818 |
2003 video game
|
[
"2003 video games",
"Activision games",
"Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) in fiction",
"Multiplayer online games",
"Panhistorical video games",
"Real-time strategy video games",
"Titan (game engine) games",
"Video games developed in the United States",
"Windows games",
"Windows-only games"
] |
Empires: Dawn of the Modern World is a 2003 real-time strategy video game developed by Stainless Steel Studios and published by Activision. Set in a world-historical period that extends from the Middle Ages to World War II, the game tasks players with guiding one of nine rival great civilizations to victory. Customer surveys from Stainless Steel's previous game, Empire Earth, were used as a starting point for Empires: these inspired the team to take a more minimalist design approach, and to include civilizations without overlapping styles of play. Empires was positively received by critics, who enjoyed its multiplayer component. However, certain reviewers disliked its single-player mode, and opinion clashed on the game's level of uniqueness compared to competitors such as Rise of Nations. The sales of Empires, when combined with those of Empire Earth, totaled 2.5 million units by 2004.
## Gameplay
Empires: Dawn of the Modern World is a real-time strategy (RTS) game in which the player guides a civilization through five historical periods, from the Middle Ages to World War II. As in many RTS titles, the player collects natural resources, erects buildings, and trains and maintains a military. Players use a mouse cursor interface (or hotkeys) to direct their units, which range from crossbowmen to King Tiger tanks. A three-dimensional (3D) camera system allows the player to view the action from any perspective, including isometric and first-person angles. A mini-map is included as well.
Each of the nine civilizations features a unique style of play: for example, the French and English have powerful defensive capabilities, while Chinese structures are mobile. During a match, the player must gather resources to progress their civilization to a new historical era, after which more advanced technologies and units (land-, sea- and airborne) become available. Four civilizations are playable from the medieval to the Imperial age; at the beginning of World War I, the player transitions their civilization to one of the remaining five. For example, a player of the premodern Franks must transition to modern Germany or France. The player wins a match by destroying all opponents' means of production, or by constructing and successfully defending a "Wonder", such as the Notre Dame de Paris or Brandenburg Gate.
Empires allows up to eight players (or artificially intelligent opponents) to compete in two modes: the shorter, battle-oriented Action mode or the longer, defense-oriented Empire Builder mode. In addition, the game contains three single-player storylines called "campaigns", each of which depicts major events in a civilization's history. These follow Richard the Lionheart's medieval wars in France; Admiral Yi Sun-Sin's defense of Korea against Japanese invasion in the early modern period; and General George S. Patton's exploits during World War II. The editor used to create Empires is packaged with the game, which allows the player to create original levels and campaign scenarios.
## Development
### Conception
Stainless Steel Studios started work on Empires in 2002. The project was led by company head Rick Goodman, designer of Ensemble Studios' Age of Empires and Stainless Steel's earlier Empire Earth. The Empires team began by studying their previous game for features that could be reused or improved. In addition, they mined history books for interesting "events, battle tactics, weapons, technologies and economic factors", according to Goodman. A list was drafted of 100 historical elements that excited the team, and it formed the basis of the project. Although a heavy focus was placed on historical accuracy, designer Richard Bishop explained that "fun always comes first." As it had with Empire Earth, Stainless Steel delegated separate teams to the multiplayer and single-player modes of Empires.
Further inspiration came from surveys of Empire Earth players, conducted during 2002. For example, the team found that Empire Earth's medieval and World War II periods were the most popular, while its futuristic and prehistoric periods were the least. In response, the team reduced the span of Empires to 1,000 years, from the Middle Ages until World War II. Goodman believed that this could make the game many times deeper than Empire Earth. Also requested by players were fully unique civilizations, without overlapping units or styles of play—a feature that Goodman claimed to be a first for a history-based RTS game. The team discovered that those who favored the single-player mode in Empire Earth preferred slower, more management-based gameplay. However, multiplayer users were split, with half in favor of shorter matches filled with combat. To please both audiences, the Empire Builder and Action modes were included to offer "a rush-oriented game for the pro gamers and a more defensive game for the casual gamer", in Goodman's words.
### Production
In December 2002, publisher Activision signed Stainless Steel to a multi-game contract, the first title of which was revealed to be Empires in February 2003. By April, the team estimated the game to be 60–70% finished. The engine used to create Empire Earth—later released under the name Titan 2.0—was retained and upgraded for Empires. Significantly more detail was added to the units' 3D models than had appeared in Empire Earth. Further additions included reflection mapping, environmental bump mapping and a new physics engine. According to Goodman, reusing the game engine enabled the team to place its full concentration on gameplay, without worrying about technological development. Another priority was storytelling, an element of the RTS game Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (2002) particularly enjoyed by the Empires team.
Empires was designed primarily for multiplayer gameplay: the multiplayer development team created and fine-tuned each civilization, which the single-player team then used in campaign levels. Because the civilizations do not overlap, Bishop considered game balance to be the most difficult aspect of the project. Previously, Stainless Steel had balanced its games in a microcosmic fashion: the "individual components" of each civilization—for example, the economic power of Germany versus that of England—were balanced against one another. Balance on this scale led to overarching balance. However, this technique hinged on a broad similarity between civilizations that is not present in Empires. Consequently, the company had to abandon its earlier practice and "develop an entirely new methodology", Goodman explained. The result was a macrocosmic system of balance, in which civilizations are inherently unbalanced but equally powerful overall.
As with Empire Earth, each new build of Empires was given to "strike teams" of playtesters. By April, between six and eight months of playtesting had been performed by a group of six professional RTS players. GameSpy's Allen Rausch wrote that the process allows a game to be "consistently tested, evaluated, balanced, and tweaked" at every stage of development, which enables complex forms of balance. This let the Empires team create a looser version of the rock paper scissors system typical of RTS games, wherein one type of unit is either very strong or very weak against other types. In Empires, each unit's strengths and weaknesses were made subtle enough to curb "hopeless mismatches" and reward skillful micromanagement, according to Bishop. The duration of the average battle was increased to provide more opportunities to micromanage units. Empires went gold on October 7, 2003, and it was released on the 22nd of that month.
## Reception
Empires was received positively by critics, according to review aggregators Metacritic and GameRankings. The game's sales, when combined with those of Empire Earth, surpassed 2.5 million units by May 2004. Game Informer's Adam Biessener called Empires "a good knockoff" of WarCraft III and Age of Mythology, worthwhile for fans of the RTS genre. He praised its Empire Builder and Action modes, and the uniqueness of its multiplayer mode; but he found its single-player campaigns to be lackluster. Jonah Jackson of X-Play, Ron Dulin of Computer Gaming World and Stephen Poole of PC Gamer US were similarly unimpressed by the game's single-player mode: the last critic highlighted its "stupendously loquacious cut-scenes and terrible voice-acting". However, Poole dubbed Empires a strong, streamlined and fully featured multiplayer game, which he recommended despite its flaws and lack of innovation. Jackson lauded the multiplayer component as well, and he believed that, while the game at first seems unoriginal, Empires is "the most mature and well-balanced of Goodman's titles".
Regarding the single-player campaigns, PC Zone's writers noted strong level design and "voice acting of the highest calibre"; and they praised the multiplayer mode's "balance and diversity". However, they criticized the pathfinding, interface, unoriginality and inconsistent graphical quality of Empires, and they named it the inferior of Medieval: Total War and Rise of Nations. Conversely, Dulin agreed with Jackson that Empires is a deceptively conventional RTS, which introduces "great, if initially unapparent, changes to the standard formula." He summarized it as a well-made competitor to historical RTS titles like Rise of Nations, Age of Empires and Empire Earth. Writing for GameSpot, Sam Parker argued that Empires separated itself from rivals Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings and Age of Mythology, and he commented, "While it may not have the breadth of Rise of Nations' real-time empire building, the tight scope deals out dividends when it comes to fast-paced battles."
Steve Butts of IGN, along with GameSpy's Rausch, called Empires a major improvement on the foundation of Empire Earth, thanks to its smaller scope and deeper gameplay. Like the staff of PC Zone, both writers enjoyed the single-player mode, although Rausch noted its middling writing and voice acting. Rausch considered the multiplayer mode to be Empires' best feature: he felt that its Empire Builder and Action modes were both balanced, and that each civilization "offers players a completely different experience". He noted the game's audiovisual presentation as a low point. Butts found fault with the game's camera system, but he summarized Empires as a unique RTS and "a good direction for the genre".
|
[
"## Gameplay",
"## Development",
"### Conception",
"### Production",
"## Reception"
] | 2,080 | 41,847 |
31,062,058 |
Minimum Foundation Program
| 1,054,759,308 |
Public school funding formula in Louisiana
|
[
"Education in Louisiana"
] |
In Louisiana, the Minimum Foundation Program is the formula that determines the cost to educate students at public elementary and secondary schools and defines state and local funding contributions to each district. Education officials often use the term "MFP" to refer specifically to the portion the state pays per student to each school district.
The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) is required by the Louisiana Constitution to adopt a formula to determine the total cost of a minimum foundation program of education in public schools and to equitably allocate funding to school systems. The Louisiana legislature must approve the formula each year. Local and state contributions to the MFP vary based on student needs and local tax bases.
MFP funding has been frozen at the same rate for two years. In 2010, the Louisiana Legislature moved to restructure the MFP formula. Critics say the formula does not encourage districts to implement taxes to pay higher amounts than the state for the cost of education.
## Local and state contributions
Local and state shares of the MFP vary from district to district. On average, the state pays 65 percent of the total cost of the minimum foundation, and the district pays 35 percent. In the 2010-2011 fiscal year, state and local government contributed \$3.3 billion to the MFP formula. Required local funding is paid by property and sales taxes levied by local school districts. Districts with higher tax revenues must pay a higher portion of the MFP than districts with lower tax revenues. The formula divides districts into levels based on the dollar amount of taxes they levy.
### Per student spending
In 2010-2011, the base MFP formula was \$3,855 per pupil, without accounting for special student needs. The MFP formula also takes into account the additional expenses school systems incur in educating special classes of students (e.g. at risk, special education and gifted and talented students.) In the end, school districts get an average of about \$10,000 of state and local funding per student per year.
Local and state sources spent between \$6,500 and \$10,700 per student during the 2008-2009 fiscal year. In that year, Allen, Assumption, Claiborne, Madison, Plaquemines, Red River and West Feliciana parishes received the highest per pupil funding while Acadia, Avoyelles, Grant and Vermillion parishes received the lowest per pupil funding. Among the 10 districts with the highest MFP per pupil that year, the average local contribution was \$3,900, and the average state contribution was \$6,050. Among the 10 districts with the lowest MFP per pupil that year, the average local contribution was \$1,850 and the average state contribution was \$5,600. Total funding levels per student vary based on student population needs.
## Weighted formula
MFP funding in the 2010-2011 fiscal year totaled \$3,308,741,821. That amount divided evenly among 696,444 public school students in Louisiana would work out to \$4,750 per pupil. But some students cost more to educate than others. Rather than increasing the dollar amount, the MFP formula artificially increases the number of students it funds. This "weighted membership" accounts for special education, gifted and talented and at-risk students. For example, a school receives 2.5 times the amount of funding it would receive for a general population student to educate a special education student.
## State executive and legislative action
### MFP freeze
In the past, the Louisiana Department of Education factored in a 2.75 percent increase per year in MFP funding, but that increase has been frozen for two years. In February, 2011, The Advocate reported that Gov. Bobby Jindal plans to freeze the increase in MFP funding for the 2012 budget. John Sartin, president of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, said districts need the MFP growth factor because they have suffered downturns in local sales tax revenue and increases in retirement and health insurance costs.
### Move to restructure
In 2010, the Louisiana House of Representatives passed a resolution urging the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to make the school funding formula more efficient and effective. HCR 20, introduced by Rep. Steve Carter, requested that BESE make certain changes to the formula, including:
1. Increasing the percentage of MFP funds spent at the school level
2. Having funds "follow the child" when students are transferred to juvenile justice facilities
3. Adjusting funding (up or down) based on accurate student enrollment data
4. Targeting more MFP funds to dropout prevention
## District taxing controversy
Critics say the MFP formula discourages high levels of local, rather than state, funding. Louisiana House Speaker Jim Tucker said in an interview with Louisiana Public Broadcasting that the MFP formula keeps districts from levying higher taxes because districts with high local taxes receive lower state funding payments. Tulane University's Cowen Institute was founded in 2007 to examine the effects of local tax initiatives on the MFP. Tara O'Neill, Cowen Institute Policy Manager, said districts receive extra incentive funding from the state when they raise high amounts of funding at the local level. O'Neill said districts get this extra money whether they tax a low tax base at a high rate or tax a healthy tax base at a low rate.
## MFP Accountability Reports for low-performing schools
State laws require the Louisiana Department of Education to include each local school district that has a school with a School Performance Score (SPS) below 60 and growth of less than 2 points in an MFP Accountability Report that is submitted to the Louisiana House and Senate Committees on Education by June 1 each year.
The most recent report in 2009 contained data for 34 schools in 15 districts during the 2007-2008 school year. The average school performance score for schools in that report was 52.9, compared to 86.3 statewide. The average classroom instructional expenditure per student was \$6,416 among these schools, compared to \$5,924 statewide. About 91 percent of students in this report were in poverty, compared to 63.2 percent statewide. The schools in this report had higher teacher turnover than the statewide average and a slightly higher percentage of uncertified teachers than the state average.
|
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"### MFP freeze",
"### Move to restructure",
"## District taxing controversy",
"## MFP Accountability Reports for low-performing schools"
] | 1,309 | 16,958 |
2,106,729 |
Promenade MRT station
| 1,172,793,901 |
Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore
|
[
"Downtown Core (Singapore)",
"Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore) stations",
"Railway stations in Singapore opened in 2010"
] |
Promenade MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the Downtown (DTL) and Circle (CCL) lines in Downtown Core, Singapore. Located underneath Temasek Avenue and adjacent to Millenia Tower, the station serves several key attractions and locations such as Suntec City and the Marina Promenade, which the station is named after. The station is at the junction of the Dhoby Ghaut and Marina Bay branches of the CCL.
The station was first announced as Milennia MRT station in 1999 and was part of the Marina Line, which later became CCL Stage 1. It was later announced in 2005 that the CCL would branch off from this station to serve Chinatown, which eventually became DTL Stage 1 in 2007. The station opened on 17 April 2010 as part of the CCL Stages 1 and 2. On 14 January 2012, the CCL branch to Marina Bay via Bayfront station opened. The DTL platforms opened on 22 December 2013 as part of Downtown line Stage 1. The DTL station is the second deepest station in the entire MRT network at 42 metres (138 ft), behind Bencoolen station at 43 metres (141 ft).
## History
### Circle line
The station was initially part of the Marina Line, serving between the Dhoby Ghaut and Stadium stations, which was later incorporated into the CCL Stage 1. Contract C825 for the design and construction of Millenia station and associated tunnels was awarded to a joint venture comprising Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co. (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Woh Hup and NCC at a sum of on 19 December 2001.
In 2005, the station's name was finalised as Promenade, in light of its proximity to the Marina Promenade. Although Sheares garnered the most votes in the station names poll, it was decided that naming the station after the former president Benjamin Sheares was considered too 'prestigious' for one of the many underground MRT stations in Singapore and hence was not named after him. During the station's construction, on 25 March 2003, a section of Rochor Road (from ECP to Suntec City) had to be realigned.
The station opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stages 1 and 2 of the Circle line. Subsequently, the two-station 2.4-kilometre (1.5 mi) extension from Promenade to Marina Bay station opened on 14 January 2012 as announced on 28 November 2011.
### Downtown line
On 14 June 2005, the Land Transport Authority announced the 3.4-kilometre (2.1 mi) Downtown extension that will branch off the CCL to serve the New Downtown at Marina Bay area. The DTE was later revised to be the first stage of the 40-kilometre (25 mi) Downtown Line (DTL) in 2007.
Contract C902 for the design and construction of the Downtown Line station and its adjacent 1.2 km (0.75 mi) tunnels was awarded to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co. (Singapore) Pte Ltd at a contract sum of in August 2008. Portions of Temasek Avenue were realigned during the construction period to allow construction works to be carried out. The construction of the bored tunnels required the use of 6.35-metre (20.8 ft) diameter Earth pressure balance (EPB) machines. The DTL station commenced operations on 22 December 2013.
## Station details
### Location
Promenade station is located underneath Temasek Avenue and adjacent to Millenia Tower. The station also serves several key locations and attractions such as Suntec City, Singapore Flyer, The Float@Marina Bay and the Marina Bay Street Circuit. It is also close to the Marina Promenade after which the station is named.
### Architecture
The station is designed by DP Architects. The station features a "curvilinear envelope with deep-edged metal louvres" to conceal the concrete service shafts and integrate with the vertically glazed skylights. The three entrances to the station have identical features of thin and sharp lines for the roof and glazed panels for the sides. The interior features a pattern of light grey and granite floors, with granite and stainless steel-trimmed panels on the walls and metal-grid ceilings.
Prior to the Nicoll Highway collapse, it was planned for the station, along with Nicoll Highway station, to have a cross-platform interchange with an unspecified future line; that line had to be realigned as the new Nicoll Highway station did not have provisions for the line. The DTL platform bound for Bukit Panjang station is at 42 metres (138 ft) below ground, the second deepest platform in the entire MRT network behind Bencoolen station at 43 metres (141 ft). The station also features one of the longest escalators on the MRT network, with the length being 17.56 metres (57.6 ft).
### Art in transit
Two artworks are featured at this station as part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit Programme. At the CCL platforms, the artwork "Dreams in a Social Cosmic Odyssey" (D.I.S.C.O.) by PHUNK studios features huge metallic droplets suspended from the ceiling, to represent an "illuminated celebration of collective dreams". The droplets reflect the sunlight from above, creating a moving kaleidoscope on the station floors. These waves of light illustrate the "ebb and flow" commuter traffic and allow the interaction of passengers in transit with the art piece.
The four artists – Alvin Tan, Melvin Chee, Jackson Tan and William Chan – decided to make use of the skylight such that the artwork becomes a key feature of the station, instead of creating a mural on the station wall. Initially, it was planned to hang a chandelier made up silhouettes of human figures representing how "People illuminates Life", but was considered by the Art-in-Transit panel as "too literal". Inspired by the station's proximity to the Marina Bay Reservoir and Kallang Basin, the artists decided to use water droplets for the artwork.
At the DTL platforms, an artwork "Earthcake" by Ana Prvacki depicts the multiple layers of Singapore's geology, history, culture, growth and development through the tiers of cultural sediment permeating the area. The artwork, intended to be a "collage of earth and local desserts”, also bears similarity with one of the colourful local kuehs, reflecting Singapore's multi-culturalism centred on food. According to Prvacki, she was inspired by the core samples from the site taken during the station's construction and saw its visual similarities with the local kueh. The DTL artwork has drawn mixed reactions from other artists. Yek Wong, painter of the artwork at one-north station, was critical of the artwork, saying the artwork is "too trapped in philosophical mumbo jumbo". On the other hand, Jason Ong, the artist behind the artwork at HarbourFront, finds the layers and repetition of the artwork appealing and was intrigued by the "conceptual link" between the dessert and the stratification of the ground.
|
[
"## History",
"### Circle line",
"### Downtown line",
"## Station details",
"### Location",
"### Architecture",
"### Art in transit"
] | 1,523 | 11,961 |
1,621,808 |
The End of the World (Doctor Who)
| 1,170,569,132 | null |
[
"2005 British television episodes",
"Apocalyptic television episodes",
"Doctor Who stories set on Earth",
"Fiction set in the 7th millennium or beyond",
"Ninth Doctor episodes",
"Television episodes set in outer space",
"Television shows written by Russell T Davies"
] |
"The End of the World" is the second episode of the first series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. Written by executive producer Russell T Davies and directed by Euros Lyn, the episode was first broadcast on BBC One on 2 April 2005 and was seen by approximately 7.97 million viewers in the United Kingdom.
In the episode, the alien time traveller the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) takes his new companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) five billion years into the future where many rich alien delegates have gathered on a space station called Platform One to watch the Sun expand into a red giant and destroy the Earth, but the human guest Lady Cassandra (Zoë Wanamaker) is plotting to profit from the event by fabricating a hostage situation.
"The End of the World" is the first episode of the revival to be set in the future. Due in part to the numerous SFX shots, the episode used up most of the series' SFX budget. The episode also features numerous intricate costumes. Location filming principally took place in Cardiff in October 2004, with some additional scenes shot in Cardiff and Penarth in November 2004 and February 2005. Studio work was recorded in the Unit Q2 warehouse in Newport from September to November 2004. The episode marked the first appearance of Cassandra and the Face of Boe, both of which would appear in the series two episode "New Earth".
## Plot
The Ninth Doctor takes Rose five billion years into her future. They land on Platform One, a space station in orbit around Earth. They have arrived in time for a party celebrating the final destruction of the long-abandoned Earth by the expansion of the Sun. The Doctor uses his psychic paper to pass as their invitation to the party, and he and Rose find many elite alien beings there. The guests include Lady Cassandra, billed as "the last human" but is actually a face on a large piece of skin that must be continually moisturised. Also present is the Face of Boe.
Meanwhile, the gifts brought by the Adherents of the Repeated Meme contain robotic spiders that immediately work at disabling functions on Platform One. The Steward of Platform One recognises something is wrong, but is killed when the spiders lower the solar filter of his room and expose him to the powerful solar radiation. After Rose insults Cassandra, the Adherents follow her and knock her unconscious. She regains consciousness in an observation room where the solar filter drops. The Doctor gets the filter back up but cannot get her out.
The Doctor determines that the Adherents sabotaged Platform One. However, they are robots commanded by Cassandra. Cassandra admits to being the saboteur: her original plan was to create a hostage situation (with herself as one of the "victims") and profit from the compensation she would have had, but now intends to gain money from Cassandra's stock holdings in the companies of the guests' competitors to increase in value after they die. Cassandra teleports off the station as the spiders bring down the shielding on the entire station. The Doctor and the sentient tree Jabe travel to the bowels of Platform One to restore the automated shields, but it requires one of them to travel through several spinning fans. Jabe sacrifices herself to hold down a switch to slow down the fan blades. This allows the Doctor to reactivate the system just before the expanding Sun hits the station and destroys Earth.
The Doctor reverses Cassandra's teleport and brings her back onto the station. In the elevated temperature and without moisture, Cassandra's body creaks and ruptures. The Doctor explains to Rose, now free from the observation room, that he is the last of the Time Lords, and that his planet was destroyed in the wake of a great war.
## Production
### Conception
"The End of the World" was conceived as a deliberately expensive spectacle to show off how much the new Doctor Who could do. Platform One was designed to be like a "hotel for the most poshest, richest, and influential aliens in the universe", and is partly based on Douglas Adams' The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
One function of the episode is to reveal that the Doctor is the last of his people. Davies had also initially intended to have the last humans escaping the doomed Earth aboard massive space arks (similar arks appeared in the serial The Ark). This was dropped when the complexity of the character of Cassandra was fully realised during development. The episode features the first appearance of concepts such as the psychic paper, the Time War and the words 'Bad Wolf', which would go on to form a story arc throughout the series. It also mentions the TARDIS' universal translation capabilities, which had been referenced in the 1976 serial The Masque of Mandragora. An unaired scene would have shown the Doctor to have nine strands of DNA instead of one, an allusion to his eight previous incarnations.
This episode begins with a cold open, the first time Doctor Who did this, which would soon become a standard feature. The show had previously used pre-credits teaser sequences, but only for some special episodes in the 1980s, such as the post-regeneration Castrovalva (1982); the 20th-anniversary special, The Five Doctors (1983); and the 25th-anniversary story, Remembrance of the Daleks (1988).
The villain Lady Cassandra, a CGI creation voiced by actress Zoë Wanamaker, was developed for the episode. Executive producer Russell T Davies stated that Cassandra was inspired by drastic beauty treatments that had been taken by female celebrities, particularly inspired by the appearance of various ones at the Oscars. He said, "It was horrific seeing those beautiful women reduced to sticks. Nicole Kidman struck me in particular. Nicole is one of the most beautiful women in the world. But she looks horrifying because she’s so thin. It’s like we’re killing these women in public. We watch while you die." Originally, Cassandra was intended to have collected pieces of human history, such as the Magna Carta and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The book still appears as a set piece, being contained in a glass cabinet decorating the Platform One hotel. Wanamaker reprised the role of Cassandra in the 2006 series' first episode, "New Earth".
### Filming
"The End of the World" was scheduled as part of the second production block along with "The Unquiet Dead". Camille Coduri's scene as Jackie Tyler was shot in advance during the first production block because of commitments for the film The Business that would make her unavailable. The scene was shot at the Unit Q2 warehouse in Newport on 7 September 2004.
The main recording for the episode began in the studio at Unit Q2 from 22 September. Many of the Platform One interiors were filmed at the Temple of Peace in Cardiff from 6 to 14 October.
During the recording of "The Unquiet Dead" on 20 October, several pick-up shots were recorded at Headlands School in Penarth. The main recording on the block concluded in Q2 on 22 October. To help with the convenience of locations, the scenes with the Doctor and Rose on present-day Earth were shot during the third production block on 9 November. Filming took place at Helmont House on Churchill Way, and on Queen Street. Some additional shots involving the air ducts were shot at Q2 on 26 November. The filming of screens with Cassandra proved to be difficult, with one crew member comparing it to pushing around a faulty shopping trolley. Zoë Wanamaker was unable to be present on the set during the filming of her scenes so a stand-in had to be used.
Due to complexities in animating Cassandra, some of her lines were dropped and the episode underran. To compensate, Davies came up with the character of maintenance worker Raffalo, and scenes between Raffalo and Rose were filmed at the Temple of Peace on 19 February 2005.
### Effects and costumes
The episode contains 203 visual effects shots that were completed over eight weeks, compared to "about 100" in the film Gladiator; Russell T Davies joked that there never would be an episode of the same scale due to the expense in producing it. As of "The Wedding of River Song" (2011), no Doctor Who episode contains as many special effects shots. Producer Phil Collinson also said the episode had more monsters than ever before.
Both Cassandra and the robotic spiders — other than an inactive one — are completely CGI creatures. According to Russell T Davies, Cassandra was worked on for "many many months" and costed a "fortune". The Moxx of Balhoon was originally going to be animated, but this changed to a "glove puppet" and then a full rubber suit when it was desired he be "chunkier". Actor Jimmy Vee had done similar parts before, although the actor said it was hard filming in the costume, which took three hours to put on. Jabe was originally more tree bark-like in the face, but it was decided that she be a Silver Birch instead.
Other effects include the creation of a fake 7" single for Britney Spears' "Toxic". In the episode, Cassandra unveils an "iPod" (actually a Wurlitzer jukebox), that plays "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell and later "Toxic". Since "Toxic" was not actually released as a 7" 45 rpm vinyl single, the production team mocked up a 7" single for use in the episode.
## Broadcast and reception
`According to a March 2006 interview with Russell T Davies, he requested for this episode to be broadcast back-to-back with "Rose", but the request was given to the BBC too close to transmission to do so. In the United States the Sci-Fi Channel did run the two episodes consecutively on 17 March 2006. The broadcast of "The End of the World" in the US was watched by 1.61 million viewers. In Canada, the episode had 899,000 viewers, making it the evening's 4th-most viewed primetime show.`
Overnight figures showed that "The End of the World" was watched by 7.3 million viewers in the UK, down 2.6 million viewers from the premiere. When final ratings were calculated, figures rose to 7.97 million. The episode received an Audience Appreciation Index score of 76, which was the lowest in the show's history until 2015's "Sleep No More".
Arnold T Blumburg of the magazine Now Playing gave "The End of the World" a grade of "A−", praising the spectacle as well as the performances of Eccleston and Piper and their developing characters. However, he felt that the climax suffered from pacing issues. SFX called it a "brave episode to air so early, but it works", praising the way the alien concepts were reminiscent to the classic series. However, the reviewer wrote that "the full drama of the event is never quite captured" and "the murder plot...never quite takes flight, but it provides the framework for some brilliant scenes". In Who Is the Doctor, a guide to the revived series, Graeme Burk described "The End of the World" as "sheer, unadulterated fun", particularly praising the emotional connection that was built between the Doctor and Rose. Burk felt that there could have been more of a build-up to the Cassandra revelation, but commented that "a lot of the success of the story" was due to her. Burk's co-author Robert Smith added that the episode allowed Eccleston to shine by offering the Doctor a wide range of emotions. Despite their positive reviews, Burk and Smith noted that the switch at the end of the hallway with giant fans was "contrived" and "silly". In 2013, Patrick Mulkern of Radio Times felt that the episode had everything to be expected from Davies' Doctor Who: boldness, camp, and emotional and character drama. The A.V. Club reviewer Alasdair Wilkins gave the episode a grade of B+, noting that the episode was not concerned with plot, but it succeeded in character moments and reintroducing Doctor Who.
|
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"## Plot",
"## Production",
"### Conception",
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"## Broadcast and reception"
] | 2,513 | 13,134 |
21,078,279 |
Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40
| 1,119,815,020 |
Church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach
|
[
"1723 compositions",
"Christmas cantatas",
"Church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach"
] |
Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes (For this the Son of God appeared), BWV 40, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in 1723, his first year in Leipzig, for the Second Day of Christmas, and first performed it on 26 December that year in both main churches, Thomaskirche and Nikolaikirche. It was the first Christmas cantata Bach composed for Leipzig. The title of the cantata also appears in more modern German as Dazu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes.
The theme of the work is Jesus as the conqueror of the works of the devil, who is frequently mentioned as the serpent. The music is festively scored, using two horns, similar to Part IV of Bach's later Christmas Oratorio. The text by an unknown poet is organised in eight movements, beginning with a choral movement on the biblical text, followed by a sequence of recitatives and arias which is structured as three stanzas from three different hymns. Only two of these hymns are Christmas carols.
Bach used the opening chorus for the concluding Cum Sancto Spiritu in his 1738 Missa in F major, BWV 233.
## History
Bach composed the cantata in his first year in Leipzig, for the Second Day of Christmas. On this day Leipzig celebrated Christmas and St. Stephen's Day in alternating years, with different readings. In 1723, St. Stephen's Day was remembered, with the prescribed readings for the feast day from the Acts of the Apostles, the Martyrdom of Stephen (, ), and from the Gospel of Matthew, Jerusalem killing her prophets (). The cantata text by an unknown author is not related to the martyrdom, but generally reflects Jesus as the conqueror of sin and the works of the devil. The text quotes the Bible in movement 1, a verse from the First Epistle of John (). The contemporary poetry alludes to the Bible several times. Movement 2 is based on the Gospel of John (). Movement 5 reflects the creation narrative (); the image of the serpent is also used in movements 4 and 6. Movement 7 finally picks up a line from the day's Gospel, verse 37, "how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings".
No fewer than three chorale stanzas from three different hymns are part of the structure: movement 3 is stanza 3 from Kaspar Füger's "Wir Christenleut" (1592); movement 6 is stanza 2 from Paul Gerhardt's "Schwing dich auf zu deinem Gott" (1648); and the closing chorale is the fourth (final) stanza from Christian Keymann's "Freuet euch, ihr Christen alle" (1646). This is unusual; many of Bach's cantatas include only one chorale stanza for a conclusion, and the cantata performed a day before, Christen, ätzet diesen Tag, BWV 63, an early work composed in Weimar, contained no chorale at all. During the 1723 Christmas season, Bach used the structural device of three chorale stanzas, otherwise rare in his cantatas, twice more, in Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget, BWV 64, and in Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind, BWV 153. He used the structuring of major works in scenes which are closed by chorale later in his Passions and in his Christmas Oratorio. In this cantata, the first insertion is from a hymn that Bach would later use at the end of Part III of his Christmas Oratorio, sung to the earlier melody (1589) by an anonymous composer. The second insertion is not from a Christmas hymn, but its addressing the "alte Schlange" (old serpent) matches the context. It is sung to a melody possibly composed by Friedrich Funcke. The closing chorale is sung to a melody by Andreas Hammerschmidt, published in his collection Vierter Theill Musicalischer Andachten (Fourth part of musical meditations) in Freiberg, Saxony (1646).
The cantata was the first Christmas cantata composed for Leipzig. Bach first performed it on 26 December 1723, and once more, in either 1746 or 1747. For the Christmas season of 1723, from the First Day of Christmas to Epiphany, Bach had performed a program of six cantatas, five of them new compositions, and two major other choral works:
- 25 December
- Main service: Christen, ätzet diesen Tag, BWV 63 and a new Sanctus in D major, BWV 238
- vespers service, BWV 63 and the Magnificat in E-flat major, BWV 243a
- 26 December: this cantata
- 27 December: Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget, BWV 64
- 1 January: Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 190
- 2 January: Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind, BWV 153
- 6 January: Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen, BWV 65
The cantatas were performed twice on the principal feast days, in the main service, alternating in one of the two major churches of Leipzig Thomaskirche and Nikolaikirche, and in the vespers service in the other.
Bach parodied the first movement of this cantata for the Cum Sancto Spiritu fugue in his 1738 Missa in F major, BWV 233.
## Scoring and structure
For the festive occasion, the cantata is scored for three vocal soloists—alto, tenor and bass—a four-part choir, two horns (corno da caccia), two oboes, two violins, viola and basso continuo. Bach later used a similar scoring in Part IV of his Christmas Oratorio, to be performed on New Year's Day.
The cantata consists of eight movements:
## Music
According to musicologist Julian Mincham, the cantata has three sections, each concluded by a chorale:
- Chorus, recitative, chorale – "Christ's purpose in a world of sin"
- Aria, recitative, chorale – "Christ's actions in dispelling Satan"
- Aria, chorale – "consequential Christian delight"
Bach used material from the chorales in his own composition, for example deriving the first horn motif from the beginning of the chorale tune of the first chorale. This suggests that he had chosen the structure before he began the composition.
The opening chorus in F major is a setting of the short text "Dazu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, daß er die Werke des Teufels zerstöre." (For this the Son of God appeared, that he might destroy the works of the Devil.) Klaus Hofmann notes: "This work of destruction is portrayed in the chorus by repeated percussive notes and extended coloratura, but all these illustrative elements are subordinated to a festive Christmas spirit". The horns open the ritornello with a short signal-like motif that is picked up by the oboes and the strings. The movement resembles a prelude and fugue, because the text is first presented in homophony to a repeat of the beginning of the ritornello, then repeated as a fugue, and finally repeated in madrigal style similar to the first section.
John Eliot Gardiner, who conducted this and other Christmas cantatas during the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage with the Monteverdi Choir in 2000, compares the movement's style to the stilo concitato (excited style) of Claudio Monteverdi and notes its "vigorous endorsement to the military campaign against sin and the devil instituted with Jesus' birth". The text speaking of the "works of the devil" is rendered on repeated notes both in the prelude section as in the fugue section; the destruction is pictured in a twisted, almost snake-like, coloraturas in both sections, but the text "Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes" is graced by a new calm theme that is introduced by the tenor, followed by bass, soprano and alto, only accompanied by the continuo. Then the theme contrasts with the two other elements depicting the works of the devil and destruction; it shines almost throughout the fugue.
The short secco recitative, sung by the tenor, the typical voice for Evangelist narration, delivers the message "Das Wort ward Fleisch und wohnet in der Welt" (The word became flesh and lived in the world). The chorale, set for four parts, returns to the thought of sin, "Die Sünd macht Leid" (Sin makes suffering). The bass line rises to affirm the last line "Wer ist, der uns als Christen kann verdammen?" (Who could condemn us as Christians?).
The bass aria "Höllische Schlange, wird dir nicht bange?" (Hellish serpent, are you not afraid) is accompanied by oboes and strings. Hofmann describes it as a "wide-ranging, operatic bass solo, triumphant about the 'hellish snake'". The accompagnato recitative "Die Schlange, so im Paradies" (The serpent that in Paradise) explains that sin has been redeemed. The second chorale "Schüttle deinen Kopf und sprich" (Shake your head and say) is also a four-part setting. The vivid bass line illustrates the crushing of the serpent's head.
The tenor aria "Christenkinder, freuet euch!" (Christian children, rejoice!) is accompanied by both horns and oboes and stresses the words "freuet" (be glad) by extended coloraturas and "erschrecken" (terrify) by sudden rests. It reflects the joyful mood of the opening chorus. The cantata is closed by "Jesu, nimm dich deiner Glieder" (Jesu, take to Yourself Your members), the third four-part chorale, asking Jesus for further support in the new year. For several passages, the bass line is moving to illustrate joy and bliss. The harmonisation begins in F minor, changes several times according to the words and reaches F major on the final word "Genadensonne" (Sun of mercy).
## Recordings
The entries are taken from the listing on the Bach Cantatas Website. Ensemble with period instruments in historically informed performance are marked by green background.
## Cited sources
Scores
Books
Online sources
Several databases provide additional information on each cantata, such as history, scoring, sources for text and music, translations to various languages, discography, discussion, and musical analysis.
The complete recordings of Bach's cantatas are accompanied by liner notes from musicians and musicologists: John Eliot Gardiner commented his Bach Cantata Pilgrimage, Klaus Hofmann wrote for Masaaki Suzuki, and Christoph Wolff for Ton Koopman.
|
[
"## History",
"## Scoring and structure",
"## Music",
"## Recordings",
"## Cited sources"
] | 2,350 | 25,149 |
35,702,477 |
Quiero (Ricardo Arjona song)
| 1,010,055,139 | null |
[
"2007 singles",
"2007 songs",
"Ricardo Arjona songs",
"Songs written by Ricardo Arjona",
"Sony BMG Norte singles",
"Spanish-language songs"
] |
"Quiero" (English: "I Want") is a latin pop song by Guatemalan recording artist Ricardo Arjona. It was released as the second single from his compilation album Quién Dijo Ayer (2007). Written by Arjona, the song was produced by Dan Warner, Lee Levin and Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Tommy Torres, who also worked with Arjona on Adentro. "Quiero" was recorded between several studios in Miami and Mexico City, and mixed and mastered in New York City. The song was called "bohemian" and "hippie" by website ADN Mundo, stating that it was "a love story that doesn't speak about love".
"Quiero" became a moderate commercial success, reaching number 12 on the US Billboard Top Latin Songs chart, and number eight at the Latin Pop Songs chart. It also managed to appear at number 11 on the Latin Tropical Airplay chart, and received an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers for Pop/Ballad Song of the year in 2009. Its accompanying music video, directed by Ricardo Calderón and featuring Dominican model and former Miss Dominican Republic Massiel Taveras, was filmed in the Dominican Republic and premiered in November 2007.
## Background
In a press conference, Arjona stated that "yesterday is the cumulus of this that put us here, which raised us and made us what we are, for good or bad." He also said that Quién Dijo Ayer was more than a compilation, and that "it's an album with all the features of the typical greatest hits disc." He further stated that, at first, it was "an album that began as an experiment, with a dose of informality" but later became "very complicated" thanks to the work done by the producers. After spending the majority of his career signed to Sony, and later, Sony BMG, Arjona signed a long-term recording deal with Warner Music Latina in September 2008. This departure made Quien Dijo Ayer the last album the artist directly released on his former label, although Sony later released another album named Simplemente Lo Mejor.
## Composition
"Quiero" is a latin pop song written and performed by Arjona. It was produced by Tommy Torres, Dan Warner and Lee Levin. The song was recorded between five studios in Miami: The Tiki Room, Picks & Hammers, Jet Wash Studio, The Hit Factory Criteria and Hit Masters; and on Jocoteco Studios in Mexico City. "Quién" was mixed in Barking Doctor Studios in New York City by Mick Guzauski, and mastered by Vlado Meller at the Sony Music Studios on that city. Website ADN Mundo called the song "bohemian" and "hippie", saying it was "a love story that doesn't speak about love, but instead about the recent events on the world we live and finally comes to the search of an individual who challenges nostalgia finding entertainment on the impossible." In 2009, "Quiero" was awarded, along with other selected songs, the Pop/Ballad Songs of the year award by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
## Music video
The music video for "Quiero" was filmed in the Dominican Republic. It premiered in November 2007. Directed by Mexican filmmaker Ricardo Calderón, it was protagonized by Dominican model and former Miss Dominican Republic titleholder Massiel Taveras. During the shooting of the video, Arjona commented that the Dominican Republic was "an incredible country, filled with very helpful and wonderful people." He also stated that he felt compromise of promoting the island. The clip, filmed in black-and-white, shows Arjona singing and playing the piano close to the beach edge. Arjona's scenes are interpolated with aerial takes of the beach, as well as scenes of Taveras before several people start submerging into the water. Then, Arjona submerges himself, and the video ends.
## Charts
## Personnel
Taken from the album's booklet.
- Ricardo Arjona – lead vocals
- Tommy Torres – background vocals, chord arrangement, recording engineer
- Dan Warner — chord arrangement, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, recording engineer
- Lee Levin — chord arrangement, drum, percussion, recording engineer
- Matt Rollings — acoustic piano
- Pete Wallace – Hammond B-3, addicional keyboards
- Bob St. John — recording engineer
- Carlos Alvarez — recording engineer
- Chris Zalles — recording engineer
- Isaías G. Asbun — recording engineer
- Vlado Meller — mastering engineer
- Tom Bender — mixing assistant
- Mick Guzauski — mixing engineer
|
[
"## Background",
"## Composition",
"## Music video",
"## Charts",
"## Personnel"
] | 984 | 32,908 |
2,168,861 |
George Madison
| 1,163,054,326 |
American politician and 6th Governor of Kentucky
|
[
"1763 births",
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"19th-century American politicians",
"19th-century deaths from tuberculosis",
"American Presbyterians",
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"American people of English descent",
"American people of the Northwest Indian War",
"Burials at Frankfort Cemetery",
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"Kentucky Democratic-Republicans",
"Madison family",
"People from Kentucky in the War of 1812",
"People from Rockingham County, Virginia",
"Tuberculosis deaths in Kentucky",
"War of 1812 prisoners of war held by the United Kingdom"
] |
George Madison (June 1763 – October 14, 1816) was the sixth Governor of Kentucky. He was the first governor of Kentucky to die in office, serving only a few weeks in 1816. Little is known of Madison's early life. He was a member of the influential Madison family of Virginia, and was a second cousin to President James Madison. He served with distinction in three wars – the Revolutionary War, Northwest Indian War, and War of 1812. He was twice wounded in the Northwest Indian War, and in the War of 1812 he was taken prisoner following the Battle of Frenchtown in Michigan.
Madison's political experience before becoming governor consisted of a twenty-year tenure as state auditor. Although his military service made him extremely popular in Kentucky, he sought no higher office until the citizens insisted he run for governor in 1816. James Johnson, his only challenger in the race, dropped out early due to Madison's overwhelming popularity, and Madison was elected without opposition. A few weeks later, he became the first Kentucky governor to die in office. Opponents of his lieutenant governor, Gabriel Slaughter, mounted a popular but unsuccessful challenge to Slaughter's succeeding Madison in office.
## Early life
George Madison was born in June 1763 in the portion of Augusta County, Virginia, that eventually became Rockingham County. His parents were John and Agatha (Strother) Madison. His brother James became the Episcopal bishop of Virginia and the president of the College of William & Mary. Another brother was Captain Thomas Madison. They were second cousins to President James Madison.
Madison was educated in the local schools and also received instruction at home. Before he was legally old enough to enlist, he entered the Continental Army as a private during the Revolutionary War.
It is not known when Madison moved to Kentucky, but land records in Lincoln County indicate he and his brother Gabriel were there by at least 1784. He married Jane Smith and they had four children – Agatha, William, Myra, and George. Jane Smith-Madison died in 1811.
## Service in the Northwest Indian War
Madison served with the Kentucky militia during the Northwest Indian War. He was a subaltern in Arthur St. Clair's army in the American defeat at the Battle of the Wabash on November 4, 1791. During the retreat, a soldier named William Kennan found Madison sitting on a log. Kennan was being pursued by Indians and admonished Madison to run, but Madison, who was already known to be of frail constitution, stood to reveal that he had been badly wounded and was bleeding profusely. Kennan quickly retrieved an abandoned horse he had seen; he helped Madison astride the horse, and they both escaped.
Later in the war, Madison served under Major John Adair. On November 5, 1792, Adair's men were encamped near Fort St. Clair when they were ambushed by an Indian force under the command of Little Turtle. Adair ordered a retreat, then rallied his men and divided them into three groups. He ordered those under Madison to turn the enemy's flank, but they failed and Madison was wounded again in this battle. Following this, Adair withdrew to Fort St. Clair. In Adair's report to Brigadier General James Wilkinson, he wrote: "Madison's bravery and conduct need no comment; they are well-known."
## Political career
Governor Isaac Shelby appointed Madison as Auditor of Public Accounts on March 7, 1796. He served in this capacity in state government for twenty years. He never sought a higher office but 19th-century historian Lewis Collins said that "there was no office within the gift of the people which he could not have easily attained, without the slightest solicitation." In 1800, Madison was appointed as a trustee of the Kentucky Seminary in Franklin County. On December 5, 1806, he served on a grand jury in the case of Aaron Burr's conduct; they did not find grounds for treason charges. Madison was appointed director of the Bank of Kentucky later that year.
During the War of 1812, Governor Shelby called for volunteers to serve in the Army of the Northwest. Colonel John Allen raised a regiment, and Madison was commissioned as his second-in-command. The regiment, known as the 1st Rifle Regiment of Kentucky Volunteers, fought under James Winchester at the Battle of Frenchtown. Winchester was captured by General Henry Procter, but about four hundred men under Madison repelled several charges by the British. Madison's men believed they had won the victory when they observed a white flag in the midst of the British force, but the flag was being waved by Winchester as an order for Madison's force to surrender.
When Madison discovered that Winchester was waving the flag, he refused the order to surrender on grounds that, as a prisoner, Winchester had no authority to issue it. Proctor demanded Madison's unconditional surrender, but Madison insisted that the terms of surrender include Proctor's protection of the American prisoners from the Indian allies of the British. Proctor initially balked at anything but an unconditional surrender, but after Madison's promise that the Americans would "sell their lives as dearly as possible", Proctor acquiesced.
Proctor had taken as many prisoners as he had soldiers, and had little power to enforce the terms he had agreed to. The American non-commissioned officers were paroled to return home. Madison and the other officers were taken to Fort Malden, then on to a prison in Quebec. The American wounded who could not march were left under the care of American physicians. Shortly after the battle, the Indians looted the American provisions, which included a large quantity of whiskey. Drunk and violent, they slaughtered many of the American wounded in what became known as the Massacre of the River Raisin.
Madison was freed from prison a year after his capture, as part of a prisoner exchange. He returned to Kentucky following his release and was honored at a public dinner on September 6, 1814. In 1816, he resigned as auditor of public accounts due to failing health. But, submitting to public demand, he became a candidate for governor later that year. James Johnson, the other candidate for office, withdrew from the race due to Madison's popularity, thus the latter was elected without opposition.
## Death and aftermath
Madison traveled to Blue Lick Springs for his health soon after the election, but was too weak to return to Frankfort for the inauguration. A Bourbon County justice of the peace administered the oath of office on September 5, 1816, at the springs. Madison's only official act of office was the appointment of Colonel Charles S. Todd as secretary of state. He died on October 14, 1816, just weeks into his term, the first governor of the state to die in office. He is buried in Frankfort Cemetery.
Opponents of his lieutenant governor, Gabriel Slaughter, immediately challenged his ascendancy to the governorship. They claimed that a governor should not be allowed to serve without having been elected to that office by the people. A measure calling for a special gubernatorial election easily passed the state House of Representatives, but failed in the senate by a vote of 18–14. Slaughter was allowed to exercise the powers of the governor, but many government officials and citizens of the state refused to call him by that title, opting for "acting governor" or "lieutenant governor" instead.
## See also
- History of Kentucky
- Thomas S. Hinde, close friend of the Madison family, and neighbor in Kentucky.
|
[
"## Early life",
"## Service in the Northwest Indian War",
"## Political career",
"## Death and aftermath",
"## See also"
] | 1,559 | 27,331 |
56,705,574 |
Brandon Marsh (baseball)
| 1,172,454,676 |
American baseball player (born 1997)
|
[
"1997 births",
"Arizona Complex League Angels players",
"Arizona League Angels players",
"Baseball players from Gwinnett County, Georgia",
"Buford High School (Georgia) alumni",
"Burlington Bees players",
"Inland Empire 66ers players",
"Lehigh Valley IronPigs players",
"Living people",
"Los Angeles Angels players",
"Major League Baseball outfielders",
"Mesa Solar Sox players",
"Mobile BayBears players",
"Orem Owlz players",
"People from Buford, Georgia",
"Philadelphia Phillies players",
"Salt Lake Bees players"
] |
Brandon Chase Marsh (born December 18, 1997) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels.
Born in Buford, Georgia, Marsh was a multi-sport athlete at Buford High School, where he won a state championship title as a junior. The Angels selected him in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft, but he missed the 2016 season with a back injury. After debuting with the Orem Owlz in 2017, Marsh progressed through the Angels' farm system, including a breakout turn with the Southern League in 2019. When the 2020 Minor League Baseball season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marsh was invited to continue his development at an alternate training site.
Marsh made his MLB debut in 2021 as a replacement for injured outfielders Mike Trout and Justin Upton. After a slow start to his major league career, he improved offensively throughout the season. Marsh made the Angels' Opening Day roster in 2022 as part of a platoon of corner outfielders, but he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies partway through the season.
## Early life
Marsh was born on December 18, 1997, in Buford, Georgia, to Jake and Sonja Marsh. A multisport athlete, he grew up playing American football, basketball, and baseball. Over four years at Buford High School, Marsh grew from 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) to 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m), and he only attracted the attention of college recruiters after growing into his larger frame. During his junior baseball season, Marsh batted .370 with 15 runs batted in (RBI). He and teammate Joey Bart, a future Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher, took Buford to a Georgia High School Association state championship title. The following season, Marsh batted .559 with three home runs and 25 RBI. Buford reached the state championships again, where they fell to Locust Grove High School.
## Professional career
### Draft and minor leagues (2016–2021)
The Los Angeles Angels selected Marsh out of high school in the second round, 60th overall, of the 2016 MLB Draft. At the time, he had committed to play college baseball for the Kennesaw State Owls. Although he initially told reporters that he would not sign with the team, Marsh ultimately chose to forgo his college commitment, taking a \$1.07 million signing bonus with Los Angeles to begin his professional baseball career. Marsh was assigned to the AZL Angels, a Rookie-level team in the Los Angeles farm system, but he was soon diagnosed with an asymptomatic back injury and spent the season on the disabled list. Instead, Marsh spent the offseason practicing in the Arizona Instructional League, the Dominican Republic, and the Angels' minor league spring training facility. Marsh made his professional debut with the Orem Owlz in 2017, where he batted .533 with eight runs scored and six RBI in his first three Pioneer League games. On June 28, only seven games into his professional career, Marsh sprained his thumb while sliding into a base. He missed one month with the injury, returning on July 28 and finishing the season with a .350 batting average, 22 extra-base hits, and 44 RBI in 39 games.
Marsh began the 2018 baseball season with the Burlington Bees, the Angels' Low-A affiliate. After going 1-for-11 to start the season, Marsh went on an eight-game hitting streak, finishing April with a .299 batting average. After batting .296 with three home runs and 24 RBI in 34 Midwest League games, Marsh was promoted to the Class A-Advanced Inland Empire 66ers on May 18. He struggled with the transition to the California League, going 3-for-41 in his first 10 games, and at the end of May, hitting coordinators worked with Marsh to shorten his swing and improve his pitch contact. He finished the season batting .256 in 93 California League games, with seven home runs and 46 RBI in 371 at bats.
The Angels invited Marsh to spring training in 2019, and after batting .240 in the Cactus League, he began the season in Double-A with the Mobile BayBears. He struggled early in the season, batting .200 in his first 22 Southern League games, but improved to a .347 batting average in May after taking a more aggressive approach at the plate. After hitting .292 with one home run and 17 RBI in the first two months of the season, Marsh missed the month of June with a leg injury. He finished the season batting .300 with seven home runs and 43 RBI in 96 games, and he received both Mid- and Post-Season All-Star honors from the Southern League. Later that year, Marsh played for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League, where he batted .328 with two home runs and 11 RBI in 19 games. Both home runs came during Mesa's 9–5 loss to the Glendale Desert Dogs on October 14.
Early in the Angels' 2020 spring training, Marsh suffered a Grade 2 strain in his left elbow while diving to make a catch in center field. By the time that he was cleared to play baseball, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had shut down all MLB and minor league operations. MLB eventually returned to play in July, but the 2020 Minor League Baseball season was canceled in its entirety. As a result, high-ranked prospects, including Marsh, were assigned to alternate training sites to continue their development and await potential major league promotions. Working out of Blair Field, Marsh spent the season developing his hitting and learning how to play first base as a supplement to his usual outfield positions. That November, the Angels added Marsh to the 40-man roster to protect him from being taken by another team in the Rule 5 draft. Marsh suffered a glenoid labrum injury during the 2020 season, which he aggravated during spring training the following season. The injury delayed his spring conditioning, and Marsh did not make his season debut until May 13, when he joined the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees in the Pacific Coast League. Marsh struggled through the first few weeks of the season, batting only .183 in 16 games for Salt Lake. He left the Bees' June 1 game with a shoulder injury, which kept him on the injured list until July 8. Marsh hit a home run against the Sacramento River Cats on July 8, his first at bat after returning from the injury. He batted .382 with two home runs and six RBI in eight games before his major league promotion, giving him a season average of .255 in 24 Triple-A games.
### Los Angeles Angels (2021–2022)
After injuries to Mike Trout and Justin Upton left the Angels with few outfield options, Marsh was promoted to Los Angeles on July 18, 2021. He made his MLB debut that day, starting in center field. He went 0-for-4 at the plate with two strikeouts in the Angels' 7–4 loss to the Seattle Mariners. The following day, Marsh recorded his first three major league hits, as well as an RBI on a ninth inning double, as Los Angeles lost 4–1 to the Oakland Athletics. On August 19, Marsh contributed to the Angels' 13–10 comeback win over the Detroit Tigers when he tripled twice in one game, becoming the first Angel to do so since Erick Aybar in 2011. Marsh's first major league home run came off of Marcos Diplán the following week, during the Angels' August 25 game against the Baltimore Orioles. Although Marsh plated three runs on the play, the Angels lost the game 10–6 to Baltimore. Marsh struggled early after his call-up, batting only .155 in his first 24 major league games. He improved as the season progressed, hitting .297 in the last 46 games of the season. He finished his rookie season batting .254 in 70 games, with two home runs and 19 RBI in 236 at bats.
Marsh was named to the Angels' Opening Day roster in 2022 alongside Mike Trout and Jo Adell. Manager Joe Maddon planned to use Trout in center field while rotating Marsh, Adell, and Taylor Ward in the corner outfield positions. Marsh began the season on a hot streak, batting .340 with a .943 on-base plus slugging (OPS) by April 28. By the end of May, he was batting .366, including a .932 OPS with runners in scoring position. Marsh was one of many players to struggle during the Angels' 14-game losing streak in June, batting only .149 during that time. He did not hit a home run between May 7 and June 11, when he recorded two against the New York Mets to break his slump. Marsh played 93 games for Los Angeles in 2022, batting .226 with eight home runs and 37 RBI in that time.
### Philadelphia Phillies (2022–present)
On August 2, 2022, the Angels traded Marsh to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for catching prospect Logan O'Hoppe. Philadelphia, who had lacked a long-term center field option, had targeted Marsh during the previous offseason, but were unable to acquire him until the MLB trading deadline. On August 17, during a game against the Cincinnati Reds, Marsh suffered a bone bruise in his knee and injured his ankle when he ran into the outfield wall at Great American Ball Park. He was placed on the 10-day injured list and returned on August 27. On August 31 Marsh hit his first triple as a Phillie in an 18-2 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In the 2022 regular season he batted .245/.295/.384 between the two teams in 424 at bats, with 28 walks and 158 strikeouts.
## Personal life
Marsh's younger sister Erin was a track and field athlete for the Duke Blue Devils. She won the silver medal in the pentathlon at the 2021 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships and the bronze medal in the heptathlon at the 2022 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
|
[
"## Early life",
"## Professional career",
"### Draft and minor leagues (2016–2021)",
"### Los Angeles Angels (2021–2022)",
"### Philadelphia Phillies (2022–present)",
"## Personal life"
] | 2,147 | 15,591 |
38,708,568 |
Sonic Dash
| 1,172,817,311 |
2013 video game
|
[
"2013 video games",
"Android (operating system) games",
"Crossover video games",
"Endless runner games",
"Free-to-play video games",
"IOS games",
"Side-scrolling video games",
"Single-player video games",
"Sonic the Hedgehog spin-off games",
"Sonic the Hedgehog video games",
"Universal Windows Platform apps",
"Video games developed in the United Kingdom",
"Windows Phone games",
"Windows games"
] |
Sonic Dash is a 2013 endless runner mobile game developed by Hardlight and published by Japanese game studio Sega. It is Hardlight's second Sonic the Hedgehog game, the first being 2012's Sonic Jump. The game was released in March 2013 for iOS, November 2013 for Android, and December 2014 for Windows Phone and Windows, along with an arcade release in November 2015 as Sonic Dash Extreme. It was initially released as a paid application, but was made free-to-play a month after its iOS release.
The goal of Sonic Dash is to avoid obstacles and enemies while collecting rings. In mission mode, players must complete objectives. Players can compete for higher positions on leaderboards. Rings, which can be earned through gameplay or purchased in app, allow access to upgrades and additional characters.
Hardlight, a British development studio owned by Sega, began developing Sonic Dash after completing Sonic Jump. Selection of the game for development came from the insistence of parent company Sega Sammy Holdings president and COO Haruki Satomi. Although the game received mixed reviews, Sonic Dash reached 500 million downloads in September 2021. Hardlight continues to support the game with updates, additional characters, and features. Sequels have also been produced based on Sonic Boom and Sonic Forces.
## Gameplay
Sonic Dash is an endless runner, similar to Temple Run (2011) and Rayman Jungle Run (2012). The player directs Sonic or another character through levels, collecting rings and avoiding obstacles and enemies. Unlike other games in the series, Sonic automatically moves forward at all times, similar to Sonic and the Secret Rings. Players are able to share and compete for position on leaderboards.
The game features 3D graphics, including a level set in an environment based on the Seaside Hill level of Sonic Heroes. Rings can be collected throughout the levels or purchased via microtransactions, along with red star rings. Accumulated rings and red star rings can be used to purchase power-ups, upgrades, or unlock additional playable characters. The game also features a mission system, giving players an objective to target as they play the game.
The game features several playable characters from the Sonic universe. Characters are unlocked by purchasing them with red star rings or real-world currency. After the game's release, further updates added additional characters and new features. On October 31, 2013, an update was released that included a boss battle against Zazz, a member of the Deadly Six from Sonic Lost World. A similar boss battle against Doctor Eggman was added in a later update. Several characters from other non-Sega franchises have been added to the game as part of temporary cross-promotional events, available to unlock only during a limited time period. These include the Angry Birds characters Red, Chuck and Bomb during June 2015; the Sanrio characters Hello Kitty, My Melody, Chococat and Badtz-Maru during December 2016; Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man in February 2018, and Bongo the Danimals mascot in May 2021. The Android version of the game also features an exclusive character in the form of the Android robot. Content themed around the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog films and IDW comic series has been added, as well as a "Zone Builder" feature.
## Development and release
Sonic Dash was developed by Hardlight, a development studio under Sega Europe. Hardlight was founded by Chris Southall, a former Codemasters employee who helped to found Sega Racing Studio. According to Southall, Sega's desire to develop more mobile games led to Hardlight's foundation in 2012. Around the time of Hardlight's relaunch of Sonic Jump in October 2012, the studio was working on Sonic the Hedgehog and Crazy Taxi games. Although initially faced with difficulty deciding which to develop, Sega Sammy Holdings president and chief operating officer (COO) Haruki Satomi saw a demo of Sonic Dash and liked it so much that he insisted it be developed. Southall stated that the concept for Sonic Dash began with looking at elements of Sonic games and deciding what gameplay aspects would work on a mobile phone. He called an into-the-screen running game an "obvious thing" and not unlike some sequences in the console game series.
Sonic Dash was initially scheduled for a Christmas 2012 release, but was delayed to March 2013. In a November 2012 interview with UK toy trade magazine Toys 'n' Playthings, Sega Europe employee Sissel Henno confirmed that Sega would have "several new digital titles" in 2013. On February 28, 2013, the title Sonic Dash was spotted on a listing from a LinkedIn profile. On March 1, 2013, Sega announced the game, with an official press release going out on March 4. The game was announced as an exclusive for mobile phones, with iOS the only platform explicitly mentioned, stating that it would be available on the App Store "soon". Although the game was initially released as a paid application, it was made free-to-play a month later. According to Southall, the decision to make the app free took significant internal discussion. He stated, "Coming from a long console history, the concept of free-to-play for a company like Sega was a hot topic for discussion." An Android version was released on November 26, 2013, and a Windows Phone and PC release occurred on December 3, 2014. An arcade cabinet version was also released as Sonic Dash Extreme, after being revealed at the IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando, Florida in November 2015. A version of the game without advertisements or microtransations, titled Sonic Dash+, was released via Apple Arcade on April 8, 2022.
According to Southall in a November 2017 interview, Hardlight was continuing to work on updates for Sonic Dash. In a February 2020 interview, new Hardlight studio manager Neall Jones expressed the studio's surprise at the longevity of Sonic Dash, having been downloaded more than 350 million times and earned more than US\$10.1 million. He spoke on the implementation of new features to keep the game interesting, as well as additions from the Sonic the Hedgehog film.
On July 13, 2023, an revised version known as ''''' was released by Netflix to coincide with the second season of Sonic Prime. The game requires a Netflix subscription on any plan to play, and kids' profiles are not supported. Prime Dash features a shortcut to Sonic Prime on Netflix, but the game is otherwise ad-free, and there are no in-app purchases.
## Reception and downloads
Review aggregator Metacritic labeled Sonic Dash as having "mixed or average reviews". Scott Nichols of Digital Spy referred to it as "the best Sonic has played on a smartphone yet", while Jim Squires of Gamezebo lauded the game for being "the first time in 20 years that Sega has put out a Sonic game that you absolutely have to play". David Craddock of TouchArcade compared Sonic Dash favorably to the special stages in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
Chris Carter of Destructoid praised the controls, finding that the "swipe"-based motions worked better than the tilt-based ones typical of the endless runner genre. Edge praised the smoothness of the gameplay and quality of the graphics, but criticized the "cruel" placement of the enemies behind obstacles. Justin Davis of IGN praised the snappy, responsive controls but criticized the enemy placement. Harry Slater of Pocket Gamer said the game's speed makes it more challenging than other endless runners.
Carter criticized the repetitiveness and in-app purchases that ranged from "not needed" to "pretty damn annoying". He described the leaderboard system as "pay-to-win... you can literally pay your way to the top of these leaderboards if you’re willing to spend enough premium red rings". Rich Stanton of Eurogamer felt that the in-app purchases were motivated by greed. Edge said the level design "feels like it was made with in-app Continue purchases specifically in mind". A review for MacLife said Sonic Dash "fumbles the fundamentals and aggravates with heavy-handed in-app purchases".
In March 2013, the game received more than 22.6 million downloads. By June 2015, Sonic Dash had been downloaded over 100 million times across multiple different platforms, and had 14 million players per month. By November 2017, Sonic Dash's download count was over 300 million, and was over 350 million by March 2020. As of April 2020, the game reached 400 million downloads. In September 2021, the download count surpassed 500 million.
## Sequels
A sequel based on the Sonic Boom TV series, Sonic Dash 2: Sonic Boom, was soft-launched on Android devices in Canada on July 1, 2015, and received a full iOS launch in October, along with a later full Android launch. For the iOS version, the game included compatibility with the Apple Watch via a companion app. Like the original game, Sonic Dash 2 has received "mixed or average reviews" according to Metacritic. It has been downloaded over 100 million times.
A mobile tie-in to Sonic Forces, ', was released in 2017. It features similar gameplay to Sonic Dash, but is based on competitive online multiplayer. Within its first five days of release, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle had been downloaded 1.3 million times, and reached 2 million downloads within its first two weeks. By April 21, 2020, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle had been downloaded over 50 million times and reached US\$4.2 million in revenue. Ric Cowley of Pocket Gamer called the game "a lot of fun to play, though it's probably best off experienced in short bursts". Speed Battle'' had been downloaded over 100 million times.
|
[
"## Gameplay",
"## Development and release",
"## Reception and downloads",
"## Sequels"
] | 2,028 | 34,405 |
30,718,808 |
0-8-4
| 1,173,359,037 | null |
[
"2013 American television episodes",
"Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (season 1) episodes",
"Marvel Cinematic Universe crossover episodes",
"Nick Fury in other media",
"Television episodes directed by David Straiton",
"Television episodes set in Peru",
"Television episodes written by Jed Whedon",
"Television episodes written by Jeffrey Bell",
"Television episodes written by Maurissa Tancharoen"
] |
"0-8-4" is the second episode of the first season of the American television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D., it follows Phil Coulson and his team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as they travel to Peru to investigate an object of unknown origins. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and acknowledges the franchise's films. The episode was written by showrunners Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon, and Jeffrey Bell, and was directed by David Straiton.
Clark Gregg reprises his role as Coulson from the film series, starring alongside Ming-Na Wen, Brett Dalton, Chloe Bennet, Iain De Caestecker, and Elizabeth Henstridge. The episode is set in Peru, featuring guest star Leonor Varela as a member of the Peruvian military. Filming took place in July 2013 at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, with some location shooting in Peru. Composer Bear McCreary used ethnic instruments to support this setting. Tesseract technology is carried over from the films to tie-in with the conflict, while special guest star Samuel L. Jackson also reprises his film role of Nick Fury in a cameo appearance.
"0-8-4" originally aired on ABC on October 1, 2013, and was watched by 13.17 million viewers within a week. The episode received a mostly positive critical response, with Jackson's appearance considered a highlight by many, but also seen as unearned.
## Plot
Beginning immediately after "Pilot", "0-8-4" sees Skye accept Agent Phil Coulson's offer to join his S.H.I.E.L.D. team as a consultant. Though agents Melinda May and Grant Ward oppose this due to her hacktivist background and lack of S.H.I.E.L.D. training, Coulson believes that Skye can be an asset.
The team travels to Peru to investigate a reported 0-8-4 (the S.H.I.E.L.D. designation for "an object of unknown origin"). They find the object within an ancient Incan temple, and agents Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons determine that it is Hydra made: powered by the Tesseract and extremely volatile. The national military arrives to claim the weapon for the Peruvian government, led by Camilla Reyes, a former colleague of Coulson's. When they are all attacked by local rebels, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and soldiers escape with the weapon to the plane that serves as the agents' mobile base.
En route to a classified S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, tensions among the agents are high due to poor communication during the fight. This concerns Reyes, who decides to double-cross Coulson and secure the 0-8-4 for her government. Together, the agents devise a plan to activate the weapon, blowing a hole in the Bus. The drop in pressure opens the interior doors, allowing the agents to subdue the soldiers. At the facility, Reyes and her men are incarcerated and the 0-8-4 is launched into the sun in a rocket. The team watch the launch together, celebrating their combined efforts, while Ward agrees to supervise Skye's S.H.I.E.L.D. training. Skye secretly confirms her allegiance to the hacktivist group the Rising Tide.
In an end tag, S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury scolds Coulson for the damage caused to the plane during the fight, and expresses his doubts over Skye's loyalty.
## Production
### Development and design
ABC announced in May 2013 that it had ordered a full season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. based on the pilot episode. That September, Marvel Television revealed that the second episode in the series was titled "0-8-4", and had been written by the series' showrunners Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon, and Jeffrey Bell, with David Straiton directing. The 0-8-4 device was created by prop master Scott Bauer to be "stylistic" yet "timeless" and its design was inspired by Art Deco.
### Casting
Marvel confirmed in September 2013 that the episode would star main cast members Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Leo Fitz, and Elizabeth Henstridge as Jemma Simmons. They also announced the episode's guest cast, which includes Leonor Varela as Camilla Reyes and Carlos Leal as an archaeologist. Samuel L. Jackson makes a surprise cameo appearance at the end of the episode, reprising his role of S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury from the MCU films. Jackson had previously expressed interest in appearing in the show in June 2013. Executive producer Jeph Loeb said there were "a number of places that we thought Nick Fury would have a big impact on the show," ultimately settling on a cameo in this episode as a way to "kind of christen the show, legitimize it in its own way." Bell highlighted Marvel's security team and the dedication of the cast and crew to keeping Jackson's cameo a surprise despite "this age of tweets and spoilers".
### Filming
Filming for the episode occurred from July 17 to July 29, 2013. The Peru setting was filmed at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, which has gardens dedicated to specific areas of the world, with some location shooting also occurring in Peru. The sequence in which a hole is blown in the side of the Bus was filmed in one day. The final shots utilized stunts and wirework, rigged explosives, wind machines, and green screen. Much of the Nick Fury scene was scripted, but Gregg ad-libbed the line about a proposed fish tank for the Bus.
### Music
Composer Bear McCreary had a larger orchestra to work with on "0-8-4" than he did with the pilot, allowing him to compose a much more traditional and "grandiose" score. He also opted to expand his synthesizer use to be "beefier and more aggressive". The South American setting allowed McCreary to add an ethnic component to the score, with his frequent collaborators M.B. Gordy and Chris Bleth playing tribal-sounding drums and ethnic woodwinds, respectively. Guitarist Ed Trybek also recorded various South American guitars for the episode, including timple and charango.
### Marvel Cinematic Universe tie-ins
The titular weapon is powered by the Tesseract, the macguffin of the MCU films Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and The Avengers (2012). The "0-8-4" was made by Hydra, a fictional organization that also appeared in Captain America: The First Avenger. It is stated in the episode that the last object of unknown origin that S.H.I.E.L.D. encountered was "a hammer", referring to Thor's weapon Mjolnir which Coulson discovered on Earth during the events of the film Thor (2011). Coulson also refers to Skye as a consultant, which is how S.H.I.E.L.D. classified Tony Stark during Iron Man 2 (2010), The Avengers, and the Marvel One-Shot short film The Consultant (2011).
## Release
### Broadcast
"0-8-4" was first aired in the United States on ABC on October 1, 2013. It was aired alongside the US broadcast in Canada on CTV, while it was first aired in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 on October 4, 2013. It premiered on the Seven Network in Australia on October 2, 2013.
### Home media
The episode, along with the rest of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s first season, was released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 9, 2014. Bonus features include behind-the-scenes featurettes, audio commentary, deleted scenes, and a blooper reel. On November 20, 2014, the episode became available for streaming on Netflix.
## Reception
### Ratings
In the United States the episode received a 3.3/10 percent share among adults between the ages of 18 and 49, meaning that it was seen by 3.3 percent of all households, and 10 percent of all of those watching television at the time of the broadcast. It was watched by 8.66 million viewers. The Canadian broadcast gained 1.83 million viewers, the fourth highest for that day and the twelfth highest for the week. The United Kingdom premiere had 3.08 million viewers, and in Australia, the premiere had 2.8 million viewers, including 1.3 million timeshifted viewers. Within a week of its release, the episode was watched by 13.17 million U.S. viewers, above the season average of 8.31.
### Critical response
MTV.com gave a positive review, saying "If tonight's installment is any indication, the cast will soon be able to support their own weight, make Coulson proud, and audiences sit up and pay attention", and comparing it positively to Tarzan, Beastmaster, and Mutant X. Terri Schwartz of Zap2it also gave a particularly positive review, praising both the connections to the films, including Jackson's cameo, and the internal development of the show, namely that of the character Skye and the team as a whole. Dan Casey of Nerdist called "0-8-4" "a strong second episode, [which] managed to course-correct from some of the missteps of the pilot". He praised the "solid mix of action, character development, and humor" and concluded that the episode was "genuinely enjoyable television". Eric Goldman of IGN scored the episode 7.5 out of 10, comparing it positively to The A-Team and Indiana Jones, praising its self-awareness, Jackson's cameo, and the development of Coulson's character, but criticizing the lack of development for other characters.
Oliver Sava of The A.V. Club called the episode "an adequate hour of action-adventure television, but the first 59 minutes are missing the spark of the final post-credits scene", seeing room for improvement for all the cast members, and concluding that the show falls "somewhere between Firefly and Dollhouse on the spectrum of Whedon TV influences". Graeme Virtue of The Guardian called Gregg "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s greatest asset", finding the Jackson cameo to be a "thrill", but that "plot-wise, things perhaps still feel a little inconsequential". The Hollywood Reporter's Marc Bernardin praised the scale of the episode, describing it as coming "out of the gate like a blockbuster", but criticized its ambitions, asking "Shouldn't this show be, well, nuttier? ... Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. needs to unhinge itself, but good, and not just be a procedural." He also singled out Skye and May as being unfocused and underdeveloped, respectively, as characters, and he felt the Jackson cameo "gave the whole thing a charge that, in truth, it didn't really earn." Jim Steranko, known for his work on Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., found the episode to be "smoother [than "Pilot"], although more formulaic". He criticized the plot and characters, but praised Jackson's cameo as "an electrifying reminder of what the series could and should be."
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"### Development and design",
"### Casting",
"### Filming",
"### Music",
"### Marvel Cinematic Universe tie-ins",
"## Release",
"### Broadcast",
"### Home media",
"## Reception",
"### Ratings",
"### Critical response"
] | 2,421 | 6,804 |
7,289,138 |
Ice Box Chamberlain
| 1,173,406,784 |
American baseball player (1867–1929)
|
[
"1867 births",
"1929 deaths",
"19th-century baseball players",
"Baseball players from Buffalo, New York",
"Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players",
"Cincinnati Reds players",
"Cleveland Spiders players",
"Columbus Solons players",
"Hamilton Clippers players",
"Louisville Colonels players",
"Macon (minor league baseball) players",
"Major League Baseball pitchers",
"Philadelphia Athletics (AA 1891) players",
"Quincy Quincys players",
"San Antonio Missionaries players",
"St. Louis Browns (AA) players",
"Warren (minor league baseball) players"
] |
Elton P. "Ice Box" Chamberlain (November 5, 1867 – September 22, 1929) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from 1886 to 1896. In several seasons, Chamberlain finished in his league's top ten in a number of pitching categories, including wins, earned run average, strikeouts, and shutouts. During one of his best seasons, the 1888 St. Louis Browns won the American Association pennant with a 92–43 record. Although a righthanded pitcher, Chamberlain pitched the last two innings of an 1888 game with his left hand.
Chamberlain finished his major league career with 264 complete games out of his 301 games started. After his playing days, he was hired as a baseball umpire and later announced that he was becoming a boxer, but neither venture seems to have worked out. Not much is known about Chamberlain's later life. He died in Baltimore in 1929.
## Early life and career
Chamberlain was born on November 5, 1867, in Warsaw, New York. He was one of six children born to veterinary surgeon Irving Chamberlain and his wife Carrie. Moving to Buffalo as a child, Chamberlain began to play organized baseball as a teenager. His early professional career included stints with a minor league team in Hamilton, Ontario, and with a Southern League team in Macon, Georgia. As a 17-year-old pitcher with Hamilton, he earned 18 wins and led the league in strikeouts.
Chamberlain made his major league debut with the Louisville Colonels of the American Association on September 13, 1886. In early October, Chamberlain was pitching in a game against the Baltimore Orioles when Louisville players began to complain that opposing pitcher Matt Kilroy was leaving the pitcher's box when he threw the ball. When the umpire did not respond to Louisville's complaints, Chamberlain's manager told him to run forward out of the box when he let go of his pitches. The move "scared the Baltimore batters out of their wits" and Kilroy did not deliver any more questionable pitches.
In 1887, Chamberlain won 18 games for Louisville. The right-hander, who stood and weighed 168 lbs., earned the nickname "Ice Box". Some sources attribute the nickname to his ability to remain cool when facing tough opposition, but at least one source links the nickname to chronic laziness. On May 9, 1888, while pitching against the Kansas City Cowboys, Chamberlain pitched righthanded for the first seven innings and lefthanded for the last two innings. Louisville won the game by a score of 18–6. He was the third major league pitcher to throw with both his left and right hands during the same game. The feat was not repeated in the major leagues until Greg Harris switched arms for the ninth inning of a 1995 game.
Chamberlain was traded to the St. Louis Browns in August 1888, having already registered 14 wins for the Colonels that year. He earned 11 more wins in the last six weeks of the season. He struck out 176 batters and registered a 2.19 earned run average that season, good for fifth among the league's pitchers. The Browns finished 1888 with a fourth consecutive league pennant. However, not long after Chamberlain joined the club, pitcher Nat Hudson left the team to get married. In the World Series, the Browns had only Chamberlain and pitcher Silver King to face a trio of New York Giants pitchers that included future Hall of Famer Tim Keefe.
After Chamberlain pitched a shutout in the second game of the 1888 World Series, he lost the fourth, sixth and eighth games. Chamberlain gave up 11 runs in the eighth game. Though the Giants clinched the series after that game, they played a full ten games, with Chamberlain winning the last game. The series was Chamberlain's last major league postseason playing appearance.
## Middle career
The Cincinnati Reds talked to St. Louis about acquiring Chamberlain in 1889, but Cincinnati balked when St. Louis asked \$8,000 for him. That year, Chamberlain pitched in a career-high 53 games and finished with 32 wins; his win total was the third highest in the league. Following the 1889 season, a new major league was forming known as the Players' League. A players association known as the Brotherhood of Professional Ball Players had served as a union and bargaining agent since the mid-1880s; now the group's new league was attempting to compete with established baseball. Browns owner Chris von der Ahe was afraid that Chamberlain would jump to the Chicago team in the new league; the manager of the Browns from the previous season, Charles Comiskey, had been hired there. Von der Ahe agreed to match the \$800 pay increase that Chamberlain would have gotten in Chicago.
Chamberlain had returned to Buffalo by May 1890, where he was reported to be hanging out in pool rooms. Rumors held that Chamberlain wanted to join the Brotherhood and that he was "playing for his release." He was sold to the Columbus Solons (also of the American Association) the next month. Chamberlain had appeared in five games for St. Louis and pitched in 25 more for Columbus by the end of the season. He finished the year with a league-leading six shutouts. In February 1891, Chamberlain pleaded guilty to a charge of aiding and abetting a prize fight. He received a \$50 fine and the Columbus team declared that they would not retain him for the 1891 season.
The Philadelphia Athletics indicated immediate interest in Chamberlain, hoping that he would pitch most of the team's games. Chamberlain earned a 22–23 win–loss record in 1891. He was the losing pitcher in the last of 485 shutouts recorded in the few seasons of American Association play. In August, he gave up the longest home run that had been hit at Boston's Congress Street Grounds. Chamberlain pitched for the NL's Cincinnati Reds in 1892, compiling a 19–23 record. In May of that season, Chamberlain pitched in an unusual game that was suspended due to sunlight; the scoreless game was in extra innings when umpire Jack Sheridan ruled that the sun was too bright for players to see the ball. The 1892 Reds finished with an overall record of 82–68. League officials split the season into two halves and the Reds finished fourth and eighth in the respective halves.
Before the 1893 season, Chamberlain indicated his displeasure with the climate in Cincinnati and said that he hoped to pitch for New York or Philadelphia in the coming year. He also said that he would be happy to pitch in Buffalo if the city received a major league expansion team. Chamberlain stayed in Cincinnati for that season and the next one, earning 16–12 and 10–9 records. On May 30, 1894, Chamberlain was the pitcher when Bobby Lowe became the first major league player to hit four home runs in one game. Two of Lowe's home runs came in the same inning. Lowe hit only 70 career home runs in an 18-year career.
## Later career and life
Chamberlain had agreed to play for the Cleveland Spiders in 1895, but instead he joined a Class D baseball team out of Warren, Ohio in the Iron and Oil League. Future Baseball Hall of Fame member Honus Wagner played on the team. Years later, Wagner recalled Chamberlain as an experienced pitcher who shared his baseball knowledge with his young teammates. He reported to the Spiders in 1896. The team featured Cy Young and young pitchers such as Cy Swaim and Zeke Wilson. Chamberlain was released after appearing in two games.
Chamberlain finished his major league career with a 157–120 win–loss record and a 3.57 earned run average. Though he only finished among the top ten in complete games in two of his seasons, Chamberlain completed 264 of his 301 games started. His complete game total was ranked 64th on the all-time major league list after the 2013 season. Chamberlain also hit nine home runs, including a grand slam, during his major league career.
In early 1898, The Montreal Gazette reported that NL president Nicholas Young signed Chamberlain as an umpire for the coming season. Chamberlain did not ultimately work for the NL because he was unhappy with the salary that he was offered. He played local semi-amateur baseball in Buffalo and then announced that he was leaving baseball to become a boxer. He challenged Jack Baty, a black fighter, to a boxing match and posted a \$500 bet on the fight. There is no record of Chamberlain boxing against Baty or anyone else, and little is known about his life after the major leagues.
Chamberlain briefly played minor league baseball for the 1899 Buffalo Bisons in the Western League. He did not win any games for Buffalo. In 1904, Sporting Life reported that the pitcher had a brother, F. Earl Chamberlain, who was named a Pacific Coast League umpire. Elton died of colon cancer on September 22, 1929, at the age of 61. He was interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland.
## See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career complete games leaders
- List of St. Louis Cardinals team records
|
[
"## Early life and career",
"## Middle career",
"## Later career and life",
"## See also"
] | 1,977 | 25,297 |
52,334,079 |
Mary Dominis
| 1,054,692,488 |
First mistress of Washington Place, Honolulu
|
[
"1803 births",
"1889 deaths",
"19th-century American women",
"American expatriates in the Hawaiian Kingdom",
"Burials at Oahu Cemetery",
"People from Boston",
"People from Honolulu",
"People from Schenectady, New York"
] |
Mary Lambert Jones Dominis (August 3, 1803 – April 25, 1889) was an American settler of Hawaii and the first mistress of Washington Place in Honolulu. Born into a large New England family, she married merchant sea Captain John Dominis, for whom Honolulu was a frequent port of trade. The couple relocated in 1837 to the Hawaiian Kingdom with their son John Owen Dominis. Their two daughters remained behind to complete their education.
As the Dominis mansion was being constructed, King Kamehameha III relocated the seat of government from Lahaina, Maui, to Honolulu, which was quickly becoming a nexus where commerce and the government intersected. As her husband was often away, Mary was responsible for overseeing the construction of the house and gardens. On a voyage to China, Captain Dominis was lost at sea, and the completion of the mansion fell to Mary, who took in long-term boarders. On the birthday of U.S. President George Washington in 1848, the U.S. commissioner to Hawaii, Anthony Ten Eyck, who was living there as a boarder, had the mansion officially named "Washington Place".
Her son John Owen Dominis married Hawaiian high chiefess Lydia Kamakaʻeha Pākī, the future Queen Liliʻuokalani. She disapproved of the marriage but came to terms with the union towards the end of her life. Upon Mary's death, her daughter-in-law removed the American flag that had flown at Washington Place.
Mary Dominis established the first European-style garden in Hawaii. She also began Hawaii's annual Christmas festivities by inviting the children of Honolulu and their parents to Washington Place to celebrate the holiday. This event marked the first appearance of the Christmas tree and Santa Claus traditions in Hawaii. The celebrations of Christmas at Washington House have continued for over 160 years and are an annual tradition in Honolulu.
## Early life
Mary Lambert Jones was born on August 3, 1803, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Owen Jones and Elzabeth Lambert. One of eight children, her extended family remained mainly in New England except for her brother-in-law Robert William Holt (1792–1862) who settled in Hawaii around 1833 after her sister Anne Marie's death in 1832. Mary was left in charge of the guardianship of her two nieces Anna Marie and Elizabeth.
Jones married the merchant sea Captain John Dominis (1796–1846), originally of Trieste, on October 9, 1821. They had three known children: Mary Elizabeth Dominis (1825–1838), Frances Ann Dominis (1829–1842), and John Owen Dominis (1832–1891). The family lived in Boston and were listed in directories of Boston until about 1831 when they moved to Schenectady, New York, where John Owen was born. Captain Dominis was frequently absent from home, as he was involved in the China Trade in the Far East and competed in the fur trade in the Pacific Northwest with the British Hudson's Bay Company. Commanding the brig Owyhee in 1827, he became the first American importer to cure and introduce the Pacific salmon to the markets of New England. He frequently stopped in the Hawaiian Islands to conduct business and resupply. Captain Dominis, Mary and their son John Owen Dominis re-settled in Honolulu, arriving by the bark Jones on April 23, 1837. Their two daughters were left in New England for their education. Mary Elizabeth and Frances Ann both died in 1838 and 1842, respectively, and were buried in the Vale Cemetery of Schenectady.
## Life in Hawaii
In Honolulu, the Dominises started building a mansion, on lands near the residence of the British consul to Hawaii Richard Charlton. Between 1841 and 1847, the construction details of the mansion were largely attended to by Mary since Captain Dominis was mostly away on voyages raising money for the building cost. Honolulu had become the political and business capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, as during the mid-1840s, King Kamehameha III relocated the government from Lahaina, establishing his residence at ʻIolani Palace on adjacent property facing the Dominis property. In 1846 Captain Dominis sailed for China on the brig William Neilson, intending to purchase Chinese-made furniture for the house which was nearing completion. The ship was lost at sea, along with the United States commissioner George Brown, and Mary became a widow.
After the reality of her husband's death became apparent, Dominis opened up Washington Place to boarders to support herself and her young son John Owen Dominis. Among these tenants was Anthony Ten Eyck, the US resident commissioner to Hawaii. While boarding with the Dominises, his room became the United States legation in Honolulu. On February 22, 1848, the birthday of the first US President George Washington, Ten Eyck wrote to the kingdom's Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Crichton Wyllie, that he had re-named the mansion "Washington Place". Wyllie replied in agreement the same date. Kuhina Nui Keoni Ana issued the official proclamation from Kamehameha III, of the renaming on Washington's birthday. Other tenants and guests included American diplomats Luther Severance, David L. Gregg and Elisha Hunt Allen and politicians William Little Lee and Robert Crichton Wyllie. Dominis also established the first European-style garden in Honolulu.
On September 16, 1862, Dominis' son married the Hawaiian high chiefess Lydia Kamakaʻeha Pākī, the future Queen Liliʻuokalani. The "small and quiet" wedding was held at Haleʻākala, the residence of Bernice Pauahi Bishop and her husband Charles Reed Bishop. The ceremony was officiated by Rev. Samuel C. Damon in the Anglican rites. King Kamehameha IV and other members of the royal family were honored guests. The newly married couple moved to Washington Place with Dominis. John was appointed Governor of Oʻahu in 1868 by King Kamehameha V. After the accession of Liliʻuokalani's brother King Kalākaua in 1874, John was also appointed Governor of Maui in 1878 and Lieutenant General and Commander in Chief of the Hawaiian Army in 1886.
Despite Liliʻuokalani's royal status, Mary Dominis disapproved of the marriage. According to historian James L. Haley, Mary Dominis was an "arrant racist" toward her daughter-in-law. The married life of Dominis and Liliʻuokalani was a troubled one, however by the time of Mary's death, she had learned to accepted her. In Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen, Liliʻuokalani revealed a little about her domestic difficulties:
> As she felt that no one should step between "[Dominis]" and her child, naturally "[Liliʻuokalani]", as her son's wife, was considered an intruder; and I was forced to realize this from the beginning. My husband was extremely kind and considerate to me, yet he would not swerve to the one side or to the other in any matter where there was danger of hurting his mother's feelings. I respected the closeness of the tie between mother and son, and conformed my own ideas, so far as I could, to encourage and assist my husband in his devotion to his mother. Later in life Mrs. Dominis seemed to fully realize that there had been some self-sacrifice, and she became more and more a tender and affectionate mother to me as her days were drawing to a close.
Mary Dominis died on April 25, 1889, and was buried at the Oahu Cemetery in Honolulu. After Mary Dominis's death, Queen Liliuokalani took down the American flag which had flown at Washington Place during Mary's lifetime. This flag wouldn't be raised again until April 1917 when Liliuokalani raised it in honor of Hawaiian casualties in the sinking of the SS Aztec by German U-boats.
### Christmas in Hawaii
Mary Dominis is credited with starting the Christmas tree and Santa Claus traditions in Hawaii. Christmas in Hawaii had been introduced by the American Protestant missionaries who arrived in the islands in 1820. However, celebrations were never consistent or officially sanctioned until the 1850s since the Puritanic origin of the New England missionaries disapproved of the non-canonical holiday. During the reign of King Kamehameha IV and his consort Queen Emma of Hawaii, the Christmas tradition received greater support under the influence of the newly established Anglican Church of Hawaii. On Christmas Eve of 1858, Mary Dominis invited the children of Honolulu and their parents to Washington Place to celebrate the holiday. The party, featuring the first appearance of a Christmas tree and Santa Claus in Hawaii, received significant coverage in local Hawaiian newspapers: The Pacific Commercial Advertiser, The Polynesian and The Friend. The Advertiser reported:
> Christmas passed off in good old fashioned style. The eve was ushered in by the assemblage of a large number of children and their parents at Washington Place, the mansion of Mrs. Dominis, where Santa Claus had given out that he would hold his court...A magnificent Christmas Tree had been provided...and the little folks as they gathered about it...found it all lighted up with candles, and the branches bending with the weight of gifts. Prompt as old Father Time ever was, bells were heard at the windows...and in a moment old Santa Claus stood at the door before the youthful group, who greeted him with a volley of merry shouts. He was dressed in the garb in which children love to imagine the saintly old elf...For an hour he bestowed his gifts with princely lavishness among the 100 children present, creating one of the happiest groups ever witnessed in Honolulu...who will long continue to talk of Santa Claus of Washington Place.
The tradition of opening Washington House for Christmas celebrations has continued in Honolulu for over 160 years. Annually the government sponsors tours of the home and various concerts and exhibits.
|
[
"## Early life",
"## Life in Hawaii",
"### Christmas in Hawaii"
] | 2,122 | 2,351 |
563,695 |
Tupolev Tu-80
| 1,133,260,189 |
Prototype for a longer-ranged version of the Tu-4 bomber
|
[
"1940s Soviet bomber aircraft",
"Abandoned military aircraft projects of the Soviet Union",
"Aircraft first flown in 1949",
"Boeing B-29 Superfortress",
"Four-engined piston aircraft",
"Four-engined tractor aircraft",
"Mid-wing aircraft",
"Soviet Union–United States relations",
"Tupolev aircraft"
] |
The Tupolev Tu-80 (Russian: Туполев Ту-80) was a Soviet prototype for a longer-ranged version of the Tupolev Tu-4 bomber, an unlicensed, reverse engineered copy of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. It was cancelled in 1949 in favor of the Tupolev Tu-85 program which offered even more range. The sole prototype was used in various test programs before finally being used as a target.
## Development
The Tu-80 was designed as a modernized and enlarged Tu-4 with greater range. This was to be achieved by the use of more fuel-efficient engines, better aerodynamics and added fuel tanks. It was intended to have a range of 7,000–8,000 kilometres (4,300–5,000 mi) and carry a maximum bombload of 12,000 kilograms (26,000 lb) with a top speed of 620 kilometres per hour (390 mph). Work began on the design in February 1948 and this was confirmed by a Council of Ministers order of 12 June that required the prototype be ready for State acceptance trials in July 1949.
The forward portion of the fuselage was redesigned with an airliner-style stepped windscreen and the fuselage was lengthened by almost 4 m (13 ft) which allowed the bomb bays and their doors to be lengthened. The radar and its operator were moved into the forward pressurized compartment and the radar itself was located in the "chin" position in a new streamlined fairing. The wings were enlarged to a total of 173 square metres (1,860 sq ft) and the rubber deicing boots were replaced by more efficient and aerodynamic bleed air deicers. The engine nacelles were redesigned with smaller cross-sections with less drag. Originally, Shvetsov ASh-2TK or Dobrynin VD-3TK engines were considered, but neither engine was ready so the Shvetsov ASh-73TKFN was used. Fully feathering propellers were also used. All of these changes increased the lift/drag ratio to 18 from the 17.0 of the Tu-4.
Construction of the Tu-80 began in November 1948, using as many Tu-4 components as possible to speed up construction, but the first flight was not until 1 December 1949, after the Council of Ministers had canceled the program on 16 September 1949 in favor of the Tu-85 which was expected to have much better performance. The Tu-80 became a research aircraft, testing reversible-pitch propellers and structural deformation in heavy aircraft, before eventually became a target on a bombing and gunnery range.
## Specifications
## See also
|
[
"## Development",
"## Specifications",
"## See also"
] | 565 | 8,895 |
38,274,888 |
Botik of Peter the Great
| 1,102,464,988 |
17th-century Russian ceremonial warship
|
[
"1640s ships",
"Museum ships in Russia",
"Peter the Great",
"Russian Navy"
] |
The Botik of Peter the Great (also called St. Nicholas) is a miniaturized scaled-down warship discovered by Peter the Great at the Royal Izmaylovo Estate in 1688. It was restored by Karshten Brandt, and Peter learned to sail using the boat on waters near Moscow. It was stored in the Kremlin of Moscow by Peter and later enshrined in St. Petersburg. Peter continued to use it in state ceremonies and ordered that the boat be sailed down the Neva River on 30 August of every year. It was used in state ceremonies of later Russian monarchs, including the wedding of Catherine the Great and Peter III of Russia, as well as the centennial celebration of St. Petersburg. Catherine built a boathouse in the 1760s to store it.
The boat became less important under Soviet rule, along with other objects from the Russian Empire; however, patriotism during the outbreak of the Second World War led to a renewal of the importance of Peter the Great and the botik along with him. The boat was moved by the Soviets to the Central Naval Museum where it remains today. In 1997, the boat left Russia for the first time to be displayed at the World Financial Center.
## Construction and design
The botik (small boat) was constructed, either in England or by Danes in Russia using an English design, in the 1640s, and was then called the St. Nicholas. The boat originally belonged to Peter the Great's grandfather; an earlier theory held that the boat was a gift from Queen Elizabeth to Ivan the Terrible in the 1580s. It is the last remnant of the fleet of wooden boats maintained by Peter's father, Alexis; the rest rotted from neglect or were destroyed during the rebellion of Stenka Razin.
The boat has a shallow draft and a single mast; it measures 7 metres (23 ft) by 2 metres (6 ft 7 in). It was steered using a tiller connected to a rudder attached to the sternpost. It also has four miniature cannons. Unlike Russian vessels of the time, the boat was designed with the ability to sail against the wind.
## History
### Discovery
The boat was rediscovered at the Royal Izmaylovo Estate in 1688 by Peter the Great, then aged about sixteen. The derelict boat was pulled from a pile of debris in either a barn or a storeroom. Peter asked Franz Timmerman, a Dutch seaman, what advantage the newly discovered boat had over Russian boats. Timmerman responded that the boat could sail with or against wind and at Peter's direction sought out another Dutch seaman, Karshten Brandt, to restore it. Peter learned to sail the ship on waters near Moscow.
### Peter the Great
In 1701, Peter had the botik stored in the Kremlin's Dormition Cathedral. Peter referenced the boat in a draft preface to his 1720 Naval Statute. The published preface was written by Archbishop Feofan Prokopovich who wrote that "the botik served him not only as a childhood pastime, but became the cause of his building a navy, as we now see with wonder" and illustrated this with the metaphor, "great oaks from little acorns grow". In September of the same year, Prokopovich gave a "Sermon in Praise of the Russian Fleet" where he stated that the boat was "to the navy what the seed is to the tree" and that the boat was "worthy of being clad in gold".
Peter the Great ordered that the boat be displayed in the Kremlin in 1722 in honor of the Peace of Nystad. It was moved from there to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in May 1723. Peter sailed the boat down the Neva River on his birthday, 30 May 1723, along with a convoy of yachts and other ships of the Admiralty. In August of the same year, Peter sailed the boat in a regatta of the Baltic Fleet from St. Petersburg to Kronshtadt. The boat was placed in the kronverk of the Peter and Paul Fortress on a plinth, inscribed with the words "From the amusement of the child came the triumph of the man". After the boat took part in ceremonies on the third anniversary of the Peace of Nystad, 30 August 1724, Peter ordered that it be sailed or rowed to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery every year on 30 August.
### Later Russian monarchs
The botik was used in many state ceremonies by later Russian monarchies. The boat appeared in a regatta during the 1745 wedding of Peter III of Russia and Catherine the Great. Wearing naval uniform, Empress Elizabeth escorted the botik. Catherine had a boathouse built inside the fortress to house the botik in the 1760s. The boathouse became a major tourist attraction. In 1803, during the centennial celebration of St. Petersburg under Alexander I, the boat was featured in a flotilla on the Neva; it was referred to as the "grandfather of the Russian navy" a name originally given to it by Peter I.
In 1872, the boat was brought to Moscow in a cortege led by a brother of Alexander II of Russia for the bicentennial celebration of Peter's birth. It was received by a 101-gun salute and displayed in the great Moscow fair.
### Soviet era
The importance of the boat, like most other memorials from Imperial Russia, was reduced in the early Soviet era. Guidebooks to Leningrad at the time did not reference the boat. The boat was moved to Peterhof in 1928 and remained there until World War II. During the outbreak of World War II, patriotism related to Peter the Great resurfaced. He was referenced as conqueror of Germans and the founder of what became the Soviet Navy. The importance of the boat increased with him, and it was moved to the Central Naval Museum of the St. Petersburg Bourse in September 1940.
### Post-Soviet era
The boat made its first foray outside Russia in 1997 when it was displayed in the Winter Garden Atrium of the World Financial Center in New York City. While being displayed as part of the "St. Petersburg: A Cultural Celebration" festival, the boat was attended to by two preservationists. The preservationists attempted to identify the species of oak used in the boat so that the country of origin could be determined in addition to scraping off dirt and patching cracks.
|
[
"## Construction and design",
"## History",
"### Discovery",
"### Peter the Great",
"### Later Russian monarchs",
"### Soviet era",
"### Post-Soviet era"
] | 1,363 | 4,427 |
2,981,673 |
Washington State Route 9
| 1,173,744,483 |
Highway in Washington
|
[
"State highways in Washington (state)",
"Transportation in Skagit County, Washington",
"Transportation in Snohomish County, Washington",
"Transportation in Whatcom County, Washington"
] |
State Route 9 (SR 9) is a 98.17-mile (157.99 km) long state highway traversing three counties, Snohomish, Skagit, and Whatcom, in the U.S. state of Washington. The highway extends north from an interchange with SR 522 in the vicinity of Woodinville north through Snohomish, Lake Stevens, Arlington, Sedro-Woolley, and Nooksack to become British Columbia Highway 11 (BC 11) at the Canada–US border in Sumas. Three other roadways are briefly concurrent with the route: SR 530 in Arlington, SR 20 in Sedro-Woolley, and SR 542 near Deming. A spur route in Sumas serves trucks traveling into British Columbia.
Before SR 9 was created, several other roads used the route of the current highway. The first was a roadway extending from the current southern terminus to Snohomish established by 1895 and another road between Arlington and Sedro-Woolley by 1911. The current SR 542 concurrency was first established in 1925, when a branch of State Road 1 from Bellingham to Mount Baker was added to the state highway system. These roads were combined and several other roads were added to create Secondary State Highway 1A (SSH 1A), which originally ran from Woodinville to Blaine in 1937. A branch of SSH 1A connected the mainline to the Canada–US border in Sumas, but was later included into SSH 1A when the Blaine to Sumas segment was deleted in 1953. A highway renumbering in 1964 introduced the sign routes that would be co-signed with the existing system until 1970, one of which would replace SSH 1A, SR 9. SSH 1A / SR 9 extended south to Woodinville until 1965, when it was shortened to SR 202, later SR 522, which wasn't complete yet. SR 9 was not complete between Lake Stevens and Arlington until after 1966.
Between 2004 and 2009, nine complete construction projects, arranged by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), have improved the roadway. The projects ranged from expanding the current weigh station at the Soper Hill Road intersection in 2005 to realigning the highway between Nooksack and Sumas in 2006 to eliminate 90-degree turns. WSDOT is also widening SR 9 in Snohomish County from 2 lanes to a four-lane divided highway. Between 2009 and 2013, WSDOT plans to complete six other projects in Snohomish County to improve the corridor from SR 522 to Bryant. Some projects include widenings, adding a roundabout at SR 531, realignments south of Snohomish and the addition of web cameras.
## Route description
SR 9 begins less than one mile (1.6 km) north of the King–Snohomish county line near Woodinville at a partial cloverleaf interchange with SR 522. The roadway continues south as Woodinville–Snohomish Road, while SR 522 connects the area to Seattle, Bothell, and Monroe. SR 9 travels north along the west side of the Brightwater sewage treatment plant and a community park in Maltby. The four-lane highway continues north and intersects SR 524 at Turners Corner before turning northeast towards Clearview and Cathcart. SR 9 travels along the eastern ridge that overlooks the Snohomish River valley and has several sections with median barriers to form a divided highway.
Shortly after passing Cathcart, SR 96 terminates at the road. SR 9 passes Harvey Airfield and crosses another BNSF rail line and the Snohomish River to enter Snohomish. North of the Snohomish River Bridge, the highway encounters a diamond interchange with 2nd Street and Riverview Road and turns northeast to intersect Bickford Avenue, which once was U.S. Route 2 (US 2). Curving north out of Snohomish, the route interchanges with US 2 in a modified diamond interchange, with a westbound US 2 offramp routed onto New Bunk Foss Road.
In suburban West Lake Stevens near the Lake Stevens shoreline, SR 204 ends at the highway. After the intersection, the roadway had an estimated daily average of 25,000 motorists in 2007, making this stretch of road the busiest on the whole highway. SR 9 also forms the western boundary of Lake Stevens and the eastern boundary of Marysville while passing a weigh station and the SR 92 junction. After Lake Cassidy, the road intersects SR 528 and continues into North Marysville, where the roadway passes over the Snohomish County Centennial Trail. After intersecting SR 531 at a roundabout, and several residential subdivisions near the Arlington High School, the highway enters downtown Arlington as Hazel Street. After a brief concurrency with SR 530, SR 9 crosses the Stillaguamish River and passes Bryant to enter a heavily forested area and leave Snohomish County.
Entering Skagit County, the highway continues northwest through a large forest to Lake McMurray, where it intersects SR 534 and encounters the Lake McMurray Store, established in 1889. The road passes through Big Lake and its community of the same name before intersecting SR 538 at a roundabout east of Mount Vernon. Turning northeast to Clear Lake, the route crosses the Skagit River into Sedro-Woolley. In Sedro-Woolley, the street becomes concurrent with SR 20 and is named Moore Street. At the end of the concurrency, the road turns north as Township Street, paralleling another BNSF rail line, at Cascade Middle School. Continuing north out of the city and into rural areas, SR 9 crosses the Samish River and exits Skagit County.
The highway enters Whatcom County in a valley located east of Lake Whatcom. Passing Acme and crossing the Nooksack River, the roadway becomes concurrent with SR 542 at a roundabout in Deming. Traveling west with SR 542 along the Nooksack River, the road splits at another roundabout in Cedarville and continues north through a series of 90-degree turns in a plain located near the Sumas River. In Nooksack, the route becomes Nooksack Avenue and encounters SR 544, named Main Street, which travels west to Everson. North of Nooksack, SR 9 intersects SR 546 in a rural area and travels northeast along the Sumas River to Sumas. In Sumas, SR 547 ends at SR 9 and a spur route that serves trucks branches off and SR 9 terminates at the Canada–US border. The road continues north from the Canada–US border, through Abbotsford, BC to Highway 1 (BC 1), as BC 11.
### Spur route
Within Sumas, SR 9 has a short 0.24 mi (0.39 km) spur route that is used by trucks travelling into Canada. SR 9 Spur starts at SR 9 (Cherry Street) and travels east as Garfield Street and north as Sumas Avenue to the Canada–US border, where it becomes Boundary Avenue and reconnects back to SR 9's continuation in Canada, Highway 11 (BC 11) in Abbotsford, BC. After the Cherry Street intersection, an estimated daily average of 1,800 motorists used the roadway in 2007.
## History
The current route of SR 9 began as a road extending from Grace (today Woodinville) north to Snohomish, first appearing in an 1895 map. The Snohomish to Arlington segment was not built until after SR 9, but between Arlington and Sedro-Woolley, there was a highway by 1911. The first section of the roadway to be included in the state highway system was the current SR 542 concurrency, which became a branch of State Road 1 extending from Bellingham to Mount Baker in 1925. Secondary State Highway 1A (SSH 1A) was established in 1937 and ran from Primary State Highway 2 (PSH 2) in Woodinville north to Sumas and west to PSH 1 in Blaine. A branch of SSH 1A connected the main highway to the Canada–US border. Much of the highway was not complete at the time, leading to calls from the Associated Clubs of the North End to accelerate construction to provide an alternate connection to Canada.
Between Lynden and Nooksack, SSH 1A was realigned in 1951 and in 1953, SSH 1A between Blaine and Sumas was deleted. The corridor was also incorporated into the East Pacific Highway, a designation created in 1951 as an alternative route to US 99 between Tenino and the Canadian border at Sumas. Plans to build a full limited-access highway on the corridor as originally proposed were later dropped by the state government. A five-mile (8.0 km) section between Snohomish and Lake Stevens was moved to a new, straightened roadway that opened on September 12, 1952. The Lake Stevens–Arlington section of SSH 1A was opened in late 1959, bypassing Jordan Road and the Granite Falls area. SSH 1E became concurrent with SSH 1A in 1957 when it was extended east through Arlington to Darrington. A third concurrency was added in 1961 when PSH 16 was extended west, concurrent in Sedro-Woolley, to Fredonia.
During the 1964 highway renumbering, a new system of highways, sign routes, was introduced and was co-signed with the existing primary and secondary state highways. SSH 1A became SR 9, but SSH 1A was still signed until 1970. In 1965, SSH 1A / SR 9 was shortened from Woodinville to SR 202 in Grace, which was not complete yet. A plan to truncate SSH 1A to Maltby and build a new highway from Snohomish was proposed in the 1950s but later abandoned. In 1970, SR 202 became SR 522.
Since 2004, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has completed nine construction projects on SR 9. The Lake Stevens weigh station, located on the west side of the highway at the Sopher Hill Road intersection was expanded to serve two trucks at once in late 2005. The U.S. Route 2 (US 2) interchange was modified to use New Bunk Foss Road as an onramp and traffic signals were added in January 2006. The roadway was repaved between Snohomish and Lake Stevens and also guardrails and turn lanes were added in 2006.\< On November 22, 2006, WSDOT opened a new alignment of SR 9 between Nooksack to Sumas that bypassed three 90-degree turns. A roundabout was added to the SR 538 intersection east of Mount Vernon in summer 2007. Between SR 522 and SR 524, the highway was widened from a 2-lane road to a four-lane divided highway in 2008. A curve on the roadway north of Arlington was straightened in late 2008 and turn lanes were added to two intersections near Bryant.
## Future developments
Between 1980 and 2000, the population of Snohomish County grew by 80 percent, resulting in increased congestion on the two-lane SR 9. Accidents have increased from an average of 325 collisions per year in the 1990s to 450 collisions per year between 2000 and 2007. Since late 2005, WSDOT has been improving the corridor with six projects located between SR 522 and the Skagit County line that are scheduled to be completed by 2013. South of Snohomish, WSDOT is improving the highway in multiple ways including new intersections and alignments, new web cameras and new turn lanes. Between SR 524 and Clearview, the 2-lane road is being widened to a four-lane divided highway starting in 2011. The SR 531 intersection south of Arlington was scheduled to be rebuilt as a roundabout in 2011. The roundabout option was chosen over a traffic signal in early October 2009. A route development plan is currently being designed for the highway between SR 522 and Schloman Road north of Arlington. During a project to widen SR 9 in Lake Stevens, a left-turn lane to Lake Stevens Road was removed in 2009 and residents located on the road have protested. The intersection of SR 9 and SR 204 in Lake Stevens was replaced with a series of four roundabouts that opened in July 2023.
WSDOT plans to widen SR 9 near downtown Snohomish to four lanes by building a second bridge over the Snohomish River to carry southbound traffic. The \$142 million project is projected to be completed in 2025.
## Major intersections
### Spur intersections
|
[
"## Route description",
"### Spur route",
"## History",
"## Future developments",
"## Major intersections",
"### Spur intersections"
] | 2,741 | 237 |
38,387,360 |
Alfred D. Robinson and Marion James Robinson
| 1,147,221,701 |
American horticulturists
|
[
"American horticulturists",
"English emigrants to the United States",
"People from San Diego"
] |
Alfred D. Robinson (1866–1942) and his wife Marion James Robinson (1873–1919) were wealthy residents of San Diego, California known for their impact on gardening and the cultivation of flowers, particularly begonias. Their extensive home garden was used to propagate and develop more than 100 new varieties of ornamental flowers and was later opened to the public as Rosecroft Begonia Gardens. Rosecroft was the name of their estate in the Point Loma neighborhood of San Diego. The residence, built for them in 1912, is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
## Early life
Marion J. Duncan was born in San Francisco in October 1873. Marion was the only grandchild and her father Hilarion was the only child of the wealthy Scottish merchant James Duncan (1796 or 1798 - 1874). James Duncan had made his fortune in copper during three decades as a merchant in Valparaiso, Chile, before retiring to Britain in 1864. He was born and is buried on the Scottish Highland Isle of Bute, where he is known as "The Copperman". The name of her estate, Rosecroft, was Marion's nod to her Highland Scottish heritage.
Alfred D. Robinson was born in Watton, Norfolk, England, and emigrated to the US in 1887 at the age of 21. After a brief stint as a cattle rancher he became a medical instruments merchant with the firm Hoppe and Robinson in Santa Ana in Orange County, California. In 1897 he married Marion J. Duncan; the couple had two children, Larona (born 1901) and Charlotte (born 1908).
For the first six years of their marriage the couple lived in her widowed father Hilarion's large home at 1823 Turk St in San Francisco. With the death of her father on November 17, 1901, Marion inherited the bulk of her grandfather's fortune, giving the couple independent means.
## San Diego
In San Francisco they heard a lecture by Theosophist Katherine Tingley, describing the utopian community "Lomaland" which she was developing in the Point Loma area of San Diego. In 1903, they purchased 10 acres of barley fields in Point Loma near Lomaland and enrolled their daughter Larona in the Lomaland school. However, Larona was frail and did not thrive at Lomaland; she died of a heart ailment in 1909. The couple broke off all ties with Tingley and the Theosophists. After making a trip to Britain in 1904, the Robinsons settled permanently in San Diego in 1905. They developed the fields into half a city block of gardens, where they cultivated various ornamental plants, particularly begonias. In 1912, they moved into their new 15,000-square-foot, Italian Renaissance style mansion, Rosecroft, designed by architect Emmor Brooke Weaver.
Alfred, a self-taught horticulturist, began experimenting with roses and dahlias, but eventually came to focus on begonias. He became "the pre-eminent begonia expert", developing more than 100 new varieties at the Rosecroft estate. Alfred's were judged "the finest begonias to be grown anywhere in the world" by plant explorer and botanist David Fairchild.
Alfred originated the idea of using lath houses to grow tropical plants in temperate climates. In 1912 he proposed, in an article in Sunset magazine, that the Panama-California Exposition then being planned for San Diego should include a "Palace of Lath"; this inspired the Botanical Building in Balboa Park.
Both Robinsons were enthusiastic promoters of home gardening in San Diego. In 1907 they were co-founders, along with Kate Sessions, of the San Diego Floral Association. Alfred was the Floral Association's first president and also served as the editor of its magazine, California Garden.
Marion died in 1919. In 1922, Alfred married Annie Louisa Colby Robinson (1891-1981), the governess to his daughter Charlotte; they had five children. After Alfred's death in 1942, Annie sold the property. A new owner opened the garden and lath house to the public as Rosecroft Begonia Gardens. The gardens were a popular tourist attraction through the 1960s. In the 1970s, the property was sold and the garden area subdivided for residential use. The original main residence is privately owned and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
## Recognition
- The American Begonia Society gives an annual Alfred D. Robinson Medal of Honor for creating new varieties of begonia.
- In 2005 the San Diego Floral Association dedicated a bronze plaque to Alfred D. Robinson; the plaque hangs in the Botanical Building in Balboa Park.
|
[
"## Early life",
"## San Diego",
"## Recognition"
] | 1,012 | 18,178 |
30,542,186 |
Malpuech facial clefting syndrome
| 1,142,063,323 | null |
[
"Autosomal recessive disorders",
"Congenital disorders",
"Rare syndromes",
"Syndromes affecting the heart",
"Syndromes affecting the kidneys",
"Syndromes with cleft lip and/or palate",
"Syndromes with craniofacial abnormalities"
] |
Malpuech facial clefting syndrome, also called Malpuech syndrome or Gypsy type facial clefting syndrome, is a rare congenital syndrome. It is characterized by facial clefting (any type of cleft in the bones and tissues of the face, including a cleft lip and palate), a caudal appendage (a "human tail"), growth deficiency, intellectual and developmental disability, and abnormalities of the renal system (kidneys) and the male genitalia. Abnormalities of the heart, and other skeletal malformations may also be present. The syndrome was initially described by Georges Malpuech and associates in 1983. It is thought to be genetically related to Juberg-Hayward syndrome. Malpuech syndrome has also been considered as part of a spectrum of congenital genetic disorders associated with similar facial, urogenital and skeletal anomalies. Termed "3MC syndrome", this proposed spectrum includes Malpuech, Michels and Mingarelli-Carnevale (OSA) syndromes. Mutations in the COLLEC11 and MASP1 genes are believed to be a cause of these syndromes. The incidence of Malpuech syndrome is unknown. The pattern of inheritance is autosomal recessive, which means a defective (mutated) gene associated with the syndrome is located on an autosome, and the syndrome occurs when two copies of this defective gene are inherited.
## Signs and symptoms
Malpuech syndrome is congenital, being apparent at birth. It is characterized by a feature known as facial clefting. Observed and noted in the initial description of the syndrome as a cleft lip and palate, facial clefting is identified by clefts in the bones, muscles and tissues of the face, including the lips and palate. The forms of cleft lip and palate typically seen with Malpuech syndrome are midline (down the middle of the lip and palate) or bilateral (affecting both sides of the mouth and palate). Facial clefting generally encompasses a wide range of severity, ranging from minor anomalies such as a bifid (split) uvula, to a cleft lip and palate, to major developmental and structural defects of the facial bones and soft tissues. Clefting of the lip and palate occurs during embryogenesis. Additional facial and ortho-dental anomalies that have been described with the syndrome include: hypertelorism (unusually wide-set eyes, sometimes reported as telecanthus), narrow palpebral fissures (the separation between the upper and lower eyelids) and ptosis (drooping) of the eyelids, frontal bossing (prominent eyebrow ridge) with synophris, highly arched eyebrows, wide nasal root and a flattened nasal tip, malar hypoplasia (underdeveloped upper cheek bone), micrognathia (an undersized lower jaw), and prominent incisors. Auditory anomalies include an enlarged ear ridge, and hearing impairment associated with congenital otitis media (or "glue ear", inflammation of the middle ear) and sensorineural hearing loss.
Another feature identified with Malpuech syndrome is a caudal appendage. A caudal appendage is a congenital outgrowth stemming from the coccyx (tailbone). Present in many non-human animal species as a typical tail, this feature when seen in an infant has been described as a "human tail". This was observed by Guion-Almeida (1995) in three individuals from Brazil. The appendage on X-rays variously appeared as a prominent protrusion of the coccyx. On a physical examination, the appendage resembles a nodule-like stub of an animal tail.
Deficiencies such as intellectual disability, learning disability, growth retardation and developmental delay are common. Psychiatric manifestations that have been reported with the syndrome include psychotic behavior, obsessive–compulsive disorder, loss of inhibition, hyperactivity, aggression, fear of physical contact, and compulsive actions like echolalia (repeating the words spoken by another person). Neuromuscular tics have also been noted.
Urogenital abnormalities, or those affecting the urinary and reproductive systems, are common with the syndrome. Malpuech et al. (1983) and Kerstjens-Frederikse et al. (2005) reported variously in affected males a micropenis, hypospadias (a congenital mislocation of the urinary meatus), cryptorchidism (ectopic or undescended testes), bifid (split) and underdeveloped scrotum, and an obstructive urethral valve. An affected boy was also reported by Reardon et al. (2001) with left renal agenesis, an enlarged and downwardly displaced right kidney, cryptorchidism and a shawl scrotum. Other malformations that have been noted with the syndrome are omphalocele and an umbilical hernia.
Congenital abnormalities of the heart have also been observed with Malpuech syndrome. From a healthy Japanese couple, Chinen and Naritomi (1995) described the sixth child who had features consistent with the disorder. This two-month-old male infant was also affected by cardiac anomalies including patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and ventricular septal defect. The opening in the ductus arteriosus associated with PDA had been surgically repaired in the infant at 38 days of age. A number of minor skeletal aberrations were also reported in the infant, including wormian bones at the lambdoid sutures.
## Genetics
Malpuech syndrome, as with the other disorders within the 3MC syndrome consideration, is caused by mutations in the COLLEC11 and MASP1 genes. In an investigation by Rooryck et al. (2011), eleven families affected by 3MC syndrome were studied, which resulted in the identification of these two mutations. Both genes encode proteins of the lectin complement pathway, which plays a role in the complement system of innate, or non-specific immunity in humans and other species.
The COLLEC11, or CL-K1 gene is located on the short arm of chromosome 2 (2p25.3) in humans. The CL-K1 protein is a C-type lectin, and belongs to the collectin family of these proteins. Other than its role in innate immunity, the protein is thought to be involved in the development of tissues including craniofacial cartilage, the heart and kidney during embryogenesis. This function in facial development was corroborated through study of the zebrafish, where mutations in its version of CL-K1 contributed to craniofacial abnormalities (such as Craniofacial clefts) possibly associated with errors in neural crest cell migration.
The MASP1, or Mannan-binding Serine Protease I gene is located on the long arm of human chromosome 3 at 3q27-q28. The protein is a type of connectin called a mannan-binding lectin, which plays a role in innate immunity by binding to pathogens such as viruses including HIV.
As described by Sirmaci et al. (2010), three Turkish individuals from two consanguineous families (the children of relatives such as cousins are said to be in a consanguineous family) with various characteristics of 3MC syndrome, including facial dysmorphism and a caudal appendage, were evaluated. Investigation of homologous chromosomes through gene mapping revealed an autozygous region (a location on a chromosome where both alleles of a gene originate from a common ancestor) at chromosome 3q27 in both families. In one family, a missense mutation in MASP1 at this location resulted in the replacement of the amino acid glycine by arginine at position 687 in the gene sequence. The mutation cosegregated with the observed phenotype. In individuals from the second family, DNA sequencing of MASP1 showed a nonsense mutation that resulted in a deactivation of tryptophan at position 290 in the gene, that also cosegregated with the phenotype. Both mutations occur in a form of MASP1 known to process IGFBP5; loss of this function associated with mutation of MASP1 causes disruptions in the availability of insulin-like growth factor during craniofacial and musculoskeletal development during the embryonic period. These results indicate that mutations in MASP1 are responsible for an array of features found with malformation disorders including Malpuech syndrome.
The syndrome is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. This means the defective gene(s) responsible for the disorder (COLLEC11, MASP1) is located on an autosome (chromosomes 2 and 3 are autosomes), and two copies of the defective gene (one inherited from each parent) are required in order to be born with the disorder. The parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive disorder both carry one copy of the defective gene, but usually do not experience any signs or symptoms of the disorder.
## Diagnosis
It is suggested that the diagnostic criteria for Malpuech syndrome should include cleft lip and/or palate, typical associated facial features, and at least two of the following: urogenital anomalies, caudal appendage, and growth or developmental delay. Due to the relatively high rate of hearing impairment found with the disorder, it too may be considered in the diagnosis. Another congenital disorder, Wolf-Hirschhorn (Pitt-Rogers-Danks) syndrome, shares Malpuech features in its diagnostic criteria. Because of this lacking differentiation, karyotyping (microscopic analysis of the chromosomes of an individual) can be employed to distinguish the two. Whereas deletions in the short arm of chromosome 4 would be revealed with Wolf-Hirschhorn, a karyotype without this aberration present would favor a Malpuech syndrome diagnosis. Also, the karyotype of an individual with Malpuech syndrome alone will be normal.
### Classification
Malpuech syndrome has been shown to have physical, or phenotypical similarities with several other genetic disorders. A report by Reardon et al. (2001) of a nine-year-old boy exhibiting facial, caudal and urogenital anomalies consistent with Malpuech syndrome, who also had skeletal malformites indicative of Juberg-Hayward syndrome, suggests that the two disorders may be allelic (caused by different mutations of the same gene).
Along with several other disorders that have similar, or overlapping features and autosomal recessive inheritance, Malpuech syndrome has been considered to belong under the designation "3MC syndrome". Titomanlio et al. (2005) described a three-year-old female known to have Michels syndrome. In their review of the physical similarities between Michels, Malpuech and Mingarelli-Carnevale syndromes—particularly the facial appearance including instances of cleft lip and palate, and ptosis, and a similarity of congenital abdominal and urogenital anomalies—they believed the syndromes may represent a spectrum of genetic disorders rather than three individual disorders. They initially suggested this spectrum could be named 3MC (Michels-Malpuech-Mingarelli-Carnevale) syndrome. This conclusion and the name 3MC syndrome was supported by Leal et al. (2008), who reported a brother and sister with an array of symptoms that overlapped the various syndromes. Further assertion of 3MC syndrome was by Rooryck et al. (2011) in an elaboration of its cause.
## Management
Many of the congenital malformations found with Malpuech syndrome can be corrected surgically. These include cleft lip and palate, omphalocele, urogenital and craniofacial abnormalities, skeletal deformities such as a caudal appendage or scoliosis, and hernias of the umbilicus. The primary area of concern for these procedures applied to a neonate with congenital disorders including Malpuech syndrome regards the logistics of anesthesia. Methods like tracheal intubation for management of the airway during general anesthesia can be hampered by the even smaller, or maldeveloped mouth of the infant. For regional anesthesia, methods like spinal blocking are more difficult where scoliosis is present. In a 2010 report by Kiernan et al., a four-year-old girl with Malpuech syndrome was being prepared for an unrelated tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. While undergoing intubation, insertion of a laryngoscope, needed to identify the airway for the placement of the endotracheal tube, was made troublesome by the presence of micrognathia attributed to the syndrome. After replacement with a laryngoscope of adjusted size, intubation proceeded normally. Successful general anesthesia followed.
A rare follow-up of a male with Malpuech syndrome was presented by Priolo et al. (2007). Born at term from an uneventful pregnancy and delivery, the infant underwent a surgical repair of a cleft lip and palate. No problems were reported with the procedure. A heart abnormality, atrial septal defect, was also apparent but required no intervention. At age three years, intellectual disability, hyperactivity and obsessive compulsive disorder were diagnosed; hearing impairment was diagnosed at age six, managed with the use of hearing aids. Over the course of the decade that followed, a number of psychiatric evaluations were performed. At age 14, he exhibited a fear of physical contact; at age 15, he experienced a severe psychotic episode, characterized by agitation and a loss of sociosexual inhibition. This array of symptoms were treated pharmacologically (with prescription medications). He maintained a low level of mental deficiency by age 17, with moments of compulsive echolalia.
## History
The incidence of Malpuech syndrome has not been determined. A 1999 report by Crisponi et al. suggested that only about 12 individuals worldwide were affected by the disorder at that time. The syndrome was first reported by Guilliaume Malpuech and colleagues in 1983, observed in four children of unspecified gender in what was described as a gypsy family. The children included three siblings and their first cousin; the family was known to be highly consanguineous.
|
[
"## Signs and symptoms",
"## Genetics",
"## Diagnosis",
"### Classification",
"## Management",
"## History"
] | 2,960 | 22,610 |
5,371,455 |
Felix of Burgundy
| 1,165,617,285 |
7th-century Bishop of Dunwich and saint
|
[
"647 deaths",
"7th-century Christian saints",
"7th-century English bishops",
"Anglican saints",
"Bishops of the East Angles",
"Burials in Cambridgeshire",
"East Anglian saints",
"Year of birth unknown"
] |
Felix of Burgundy (died 8 March 647 or 648), also known as Felix of Dunwich, was a saint and the first bishop of the kingdom of the East Angles. He is widely credited as the man who introduced Christianity to the kingdom. Almost all that is known about him comes from The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, completed by the English historian Bede in about 731, and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Bede wrote that Felix freed "the whole of this kingdom from long-standing evil and unhappiness".
Felix came from the Frankish kingdom of Burgundy, and may have been a priest at one of the monasteries in Francia founded by the Irish missionary Columbanus—he may have been Bishop of Châlons, before being forced to seek refuge elsewhere. Felix travelled from Burgundy to Canterbury before being sent by Archbishop Honorius of Canterbury to Sigeberht of East Anglia's kingdom in about 630 (travelling by sea to Babingley in Norfolk, according to local legend). Upon his arrival in East Anglia, Sigeberht gave him a see at Dommoc, possibly at Walton, Suffolk near Felixstowe, or Dunwich in Suffolk. According to Bede, Felix helped Sigeberht to establish a school in his kingdom "where boys could be taught letters".
Felix died on 8 March 647 or 648, having been bishop for 17 years. His relics were translated from Dommoc to Soham Abbey and then to the abbey at Ramsey. After his death, he was venerated as a saint; several English churches are dedicated to him. Felix's feast date is 8 March.
## Background and early life
Felix was born in the Frankish kingdom of Burgundy, although his name prevents historians from conclusively identifying his nationality. According to the English historian Bede, he was ordained in Burgundy.
The historian Peter Hunter Blair suggested it is possible that Felix was associated with Irish missionary activity in Francia, which was centred in Burgundy and was particularly associated with the Irish missionary Columbanus and Luxeuil Abbey. Columbanus had arrived in Francia in about 590, after going into voluntary exile. A few years later he founded the monastery at Luxeuil.
At this time, associations existed between the kingdoms of Francia and East Anglia, a small independent Anglo-Saxon kingdom that mainly comprised what are now the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. The 7th century jewelled grave goods found at Sutton Hoo display manufacturing technologies that are likely to be of Frankish origin, and materials that arrived in East Anglia via Francia. The connection between the East Anglian Wuffingas dynasty and the Frankish abbess Burgundofara at Faremoutiers Abbey was an example the link between the Church in the kingdom of East Anglia and religious establishments in Francia.
Such associations were partly due to the work of Columbanus and his disciples at Luxeuil; together with Eustace, his successor, Columbanus inspired Burgundofara to found the abbey at Faremoutiers. It has been suggested that a connection between the disciples of Columbanus (who strongly influenced the Christians of Northern Burgundy) and Felix, helps to explain how the Wuffingas dynasty established its links with Faremoutiers.
The historian N. J. Higham notes several suggestions for where Felix may have originated, including Luxeuil, Châlons or the area around Autun. Other historians have made connections between Felix and the Burgundian king Dagobert I, who had contact with both King Sigeberht of East Anglia and Amandus, a disciple of Columbanus.
The historians Judith McClure and Roger Collins have noted the possibility that Felix, who was already consecrated as a bishop in Burgundy, may have become a political fugitive in Francia before his arrival in East Anglia. A bishop named Felix held the see of Châlons in 626 or 627, but was deprived of his see following the death of the Frankish king Chlothar II in 629.
## Arrival in the kingdom of the East Angles
Felix is first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle—a collection of annals compiled in the late 9th century—under the year 633. "Manuscript A" of the Chronicle states that Felix "preached the faith of Christ to the East Angles". Another version of the Chronicle, "Manuscript F", written in the 11th century in both Old English and Latin, elaborates upon the short statement contained in "Manuscript A":
"Here there came from the region of Burgundy a bishop who was called Felix, who preached the faith to the people of East Anglia; called here by King Sigeberht; he received a bishopric in Dommoc, in which he remained for seventeen years."
According to Bede, Felix was sent to promote Christianity in the land of the East Angles by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Honorius. Bede wrote of the exertions of Sigeberht, king of the East Angles:
"As soon as he began to reign he made it his business to see that the whole kingdom shared his faith. Bishop Felix most nobly supported his efforts. This bishop, who had been born and consecrated in Burgundy, came to Archbishop Honorius, to whom he expressed his longings; so the archbishop sent him to preach the word of life to this nation of the Angles."
Among the East Anglian traditions associated with Felix, one relates that he founded the church in Babingley, Norfolk, in 631 when he arrived there to convert the East Angles. The ruins stand about 200 metres (660 ft) north of where a navigable estuary once existed, and where Felix is said to have landed.
Sigeberht was the first English ruler to receive baptism before becoming king. Probably a son of Rædwald (ruled 599 to 624) and the brother of Rædwald's successor, Eorpwald, he was forced into exile during Rædwald's rule, after which he became a devout Christian and a man of learning. In about 627, Eorpwald was killed by Ricberht, who then ruled the East Angles for three years. Sigeberht became king of the East Angles after Richberht's death in 630. According to the historian Marios Costambeys, Felix's arrival in East Anglia seems to have coincided with the start of a new period of order established by Sigeberht when he became king. Costambeys adds that Sigeberht's accession may have been the reason Honorius decided to send Felix to East Anglia. Peter Hunter Blair challenged the assertion by mediaeval sources that spoke of Felix and Sigeberht travelling together from Francia to England, as in his view the text of the Ecclesiastical History of the English People can be taken to mean that Felix went to East Anglia because he was prompted to by Honorius.
## Bishop of the East Angles
Soon after his arrival at Sigeberht's court, in about 630 or 631, Felix established his episcopal see at Dommoc, which is widely considered by scholars to have been Dunwich, Suffolk, a thriving town in the Middle Ages. Dunwich has since been destroyed by the effects of coastal erosion. The historian Richard Hoggett has suggested that Felix's see was at Walton Castle, near Felixstowe, where a Roman fort once existed. According to Hoggett, "Walton Castle [was] a fitting site for the king's new bishopric and one which he was well within his rights to gift to Felix", being located near the Deben valley, where both the royal vill at Rendlesham and the burial-ground at Sutton Hoo were sited. A church and priory were dedicated to Felix at Walton by Roger Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk, soon after 1106.
Bede related that Felix started a school, "where boys could be taught letters", to provide Sigeberht with teachers. Bede is unclear as to the origin of the teachers at the school that Felix established; they may have been from kingdom of Kent, where a system of educating youngsters to become priests had been in existence since the Augustinian mission of 597, and where education was used to promote Christian learning throughout all levels of society. There is no evidence that Felix's school was at Soham Abbey, as stated by later sources. The Liber Eliensis mentioned that Felix also founded Soham Abbey and a church at Reedham, Norfolk: "Indeed, one reads in an English source that St Felix was the original founder of the old monastery of Sehem and of the church at Redham". According to the historian Margaret Gallyon, the large size of the East Anglian diocese would have made the foundation of a second religious establishment at Soham "appear very probable".
Bede praised Felix, writing that he had freed "the whole of this kingdom from long-standing evil and unhappiness". During his years as bishop, the East Anglian Church was made still stronger when the Irish monk Fursey arrived from Ireland and founded a monastery, at Cnobheresburg, probably located at Burgh Castle, in Norfolk.
## Death and veneration
Felix died in 647 or 648, after he had been bishop for 17 years. Following his death, which probably occurred during the reign of Anna of East Anglia, Thomas, a Fenman, became the second Bishop of the East Angles.
Felix was buried at Dommoc, but his relics were at a later date removed to Soham, according to the 12th century English historian William of Malmesbury. His shrine was desecrated by the Vikings when the church was destroyed. According to William, some time later "the body of the saint was looked for and found, and buried at Ramsey Abbey". Ramsey was noted for its enthusiasm for collecting saints' relics, and in an apparent attempt to get the better of their rivals from the abbey at Ely, the Ramsey monks escaped by rowing their boats through thick Fenland fog, carrying with them the bishop's precious remains.
Felix's feast day is celebrated on 8 March, the date given by two Anglo-Saxon kalendars. He was canonized before the Schism of 1054, early enough to be venerated in both the East and the West. There are six churches in England dedicated to the saint, all located in either North Yorkshire or East Anglia.
Felix is remembered in the Church of England with a commemoration on 8 March. The Yorkshire village of Felixkirk and the town of Felixstowe may both have been named after the saint, though an alternative meaning for Felixstowe, "the stow of Filica", has been suggested.
|
[
"## Background and early life",
"## Arrival in the kingdom of the East Angles",
"## Bishop of the East Angles",
"## Death and veneration"
] | 2,271 | 42,176 |
33,425,445 |
El Amor (Ricardo Arjona song)
| 1,130,486,350 | null |
[
"2011 singles",
"2011 songs",
"Ricardo Arjona songs",
"Songs written by Ricardo Arjona",
"Spanish-language songs"
] |
"El Amor" is a latin pop song by Guatemalan recording artist Ricardo Arjona, released on 23 August 2011 as the lead single from his thirteenth studio album, Independiente (2011). The song was written and produced by Arjona along with longtime collaborators Dan Warner and Lee Levin under their stage name Los Gringos, with additional production work from Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Tommy Torres. "El Amor" is the first single Arjona releases under his new record label, Metamorfosis.
Lyrically, "El Amor" was written by Arjona in an attempt to show all sides of love, explaining that "So many good things about love has been shown, that somebody had to turn it around and tell the bad ones". The song became Arjona's fourth single to reach number one on the US Billboard Top Latin Songs, and the seventh to do so on the Latin Pop Songs chart. It also became his first song ever to reach number one on the Tropical Songs chart, improving his previous peak of number two almost twelve years prior. "El Amor" also topped several national charts from Latin America.
An accompanying music video for "El Amor" was released in September 2011. It was directed by Ricardo Calderón and filmed in black and white. The clip shows Arjona singing while a wedding is being celebrated inside a chapel. "El Amor" was performed by Arjona as part of a televised show broadcast by Televisa, which included guest appearances by Gaby Moreno, Ricky Muñoz from Mexican band Intocable and Paquita la del Barrio. It was also included on the set list for his ongoing tour, the Metamorfosis World Tour.
## Background
Independiente is the first album Arjona released as an independent artist, and through his own record label, Metamorfosis, a company he created to refocus his career. Presided by Arjona and some friends, Metamorfosis is based in Miami and Mexico City, and also includes the photographer and director Ricardo Calderón, Universal Music México's executive Humberto Calderon and BMG's Miriam Sommerz. Although the album is marketed with the new label, distribution was handled by Warner Music. Arjona commented many times, that he considered the way he decided to go independent raised more compromise than freedom, saying that "Inside the word 'Independent', even when it sounds like extreme freedom, there's a big amount of compromise and the responsibility of being able to administrate, in the best way possible, such independence."
Independiente was composed and written within one year, and marks the fourth time Arjona had collaborated with Tommy Torres, who had helped writing, composing, producing and providing backing vocals. The other three albums in which the two artists had worked together are Quién Dijo Ayer, in which Torres helped producing the singles "Quién" and "Quiero", and offering additional work on the new versions of Arjona's hits; 5to Piso, and Adentro, respectively. Also, in the album, Arjona returned to his classic and trademark sound, which Torres has helped crafting it since six years now, after the drastic change he made in Poquita Ropa. On that album, the artist made use of the fewest instruments possible, simplifying his sound, and introducing what he called a "stripped-down version of his music".
Weeks before the release of Independiente, Arjona issued a letter in which he talked about his past relations with recording companies. In the letter, he revealed that he entered in his first record label as an exchange, commenting that "a producer, friend of mine, told them [the record label] that if they don't sign me they won't sign two artists he had [at that time]", and that he received the "minimum royalty percentage" out from his most successful albums. Billboard notes that although other groups have decided to launch independently their works after having a contract with major record labels, Arjona is by far the most important artist in the Latin pop to follow this trend.
## Composition
"El Amor" is a piano and guitar mid-tempo Latin pop ballad written by Arjona and produced by himself alongside longtime collaborators Dan Warner, Lee Levin and Tommy Torres. Recording work was held by Torres, alongside Carlos "Junior" Cabral, Isaias García, Jerald Romero and Dan Rudin. The song is the first lead single to be produced by Arjona along with Torres since 5to Piso's "Como Duele" back in 2008. Poquita Ropa's lead single, "Puente" (2010), was produced by Arjona and Dan Warner. Torres also provided background vocals on the song.
"El Amor" was written by Arjona in an attempt to show all sides of love. As said by Arjona himself, "So many good things about love has been shown, that somebody had to turn it around and tell the bad ones". The development of "El Amor" was motivated by Arjona's idea of showing "those big dark events within love that nobody talk about", saying that "love's dark sides are really fundamental to understand its great value".
In an interview in February 2012, the singer stated that "El Amor" was the "most tawdry" song he has released throughout his career. He further added that the fact that they chose the song was a "contradiction" because it was not "the song which could better represent the entire album." He also added that the song was "very strong" and "a bit dark". The song marks the return of the signature and more mainstream sound of Arjona on a music basis, after the multi-genre and politically charged Poquita Ropas lead single, "Puente", which failed to make impact on the United States and only managed to reach No. 36 on the Latin Pop Songs chart.
## Chart performance
In the United States, "El Amor" became Arjona's first top ten single in the Billboard Top Latin Songs since "Sin Ti... Sin Mi" in 2008 and the first to chart there since "Tocando Fondo" in 2009. The song also restored Arjona's chart success, after the Poquita Ropa era, on which none of the three singles released off the album managed to attain chart success, and eventually only one appeared on any chart. The song finally reached number one position on the list, becoming his fourth chart-topper, and the first to do so since "El Problema", ten years prior. On the Latin Pop Songs chart, "El Amor" became Arjona's seventh song to reach the top spot of the chart, and the first to do so since "Como Duele" in 2008. Also, "El Amor" became his first song ever to reach number one on the Tropical Songs chart, breaking his previous record held by "Cuando", which reached number two twelve years prior, in 2000. In Venezuela, "El Amor" reached a peak of number five. It also reached number six on Mexico. The song also became a hit in the rest Latin America, reaching number one in Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala. On the Billboard year-end charts for 2011, "El Amor" finished at number 73 on the Top Latin Songs chart. The song also finished within the top fifty songs on the Latin Pop Songs and Tropical Songs charts, appearing at number 41 and number 44, respectively.
## Release and promotion
"El Amor" was released as the first single from Independiente on 23 August 2011 in Canada, United States and Mexico as a digital download through the iTunes Store. The single was later made available on the rest of Latin America and some European countries such as the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany and France on 6 September 2011. "El Amor" is the first single Arjona released under his recently founded record label, Metamorfosis.
### Music video
Ricardo Arjona released on 8 September 2011 the music video for "El Amor". It debuted on Arjona's official website, and then was sent to music channels around United States and Latin America. The clip was shot in Mexico City and was filmed entirely in black-and-white. The music video was directed by Ricardo Calderón, who has also directed the music video for Arjona's 2008 single "Como Duele". Calderón also produced the video, as well as developing the story and design. Before releasing the video, the singer launched a contest on his website that consisted on uploading to his official YouTube account videos related to the song, and the winner received a trip to Argentina to meet him.
The clip starts with a bride reaching, on a limousine, the chapel on which she's about to get married. As she is shown walking inside the chapel's doors, Arjona starts to sing while sit on the chairs in the empty chapel. Then, the bride is shown again alongside the groom in the altar, ready to make the vows, while the chapel is filled with the invitees. Then, scenes of Arjona playing the piano and singing, and scenes of the ceremony are interpolated, showing the behaviour of the invitees. Later, the invitees are shown involved in discussions and fights while Arjona keeps singing the chorus and verses of the song. As the fights between the invitees increase, the groom rejects the bride and she, stunned, escapes from the chapel. Then, it is shown that all was an illusion from the bride, and they are shown exiting the chapel, married. As of 11 July 2012, the video has reached 14 million views on YouTube.
### Live performances
"El Amor" was in the set list for a televised program in 2011. The special included guest singers such as Gaby Moreno, Ricky Muñoz (from Mexican band Intocable) and Paquita la del Barrio. Broadcast by Televisa, the program was made to showcast the new fourteen songs included on Independiente. Ricky Muñoz commented that he was "happy to do things for Ricardo [Arjona]" and elaborated that the met each other "some time ago" and that it was "a very special situation." The show was later bordcasted on 5 November 2011 by Canal de las Estrellas. The song is also present on his ongoing Metamorfosis World Tour. It is performed while on the first of the four ambiences on the concert, alongside "Lo Que Está Bien Está Mal", "Animal Nocturno", "Hay Amores" and "Desnuda".
## Credits and personnel
Credits are taken from Independiente liner notes.
- Ricardo Arjona – chorus
- Dan Warner – bass, guitar, recording engineering
- Lee Levin – drums, percussion, recording engineering
- Matt Rollings – piano, Hammond B3, recording engineering
- Tommy Torres – chorus, recording engineering
- Chris MacDonald – arrangement, directing
- Pamela Sixfin – violin
- David Angell – violin, viola
- Connie Ellisor – violin
- Mary Katherine VanOsdale – violin
- Karen Winkelmann – violin
- Carolyn Bailey – violin
- Erin Hall – violin
- Zeneba Bowers – violin
- Cornelia Heard – violin
- James Grosjean – viola
- Elizabeth Lamb – viola
- Anthony LaMarchina – cello
- Julia Tanner – cello
- Craig Nelson – bass
- Carlos "Junior" Cabral – recording engineering
- Isaias García – recording engineering
- Jerald Romero – recording engineering
- Dan Rudin – recording engineering
- David Thoener – mixing
## Trackslisting
- Digital Download
1. "El Amor" – 4:47
- Remix featuring O'Neill'
1. "El Amor" (featuring O'Neill) – 4:02
## Charts
### Weekly charts
### Yearly charts
## Certifications
## Release history
|
[
"## Background",
"## Composition",
"## Chart performance",
"## Release and promotion",
"### Music video",
"### Live performances",
"## Credits and personnel",
"## Trackslisting",
"## Charts",
"### Weekly charts",
"### Yearly charts",
"## Certifications",
"## Release history"
] | 2,535 | 36,426 |
34,460,213 |
Champion (Nicki Minaj song)
| 1,147,940,806 |
2012 song by Nicki Minaj
|
[
"2010s ballads",
"2012 songs",
"Contemporary R&B ballads",
"Drake (musician) songs",
"Jeezy songs",
"Nas songs",
"Nicki Minaj songs",
"Song recordings produced by T-Minus (record producer)",
"Songs written by Drake (musician)",
"Songs written by Jeezy",
"Songs written by Nas",
"Songs written by Nicki Minaj",
"Songs written by Nikhil Seetharam",
"Songs written by T-Minus (record producer)"
] |
"Champion" is a song by American rapper and singer Nicki Minaj, taken from her second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012). The song features additional vocals from hip hop artists Drake, Nas, and Young Jeezy. "Champion" was written by Minaj, Aubrey Graham, Jay Jenkins, Nasir Jones, and Jayceon Taylor, while the production and additional writing was handled by Pink Friday (2010) collaborators T-Minus and Nikhil Seetharam. Musically, "Champion" is a downtempo hardcore hip hop ballad that also incorporates elements of R&B, new-age, and space music. The lyrics speak of each artist's rise to fame, as well as the trials and tribulations that it carries; it references the death of Minaj's cousin, Nicholas Telemaque, who was murdered near his Brooklyn home on July 3, 2011.
"Champion" garnered praise from music critics, with the majority declaring it a stand-out track. The song is notable for the return of Minaj's original low-key sound, as well as her tame "gimmick-free" delivery as opposed to her eccentric "Roman" songs. Critics generally praised the song for its serious tone and introspective nature. Minaj performed the song live for the first time on 106 & Park on April 3, 2012, along with "Beez in the Trap", and "Roman Reloaded".
## Production
"Champion" was written by Minaj, along with T-Minus, Nikhil S., Drake, Young Jeezy, and Nas, with production handled by T-Minus and Nikhil S., who had previously worked with Minaj on her debut studio album Pink Friday (2010). Minaj had wanted several artists to appear on the song, including fellow New York rapper Nas. She had stated that she did not think that she could get Nas on the song, saying "He's always been so exclusive. He doesn't work with everybody and I respect people that are like that. They take pride in their craft." Minaj told Vibe, "I keep saying to be from Queens and to end up having him... We know how picky he is [for features]. He said 'I like the song, I'm a do it, you can wait 'til Monday and I got you' and he kept his word. He murked it, for me to wait for a feature and it be that and murk the song and finish the song that way... I was amazed." After hearing the song, Nas agreed to be on the track, and sent his verse back to Minaj the following Monday. After collaborating, Nas said that he had fallen in love with the song: "Nicki hit us up, I got love, so it was nothin'--I did the record....If I feel it, I can get on it. I heard the track. I felt it. I loved it." Another artist Minaj wanted on "Champion" was long-time idol and fellow female rapper Lauryn Hill. "I wanted to get her on 'Champion'... That would have been crazy, right? She was my fave. [...] Lauryn to me is the goddess. I'd love to meet her. I'm pretty sure she's heard me talk about her a billion times." Although Minaj vouched for Hill to appear on the track, plans were never finalized and the collaboration ultimately fell through.
Recording of "Champion" took place at Conway Studios, in Los Angeles, California, as well as Jungle City Studios in New York City, New York. Mixing was handled by Jon Sher and Noel Cadastre at Conway Studios. Minaj was unsure if he would accept her offer to be featured on "Champion", but after sending him the song, Nas replied back with his verse via e-mail. On March 28, 2012, "Champion" leaked onto the internet six days ahead of its official release. In the following hours after the leak of "Champion", the contents of the entire album were leaked online. On May 24, 2012, a poll was posted on Minaj's official website asking fans to choose the next single(s). The poll was divided into three categories. The second category prompted fans to choose between "Champion", "HOV Lane", and "I Am Your Leader". "Champion" had the most votes and won the poll. "HOV Lane" came in second place and "I Am Your Leader" came in third.
## Composition
"Champion" is a relatively slow-paced, retrospective downtempo ballad that draws heavily from hardcore hip hop. It is also influenced by other genres, such as R&B, new-age, and space music. The "anthemic" and "inspiring" song features a low-key, woozy, and snaky production, accompanied by prominent military-style drums, heavy synths, and rough, hard strewn beats. "Champion" has been described as one of the few songs that Minaj's delivery is "calm and collected" as opposed to her eccentric "Roman" tracks. The rise to fame, the trials and tribulations that ensue, and celebration are prominent themes that are discussed in the lyrics. Minaj also makes reference to her deceased cousin, Nicholas Telemaque, who was shot and killed near his Brooklyn home on July 3, 2011, in the line "'Cause they killed my little cousin, Nicholas/ But my memories only have happy images." Multiple critics felt the lyrical content of "Champion" was the most sincere on the album. Lewis Corner of Digital Spy called them "genuinely heartbreaking", and Alex Macpherson of Fact described them as "undeniably moving".
## Critical reception
"Champion" was met with critical acclaim, and was hailed as an album highlight by critics. Andrew Hampp of Billboard gave the track a positive review, stating Minaj "Sheds light in her journey from struggle to success." While reviewing the album, Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone declared the song "beamingly triumphant". Global Grind reviewer Brittany Lewis gave the song a very positive review, saying :"This retrospective track explores Nicki's more serious side and details the trials and tribulations of Nicki's now solidified success", and later went on to say that "Champion" will make the listener evaluate their own life. Both the reviewer from The Washington Post and Mesfin Fekadu of the San Francisco Chronicle gave the song a positive review, calling it "top-notch". Adam Graham of The Detroit News said the song would please fans of early Minaj, while going on to praise her rap-heavy delivery. Trent Fitzgerald of Popcrush was positive towards "Champion", calling it the "biggest" song on the album, as well as a noting its potential commercial success. "Champion" was labeled as the most impressive hardcore hip hop song on the album, as well as being "anthemic" by Andy Gill of The Independent. In his review of Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, 'Nathan S of DJ Booth said: "It has to be said that 'Champion', featuring an excellent Nas verse, is one of Nicki's most engaging tracks in memory, precisely because she drops the posturing and fame-hunting. It's proof that behind all the acting is a legitimately talented artist." Although, not all reviews were positive. Matthew Cole of Slant Magazine criticized the vocalist's performance of the verses, claiming they were "incapable". Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times gave the song a mixed review, highlighting Nas' verse, while mildly criticizing Minaj's. Entertainment Weekly named it one of the best songs on the album along with "I Am Your Leader". XXL Magazine stated that "Though many of the early songs [on the album] lack real substance, the records remain generally exciting - 'I Am Your Leader', alongside Rick Ross and Cam'ron, 'Beez in the Trap' with 2 Chainz, and the triumphant 'Champion' featuring Nas, Drake and Young Jeezy are all memorable moments."
## Live performances
Minaj performed "Champion" for the first time on 106 & Park on April 3, 2012, along with "Roman Reloaded", "HOV Lane", "I Am Your Leader", "Beez in the Trap", "Right by My Side" and "Fire Burns". She performed "Champion" alongside "Beez in the Trap" with 2 Chainz at the 2012 BET Awards. The rapper also performed "Champion" on the Australian and Asian legs of her Pink Friday Tour.
## Credits and personnel
Recording
- Recorded at Conway Studios, Los Angeles, California; Jungle City Studios, New York City, New York
Personnel
- Songwriting – Onika Maraj, Tyler Williams, Nikhil Seetharam, Aubrey Graham, Jay Jenkins, Nasir Jones.
- Production – T-Minus, Nikhil S.
- Mixed at – Conway Studios, Los Angeles CA
- Recording – Ariel Chobaz, Noah "40" Shebib, Stuart White
- Recording assistant – Jon Sher, Noel Cadastre
- Mixing – Ariel Chobaz, Jon Sher
Credits adapted from Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded album liner notes.
## Chart positions
|
[
"## Production",
"## Composition",
"## Critical reception",
"## Live performances",
"## Credits and personnel",
"## Chart positions"
] | 1,937 | 32,866 |
55,598,165 |
Caroline Brady (philologist)
| 1,140,318,520 |
20th-century American philologist
|
[
"1905 births",
"1980 deaths",
"20th-century philologists",
"American expatriates in China",
"American philologists",
"Anglo-Saxon studies scholars",
"Educators from Tianjin",
"University of California, Berkeley College of Letters and Science faculty",
"University of California, Berkeley alumni",
"University of California, Los Angeles alumni",
"University of Pennsylvania faculty",
"Women philologists",
"Writers from Tianjin"
] |
Caroline Agnes Brady (also known as Caroline Agnes Von Egmont Brady; October 3, 1905 – November 5, 1980) was an American philologist who specialised in Old English and Old Norse works. Her works included the 1943 book The Legends of Ermanaric, based on her doctoral dissertation, and three influential papers on the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf. She taught at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, and Harvard University, among other places.
Brady was born an American citizen in Tientsin, China, and traveled frequently as a child, spending time in Los Angeles, California, British Columbia, and Austin, Texas. She studied in the University of California system, receiving her bachelor's and master's degrees, and her Ph.D. in 1935. She next became an English instructor at that university's College of Agriculture, and worked as an assistant professor of languages and literature at Berkeley from 1941 to 1946. The following three years were spent at the University of Pennsylvania, until, at the end of 1949, Brady moved to teach at Central Oregon Community College; her resignation due to "ill health" was announced a few months later. After being named the 1952–53 Marion Talbot Fellow of the American Association of University Women and writing two articles, Brady's scholarship ceased for a quarter of a century. In 1979, and posthumously in 1983, her final two articles were published.
Brady's monograph, The Legends of Ermanaric, argued that the Gothic king Ermanaric was subject to two competing traditions, and earned her a reputation as "a broad and discriminating investigator" with "a sovereign disregard of established opinion". Her papers on Beowulf, meanwhile, were identified by Katherine O'Brien O'Keeffe, a scholar of Anglo-Saxon literature, as "three fundamental studies" that were "philological in the traditional sense", shedding light on "the shades of meaning of the diction" used in the poem. Brady concluded that the Beowulf poet "is no artificer mechanically piling up synonyms and conventional metaphors, but an artist who knows how to use a variety of words and phrases".
## Early life and education
Caroline Agnes Brady was born on October 3, 1905, in Tientsin, China. She was the daughter of United States Army Colonel David John Brady, an engineer who was then the general manager of the Chinese Engineering and Mining Company in Qinhuangdao, and his wife (Annie Lucy) Maude Short, daughter of John Short, the deputy prothonotary of Sherbrooke, Quebec. The two had married the year before, at the Holy Trinity Church in Shanghai. Caroline was one of two children, and the eldest by ten years of her sister, Frances Maud Brady. Her father, the son of British emigrants, had been raised in Austin, Texas, and traveled as the army took him. His two brothers, John W. and Will P. Brady—Caroline Brady's uncles—both became prominent Texas attorneys and jurists. Will P. Brady worked as the first district attorney of Reeves County, Texas, and later as a judge of the county court in El Paso. John W. Brady rose to prominence within Austin, and Texas generally, as an assistant attorney general and judge, before killing his mistress in 1929 and being sentenced to three years in prison. Caroline Brady's mother, meanwhile, traced back through four generations of her matriline to Anthony Van Egmond (Caroline Brady's great-great-great-grandfather), an early settler of Canada, whose true identity as the Dutch fugitive Antonij Jacobi Willem Gijben—not, as he claimed, as a direct descent of the counts of Egmond—was not uncovered until the second half of the twentieth century.
In May 1910, when Brady was four, her family arrived in Los Angeles, California, via Shanghai, aboard the steamer Bessie Dollar. The ship carried only two families and a woman traveling alone, in addition to a cargo of pig iron, and had what the Los Angeles Herald described as "a rough voyage across the Pacific", striking a whale. By the end of the year, the family was living in British Columbia. Though the Herald had described Brady's father as a Standard Oil engineer, by the end of World War I he was serving overseas as part of the Rainbow Division of the United States Army National Guard, in France and Germany as first a captain and then a major. During these years, until about September 1919, Caroline Brady and her family stayed with her uncle, John W. Brady, in his large Austin house. David Brady returned in August or September 1919; by the following year he was working with his brother Will at the Los Angeles-based Sunshine Oil Corporation.
In August 1924 Brady matriculated at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), then known as the Southern Branch of the University of California. She entered Teachers College, for studies in kindergarten-primary education. Brady was active in a number of organizations at UCLA, including Beta Phi Alpha, the YWCA, and the Prytanean Society, of which she was president. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1928, and two years later, on May 15, 1930, received a Master of Arts from the school's Berkeley campus. That same year she began her Ph.D., also at Berkeley, and graduated in 1935, with the thesis The Legends of Ermanaric. Her dissertation committee was chaired by Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur, with whom Brady would coauthor an article five years later.
### Name
Brady is occasionally referred to as Caroline Agnes Von Egmont Brady. Though her published output universally refers to her as either "Caroline A. Brady" or "Caroline Brady", the program for her dissertation defense names her "Caroline Agnes Von Egmont Brady". Several library entries and membership lists of the Modern Language Association also use the longer name.
## Career
In 1935, the same year that she received her Ph.D., Brady became an English instructor at the College of Agriculture at the University of California. Brady was promoted on July 13, 1941 to assistant professor of languages and literature at the Berkeley campus. In 1943, her "completely rewritten" dissertation was published under the same title, The Legends of Ermanaric. Brady continued teaching at Berkeley until 1946. Thereafter, she taught for three years at the University of Pennsylvania as an assistant professor of English.
In 1949 Brady moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon, as one of the four inaugural instructors for the newly opened Central Oregon Community College. The college had campuses at both Bend and Klamath Falls; Brady taught at both, offering courses in English Composition and Survey of English Literature. After only a few months in the position, Brady resigned, citing "ill health".
By May 1952, Brady was working as the synonym editor for C. L. Barnhart, Inc., the publisher of Thorndike-Barnhart dictionaries, in Bronxville, New York. That year she was named the 1952–53 Marion Talbot Fellow of the American Association of University Women. The \$2,200 fellowship was for "a study and reinterpretation of the substantial compounds and phrases in Old English poetry", looking at contextual word usage to "determine whether the various poets used them in exactly the same way". Brady's work was to take place at Johns Hopkins and Harvard, and in 1952 she published two related articles: "The Synonyms for 'Sea' in Beowulf", and "The Old English Nominal Compounds in -rád".
Brady's subsequent activities are unclear. In 1979, she was listed again with a California address. That year, she published the second piece in her Beowulf trilogy, "'Weapons' in Beowulf." The final work in the trilogy, "'Warriors' in Beowulf," was published posthumously, in 1983.
## Personal life
In her 1941 Who's Who in California entry, Brady was described as a Democrat and an Episcopalian. Her father died in late January 1953, and her mother in November 1959. Caroline Brady died on November 5, 1980, in Bellevue, Washington. The year before she was listed with an address in Corona del Mar by Anglo-Saxon England, the journal that published her final two works. Brady's sister, by then Frances Brady Ackley, died on December 14, 1993; her obituary mentioned only cousins among her survivors.
## Publications
Brady's book The Legends of Ermanaric suggests the Gothic king Ermanaric, who ruled in the fourth century AD, was the subject of two competing traditions: one, in Ostrogothic lore, viewing him as a good king, and a second, promulgated by those subjugated by him, as evil. Brady's thesis gained less traction than her ability to investigate the intractable problems of Germanic myth, and the convoluted nature of the related scholarship. She was noted as "a broad and discriminating investigator", who had "a sovereign disregard of established opinion". Such disregard caused one reviewer to label Brady's work "more valuable in the sphere of criticism than construction," and another to note that her "conclusions are reached without reliance on the views of predecessors, and one may be sure that, in some quarters, the volume will be thoroughly combed for flaws to match those it has uncovered in the reasoning of others". Indeed, after Brady's "vigorous tilting with no less a scholar than Kemp Malone," he penned two separate reviews disparaging what he termed her scholastic immaturity, and suggesting "she overestimates the worth of debaters' points". Others shared concerns with Brady's thesis while being generally supportive, including the Old English scholar Philip W. Souers, who wrote that:
> Her knowledge, from linguistics to archaeology, is great; her command of bibliography is sure; her acquaintance with languages shows the temper of a true scholar. ... It was worth doing, to try to establish a late Gothic legend that could be seen reflected in the Norse, to see where the results would lead. Others have always worked from the German sources. Though I cannot accept her hypothesis as proved, [the book] is without doubt one of the most important works in that difficult subject of heroic legend that has come from American scholarship in recent years.
Brady's 1979 and 1983 articles on the words used to describe weapons and warriors in the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf suggested that, unlike the interchangeability of words used for other subjects such as strong drink, the words used to describe weapons and warriors were precisely tailored to fit their specific contexts. Taken with her 1952 article "The Synonyms for 'Sea' in Beowulf ", these are described by Katherine O'Brien O'Keeffe in A Beowulf Handbook as "three fundamental studies" that examine the context in which the Beowulf poet chose a word rather than simply the word itself. Brady concluded that "this poet is no artificer mechanically piling up synonyms and conventional metaphors, but an artist who knows how to use a variety of words and phrases". Her approach was considered "philological in the traditional sense" by O'Keeffe, and to have shed light on "the shades of meaning of the diction" used in the poem.
In addition to her book and the Beowulf articles, Brady published a number of other works during her career. She also presented several papers, including some which ultimately went unpublished, at academic conferences—notably at meetings of the Philological Association of the Pacific Coast and the Modern Language Association.
### Books
### Articles
### Reviews
|
[
"## Early life and education",
"### Name",
"## Career",
"## Personal life",
"## Publications",
"### Books",
"### Articles",
"### Reviews"
] | 2,476 | 37,954 |
2,810,369 |
Hella Good
| 1,171,872,294 |
2002 single by No Doubt
|
[
"2001 songs",
"2002 singles",
"Black-and-white music videos",
"Dance-punk songs",
"Electro songs",
"Funk rock songs",
"Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical",
"Interscope Records singles",
"Music videos directed by Mark Romanek",
"No Doubt songs",
"Song recordings produced by Nellee Hooper",
"Songs about dancing",
"Songs written by Chad Hugo",
"Songs written by Gwen Stefani",
"Songs written by Pharrell Williams",
"Songs written by Tony Kanal"
] |
"Hella Good" is a song by American rock band No Doubt from their fifth studio album, Rock Steady (2001). Written by Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal and the Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo), and produced by Nellee Hooper and the band, "Hella Good" was released as the album's second single on March 11, 2002, and received positive reviews from contemporary music critics, who made comparisons to the work of a diverse range of artists such as Afrika Bambaataa and Madonna.
Commercially, "Hella Good" was successful, and Roger Sanchez's remix of the song topped the US Billboard Dance Club Songs. For the 45th Grammy Awards, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences introduced new categories for Best Dance Recording and Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical. "Hella Good" was nominated for Best Dance Recording, but lost to Dirty Vegas' "Days Go By", and Sanchez's remix won for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical. No Doubt performed a medley of "Underneath It All" and "Hella Good" at the ceremony.
The accompanying music video for "Hella Good", directed by Mark Romanek, was filmed in March 2002 and released in April 2002, and it features the band squatting in an abandoned ship. The song was featured in the opening sequence of the 2005 film The Longest Yard, covered by Rita Ora at Radio 1's Big Weekend, and was also used for the second season Alias episode "The Getaway" in 2003 and in the pilot episode of The Black Donnellys in 2007.
## Background and writing
No Doubt decided to work with hip hop production duo the Neptunes as a sort of "cultural collision". Lead singer Gwen Stefani wanted to write a high-spirited and celebratory song about the positive things in her life, so they wrote an optimistic upbeat song. The word hella was a slang term used mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area and other parts of California to mean "very". Having toured in the Bay Area, Stefani borrowed the term to describe her mood. Stefani wanted to use the word dance in a chorus, so she decided to end each line of "Hella Good"'s chorus with the phrase "keep on dancing". The song's funk sound is based on songs such as Queen's 1980 single "Another One Bites the Dust" and The Commodores' 1977 single "Brick House".
## Composition
"Hella Good" is a rock song composed in the key of G minor. It is written in common time and moves at a moderately fast 115 beats per minute. The song is influenced by electro, punk and funk music. The song's beat drew several comparisons to that of Michael Jackson's 1983 single "Billie Jean". Its hook comes from a simple progression of power chords alternating between G and A flat, suggesting Phrygian mode. "Hella Good" follows a verse-chorus form with a chorus following each of the two verses. Following the bridge, the chorus is repeated and the song closes with an outro.
## Critical reception
About.com ranked the song number one in a list of the top five singles from Stefani's career, with the band as well as solo, reasoning by saying that the song's "bumping contemporary beat pushes along 80's style keyboards making it nearly impossible to keep from moving your body." Blender described it as a "blazing start" to Rock Steady and compared it to the work of pop group Was (Not Was), rapper and producer Timbaland, ska punk band Fishbone, and electro DJ Afrika Bambaataa. The NME also compared the song to Bambaataa's music as well as that of Britney Spears and Duran Duran. PlayLouder called the track outstanding and compared Nellee Hooper's production to the electroclash style of Chicago house DJ Felix da Housecat.
Entertainment Weekly characterized the song as a sequel to Madonna's 1985 single "Into the Groove". The publication listed "Hella Good" seventh on its list of the top singles of 2002. It went on to include the song in its list of the top five No Doubt songs, in which it described the song as "a dance-pop delight irresistible enough to make you forget that ''hella'' is one of history's most irritating slang terms." Stylus Magazine was pleased with the use of overdubbing in the song's "anthemic rock chorus", but referred to its lyrics as stupid. Billboard referred to the group as the B-52's of the 2000s and praised "Hella Good"'s combination of a strong bassline; "fairly aggressive electric guitar accents"; Kraftwerk-style electronics; and Stefani's "loose, playful" vocals. The song was listed at number 26 on the 2002 Pazz & Jop list, a survey of several hundred music critics conducted by Robert Christgau.
## Chart performance
In the United States, "Hella Good" reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single was more successful in mainstream markets, reaching number three on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40. It had success on adult contemporary stations, peaking at number nine on the Billboard Adult Top 40. It additionally had some crossover success in urban contemporary markets and reached number 29 on the Billboard Rhythmic Top 40. Interscope Records approached DJ Roger Sanchez to produce a remix of the song, which went on to top the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. The single was less successful on the Canadian Singles Chart, where it peaked at number 26 for three non-consecutive weeks.
On the UK Singles chart, "Hella Good" debuted at number 12 but was unable to reach a higher position. The single peaked at number eight on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart in June 2002 and remained on the chart for three months. It was listed at number 65 on the Australian year-end chart for 2002, and was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association. In New Zealand, it peaked at number 17 and spent 15 weeks on the chart.
## Music video
The black-and-white music video was directed by Mark Romanek. Not following any plot, the video depicts the band as a group of punk rockers squatting in an abandoned ship while the rest are chasing Stefani throughout the ship. During the course of the video, the band members perform the song, using bodyboards to float electronic equipment, and they and their friends explore and dance throughout the ship. There are also sequences of people riding on personal water crafts, Stefani performing on a coiled rope, people playing Jet Set Radio Future, and Stefani broadcasting on a pirate radio station.
Romanek came up with the video's concept it and e-mailed it to the band. He based it on a black-and-white Italian Vogue fashion shoot from the mid-1990s which featured models on waverunners. The video was then filmed over three days in March 2002 in Long Beach, California. The scenes inside the ship were filmed from man-made sets at South Bay Studios.
The music video was moderately successful. Following a premiere on an episode of MTV's Making the Video, it reached number four on the network's video countdown Total Request Live. The video debuted on MuchMusic's Countdown in April 2002 and peaked at number six, spending over four months on the program. At the 2003 Music Video Production Association Awards, production designer Laura Fox won the Universal Studios Production Services Award for Best Art Direction for her work on this video.
## Track listings
Australasian and Japanese CD single
1. "Hella Good" (album version) – 4:02
2. "Hey Baby" ("Stank Remix" dirty version featuring Outkast and Killer Mike) – 4:06
3. "Hey Baby" (Kelly G's Bumpin' Baby club mix) – 8:14
4. "Hella Good" (video) – 4:02
UK CD single
1. "Hella Good" (album version) – 4:02
2. "Hella Good" (Roger's Release Yourself mix) – 7:13
3. "Hey Baby" ("Stank Remix" dirty version featuring Outkast and Killer Mike) – 4:06
4. "Hella Good" (video) – 4:02
UK 12-inch single
A1. "Hella Good" (Roger's Release Yourself mix) – 7:13
B1. "Hella Good" (Roger's Release the Dub mix) – 7:14
B2. "Hey Baby" ("Stank Remix" dirty version featuring Outkast and Killer Mike) – 4:02
UK cassette single
1. "Hella Good" (album version) – 4:02
2. "Hella Good" (Roger's Release Yourself mix) – 7:13
European CD single
1. "Hella Good" (album version) – 4:02
2. "Hey Baby" ("Stank Remix" dirty version featuring Outkast and Killer Mike) – 4:06
## Charts
### Weekly charts
### Year-end charts
## Certifications
## Release history
|
[
"## Background and writing",
"## Composition",
"## Critical reception",
"## Chart performance",
"## Music video",
"## Track listings",
"## Charts",
"### Weekly charts",
"### Year-end charts",
"## Certifications",
"## Release history"
] | 1,960 | 1,168 |
35,000,931 |
2011–12 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team
| 1,171,448,128 |
American college basketball season
|
[
"2011 in sports in New Jersey",
"2011–12 Ivy League men's basketball season",
"2012 College Basketball Invitational participants",
"2012 in sports in New Jersey",
"Princeton Tigers men's basketball seasons"
] |
The 2011–12 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team represented Princeton University during the 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Tigers, led by first year head coach Mitch Henderson, played their home games at Jadwin Gymnasium and are members of the Ivy League. The team captains were seniors Douglas Davis and Patrick Saunders. They finished the season 20–12, 10–4 in Ivy League play to finish in third place. They were invited to the 2012 College Basketball Invitational where they defeated Evansville in the first round before falling in the quarterfinals to Pittsburgh. The season was highlighted by wins over a ranked Harvard team and the Florida State Seminoles. The team was led by unanimous first team All-Ivy League selection Ian Hummer and second team selection Douglas Davis.
## Preview
Princeton entered the season having won the 2010–11 Ivy League men's basketball season championship and having earned the resulting 2011 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament invitation. The team entered the season having lost senior captains Dan Mavraides and Kareem Maddox. Maddox was the reigning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous first team All-Ivy selection. Mavraides had been a second team All-Ivy selection. The team returned second team All-Ivy selection Hummer.
Entering the 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season head coach Mitch Henderson began his tenure at Princeton, taking over for Sydney Johnson. With the move that resulted from Johnson taking a new coaching job, Princeton has six alumni who are active Division I head coaches, a total second only to eight by the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program. The Ivy League media poll selected Princeton to be tied with Yale for second place behind Harvard. Princeton had been the preseason favorite the year before.
## Roster
## Schedule
With a new first-time head coach, the team got off to slow starts. It started the season with a 1–5 record, but won 18 of its final 24 games and started its conference schedule with a 2–3 record, but won 8 of its final 9 games. The recovery enabled the team to qualify for its 32nd post season appearance (24 NCAA, 5 NIT and 2 CBI).
Princeton earned its first home win against a ranked opponent since the 1976–77 team's January 3, 1977, victory over Notre Dame by defeating Harvard (No. 21 Coaches/25 AP) on February 11, 2012. The win was also its first against a ranked opponent on any court since November 11, 1997, which is when the 1997–98 team opened its season with a victory over a ranked Texas team at Meadowlands Arena (now named Izod Center) in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Princeton also defeated eventual 2012 ACC men's basketball tournament champion Florida State five weeks after Harvard did as well as Big East Conference member and New Jersey rival . In addition, the team's schedule included the ACC's NC State. Its results against Harvard, Florida State and NC State give the team a 2–2 record against teams in the 2012 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
For the 18th consecutive season, the Ivy League men's basketball schedule concluded with a Tuesday Penn–Princeton basketball rivalry game against the 2011–12 Quakers. Princeton's 62–52 victory enabled it to retain slim 26–25 and 24–23 leads in terms of Ivy League Championships and Ivy League team NCAA Tournament appearances, respectively.
In the first round of the 2012 CBI Tournament, senior Douglas Davis scored a career-high 31 points to lead Princeton to a 95–86 victory over Evansville. Although Davis posted another 20 points in the subsequent quarterfinal game against Pittsburgh to surpass Kit Mueller for second place on the Princeton scoring list, Princeton lost 82–61 to end the season. Davis' appearance in the March 19 contest also enabled him to surpass Ryan Wittman as the Ivy League's all-time leader in games played (122). Pittsburgh eventually went on to win the tournament.
\|- !colspan=9\| Regular Season
\|- !colspan=9\| 2012 CBI
### All-Ivy
The following players earned Ivy League postseason recognition:
First Team All-Ivy
- ^Ian Hummer, Princeton (Jr., F, Vienna, Virginia)
Second Team All-Ivy
- Douglas Davis, Princeton (Sr., G, Philadelphia)
- ^Unanimous Selection
### Other
The National Association of Basketball Coaches announced their Division I All‐District District 13 team on March 14, recognizing the nation's best men's collegiate basketball student-athletes. Ian Hummer was a second team selection.
|
[
"## Preview",
"## Roster",
"## Schedule",
"### All-Ivy",
"### Other"
] | 997 | 36,190 |
3,126,150 |
Northover Projector
| 1,163,199,465 | null |
[
"Anti-tank weapons",
"Grenade launchers of the United Kingdom",
"Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1940",
"World War II infantry weapons of the United Kingdom"
] |
The Projector, 2.5 inch—more commonly known as the Northover Projector—was an ad hoc anti-tank weapon used by the British Army and Home Guard during the Second World War.
With a German invasion of Great Britain seeming likely after the defeat in the Battle of France, most available weaponry was diverted to the regular British Army, leaving the Home Guard short on supplies, particularly anti-tank weaponry. The Northover Projector was designed by Home Guard officer Robert Harry Northover to act as a makeshift anti-tank weapon, and was put into production in 1940 following a demonstration to the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill.
The weapon consisted of a hollow metal tube attached to a tripod, with a rudimentary breech at one end. Rounds were fired with the use of black powder ignited by a standard musket percussion cap, and it had an effective range of between 100 and 150 yards. Although it was cheap and easy to manufacture, it did have several problems; it was difficult to move and the No. 76 Special Incendiary Grenades it used as one type of ammunition had a tendency to break inside the breech, damaging the weapon and injuring the crew. Production began in late 1940, and by the beginning of 1943 nearly 19,000 were in service. Like many obsolete Home Guard weapons, it was eventually replaced by other weapons, such as the 2-pounder anti-tank gun.
## Development
With the end of the Battle of France and the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the port of Dunkirk between 26 May and 4 June 1940, a German invasion of Great Britain seemed likely. However, the British Army was not well-equipped to defend the country in such an event; in the weeks after the Dunkirk evacuation it could field only twenty-seven divisions. The Army was particularly short of anti-tank guns, 840 of which had been left behind in France, leaving only 167 available in Britain; ammunition was so scarce for the remaining guns that regulations forbade even a single round being used for training purposes.
Given these shortcomings, any modern weapons that were available were allocated to the British Army, and the Home Guard was forced to supplement the meagre amount of outdated weapons and ammunition they had with ad hoc weapons. One such weapon was the Northover Projector, the invention of Major Robert Harry Northover. Northover, an officer in the Home Guard, designed it to be an easily manufactured and cheap anti-tank weapon, costing just under £10 to produce, excluding the required tripod. The Major wrote directly to the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, with his design and arranged for Churchill to attend a demonstration of the Northover Projector. The Prime Minister approved of the weapon and gave it his personal endorsement, ordering in October 1940 that the weapon be mass-produced on a scale of one for every Home Guard platoon.
## Design
The Northover Projector—which was officially labelled the "Projector, 2.5 inch" by the War Office—was formed of a hollow metal tube, resembling a drain pipe, mounted on top of a cast-iron tripod. It weighed approximately 27.2 kilograms. A simple breech was attached to one end of the tube, and rounds were fired from the Projector with a small quantity of black powder ignited by a "top hat" copper cap as used in muzzle loading rifles \<Curtis (HBSA)2014\>; any recoil from the weapon was absorbed by the legs of the tripod, which were also hollow. It had a maximum range of approximately 300 yards but was accurate only to between 100 and 150 yards Home Guard units often added their own modifications to the weapon, which included mounting it on carriages or even the sidecars of motorcycles. It was served by a crew of three. Ammunition for the weapon consisted of the No. 76 Special Incendiary Grenade, a glass bottle "containing a phosphorus mixture which burst into livid flames, giving off quantities of suffocating smoke upon exposure to the air", as well as normal hand and rifle grenades.
The Projector had a number of defects. It was difficult to move, the tripod had the tendency to damage itself if it was dropped, and its discharge pressure has been described as "feeble." The phosphorus grenades exhibited a number of faults when used in the Projector; they could often explode inside the weapon if too much black powder were added, or fall short if too little were used, or even fail to explode. They could also break inside the barrel when fired which often led to the weapon being damaged and its crew injured. Even when fired properly, the Projector gave off a large cloud of smoke which could take up to a minute to clear and revealed the weapon's position. Bishop argues that its anti-tank abilities would have been 'doubtful' when it fired hand and rifle grenades, although he considers that the phosphorus grenades might have been more successful. To make handling easier, a lighter version of the weapon, the Northover Projector Mk 2 was developed in 1941, but few were produced.
## Operational history
The Northover Projector was issued to both Home Guard and regular British Army units, and by August, 1941 over 8,000 Northover Projectors were in service. This number had increased to 18,919 by the beginning of 1943.
Initial reactions to the Northover Projector were varied, with a number of Home Guard volunteers uncertain about the weapon's unusual design, and some officers never accepted that it could be useful. However, most Home Guard units came to accept the weapon and have confidence in it, aided by large amounts of what Mackenzie terms "War Office propaganda" which cited the positive qualities of the weapon, such as its simplicity of use, ease of manufacture and low maintenance requirements. It was, as one Home Guard volunteer put it, "something to be accepted gratefully until something better arrived."
Like many of the obsolete weapons designed for the Home Guard, the Northover Projector was only taken out of service when it could be replaced with "marginally less ineffective" weapons provided by the Army, such as the 2-pounder anti-tank gun.
## See also
- Ampulomet — similar Soviet weapon of World War II
- Smith gun
- Blacker Bombard
|
[
"## Development",
"## Design",
"## Operational history",
"## See also"
] | 1,300 | 6,305 |
252,506 |
Tiberius III
| 1,173,424,524 |
Byzantine emperor from 698 to 705
|
[
"690s in the Byzantine Empire",
"700s in the Byzantine Empire",
"706 deaths",
"7th-century Byzantine emperors",
"7th-century births",
"8th-century Byzantine emperors",
"Byzantine admirals",
"Executed monarchs",
"People executed by decapitation",
"Twenty Years' Anarchy"
] |
Tiberius III (Greek: Τιβέριος, romanized: Tibérios), born Apsimar (Latin: Apsimarus; Greek: Ἀψίμαρος, romanized: Apsímaros), was Byzantine emperor from 698 to 705. Little is known about his early life, other than that he was a droungarios, a mid-level commander, who served in the Cibyrrhaeot Theme. In 696, Tiberius was part of an army sent by Byzantine Emperor Leontius to retake the North African city of Carthage, which had been captured by the Arab Umayyads. After seizing the city, this army was pushed back by Umayyad reinforcements and retreated to the island of Crete. As they feared the wrath of Leontius, some officers killed their commander, John the Patrician, and declared Tiberius the emperor. Tiberius swiftly gathered a fleet and sailed for Constantinople, where he then deposed Leontius. Tiberius did not attempt to retake Byzantine Africa from the Umayyads, but campaigned against them along the eastern border with some success. In 705, former emperor Justinian II, who had been deposed by Leontius, led an army of Slavs and Bulgars from the First Bulgarian Empire to Constantinople, and after entering the city secretly, deposed Tiberius. Tiberius fled to Bithynia, but was captured a few months later and beheaded by Justinian between August 705 and February 706. His body was initially thrown into the sea, but was later recovered and buried in a church on the island of Prote.
## History
### Early life
Sparse details are known of Tiberius before the reign of Byzantine emperor Leontius (r. 695–698), except for his birth name, Apsimar, historically considered to be of Germanic origin. The historian Wolfram Brandes traces the traditional assumption of a Germanic origin to J. B. Bury, but remarks that it is incorrect. The Byzantinists Anthony Bryer and Judith Herrin have suggested that the name Apsimar may be Slavic in origin, and the scholars Leslie Brubaker and John Haldon have suggested a Turkic origin. It is also known that he was a droungarios (a commander of about a thousand men) of the Cibyrrhaeot Theme, a military province in southern Anatolia. Some scholars, such as Alexander Vasiliev, have speculated that Tiberius was of Gotho-Greek origin. The Byzantinist Walter Kaegi states that Tiberius had won victories over the Slavs in the Balkans during his early military career, which granted him a degree of popularity.
### Background
In 696, the Umayyad Caliphate renewed its attack upon the Exarchate of Africa of the Byzantine Empire, seizing the city of Carthage in 697. The Byzantine Emperor Leontius sent John the Patrician with an army to retake the city, which John accomplished after launching a surprise attack on its harbor. Despite this initial success, the city was swiftly retaken by Umayyad reinforcements, which forced John to retreat to the island of Crete to regroup. A group of officers who feared Leontius's wrath for failing to recapture Carthage killed John, and declared Apsimar emperor. Apsimar took the regnal name Tiberius; during this period, the selection of a regnal name was quite common, but later fell out of favor. He gathered a fleet and allied himself with the Greens (one of the Hippodrome sports and political factions), before sailing for Constantinople, which was enduring an outbreak of the bubonic plague. Tiberius and his troops landed at the port of Sykai on the Golden Horn, and then proceeded to lay siege to the city. After several months, the gates of Constantinople were opened for Tiberius's forces by members of the Green faction, allowing Tiberius to seize the city and depose Leontius; this did not prevent his troops from plundering the city. Tiberius had Leontius's nose slit, and sent him to live in the Monastery of Psamathion in Constantinople. According to the 12th-century chronicler Michael the Syrian, himself citing an unnamed contemporary 8th-century Syriac source, Tiberius justified his coup by pointing to Leontius' own dethroning of Emperor Justinian II (r. 685–695, 705–711) for mismanaging the empire as precedent. Before Tiberius, no naval officer had ever assumed the throne, partly because Byzantines considered the army far more prestigious.
### Rule
Tiberius was crowned by Patriarch Callinicus I of Constantinople shortly after seizing control of Constantinople and deposing Leontius. Once in power, Tiberius did not attempt to retake Byzantine Africa from the Umayyads but rather focused his attention upon the eastern border of his empire. Tiberius appointed his brother, Heraclius, as patrikios (a prestigious courtly title) and monostrategos (head general) of the Anatolian themes (Byzantine administrative regions): the possessions of the Byzantine Empire located in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). Heraclius invaded the Umayyad Caliphate in late autumn of 698, crossing the passes of the Taurus Mountains into Cilicia before marching for northern Syria. Heraclius defeated an Arab army sent from Antioch, then raided as far as Samosata before pulling back to the safety of Byzantine lands in spring of 699.
Heraclius' military successes led to a series of punitive Arab attacks: the Umayyad generals Muhammad ibn Marwan and Abdallah ibn Abd al-Malik conquered what little remained of the Byzantine's territory in Armenia in a string of campaigns to which Heraclius was unable to effectively respond. The Armenians launched a large revolt against the Umayyads in 702, requesting Byzantine aid. Then al-Malik launched a campaign to reconquer Armenia in 704 but was attacked by Heraclius in Cilicia. Heraclius defeated the Arab army of 10,000–12,000 men led by Yazid ibn Hunayn at Sisium, killing most and enslaving the rest; in spite of this, Heraclius was not able to stop al-Malik from reconquering Armenia.
Tiberius attempted to strengthen the Byzantine military by reorganizing its structure, as well as reorganizing the Cibyrrhaeotic Theme, and repairing the sea walls of Constantinople. Tiberius also focused his attention on the island of Cyprus, which had been underpopulated since many of the inhabitants were moved to the region of Cyzicus under his predecessor, Justinian II: Tiberius successfully negotiated with Abd al-Malik in 698/699 to allow the Cypriots who had been moved to Cyzicus, and those who had been captured by the Arabs and taken to Syria, to return to their homelands. He also strengthened the garrison of the island with Mardaite troops from the Taurus Mountains. According to the historian Warren Treadgold, Tiberius attempted to contain the Arabs at sea by creating new military provinces, creating the Theme of Sardinia and separating the Theme of Sicily from the Exarchate of Ravenna. Tiberius also banished the future emperor Philippicus, the son of a patrikios, to the island of Cephalonia.
In 702, Justinian II escaped from the Theme of Cherson (modern Crimea) and gained the support of Khagan Busir (r. 688/690–730), leader of the Khazars, who gave Justinian his sister Theodora as a bride, and welcomed him to his court in Phanagoria. By 703, reports that Justinian was attempting to gain support to retake the throne reached Tiberius, who swiftly sent envoys to the Khazars demanding that Justinian be handed over to the Byzantines, dead or alive. Justinian eluded capture, and sought the support of the khan of the First Bulgarian Empire, Tervel (r. 700–721). In 705, Justinian led an army of Slavs and Bulgars to Constantinople and laid siege to it for three days before scouts discovered an old and disused conduit that ran under the walls of the city. Justinian and a small detachment of soldiers used this route to gain access to the city, exited at the northern edge of the wall near the Palace of Blachernae, and quickly seized the building. Tiberius fled to the city of Sozopolis in Bithynia, and eluded his pursuers for several months before being captured. The exact timing of Justinian's siege and Tiberius' capture is convoluted. According to the numismatist Philip Grierson, Justinian II entered the city on 21 August, but according to the Byzantinist Constance Head, Justinian seized the city on 10 July, and the 21 August date is instead the date when Tiberius was captured in Sozopolis, or else the date when he was transported back to Constantinople. Six months later, probably on 15 February, Justinian had both Leontius and Tiberius dragged to the Hippodrome and publicly humiliated, before being taken away to the Kynegion (a city quarter near the Kynegos Gate) and beheaded. Their bodies were thrown into the sea, but were later recovered and buried in a church on the island of Prote.
#### Legacy
Head comments that although little is known of Tiberius, the evidence points to him being a "conscientious and effective ruler", and states that he might be remembered as "one of the truly great emperors of Byzantium" if he had reigned longer. Kaegi states that succeeding dynasties of the Byzantine Empire, and their associated historians, tend to blame the permanent loss of Byzantine Africa upon Tiberius, although he posits that, by the time Tiberius took the throne, it was far too late for the Byzantines to restore their control.
### Family
Tiberius had a son, Theodosius, who became bishop of Ephesus by 729, presided over the Council of Hieria in 754, and advised Emperors Leo III (r. 717–741) and Constantine V (r. 741–775). The Byzantinist Graham Sumner has suggested that this son of Tiberius may have later become Emperor Theodosius III (r. 715–717). Sumner presents evidence that both figures held the Bishopric of Ephesus at similar times: Emperor Theodosius became bishop after 716, according to the Chronicon Altinate, and Theodosius the son of Tiberius became bishop by 729, suggesting they may be the same person. The Byzantinists Cyril Mango and Roger Scott do not view this theory as likely, as it would mean that Emperor Theodosius had to have lived for thirty more years after his abdication. Other details of Tiberius's family, including the name of his spouses, are lost: a common consequence of the upheaval of the period in which Tiberius ruled, known as the Twenty Years' Anarchy.
|
[
"## History",
"### Early life",
"### Background",
"### Rule",
"#### Legacy",
"### Family"
] | 2,435 | 42,932 |
3,488,609 |
Central Province, Zambia
| 1,172,567,055 |
Province of Zambia
|
[
"Central Province, Zambia",
"Provinces of Zambia"
] |
Central Province is one of Zambia's ten provinces. The provincial capital is Kabwe, which is the home of the Mulungushi Rock of Authority. Central Province has an area of 94,394 km (58,654 mi). It borders eight other provinces and has eleven districts. The total area of forest in the province is 9,095,566 ha (22,475,630 acres), and it has a national park and three game management areas. The first mine in the region was opened up in 1905 making the then Broken Hill town the first mining town. In 1966, he town's name was reverted to its indigenous name - Kabwe (Kabwe-Ka Mukuba) meaning 'ore' or 'smelting'.
As of 2010, Central Province had a population of 1,307,111, comprising 10.05% of the total Zambian population. The literacy rate stood at 70.90% against a national average of 70.2%. Bemba was the most spoken language with 31.80% speaking it, and Lala was the majority clan in the province, comprising 20.3% of population. Central Province contains 20.64% of the total area of cultivated land in Zambia and contributes 23.85% of the total agricultural production in the country, with wheat being the major crop.
The Ikubi Lya Loongo festival during July and Ichibwela Mushi festival during September are the major festivals celebrated in the province. Kafue National Park, the country's largest, is shared with Southern and North-Western Provinces, and other natural areas include Blue Lagoon National Park, Kasanka National Park, the Bangweulu Wetlands, South Luangwa National Park, the Lunsemfwa and Lukusashi river valleys and Lukanga Swamp.
## History
Central Province is considered the birthplace of the national movement of Zambia. The United National Independence Party (UNIP) was founded in Kabwe by Kenneth Kaunda, who later became the first President of Zambia and remained in office from 1964 to 1991. The provincial capital is Kabwe, home of the Mulungushi Rock of Authority. This is a historic site, an isolated flat-topped hill, where in 1960, UNIP met for the first time, away from the eye of the colonial administration. It is still used for political gatherings, but the open air assemblies have been replaced by a conference centre built nearby at Mulungushi University. The Mulungushi River gives its name to many historical policies, buildings and organizations. The 1968 Mulungushi Declaration proclaimed the country as a socialist nation. Mulungushi Hall in the capital is the venue for most international conventions.
As of 2013, Chisamba, before a part of Chibombo District, was declared a district on its own by the President, Michael Sata. As of 2015, Ngabwe, before a part of Kapiri Mposhi District, was declared a district on its own, with a proposal for it to become Zambia's new capital city by former infrastructure minister Lucky Mulusa. In 2012, President Michael Sata proposed for Itezhi-Tezhi District to be moved from Southern Province to Central Province, which eventually happened and in February 2018, President Edgar Lungu moved Shibuyunji District from Lusaka Province to Central Province. Chitambo District was also created by splitting Serenje District in 2012 and Luano District was also created by splitting Mkushi District in 2012.
Adding Chisamba District, Ngabwe District, Itezhi-Tezhi District, Shibuyunji District, Luano District & Chitambo District to the original districts brings the total to 12 districts as of 2018. On 17 November 2021, President Hakainde Hichilema officially declared Itezhi-Tezhi District as part of Southern Province (no-longer part of Central Province), thereby returning the district to its original province. So, Central Province has 11 districts as of 2022.
## Geography
Central Province has an area of 94,394 km (58,654 mi) and shares a border with eight other provinces. The total area of forest in the province is 9,095,566 ha (22,475,630 acres). The province has a national park and three game management areas. There are six districts in the province. The province has fertile soil conducive for the growth of cotton and maize. Lukanga Swamp has been identified by the International Monetary Fund as a potential place for a fishing industry. Precious metals are found in the Mkushi area, gold in Mumbwa, and coal in Kapiri Mposhi. Lukanga Swamp is a permanent swamp covering 1,850 km<sup>2</sup> at the mouths and along the Lukanga and Kafue rivers. It contains many lagoons like Lake Chiposhye and Lake Suye. TAZARA, the Tanzania-Zambia railway line, has a major terminal in the city. It provides connectivity to the port in Tanzania from Zambia.
## Demographics
According to the 2010 Zambian census, Central Province had a population of 1,307,111, comprising 10.05% of the total Zambian population of 13,092,666. There were 648,465 males and 658,646 females, making the sex ratio 1,016 females for every 1,000 males, compared to the national average of 1,028. The literacy rate stood at 70.90% against a national average of 70.2%. Approximately 74.87% of people lived in rural areas, while 25.13% lived in urban areas. The total area of the province is 94,394 km<sup>2</sup> and the population density was 13.80 per km<sup>2</sup>. The decadal population growth of the province was 2.60%. The median age in the province at the time of marriage was 20.6. The average household size was 5.5, with the average size of families headed by women being 4.8 and 5.8 for families headed by men. In the province, 54.30% were eligible to vote. The unemployment rate was 12.70%. The total fertility rate was 6.3, the complete birth rate was 6.1, the crude birth rate was 36.0, the child–woman ratio at birth was 785, the general fertility rate was 156, the gross reproduction rate was 2.5, and the net reproduction rate was 1.8. The labour force constituted 52.20% of the total population. Out of the labour force, 62.7% were men and 42.2% were women. The annual growth rate of the labour force was 2.2%. Bemba was the most spoken language with 31.80% speaking it. The total population in the province with albinism stood at 3,007. The life expectancy at birth stood at 52 compared to the national average of 51. Lala was the largest clan in the province, comprising 20.3% of population.
## Administration
The provincial administration is set up purely for administrative purposes. The province is headed by a minister appointed by the President and there are ministries of central government for each province. The administrative head of the province is the Permanent Secretary, appointed by the President. There is a Deputy Permanent Secretary, heads of government departments and civil servants at the provincial level. Central Province is divided into eleven districts:
- Chibombo District
- Chisamba District
- Chitambo District
- Kabwe District
- Kapiri Mposhi District
- Luano District
- Mkushi District
- Mumbwa District
- Ngabwe District
- Serenje District
- Shibuyunji District
All of the district headquarters are the same as the district names. There are eleven councils in the province, each of which is headed by an elected representative, called a councilor. Each councilor holds office for three years. The administrative staff of the council is selected based on the Local Government Service Commission from within or outside the district. The office of the provincial government is located in each of the district headquarters and has provincial local government officers and auditors. Each council is responsible for raising and collecting local taxes and the budgets of the council are audited and submitted every year after the annual budget. The elected members of the council do not draw salaries, but are paid allowances from the council. Central Province is predominantly rural and hence there are no city or municipal councils. The government stipulates 63 different functions for the councils, with the majority of them being infrastructure management and local administration. Councils are mandated to maintain each of their community centres, zoos, local parks, drainage systems, playgrounds, cemeteries, caravan sites, libraries, museums and art galleries. They also work with specific government departments for helping in agriculture, conservation of natural resources, providing postal service, and establishing and maintaining hospitals, schools and colleges. The councils prepare schemes that encourage community participation.
## Economy and society
As of 2014, a total of 6,853 (59.2%) out of 11,576 candidates obtained a Full School Certificate (the Grade 12 examination). The unemployment rate was 10% and the youth unemployment rate was 14.2% in 2016. As per the Living Condition Monitoring survey of 2015, malaria was the most common illness and accounted for 14.3% of reported deaths. HIV prevalence in the province as of 2013–14 was 12.5% overall, 14.8% for women, and 9.8% for men.
The total area of crops planted during 2014 in the province was 391,593.23 hectares, which constituted 20.64% of the total area cultivated in Zambia. The net production stood at 971,484 metric tonnes, which formed 23.85% of the total agricultural production in the country. Wheat was the major crop in the province with 99,758 metric tonnes, constituting 49.51% of the national output. The annual rate of inflation in the province as of August 2017 was 7.2% against a national rate of 6.3%, and the provincial contribution to the national inflation during the same period was 0.8.
## Culture
The Ikubi Lya Loongo festival is celebrated in Mumbwa district by the Sala tribe during July, the Ichibwela Mushi festival is celebrated in Mkushi district by the Bisa/Swaka/Lala tribe during September, the Musaka Jikubi festival is celebrated in Mumbwa district by the Kaonde tribe during September, the Kulamba Kubwalo festival is celebrated in Chibombo district by the Lenje tribe during October, and the Ikubi Lya Malumbe-Munyama festival is celebrated in Mumbwa district by the Kaonde Ila tribe during October. The Kulamba Kubwalo festival is attended by 250,000 people annually to pay tribute to their leader and celebrate the harvest.
## Environment
Kafue National Park, the country's largest national park, is shared with the Southern and North-Western Provinces. Blue Lagoon National Park located in the northern part of the Kafue Flats, Kasanka National Park in the border of Bangweulu Wetlands, South Luangwa National Park, the Lunsemfwa and Lukusashi River valleys and Lukanga Swamp are the major wildlife and game areas in the province. Kundalila, a waterfall in Serenje district, is a declared national heritage site.
## See also
## General and cited references
|
[
"## History",
"## Geography",
"## Demographics",
"## Administration",
"## Economy and society",
"## Culture",
"## Environment",
"## See also",
"## General and cited references"
] | 2,474 | 7,076 |
49,930,528 |
Tessie Reynolds
| 1,055,167,208 |
Pioneer English female cyclist
|
[
"1876 births",
"1955 deaths",
"English female cyclists",
"People from Newport, Isle of Wight",
"Sportspeople from Brighton"
] |
Teresa "Tessie" Reynolds (20 August 1876 – 13 July 1954) was an English cyclist who in 1893 set a record for cycling from Brighton to London and back in 8 hours 30 minutes. She was aged sixteen at the time and dressed in "rational" clothing: pantaloons, a shirt and coat. The outfit, which was likely made for her by her sister, led to significant publicity and her ride came to be regarded as a milestone for women's rights. The record was broken in 1894 and Reynolds went on to be a London traffic safety officer.
## Biography
Tessie Reynolds was born on the Isle of Wight and grew up in Brighton, the eldest of 11 children. Her father, Robert James Reynolds, was a gymnastic instructor and cycle agent, who encouraged sports among his children. He was a member of National Cycling Union and Secretary of a cycling club, as well as umpire for professional races. Her mother, Charlotte, ran a boarding house in Kemptown, which specifically catered for cyclists and which Reynolds helped at. In September 1893, when Reynolds was sixteen years old, she rode a man's bike from Brighton to London and back in a day. In fact, she took just 8 hours 30 minutes to cycle the 120 miles (190 km), thereby setting a record. Her father acted as the time keeper for the ride.
Women's clothes at the time included long dresses and tight corsets, impractical for cycling; so Reynolds instead wore a "rational" outfit of pantaloons "cropped and cinched below the knee", with a shirt and long coat. It is likely that the outfit was made specifically for Reynolds by her sister, Ada, who was a dress maker. The outfit caused outrage, with suggestions that it was inappropriately masculine and that she was cycling in her knickerbockers. The publicity traveled as far as America, and the outfit was promoted by proponents of Victorian dress reform, as Reynolds clearly intended. She was active in promoting dress reform five years prior to the foundation of the local cycling dress reform club and continued to wear the outfit regularly.
Cycling magazine wrote a scathing report on the "scantiness" of the outfit, complaining of loss of modesty and calling the feat a "lamentable incident". Similarly, the Yorkshire Evening Post pointed out that cycling was not a pleasant sight for a man, but that a woman's "abnormal hips" made it worse. The publicity, despite being negative, helped improve women's rights with the suffragette movement in particular noting it was a big milestone. Further, it helped show that women need not be tied to the street that they grew up in and had a means to travel. Another effect of the publicity was that Reynolds received love letters, including a marriage proposal from a stranger who was apparently significantly older than her. Reynolds and her family took advantage of the celebrity status, with Reynolds promoting a number of female bicycles over the following years, always in rational cycling attire.
The record stood for a year before it was beaten by 42 minutes in September 1894 by E. White from Dover Road Club. Reynold's ride led her to be noted as a key 19th-century cyclist. She was denied the possibility of starting a Brighton branch of the national Female Cycling Association when she was 18, supposedly due to her age and "lack of experience", but more likely due to association with her rational outfit.
In 1908, Reynolds married Montague Salisbury Main and moved to Barnet, Hertfordshire (now North London), having three children who all died in childhood. There she became a road safety officer, a role rarely performed by women in London during the 1930s and 1940s. By 1948, her husband also died and she focused her work on accident prevention. Reynolds died in 1954, aged 77, with local papers covering her death.
|
[
"## Biography"
] | 817 | 22,845 |
46,412,833 |
Plum cake
| 1,159,742,370 |
Range of cakes made with dried or fresh fruit
|
[
"British cakes",
"Cakes",
"German cakes",
"Plum dishes"
] |
Plum cake refers to a wide range of cakes usually made with dried fruits such as currants, raisins, sultanas, or prunes, and also sometimes with fresh fruits. There is a wide range of popular plum cakes and puddings. Since the meaning of the word "plum" has changed over time, many items referred to as plum cakes and popular in England since at least the eighteenth century have now become known as fruitcake. The English variety of plum cake also exists on the European mainland, but may vary in ingredients and consistency. British colonists and missionaries brought the dried fruit variety of cake with them, for example, in British India where it was served around the time of the Christmas holiday season. In America's Thirteen Colonies, where it became associated with elections, one version came to be called "election cake".
Plum cakes made with fresh plums came with other migrants elsewhere, in which plum cake is prepared using plum as a primary ingredient. In some versions, the plums may become jam-like inside the cake after cooking, or be prepared using plum jam. Plum cake prepared with plums is also a part of Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, and is referred to as Pflaumenkuchen or Zwetschgenkuchen. Other plum-based cakes are found in French, Italian and Polish cooking.
## Terms
The term "plum cake" and "fruit cake" have become interchangeable. Since dried fruit is used as a sweetening agent and any dried fruit used to be described as "plums", many plum cakes and plum puddings do not contain the plum fruit now known by that name. (Plum pudding is a similar, richer dish prepared with similar ingredients, cooked by steaming the mixture rather than baking it.) The term "plum" originally referred to prunes, raisins or grapes. Thus the so-called plums from which English plum puddings are made "were always raisins, not the plump juicy fruits that the name suggests today."
In Old English, the term plūme was "from medieval Latin pruna, from Latin prunum," which equated to "prune". Prune in modern French means plum, so plum tarts have names such as tarte aux prunes. In English, prunes are dried plums, and when modern cakes use them as a primary ingredient, they may be referred to as a plum cake or type of plum cake.
## By region
### Britain
Plum cake has historically referred to an early type and style of fruitcake in England since around 1700. Raisins and currants were used, which in the English language were referred to as plums since around 1660. The various types of dried fruit (chiefly currants and raisins) were familiar to English kitchens through trade with The Levant and Mediterranean but before they became available through "trouble-free" imports from Australia, South Africa and California, preparing them required "an immense amount of labour ... on account of the rough and ready methods by which the fruit was picked, dried, packed and exported".
In 1881 Colonel Henry-Herbert said that "a good English plum cake...is a national institution". At times, Thomas Carlyle was one among many who ate a light style of plum cake with tea, into which he would dip the cake, which he described as bun-like with currants "dotted here and there". Elizabeth David wrote that "Christmas mincemeat and Christmas plum pudding and cake are all such typical examples of the English fondness for spiced fruit mixtures that it seems almost unnecessary to include recipes for them ..."
Plum cakes were raised by whipping air into the cake batter, rather than by the use of yeast. A range of plum cakes and puddings were published in the popular Book of Household Management (published 1859–1861) by Isabella Beeton. Mrs Beeton included recipes for "A Common Plum Cake" and "A Nice Plum Cake" as well as "Baked Plum-Pudding", "An Unrivalled Plum-Pudding", "A Plain Christmas Pudding for Children", "Plum-Pudding of Fresh Fruit", "Plum Tart", "Christmas Plum-Pudding", "A Pound Plum Pudding" and "Christmas Cake". The comment in an Indian Household Management book is indicative both of the reach of Mrs Beeton's book as well as the range of interpretations of plum cake and plum pudding. The author says, "Mrs Beeton’s recipe is by far the best if modified a little: 12 units of manukka raisins ..."
Up to World War I, cakes, including plum cakes, were baked along with loaves of bread. "A smaller cake or pasty might be slipped in or pulled out after the baking had begun, but a raised pie with well-protected sides, or a large plum cake, would take at least the same time as the loaves, and experienced housewives made them in sizes to do so."
### Europe
The English variety of plum cake also exists on the European mainland, although "plum cake" there more usually refers to baked cakes made with fresh, rather than dried fruit.
In French cooking, plums are an ingredients in a significant tradition of cake making: "...throughout the districts of the Loire, the Dordogne, the Lot and the Périgord, there [was] hardly a celebration, a wedding feast or celebration at which the dessert [did] not include some sort of plum or mirabelle tart, made with fresh or dried plums or jam according to the season." The Mirabelle plum is a specific cultivar used to make Tarte aux mirabelles (plum tart). A Galette aux fruits is a type of galette made with yeast dough and covered with previously cooked fruit in season, such as plums (or quinces, apples, apricots). The fruit in these open tarts or flans is cut into suitably sized pieces and the cake is glazed: red glaze is recommended for red plum and rhubarb flans, whereas apricot glaze is recommended in yellow plum and apricot flans.
The German plum cake, known as Zwetschkenkuchen, can be found all over the country, although its home is Bavaria. In chef Robert Carrier's recipe for it, the base is made from yeast pastry rather than often used shortcrust pastry, because the yeast pastry "soaks up the juice from the plums without becoming soggy".
In Italy, plum cake is known by the English name, baked in an oven using dried fruit and often yoghurt.
The Polish version of plum cake, which also uses fresh fruit, is known as Placek z Sliwkami.
### India
In India, plum cake has been served around the time of the Christmas holiday season, and may have additional ingredients such as rum added.
### United States
Plum cake in the United States originated with the English settlers and was prepared in the English style in sizes ranging from small, such as for parties in celebration of Twelfth Night and Christmas, to large, such as for weddings. This original fruitcake version of plum cake in the United States has been referred to as a reigning "standard American celebration cake through the time of the civil war".
During colonial times before the American Revolution "Muster" cakes were baked in great number for the men summoned by British troops for military Training. Following the American Revolution women would bake these cakes in vast quantities to motivate the men to attend town meetings and elections. Thus it became known as "election cake". It was prepared with currants, raisins, molasses and spices, with the addition of brandy in the recipe occurring later. Election cakes were typically leavened with yeast. In New England, large election cakes weighing around 12 pounds (5.4 kg) would traditionally be served while people waited for election results. It has been stated that the first published election cake recipe appeared in 1796 in American Cookery.
Plum cake recipes in the fruitcake style appeared in early cookbooks in the Southern United States, and did not actually call for plums. After 1830 plum cake was often referred to as fruit cake or black cake. In 1885, in a description of plum cake that sounds like plum pudding, it was described as "mucilaginous" – a solid, dark-colored, thick cake with copious amounts of plums, gritty notes from raisins.
## See also
- List of cakes
- Raisin cake
|
[
"## Terms",
"## By region",
"### Britain",
"### Europe",
"### India",
"### United States",
"## See also"
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62,801,677 |
Battle of al-Mada'in
| 1,170,681,664 |
Battle for control of Baghdad in 942
|
[
"10th century in the Abbasid Caliphate",
"940s conflicts",
"942",
"Battles involving the Abbasid Caliphate",
"Battles of Sayf al-Dawla",
"Hamdanid emirate of Mosul",
"Iraq under the Abbasid Caliphate"
] |
The Battle of al-Mada'in was fought near al-Mada'in in central Iraq between the armies of the Hamdanids and the Baridis, for control over Baghdad, the capital and seat of the Abbasid Caliphate, that was around 22 kilometres (14 mi) away and then under control of the Hamdanids. In a fiercely contested battle over four days (16–19 August 942) that cost both sides many casualties, the Hamdanid army prevailed. They were too exhausted to pursue, however, which allowed the Baridis to withdraw to Wasit and then Basra.
## Background
By the 930s, after a series of civil wars that enfeebled its central government, the Abbasid Caliphate had splintered and shrunk to its core territories. Effective control over the more distant provinces of the empire had long been lost, but now autonomous local dynasties emerged in the territories around the Abbasids' metropolitan region of Iraq itself: Egypt and Syria came under the rule of the Ikhshidids, the Hamdanids secured control over Upper Mesopotamia, while most of Iran was ruled by Daylamite warlords, among whom the Buyids became prominent. Even in Iraq itself, the authority of the caliphal government was challenged: in the south, around Basra, the Baridi family under Abu Abdallah al-Baridi established its own domain, more often than not withholding the tax revenues from Baghdad to fill their own coffers. These autonomous rulers vied with one another, and with military warlords from what remained of the Abbasid army, over control of Baghdad, the administrative centre of Iraq and seat of the Abbasid caliphs. From 936 on, the caliphs were sidelined by a series of military dictators who enjoyed the title of amir al-umara. A convoluted struggle for control of the office of amir al-umara, and the figurehead caliphate with it, broke out among the various local rulers and the Turkish military chiefs, which would end in 946 with the victory of the Buyids.
In this turmoil, the Baridis managed to advance their positions from Basra to Wasit, gain the support of the Daylamites in the Abbasid army, and briefly capture Baghdad for the first time in June 941. Although chased out of the capital by an uprising of the troops and the populace, in March 942 the Baridis managed to defeat the forces of the amir al-umara Ibn Ra'iq and enter the capital once more. Ibn Ra'iq and Caliph al-Muttaqi fled north to Mosul, ruled by the Hamdanids. The Hamdanid leader, Hasan, had Ibn Ra'iq murdered and was named by the Caliph amir al-umara in his stead, with the laqab (honorific epithet) of Nasir al-Dawla ("Defender of the Dynasty"). Baridi rule in Baghdad was tyrannical and chaotic, as the new rulers of the capital aimed only at extracting money; the city was rife with famine, disease, and lawlessness. Many of the Turkish officers in Ibn Ra'iq's employ who had previously defected to the Baridis, such as Tuzun, plotted against the Baridi governor, Abu Abdallah's younger brother Abu'l-Husayn al-Baridi. When this was betrayed, they fled north for Mosul with many of their troops, where they encouraged the Caliph and the Hamdanids to campaign against Baghdad.
## Battle of al-Mada'in
As the Hamdanids moved on Baghdad, Abu'l-Husayn abandoned the city and fled to Abu Abdallah in Wasit. The Hamdanids entered the city to a triumphal reception in mid-July. The situation was still in the balance, however, as Abu Abdallah gathered his forces at Wasit and began moving against the capital. Unease spread in Baghdad at the news, and the Caliph sent his harem upstream to Samarra for safety. Command of the Hamdanid army was entrusted to Nasir al-Dawla's brother Ali, with the Turks under their own commanders Tuzun and Khajkhaj, while the Baridi army was led by Abu'l-Husayn.
The two armies met at the village of Gil, two parasangs—c. 12 kilometres (7.5 miles)—south of al-Mada'in. Al-Mada'in was in turn around 22 kilometres (14 mi) south of Baghdad. The battle was fought over four days, 16–19 August. At first, the Baridis had the upper hand, and the Hamdanids were routed. Nasir al-Dawla managed to rally them at al-Mada'in, and defeat the Baridis. Several high-ranking Baridi officials and commanders, including their army secretary, were captured; others defected to the Hamdanids, as did the entire Daylamite contingent in the Baridi army. On the other hand, so depleted and exhausted were the Hamdanids that they were unable to pursue the Baridis. Only a week later did they move on Wasit, where they found the Baridis gone for their stronghold of Basra.
On 2 September, Nasir al-Dawla staged a triumphal entry into Baghdad with the captive Baridi commanders, and al-Muttaqi awarded the laqab of Sayf al-Dawla ("Sword of the Dynasty") to Ali, by which he was to become famous later as the emir of Aleppo and the champion of Islam against the Byzantines. This double award to the Hamdanid brothers marked the first time that a laqab incorporating the prestigious element al-Dawla was granted to anyone other than the vizier, the Caliphate's chief minister.
## Aftermath
The costly victory at al-Mada'in was soon undone: while Sayf al-Dawla wanted to continue the campaign against the Baridis, his brother—"whether from jealousy or negligence", according to historian Harold Bowen—did not send him the funds requested. Furthermore, the two Turkish generals, Tuzun and Khajkhaj, began showing signs of insubordination. The growing unreliability of his army forced Sayf al-Dawla to abandon the campaign and secretly flee to Baghdad. Nasir al-Dawla, dismayed at these developments and exposed far from his real power-base, decided to give up the capital, and in June 943, the two brothers returned to Mosul. After Sayf al-Dawla left, Tuzun and Khajkhaj agreed to divide the spoils: Tuzun would become amir al-umara, with Khajkhaj as commander-in-chief; but soon Tuzun had his colleague blinded and sidelined.
After becoming the master of Baghdad, Tuzun pursued a peace with the Baridis of Basra, sealed with a marriage alliance. The alliance between Tuzun and the Baridis was seen as a threat by Caliph al-Muttaqi and his advisors. In September 943, while Tuzun was still in Wasit, the caliph once more appealed to the Hamdanids for aid: an army under Nasir al-Dawla's cousin al-Husayn appeared before Baghdad, and the caliph left the capital and went north, meeting Nasir al-Dawla at Tikrit. Tuzun immediately abandoned Wasit and pursued the caliph north, heavily defeated Sayf al-Dawla in two battles near Tikrit, and captured Mosul itself. An agreement was concluded between Tuzun and the Hamdanids on 26 May 944, whereby Nasir al-Dawla renounced his claims on the Caliphate's core lands in central Iraq, receiving in return recognition for his control over Upper Mesopotamia and his claims over Syria, in exchange for an annual tribute of 3.6 million dirhams.
Tuzun's victory was concluded when al-Muttaqi was persuaded to return to the capital, only to be deposed and blinded, and al-Mustakfi placed in his stead. Tuzun's ascendancy did not last long, as almost immediately he had to face the attacks of the Buyids. When Tuzun himself died in 945, his secretary Muhammad ibn Shirzad tried to secure Hamdanid support, but to no avail. On 16 January 946, the Buyids captured Baghdad and inaugurated a century of Buyid rule over Baghdad. The Baridis also faced mounting challenges at the same time: they had to defend Basra against the ruler of Oman, and, their resources exhausted in the long contests for Baghdad, they now turned on one another. The youngest Baridi brother, Abu Yusuf, was assassinated by the eldest, Abu Abdallah, who in turn died in June 944. His son Abu'l-Qasim remained as ruler of Basra until the Buyids, following their capture of Baghdad, expelled him in 947.
|
[
"## Background",
"## Battle of al-Mada'in",
"## Aftermath"
] | 1,863 | 21,006 |
5,648,858 |
Banksia sceptrum
| 1,158,770,445 |
Flowering shrub in the family Proteaceae from Western Australia
|
[
"Banksia taxa by scientific name",
"Endemic flora of Western Australia",
"Eudicots of Western Australia",
"Plants described in 1855",
"Taxa named by Carl Meissner"
] |
Banksia sceptrum, commonly known as the sceptre banksia, is a plant that grows in Western Australia near the central west coast from Geraldton north through Kalbarri to Hamelin Pool. It extends inland almost to Mullewa. First collected and grown by early settler James Drummond in Western Australia, it was described by Swiss botanist Carl Meissner in 1855.
In nature, B. sceptrum grows in deep yellow or pale red sand in tall shrubland, commonly on dunes, being found as a shrub to 5 metres (16 ft) high, though often smaller in exposed areas. It is killed by fire and regenerates by seed, the woody follicles opening with fire. B. sceptrum is one of the most striking yellow-flowered banksias of all. Its tall bright yellow spikes, known as inflorescences, are terminal and well displayed. Flowering is in summer, mainly December and January, though flowers are occasionally seen at other times.
The common name 'sceptrum' is due to the prominent spiky bracts which resemble a ceremonial mace (a sceptre).
## Description
Banksia sceptrum generally grows as a shrub up to 2–4 m (6+1⁄2–13 ft) high, though sometimes it reaches 5 m (16+1⁄2 ft). It is many-branched and can reach 4 m (13 ft) in diameter. The stocky trunk has smooth or mildly tessellated pale grey bark. New growth has been recorded in spring and autumn, and may possibly occur over the summer. New branchlets are covered in fine greenish-brown fur and become smooth and pale grey after around two years. The leaves are roughly oblong-shaped with truncate or emarginate ends and measure 4–9 cm (1+1⁄2–3+1⁄2 in) long and 1–3 cm (3⁄8–1+1⁄8 in) wide. They are on 5–8 mm (1⁄4–3⁄8 in) long petioles. The flat leaf margins have short blunt teeth. The upper and lower surfaces of the leaf are covered in dense fur, but become smooth with age.
The tall flower spikes, known as inflorescences, arise at the ends of vertical branches over November to January, and can be striking in appearance. They take 6–7 months to develop—longer than other members of the genus. Between 7 and 21 cm (3 and 8+1⁄2 in) high and 8–10 cm (3+1⁄4–4 in) wide, they are bright yellow and highly prominent. Flower opening (anthesis) takes place over 1–2 weeks, and proceeds up the flower spike. The ageing flowers turn grey and remain on the spike as the woody oval follicles develop. The infructescence—an old spike bearing follicles—is bulky with a 6–8 cm (2+1⁄4–3+1⁄4 in) diameter. There are up to 50 follicles on each spike, each 1.5–2.5 cm (1⁄2–1 in) long, 0.8–1.8 cm (3⁄8–3⁄4 in) high and 1–1.6 cm (1⁄2–3⁄4 in) wide. When new they are covered with dense grey fur, which wears off exposed areas.
The obovate (egg-shaped) seed is 3–3.5 cm (1+1⁄8–1+3⁄8 in) long and fairly flattened. It is composed of the obovate seed body (containing the embryonic plant), measuring 1.1–1.4 cm (3⁄8–1⁄2 in) long by 0.7–0.9 cm (1⁄4–3⁄8 in) wide, and a papery wing. One side, termed the outer surface, is brown and slightly wrinkled and the other is brown-black and sparkles slightly. The seeds are separated by a sturdy dark brown seed separator that is roughly the same shape as the seeds with a depression where the seed body sits adjacent to it in the follicle. The first pair of leaves produced by seedlings, known as cotyledons, are obovate and measure 1.4–1.5 cm (1⁄2–5⁄8 in) long by 1.2 cm (1⁄2 in) wide. The upper leaf margin of the wedge is crinkled. The auricle at the base of the cotyledon leaf is pointed and measures 0.2 cm (1⁄8 in) long.
## Taxonomy
Swiss botanist Carl Meissner described Banksia sceptrum in 1855, based on a specimen collected by James Drummond north of the Hutt River sometime during 1850 or 1851. The species name sceptrum "sceptre" refers to the prominent flower spikes. In his 1856 arrangement of the genus, there were 58 described Banksia species. Meissner divided Brown's Banksia verae, which had been renamed Eubanksia by Stephan Endlicher in 1847, into four series based on leaf properties. He placed B. sceptrum in the series Quercinae. George Bentham published a thorough revision of Banksia in his landmark publication Flora Australiensis in 1870. In Bentham's arrangement, the number of recognised Banksia species was reduced from 60 to 46. Bentham defined four sections based on leaf, style and pollen-presenter characters. Banksia sceptrum was placed in section Orthostylis. In his 1891 work Revisio Generum Plantarum, German botanist Otto Kuntze challenged the generic name Banksia L.f., on the grounds that the name Banksia had previously been published in 1775 as Banksia J.R.Forst & G.Forst, referring to the genus now known as Pimelea. Kuntze proposed Sirmuellera as an alternative, republishing B. sceptrum as Sirmuellera sceptrum. The challenge failed, and Banksia L.f. was formally conserved in 1940.
In his 1981 monograph The genus Banksia L.f. (Proteaceae), Australian botanist Alex George placed B. sceptrum in B. subg. Banksia because its inflorescence is a typical Banksia flower spike shape, in B. sect. Banksia because of its straight styles, and in B. ser. Banksia because of its robust inflorescence and hairy pistil that is prominently curved before anthesis. He added that its follicles resembled those of Banksia ornata, while the muricate seed body resembled those of B. speciosa and B. baxteri, though its obovate, crinkled cotyledons suggested an affinity with the series Cyrtostylis.
Kevin Thiele and Pauline Ladiges published a new arrangement for the genus in 1996; their morphological cladistic analysis yielded a cladogram significantly different from George's arrangement. Thiele and Ladiges' arrangement retained B. sceptrum in series Banksia, placing it in B. subser. Cratistylis along with eight other Western Australian species. It was placed as an early offshoot within the group. This arrangement stood until 1999, when George effectively reverted to his 1981 arrangement in his monograph for the Flora of Australia series. B. spectrum's placement within Banksia according to Flora of Australia is as follows:
Genus Banksia
: Subgenus Banksia
: : Section Banksia
: : : Series Banksia
: : : : B. serrata
: : : : B. aemula
: : : : B. ornata
: : : : B. baxteri
: : : : B. speciosa
: : : : B. menziesii
: : : : B. candolleana
: : : : B. sceptrum
In 2002, a molecular study by Austin Mast showed Banksia sceptrum and B. ashbyi to be each other's closest relatives, the two lying in a larger group made up of the members of the subseries Cratistylis plus Banksia lindleyana. This was reinforced in a 2013 molecular study by Marcel Cardillo and colleagues using chloroplast DNA and combining it with earlier results.
Mast, Eric Jones and Shawn Havery published the results of their cladistic analyses of DNA sequence data for Banksia in 2005. They inferred a phylogeny greatly different from the accepted taxonomic arrangement, including finding Banksia to be paraphyletic with respect to Dryandra. A new taxonomic arrangement was not published at the time, but early in 2007 Mast and Thiele initiated a rearrangement by transferring Dryandra to Banksia, and publishing B. subg. Spathulatae for the species having spoon-shaped cotyledons; in this way they also redefined the autonym B. subg. Banksia. They foreshadowed publishing a full arrangement once DNA sampling of Dryandra was complete. In the meantime, if Mast and Thiele's nomenclatural changes are taken as an interim arrangement, then B. sceptrum is placed in B. subg. Banksia.
## Distribution and habitat
Banksia sceptrum is found from Hamelin Pool south to around 60 km (37 mi) east of Geraldton and near Mullewa and east to Wandana Nature Reserve. The annual rainfall is 300–400 mm (12–16 in). The soils it grows on are deep yellow or pale red sands, often on dunes. It is also found on flat areas. Found in tall shrubland, it grows in association with B. ashbyi, mallee gums, sandplain cypress (Actinostrobus arenarius) and sandplain woody pear (Xylomelum angustifolium).
## Ecology
Like many plants in Australia's southwest, Banksia sceptrum is adapted to an environment in which bushfire events are relatively frequent. Most Banksia species can be placed in one of two broad groups according to their response to fire: reseeders are killed by fire, but fire also triggers the release of their canopy seed bank, thus promoting recruitment of the next generation; resprouters survive fire, resprouting from a lignotuber or, more rarely, epicormic buds protected by thick bark. Banksia sceptrum is a reseeder—killed by bushfire and regenerating by seed. The follicles on the old flower spikes remain closed until burnt by fire, after which they open and release the seed. New plants take three to five years to flower again. If bushfires are too frequent—occurring less than four years apart—they risk eradicating local populations of reseeders.
B. sceptrum has been shown to be highly susceptible to dieback from the soil-borne water mould Phytophthora cinnamomi, like many Western Australian banksias.
An assessment of the potential impact of climate change on this species found that its range is unlikely to contract and may actually grow, depending on how effectively it migrates into newly habitable areas.
## Cultivation
B. sceptrum is principally used in the cut flower industry, with the immature spikes being commonly sold in florists around Australia. It is occasionally grown in gardens as its bright flower spikes are prominent, but requires a Mediterranean climate (dry summer) and good drainage as it is sensitive to dieback. Seeds do not require any treatment, and take 26 to 47 days to germinate. A dwarf form is in cultivation.
|
[
"## Description",
"## Taxonomy",
"## Distribution and habitat",
"## Ecology",
"## Cultivation"
] | 2,524 | 38,578 |
12,483,145 |
Chestnut-vented nuthatch
| 1,143,912,239 |
Species of bird
|
[
"Birds described in 1874",
"Birds of Myanmar",
"Birds of Yunnan",
"Nuthatches",
"Taxonomy articles created by Polbot"
] |
The chestnut-vented nuthatch (Sitta nagaensis) is a species of bird in the nuthatch family Sittidae. It is a medium-sized nuthatch, measuring 12.5–14 cm (4.9–5.5 in) in length. The are a solid gray blue, with a markedly black loral stripe. The are uniform gray to buff from the throat to belly, with brick red on the flanks. The undertail is white with a rufous border. The chestnut-vented nuthatch utters different kinds of calls, which can sometimes sound like a troglodyte alarm, and its song is a monotonous, stereotypical crackle, typically '. Its ecology is poorly known, but it probably feeds on small arthropods and seeds, and the breeding season begins between March and May. The nest is typically located in a hole in the trunk of a tree, and the clutch has two to five eggs.
Chestnut-vented nuthatches are found in the northeast of India, in parts of Tibet and south-central China, descending into eastern Myanmar and northwestern Thailand. Isolated populations also live in southern Laos and Vietnam. It mainly lives in evergreen forests or pine forests, but can also live in mixed or deciduous forests. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Its altitudinal distribution varies according to the localities, but ranges from 915–4,570 m (3,002–14,993 ft). The species was described in 1874 by the British naturalist Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen, who named it Sitta nagaensis in reference to the Naga Hills, where the type material was collected. It belongs to the europaea group of species, including the Kashmir nuthatch (S. cashmirensis) and the Eurasian nuthatch (S. europaea)—all of which build the entrance to their nests. The numbers of the species are not estimated but appear to be declining. However, the bird's range is relatively wide, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature considers the species of least concern.
## Taxonomy
The chestnut-vented nuthatch was described as Sitta nagaensis in 1874 by the British naturalist Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen. Its species name is composed of naga and the Latin suffix -ensis, "that lives in, that inhabits," was given in reference to the area when the type of the species was collected, the Naga Hills. The chestnut-vented nuthatch is placed in the rarely-used subgenus Sitta (Linnaeus, 1758).
In 2014, Eric Pasquet and colleagues published a phylogeny based on examination of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA of 21 nuthatch species. The europaea group is related to the two nuthatches that live in rocky environments, the western rock nuthatch (S. neumayer) and the eastern rock nuthatch (S. tephronota). Within the europaea group, the white-tailed nuthatch (S. himalayensis) and therefore probably the white-browed nuthatch (S. victoriae), which closely resembles it in terms of its morphology, although it was not included in the study, appear to be basal, and the chestnut-vented nuthatch is closely related to the Eurasian nuthatch (S. europaea) and the Kashmir nuthatch (S. cashmirensis).
### Subspecies
There are three recognized subspecies of the chestnut-vented nuthatch.
- S. n. montium (La Touche, 1899), described as a mountain shape by Irish ornithologist John La Touche as protonym of Sitta montium, lives in eastern Tibet, southern and eastern China, Myanmar, and northwest Thailand.
- S. n. nagaensis (Godwin-Austen, 1874), lives in northeast India and western Myanmar.
- S. n. grisiventris (Kinnear, 1920), originally described under the protonym Sitta europaea grisiventris since S. n. nagaesis was itself considered a subspecies of the Eurasian nuthatch (S. europaea), it lives in southwest Myanmar and southern Laos and Vietnam.
The subspecies S. n. montium was considered to possibly be the result of hybridization between the chestnut-vented nuthatch and Sitta europaea sinensis, or at least to be able to interbreed with it. This is possibly due to the fact that the type series of S. e. sinensis was composite and included a specimen of the chestnut-vented nuthatch. For these reasons, Jean-François Voisin and colleagues designated a lectotype in 2002 for the name Sitta sinensis (Verreaux, 1871). The attribution of the populations of southwestern Myanmar and southern Indochina to the same subspecies, S. n. grisiventris with S. n. nagaensis interspersed between these populations in western Myanmar seems untenable and their taxonomy has yet to be verified.
## Description
### Plumage and measurements
The chestnut-vented nuthatch is a medium-sized nuthatch, measuring 12.5–14 cm (4.9–5.5 in) in length. The are a solid blue-gray from crown to tail, with a marked black loral line extending to the base of the wing. The are pale gray, more or less tinted buff-tinged depending on the subspecies or the wear of the plumage; the dark brick-red back flanks contrast strongly with the rest of the underparts. The , which may be of the same color depending on the subspecies, have a large white border at the end of the feathers or a white patch near the tip.
The species does not show marked sexual dimorphism. The male's rear flanks are deep brick-red, deeper and less orange than the undertail coverts, whereas the female's flanks are rufous, concolorous with the undertail coverts. Females also have duller underparts, and juveniles are more buff than adults with worn plumage. The iris is brown to dark brown, the bill is grayish-black to blackish with the base of the lower mandible (and sometimes the base of the upper) slate-gray or blue-gray. The legs are dark brown, greenish or blue-gray, with almost black claws.
Three subspecies are recognized, but variations are essentially clinal, with Chinese populations (S. n. montium) having buff underparts, which get duller and purer gray as they move southward in the species' distribution. In Northeast India and western Myanmar, S. n. nagaensis in fresh plumage is as buff as S. n. montium in worn plumage. In southern Vietnam and southwestern Myanmar, S. n. grisiventris has purer gray underparts than S. n. nagaensis. Adults undergo a complete moult after the breeding season, from May to June, and an incomplete moult occurs before it.
### Similar species
The range of the chestnut-vented nuthatch overlaps with that of the Burmese nuthatch (S. neglecta). However, the chestnut-vented nuthatch is easily distinguished by the color of its underparts, and the lack of contrast between the sides of the head and the throat, whereas the other species has white chins, cheeks, and parotid region contrasting with brick-red to orange-brown underparts. However, in the chestnut-vented nuthatch, some individuals in fresh plumage (especially in S. n. montium) may have underparts almost as buff as some Burmese nuthatch females or juveniles. The chestnut-vented nuthatch can then be recognized by its darker, duller blue upperparts, by its red flanks contrasting with the buff, and by its undertail, with feathers edged with red giving a "scales" pattern, when they appear almost uniformly white in the Burmese nuthatch.
The subspecies S. n. montium can also be confused with the subspecies S. e. sinensis of the Eurasian nuthatch (S. europaea) where they coexist in Sichuan and Fujian. If the latter species has more orange underparts, some Eurasian females may be difficult to differentiate from chestnut-vented nuthatches in fresh plumage. The two species can be distinguished by their vocalizations, with chestnut-vented nuthatch lacking the characteristic singing dwip of the Euraisan nuthatch. Hybrids between these two taxa have been hypothesized, with montane populations of S. e. sinensis being, like the chestnut-vented nuthatch, grayer on the underside, darker above, and larger than lowland individuals. The chestnut-vented nuthatch, however, is even grayer, and does not have the whitish cheeks of the Eurasian nuthatch.
In southwest China, the chestnut-vented nuthatch lives within the range of the Yunnan nuthatch (S. yunnanensis). However, the latter is smaller, has a thin white supercilium, and has plain, pale buff underparts with no russet on the flanks. In northeastern India and northwestern Myanmar, the chestnut-vented nuthatch may be confused with the white-tailed nuthatch (S. himalayensis), the both species inhabit similar habitats. The white-tailed nuthatch, however, has a white spot on the top of the middle rectrices, and has more orange underparts, without brick-red flanks or white spots on the undertail. The giant nuthatch (S. magna), whose distribution overlaps with that of the chestnut-vented nuthatch in India, Myanmar, and Thailand, differs from the latter in being much larger in size, having a finer , and having a calotte that is much lighter than the rest of the .
## Ecology and behavior
The chestnut-vented nuthatch generally surveys alone or in pairs, or forms mixed-species foraging flocks outside of the breeding season. In winter, it can thus be observed in the company of different species of tits (Paridae) such as the yellow-cheeked tit (Maclolophus spilonotus), or Aegithalidae, woodpeckers, alcippes, and minlas.
### Vocalizations
The chestnut-vented nuthatch's calls are varied, with squeaky sit or sit-sit sounds, repeated more or less rapidly with various inflections and in irregular series. Similar but drier tchip or tchit sounds are sometimes made, often in a trill reminiscent of the alarm of the winter wren (Troglodytes hiemalis). The alarm calls of the chestnut-vented nuthatch are reported in English-language literature as nasal sounds in quir, kner or mew, as well as an emphatic, metallic tsit, sometimes doubled or repeated in quick series. The song is a stereotyped, monotonous rattle or tremolo in ... or ..., lasting less than a second or sometimes slowed down to ... or ' reminiscent of the song of the Eurasian nuthatch.
## Distribution and habitat
The chestnut-vented nuthatch lives from Tibet to the South Central Coast of Vietnam. In India, it is found only in the far eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Meghalaya. The species lives in the Chin Hills of western Myanmar, but most of its distribution in Myanmar is in the eastern half of the country, from Kachin State to at least Shan State, spilling over into western Thailand. The species nests in Tibet and south-central China, from western Sichuan to Yunnan and marginally in southwestern Guizhou. An isolated Chinese population also lives in northwestern Fujian, on Mount Huanggang. Two other isolated populations from the southernmost part of the species' distribution, one occurring in southern Vietnam on the Đà Lạt Plateau, another being reported in Laos on the Bolaven Plateau.
The chestnut-vented nuthatch usually inhabits evergreen forests of the uplands, or forests and pine patches growing on dry ridges in the middle of evergreen forests. Locally, it also occurs in deciduous forests in northeastern India, in Quercus subsericea oak forests and alder groves in northeastern Myanmar, spruce forests (Picea sp.), fir forests (Abies sp.) or rhododendron stands in Yunnan, or poplar (Populus sp.) and walnut (Juglans sp.) in Sichuan. The altitudinal distribution ranges from 1,400–2,600 m (4,600–8,500 ft) in India, Thailand, and Myanmar, occasionally occurring up to 3,200 m (10,500 ft) in the latter. It also occurs from 1,050–3,500 m (3,440–11,480 ft) in Tibet and Sichuan and up to 4,570 m (15,000 ft) in Yunnan. The population in southern Vietnam lives between 915–2,285 m (3,002–7,497 ft).
## Status and threats
The population of the chestnut-vented nuthatch is declining due to habitat destruction and fragmentation, but its range is large and was estimated to be 3.8 million km<sup>2</sup> (1.5 million square miles), and the species is generally common throughout its range. For these reasons, the chestnut-vented nuthatch is considered to be of least concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. A study carried out in 2009 tried to predict the impact of climate change on the distribution of several species of nuthatches in Asia by modeling two scenarios. It predicted that the chestnut-vented nuthatch could see its distribution decrease between the 2040s and 2069 by 15.9 to 17.4%.
|
[
"## Taxonomy",
"### Subspecies",
"## Description",
"### Plumage and measurements",
"### Similar species",
"## Ecology and behavior",
"### Vocalizations",
"## Distribution and habitat",
"## Status and threats"
] | 2,997 | 22,058 |
17,438,648 |
Malta at the 2008 Summer Olympics
| 999,470,678 | null |
[
"2008 in Maltese sport",
"Malta at the Summer Olympics by year",
"Nations at the 2008 Summer Olympics"
] |
Malta competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China from 8 to 24 August 2008. The country's participation at Beijing marked its fourteenth appearance at a Summer Olympics since its début at the 1928 Summer Olympics. The delegation sent by the Malta Olympic Committee consisted of six athletes: sprinters Nikolai Portelli and Charlene Attard, light-middleweight judoka Marcon Bezzina, double trap shooter William Chetcuti and short-distance swimmers Ryan Gambin and Madeleine Scerri.
Five of the six athletes qualified for the Games by using wildcards while Gambin was the only person to attain qualification for his sport by setting a time that met the necessary requirements at the 2008 European Aquatics Championships. All six competitors failed to progress any farther than the first round of their respective events though Chetcuti pushed his qualification stage into a four-man shoot-out which he lost.
## Background
Malta participated in fourteen Olympic Games between its début at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Netherlands and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with the exception of the 1932, 1952, 1956, 1964 and 1976 Games. The highest number of athletes sent by Malta to a summer games is eleven to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. No Maltese athlete has ever medalled at the Olympic Games. Malta took part in the Beijing Summer Olympics from 8 to 24 August 2008. The six athletes selected to represent Malta in Beijing were sprinters Nikolai Portelli and Charlene Attard, light-middleweight judoka Marcon Bezzina, double trap shooter William Chetcuti and short-distance swimmers Ryan Gambin and Madeleine Scerri. Bezzina was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony, while Gambin carried the flag of Malta at the closing ceremony.
The team was publicly revealed by The Malta Independent on 6 July, and later confirmed by the Malta Olympic Committee two days later. The Malta Olympic Committee factored in preparation and their rivals' competitiveness during the selection process. Along with the six athletes, the nation's Olympic team was led by Lino Farrugia Sacco, the committee's president, and secretary general Joe Cassar. It also consisted of chef de mission and vice-president of the committee Julian Pace Bonello. He was assisted by Marie Therese Zammit. They were accompanied by the committee's director of finance David Azzopardi. The athletes were coached by Leandros Calleja, Gail Rizzo, Jurgen Klinger and Jimmy Bugeja with Lucianne Attard from the committee's medical commission appointed as the team's doctor.
## Athletics
Nikolai Portelli was the oldest athlete to represent Malta at the Beijing Olympics at the age of 26. He had not participated in any previous Olympic Games. He qualified for the Olympics by using a wildcard because his personal best time of 22.11 seconds was 1.36 seconds slower than the "B" qualifying standard for the men's 200 metres. Before the games Portelli said that attending the Olympic Games was a personal dream for himself and revealed that he would make the most from the opportunity and aimed to perform to the best of his ability. He was drawn in the fourth heat on 17 August, finishing eighth (and last) out of all athletes, with a time of 22.31 seconds. Portelli finished 60th (equal with Oleg Juravlyov from Uzbekistan) out of 62 runners overall. He did not progress to the second round because his time was 1.44 seconds slower than the slowest athlete who made the later stages.
Competing in her first Summer Olympics at the age of 21, Charlene Attard was Malta's sole female representative in athletics. She qualified for the Games via a wildcard because her quickest time of 11.93 seconds was 0.51 seconds slower than the "B" qualifying standard for the women's 100 metres. In an interview with the Times of Malta before the Olympics, Attard said she was looking forward to débuting at the Games. She revealed her preparations went untroubled and set herself the target of improving the national 100 metres record time. Attard participated in the tenth heat on 16 August, finishing sixth out of nine competitors, with a time of 12.20 seconds. Overall she placed 57th out of 85 participants and failed to advance beyond the first round after being 0.79 seconds behind the slowest runner in her heat who made the next stage.
Men
Women
## Judo
The 2008 Summer Olympics marked 22 year old Marcon Bezzina's second appearance at the Olympic Games after she previously represented Malta at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She received an invitation from the International Judo Federation to compete in the women's light middleweight (−63 kg) tournament. Bezzina prepared for the Beijing Games by competing in multiple international tournaments and attending several training camps. She was drawn to compete against Algeria's Kahina Saidi at the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium on 12 August. Bezzina lost her match when Saidi performed a Waza-ari throw on her. She was not permitted to enter the repechage bracket because Saidi lost her next two bouts and this rendered these additional matches unnecessary to stage.
Women
## Shooting
23 year old William Chetcuti made his second appearance at a Summer Olympics having previously competed for Malta at the 2004 Athens Games. He qualified for the men's double trap shooting contest after receiving a wild card from the Tripartite Commission. Entering the Olympics Chetcuti spoke of his dream of winning a gold medal and noted the strong competition he would face, "I have competed with these guys many times at similar high-level competitions, so I know I stand a good chance. The key ingredients to success are a lot of practice, a natural ability and good hand-eye coordination. Shooting is all about being quick and alert." On 12 August he competed in the qualification round of his event. Chetcuti finished eighth out of nineteen shooters with a score of 136 points. He subsequently entered into a four-way shoot-out between Australia's Russell Mark, the United Arab Emirates' Ahmed Al-Maktoum and Hungary's Roland Gerebics for a place in the final because all four competitors were tied on 136 points. Chetcuti lost the shoot-out and therefore his competition ended at the qualification round.
Men
## Swimming
The 2008 Summer Olympics marked Australian-born Ryan Gambin's Olympic debut. He qualified for the Beijing Olympics by going 0.38 seconds faster than the "B" (FINA/Invitation) qualifying standard for the men's 100 metres butterfly competition with a time of 54.33 seconds at the 2008 European Aquatics Championships in Eindhoven. Gambin said that competing in Swimming competition at the Olympics was the fulfilment of his childhood ambitions and he aimed to reach the semi-finals of his event, "Whenever the going gets difficult, I remind myself of why I'm doing it. I think of my goals and I relate it back to how it is going to feel in a race. That usually pulls me through the tough sets." He was drawn in the fourth heat on 14 August, finishing sixth out of eighth athletes, with a time of 53.70 seconds. Gambin's time established a new Maltese national record and a new personal best. Overall he came 48th out of 66 swimmers, and did not progress into the semi-finals because he was 1.65 seconds slower than the slowest competitor who advanced to the next stage.
Australian-born Madeleine Scerri also made her Olympic debut at the 2008 Games. She qualified for the Games by using a wildcard to enter the women's 100 metre freestyle event after her personal best time of 58.11 seconds set at a contest in Australia did not meet the "B" (FINA/Invitation) qualifying standard for the event. Scerri spoke of her excitement over competing in the Olympics and on behalf of Malta, "It will be amazing to watch a lot of my idols compete and to see first-hand the highest quality of sport that is on offer. There is so much to learn about competing at the highest level. There are going to be some amazing competitions and races, and just being there will be so fantastic." She was drawn to swim in the first heat which she won over Elena Popovska of Macedonia and Olga Hachatryan of Turkmenistan with a new national and personal best time of 57.97 seconds. However she did not advance into the semi-finals because her effort put her 45th overall and she was 3.27 seconds slower than the slowest athlete who progressed to the later stages of the competition.
Men
Women
## See also
- Malta at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
|
[
"## Background",
"## Athletics",
"## Judo",
"## Shooting",
"## Swimming",
"## See also"
] | 1,857 | 31,341 |
56,683,279 |
Miscanti Lake
| 1,172,157,584 |
Brackish lake on the Altiplano in Chile
|
[
"Lakes of Antofagasta Region",
"Lakes of Chile"
] |
Miscanti Lake (Spanish: Laguna Miscanti) is a brackish water lake located in the altiplano of the Antofagasta Region in northern Chile. Cerro Miñiques volcano and Cerro Miscanti tower over this lake. This 13.5 square kilometres (5.2 sq mi) large heart-shaped lake has a deep blue colour and developed in a basin formed by a fault. South of Miscanti lies Laguna Miñiques, another lake which is separated from Miscanti by a lava flow that was emplaced there during the Pleistocene.
The lake is part of one of the seven sectors of Los Flamencos National Reserve. A number of birds and mammals live at the lake, which is a major tourist destination.
## Geography
Laguna Miscanti lies in the Central Andes of Chile, east-southeast of the Salar de Atacama. Administratively, it is part of the Antofagasta Region. The closest town is Socaire, 20 kilometres (12 mi) away from the lake. A road departing from the Paso Sico international road goes to Miscanti, which is accessible by an unpaved road and numerous footpaths. In 2002, there were 5,000 tourists at Miscanti and the nearby lake Miñiques, and in 2015, one in three tourists who went to the Los Flamencos National Reserve visited Miscanti and Laguna Miñiques. An archeological site called "Miscanti-1" is found on the southeastern lake shore.
## Hydrography and geology
Laguna Miscanti is a maximally 10 metres (33 ft) deep lake with clear brackish water which covers a surface area of 13.5 square kilometres (5.2 sq mi); the lake has the shape of an arrowhead with a peninsula jutting from the northern shore. A lava flow separates the otherwise flat lake floor into two basins. In the Atacama Altiplano, Laguna Miscanti is among the biggest waterbodies. The mountains Cerro Miscanti (5,622 metres (18,445 ft)) and Cerro Miñiques (5,910 metres (19,390 ft)) lie northeast and south of the lake, respectively.
1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) south of the lake is another waterbody, Laguna Miñiques. In the past, the two lakes were connected, producing a large waterbody which has left beach terraces in the landscape and whose water levels were about 20 metres (66 ft) higher than today. The separation of the lakes probably occurred during the Pleistocene, when a lava flow erupted from Cerro Miñiques split the lake basin in two. A number of creeks enter into Laguna Miscanti from the north, east and south (Quebrada de Chaquisoqui), and there are two springs on its northern shores.
Miscanti and Miñiques occupy fault-bound basins; the Quebrada Nacimiento fault is also known as the Miscanti Fault and is part of a detachment fault system east of the Salar de Atacama, which separates the Western Cordillera from the Cordillera Domeyko. This fault extends from the Purico complex, Llano de Chajnantor to Miñiques and has formed a ridge, which has dammed lava flows from Cerro Miscanti and Cerro Miñiques. The basins developed during the Pliocene and Pleistocene; Laguna Lejia also developed along this fault and the fault segment there is also known as Miscanti-Callejon de Varela fault. Volcanoes including Lascar and the Cerros Saltar and Corona north and south of Lascar formed on the fault.
## Hydrology
The catchment of the lake consists mainly of volcanic and sedimentary rocks ranging from Miocene to Holocene age and covers a surface area of 320 square kilometres (120 sq mi), with Quaternary volcanoes that reach elevations of 5,000–6,000 metres (16,000–20,000 ft). The Cordon de Puntas Negras is the principal source of water. Water reaches Laguna Miscanti principally as groundwater, which is directed there by the fault; this may explain why Laguna Miscanti is a permanent lake rather than a playa.
The lake has no surface outflow. Presently, water seeps to Miñiques through a lava flow along the path of the Quebrada Nacimiento fault; during former lake highstands a combined lake overflowed into the Pampa Varela basin south-southwest of Miñiques. Most water, however, leaves Laguna Miscanti through evaporation. The town of Peine draws its water supply from the Miscanti basin.
## Climate
Presently, the regional climate is arid, with average precipitation amounting to 200–250 millimetres per year (7.9–9.8 in/year), and cold, with average annual temperatures of 2 °C (36 °F). During winter, ice develops on the lake surface. The lake area is usually a little warmer than the surrounding region. The region lies between areas dominated by summer precipitation in the northeast and areas dominated by winter precipitation in the southwest.
In the late Pleistocene and early Holocene the climate was much wetter and lakes expanded, especially during the first stage of the Central Andean Pluvial Event. The late Pleistocene—early Holocene wet period was particularly noticeable in the Altiplano, where two separate phases of the Lake Tauca occurred. The last glacial maximum was drier and colder, leading to a total disappearance of vegetation and a drying of the lake between 22,000 and 14,000 years ago. During the middle Holocene dry period, the lake may have dried up completely, forming a bog. After about 4,000 years ago, moisture availability increased again, while a moist epoch between 6,500 and 5,000 years ago was temporary. Climate variability influenced human settlement in the region during the Holocene, which took place mainly during wetter periods and became concentrated in several environmentally favourable spaces during dry periods.
## Biology
Widgeonweed grows at the lakeshores, while the algae charophytes and Chara and the water plant Myriophyllum grow in the lake. During its highstands, algal bioherms and stromatolithes developed in the water. Diatoms and ostracodes have been identified in the lake sediments, and amphipods in the lake waters.
There are meadows consisting of Fabiana, Festuca and Stipa chrysophylla around the lake, with sparser vegetation found on the upland, consisting of Baccharis species also known as "tolar" and ichu. Fauna that inhabits the area includes birds like flamingos, Fulica ardesiaca (Andean coot), Fulica cornuta (Horned coot), Larus serranus (Andean gull), Lophonetta speculiarioides (Crested duck) and Podiceps occipitalis (silvery grebe), and mammals like Ctenomys opimus (Highland tuco-tuco), Lagidium viscacia (Southern viscacha), Phyllotis darwini (Darwin's leaf-eared mouse), Pseudalopex culpaeus (culpeo) and Vicugna vicugna (vicuña); the two lakes are important breeding sites for the horned coot. Laguna Miscanti and Laguna Miñiques are part of the third sector of the Los Flamencos National Reserve, and are jointly administered by the community of Socaire and by the National Forest Corporation.
|
[
"## Geography",
"## Hydrography and geology",
"## Hydrology",
"## Climate",
"## Biology"
] | 1,598 | 25,749 |
44,709,671 |
Oregon Theatre
| 1,171,572,001 |
Theater in Portland, Oregon, U.S.
|
[
"1920s architecture in the United States",
"1925 establishments in Oregon",
"Adult movie theaters",
"Cinemas and movie theaters in Oregon",
"Italianate architecture in Oregon",
"Pornography in Oregon",
"Richmond, Portland, Oregon",
"Theatres completed in 1925",
"Theatres in Portland, Oregon"
] |
The Oregon Theatre, or Oregon Theater, was an adult movie theater in the Richmond neighborhood of southeast Portland, Oregon, United States. The theater was completed in 1925 and originally housed a Wurlitzer pipe organ and vaudeville stage. It would later screen Hollywood, art-house, and Spanish-language films. The building was acquired by the Maizels family in 1967 and became an adult cinema in the 1970s. It continued to operate as the city's longest running pornographic cinema and remained owned by a member of the Maizels family until 13 February 2020, when it went into foreclosure. It closed in early March 2020.
The cinema has been described as "less creepy than most of its kind" and "out of place" along the newly developed Southeast Division Street. It has also been called "the last holdout of an era", referring to both the prominence of adult film screenings in the city during the 1970s and its status as the last property owned by the Maizels family. In 2004, the building was identified as an "Investment and Identity Site" and commended for having attributes valued by the community, such as quality architecture, local ownership, and orientation to the street.
## Description and history
The two-story, roughly 8,700 square foot (810 m<sup>2</sup>) Oregon Theatre was designed by Hubert A. Williams. It exhibits Italianate and "Streetcar Era Commercial" architecture, with plans drafted by Universal Plan Service. The brick exterior includes a glass-filled retail base, beltcourses, double-hung windows on the second story, ornamental brickwork on its parapet, and a flat roof. Upon its completion, the interior featured a \$16,000 Wurlitzer pipe organ, ornate lighting fixtures attached to a high-domed ceiling, 750 high-backed chairs, a vaudeville stage, and a screen which measured 16 by 20 feet (4.9 m × 6.1 m). The theater cost \$35,000 to construct and began operating on September 4, 1925, possibly for a showing of Steele of the Royal Mounted.
J. W. McFadden Inc. was the building's original owner. Subsequent owners have included C. C. and Leedy Maude, J. S. Middleton, Oregon Theatre Co., Mary Watt, and Ernest Bass. The theater's front doors and ticket office were altered by J. W. McFadden Inc. in 1930, along with the construction of a new ticket booth. In 1949, when the Waverly Heights Congregational United Church of Christ was reconstructing a new church building on its property at Southeast 33rd and Woodward, church services were held at the Oregon Theatre. According to the Puget Sound Theatre Organ Society, the organ was repossessed by the William Wood Organ Co. and re-installed at radio station KXL's studios in Portland. The theater's front entrance, including its doors and 1930s ticket booth, were remodeled by Ferguson Cassady Co. in 1954.
In 1967, an immigrant family acquired ownership of the theater. The Maizels family also owned other cinemas, including Aladdin Theater, the defunct and demolished Walnut Park, and the Encore, now known as Clinton Street Theater. In addition to Hollywood films, the cinemas screened art-house and Spanish-language movies. Multi-light Broadway Sign Co. installed corrugated aluminum on the bottom of the marquee in 1975.
### Adult cinema
The first sexually-explicit film shown at the Oregon was I Am Curious (Yellow) in 1967. That movie gave the theater more business in three days than two-weeks worth of ticket sales from mainstream, non-risque films, prompting the Oregon to show adult movies exclusively.
The success of Deep Throat, which opened in 1972 and played for more than a year, was a turning point, leading to an increase in the number of adult film screenings at more than a dozen cinemas in Portland. However, the rise of video cassettes and cable television led to a decline in cinema attendance, and by the 2000s, the Maizels family had sold all of their properties except for the Oregon Theatre. Gayne Maizels still owns the theater, which continues to operate as the city's longest running pornographic cinema.
As an adult cinema, the single-screen theater replaced traditional auditorium seats with sofas. It began advertising live sex shows in the early part of the 21st Century. In 2005, The Portland Mercury said the theater showed heterosexual pornographic films daily except for Wednesdays and Saturdays, when it featured bisexual content. In 2013, Portland Monthly described the venue's green entryway, leading to a ramp lined with adult DVDs and an "indifferent doorman who demands \$8. Inside, a few dozen men, mostly seniors, occupy a hodgepodge of old couches in near-total darkness."
In February 2020, the owner went into foreclosure February 13, and the venue closed on March 3.
## Reception
According to local film archivist and author Gary Lacher, the Oregon Theatre's record as the longest continuously operating adult cinema in Portland is "not often acknowledged publicly" and represents "the last holdout of an era", referring to the prominence of adult film screenings in Portland. In an interview, Lacher expressed his wish that the theater would return to a more traditional cinema, but was thankful that the venue has been spared from closure and demolition to date.
In 2004, GNT Planning included the theater as an "Investment and Identity Site" in their report, which was commissioned by the Division Vision Coalition (DVC), a coalition of community members from the nearby business and neighborhood associations. DVC is invested in the "economy of locally-owned businesses, an attractive streetscape that invites neighbors to linger, and sustainable features that are ecologically sensitive". The building was identified as having attributes valued by the community, including quality architecture, local ownership, and orientation to the street.
In its 2005 review of the theater, The Portland Mercury said the "glut of cozy sofas make an outing comfortable", but criticized the venue for having only one screen and for showing predominantly heterosexual films. The publication said that the venue was "[m]ore like an actual cinema than a circle jerk (though chicken-choking is not unheard of).... The [theater] is much less creepy than most of its kind—there's even bicycle parking indoors." In its 2012 Portlandia-related list of "Portland's Most Ill-Advised Valentine's Date Spots", IFC quipped, "Of course, considering the dwindling number of adult theaters across the country, you could make an argument that it's a piece of Portland history, and that visiting wouldn't be much different than going to a museum... on second thought, play it safe and stay away." In 2013, Portland Monthly said the venue "seems out of place", a "dingy brick building" surrounded by the newly developed Southeast Division Street.
After multiple restaurants on Southeast Division were featured in Willamette Week's annual restaurant guide in 2013, the newspaper made humorous "predictions" about what might become of some of the street's existing spaces. It predicted that the Oregon Theatre could become "McMenamins Mophouse & Brewery", referring to the McMenamins regional chain of breweries, historic hotels, music venues and pubs. Willamette Week wrote, "When one of the nation's last adult theaters finally succumbs to market pressure, McMenamins rehabs the space while keeping its historic character alive with 'voyeur' dining booths, a sticky dance floor and VIP dining in the bored projectionist's perch." In 2014, Willamette Week called the theater "seedy".
## See also
- Pornography in the United States
- Sex clubs in Portland, Oregon
|
[
"## Description and history",
"### Adult cinema",
"## Reception",
"## See also"
] | 1,644 | 20,629 |
1,360,419 |
Homer's Night Out
| 1,156,669,603 | null |
[
"1990 American television episodes",
"Television episodes about sexism",
"The Simpsons (season 1) episodes"
] |
"Homer's Night Out" is the tenth episode of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 25, 1990. It was written by Jon Vitti and directed by Rich Moore. In the episode, Bart orders a mail-order spy camera, which he uses to secretly photograph Homer dancing with an exotic belly dancer. Marge makes Homer apologize to the exotic dancer to teach Bart that women are not objects. Sam McMurray guest stars in the episode as Gulliver Dark, the man who introduces Homer to the crowd at the burlesque show.
The episode was well received by critics and it was the second highest rated show on the Fox network the week it aired. This episode, along with three other episodes of the show, is featured on The Simpsons "Gone Wild" DVD released in 2004.
## Plot
Bart purchases a miniature spy camera from a mail-order catalog and uses it to take candid photos around the house. Later, Homer tells Marge he is going to a bachelor party for a co-worker, Eugene Fisk. While Homer is gone, Marge decides to take the children to a seafood restaurant where — unknown to her — the bachelor party is under way in another room.
A belly dancer named Princess Kashmir arrives at the party and invites Homer to dance with her onstage. Walking out of the bathroom, Bart wanders into the bachelor party and snaps a picture of Homer and Princess Kashmir dancing. Bart brings the photo to school and gives a copy to Milhouse, who promptly gets requests for copies from other students. When the students' parents get hold of the photo, more copies circulate until everyone in Springfield has seen the picture, including Marge, who is furious. When Homer arrives home later that day, Marge demands an explanation. Bart inadvertently reveals that the picture is his, angering both his parents. Homer spends the night at Barney's apartment after Marge kicks him out of the house.
The next day, Homer goes home to apologize to Marge, who worries the picture will make Bart think it is acceptable to treat women as sex objects. She insists that Homer take Bart to meet Princess Kashmir so he can see that she is more than just a stripper. Homer and Bart scour Springfield's strip clubs searching for Princess Kashmir, eventually finding her at the Sapphire Lounge.
Homer introduces himself and Bart to Princess Kashmir, who is preoccupied with her upcoming performance but understands what Homer is trying to teach his son. Homer inadvertently finds himself onstage when the striptease show starts. He is about to be thrown offstage when the audience recognizes him from the picture. Homer gets caught up in the audience's fanfare and starts dancing with the showgirls until he remembers the lesson he is trying to teach Bart. Homer stops the show and makes a plea to the audience to treat women with respect. Marge, who is in the audience, accepts Homer's apology and they reconcile.
## Production
The episode was written by Jon Vitti and directed by Rich Moore. Barney's apartment, which Homer spends the night in when he is kicked out by Marge, is partly based on an apartment that Jim Reardon, Moore, and a few other animators of The Simpsons shared in college. One of the strip clubs Homer and Bart visit when they are trying to find Princess Kashmir is based on the Seventh Veil Strip Club in Los Angeles, California. The staff went around Hollywood taking pictures of strip clubs so they could get inspiration for the interior design of the strip club buildings in Springfield. The character designer designed over fifty different international showgirl costumes for the showgirls in the burlesque show sequence. Carl Carlson made his first appearance on The Simpsons in this episode, though he is voiced by Harry Shearer instead of Hank Azaria or Alex Désert who voice him in later appearances.
## Reception
In its original American broadcast, "Homer's Night Out" finished fourteenth place in the weekly ratings for the week of March 19–25, 1990, with a Nielsen rating of 16.9. It was the second highest rated show on Fox that week.
"Homer's Night Out" received generally positive reviews from critics. In a DVD review of the first season, David B. Grelck rated this episode a 4 (of 5) and named it one of his two favorite episodes of the season. He added that it "allows us to see that Homer really does love Marge a lot without having to blatantly stamp sentimentality all over it. The episode is strange, goofy and fun." Colin Jacobson at DVD Movie Guide said that "the concept of Marge's anger at Homer got old, but this episode managed to offer a reasonably entertaining affair. It was fun to see Homer treated like a party god, and this offered a few nice moments. The overall level of quality remained good throughout the show, but it didn't rise to any great heights."
David Packard at DVD Verdict said in a review of The Simpsons "Gone Wild" DVD that "this episode sports some of the awkward animation and voice work that is prevalent in episodes from the first season. That aspect isn't an issue to me; in fact, I quite enjoy season one as it shows the early efforts of the series getting its legs in making the transition from its origin on The Tracey Ullman Show. The problem I have with this episode is that it's not particularly funny. I chuckled a few times, but the episode doesn't have the rollicking gags and sly humor of the two episodes to follow."
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"## Reception"
] | 1,139 | 27,606 |
12,264,809 |
Drive (The X-Files)
| 1,170,855,195 | null |
[
"1998 American television episodes",
"Television episodes set in California",
"Television episodes set in Idaho",
"Television episodes set in Nevada",
"Television episodes written by Vince Gilligan",
"The X-Files (season 6) episodes"
] |
"Drive" is the second episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network in the United States on November 15, 1998. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Drive" earned a Nielsen household rating of 11.0, being watched by 18.5 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received largely positive reviews from television critics.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In the episode, Mulder is trapped in a car by a seemingly deranged man, and Scully races to determine if the man is suffering from a deadly illness—and if Mulder is in danger of becoming the next victim of some sort of government conspiracy.
The episode was written by Vince Gilligan, directed by Rob Bowman, and featured a guest appearance by Bryan Cranston. Gilligan cast Cranston to play the antagonist because he felt he could successfully humanize the role. Cranston's success in "Drive" later led to his casting as Walter White in Gilligan's AMC series Breaking Bad.
## Plot
In a live news report, a high-speed car chase comes to an end in the Nevada desert. Assuming it to be a kidnapping, police pull the female passenger from the car and place her into the protective custody of a police vehicle. The driver, Patrick Crump (Bryan Cranston), is pushed to the asphalt and handcuffed. The woman, his wife, begins violently banging her head against the police car window. As the news chopper catches all of this on film, the woman's head explodes, sending a spray of blood across the window.
Mulder and Scully get wind of this bizarre car chase as they're doing work in Buhl, Idaho investigating possible domestic terrorism. Mulder coerces Scully into taking a detour to Elko, Nevada on a hunch that this may be an X-File. Crump, who has started to develop symptoms of a sickness, is put in an ambulance. Mulder, wishing to speak to Crump, follows the ambulance and ends up being kidnapped by Crump, who has escaped from the police.
Mulder realizes that Crump is suffering from a painful sensation of pressure building in his head and that the only way to alleviate this pressure is to drive west. At first, Scully believes that Crump is suffering from some sort of infection; she takes a hazmat team to investigate the Crumps' home and finds a dog suffering the same symptoms and dead birds on a neighbor's property, but on noting that the neighbor herself, who is deaf, was unaffected, she then discovers a U.S. Navy antenna array emitting ELF waves stretches beneath their property. Scully deduces that an abnormal surge in these waves somehow caused a rising pressure in the inner ear of the nearby inhabitants. Westward motion and an increase in speed seem to be the only thing to help ease the pain of the increasing pressure.
Initially, thinking that the FBI agent is part of a government conspiracy, Crump forces Mulder at gunpoint to drive, infuriating him along the way with antisemitic slurs. Eventually, Mulder and Crump make amends and attempt to work out a solution before it is too late. Mulder explains to Crump that Scully will meet them at the Pacific Coast, the end of the highway. There she will insert a needle into Crump's inner ear, hopefully relieving the pressure. Unfortunately, when Scully arrives, Crump has already died.
## Production
### Conception, writing, and filming
Vince Gilligan, the writer of "Drive", was inspired to pen the episode based on an earlier idea he had about a man holding an individual hostage on a Tilt-A-Whirl. Gilligan had pitched this idea at several previous story meetings and it soon became a recurring joke among the show's writers, many of whom felt that the premise lacked an X-Files-like mystery. Gilligan soon revised his story so that after the ride was shut off, the man's head would explode. This led to Gilligan researching various government experiments, and soon he learned about two real-life military experiments: Project HAARP and Project ELF. The former is an ionospheric research program jointly funded by the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), whereas the latter is a U.S. Navy experiment dealing with long wavelengths. Gilligan thus wrote a script that featured an individual who, due to a secret experiment involving soundwaves, could not slow down for fear of rupturing his head.
Gilligan admitted that the episode was partially an homage to the action film Speed (1994), and contains a reference to the film: when Crump and Mulder discover that speeding west is the key to success, Mulder mentions that he thinks he "saw this movie." The opening teaser footage is done in the style of a news report, a stylistic direction that IGN suggested was intended to echo the O.J. Simpson Ford Bronco chase from 1994.
### Casting
Gilligan wanted Bryan Cranston to be the episode's antagonist because, "[The series] needed a guy who could be scary and kind of loathsome but at the same time had a deep, resounding humanity." In an interview with The New York Times, Gilligan stated, "We had this villain, and we needed the audience to feel bad for him when he died. Bryan alone was the only actor who could do that, who could pull off that trick. And it is a trick. I have no idea how he does it." Rick Millikan, the casting director for The X-Files very nearly did not cast Cranston; in fact, a different actor had already been cast when Cranston arrived to try out for the part. Despite the part having already been cast, Millikan allowed Cranston to audition and was very pleased with his performance, eventually choosing him for the part. Cranston's work on this episode would later have a major impact on his career, as it led to Gilligan casting him as the central character Walter White in the AMC series Breaking Bad. Initially, AMC executives were unsure of this decision as they were familiar only with Cranston's work on the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. However, they were convinced after viewing his performance in "Drive".
Gilligan, a fan of country musician Junior Brown, cast Brown as Virgil Nokes, the farmer who Mulder and Scully investigate at the beginning of the episode. Brown was flown in at the request and personal expense of Gilligan.
## Reception
### Ratings
"Drive" first aired in the United States on November 15, 1998. This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 11.0, with a 16 share, meaning that roughly 11.0 percent of all television-equipped households, and 16 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode. It was viewed by 18.50 million viewers. The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on March 14, 1999 and was watched by 0.70 million viewers, making it the sixth most viewed episode that week. Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "He'll stop at nothing."
### Reviews
"Drive" received largely positive reviews from critics. Zack Handlen from The A.V. Club wrote positively of the episode, awarding it an A, and writing that the entry was "a great example of the engine that keeps great television moving." Handlen noted that the climax of the episode was "as moving as it is suspenseful" and drew parallels between Bryan Cranston's portrayal of Mr. Crump and his eventual portrayal of Walter White from Breaking Bad, noting that both illustrate the idea that "you have to keep moving. If you stop, you die." Review website IGN named it the ninth best standalone X-Files episode of the entire series and complimented the interaction between Crump and Mulder, writing "it's the interplay between Mulder and Crump that makes this episode a standout. [...] Crump here is an antagonistic yet heartbreaking character, and as he and Mulder become unlikely allies in their 'drive,' 'Drive' in turn becomes a memorably scary X-Files episode [...] because of the perhaps most frightening element of the show's world ever: mankind itself, and the governments that supposedly protect us."
Colin Ellis from The Dashing Fellows called "Drive," "arguably one of the best episodes post-Fight the Future of [The X-Files]." Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote positively of the episode, saying "[T]hank God for 'Drive', which taps into the idea of Speed, the hit movie starring [Keanu] Reeves, but pushes it in an excitingly different direction." He further went on to praise Gilligan's writing, noting that the writer took the premise of Speed and added "a wonderful X-Files twist". Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a largely positive review and awarded it three stars out of four. Although she slightly criticized the case being investigated as "pure hokum", Vitaris praised Mulder and Scully's teamwork, and their ability to work together despite being separated.
### Awards
"Drive" earned an ASC Award by the American Society of Cinematographers for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography – Regular Series.
## See also
- List of unmade episodes of The X-Files
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"### Conception, writing, and filming",
"### Casting",
"## Reception",
"### Ratings",
"### Reviews",
"### Awards",
"## See also"
] | 2,033 | 11,893 |
28,013,959 |
Lactarius repraesentaneus
| 1,171,911,110 |
Species of fungus
|
[
"Fungi described in 1885",
"Fungi of Europe",
"Fungi of North America",
"Lactarius"
] |
Lactarius repraesentaneus, commonly known as the northern bearded milkcap, the northern milkcap, or the purple-staining milkcap, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. It has a northerly distribution, and is found in temperate regions of North America and Europe, associated with spruce trees. Distinguishing features of its fruit body include the large orange-yellow cap up to 18 cm (7.1 in) wide, cream to pale yellow gills, and a yellow coarsely-pitted stem that is up to 12 cm (4.7 in) long and 3 cm (1.2 in) thick. Cut fruit bodies ooze a white latex that will stain mushroom tissue lilac to purple. Several chemicals have been isolated and identified from the fruit bodies that can modify the growth of plants, and the mushroom also has antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus aureus. L. repraesentaneus is poisonous, and consumption causes stomach aches.
## Taxonomy
Lactarius repraesentaneus was first described by German mycologist Max Britzelmayr in 1885, based on material collected from Bavaria. The variety Lactarius scrobiculatus var. repraesentaneus, proposed by Killermann in 1933, is considered a synonym. Rolf Singer in 1942 defined the subspecies L. repraesentaneus ssp. speciosus to include fruit bodies with matted fibers ("felt") arranged in concentric rings on the cap (zonate), in comparison with the nominate subspecies, where in young specimens the felt was evenly distributed on the cap surface, only becoming zonate at the cap margins in maturity.
According to the classification proposed by Lexemuel Ray Hesler and Alexander H. Smith in their 1979 monograph of North American Lactarius species, L. repraesentaneus belongs in the stirps Speciosus of the section Aspideini, of the subgenus Piperites of genus Lactarius. Other species in stirps Speciosus include L. dispersus, L. subtorminosus, and L. speciosus, all of which have a hairy cap edge. Singer's 1986 classification of the Agaricales does not divide subsection Aspideini into stirpes, instead grouping Lactarius repraesentaneus with L. aspideus, L. uvidus, L. luridis, L. psammicola, and L. speciosus.
The mushroom is commonly known as the "northern bearded milkcap", the "northern milkcap", or the "purple-staining milkcap". The specific epithet repraesentaneus is Latin for "well-represented".
## Description
The cap of L. repraesentaneus is 6–18 cm (2.4–7.1 in) wide, convex to broadly funnel-shaped. The margin (the edge of the cap) is conspicuously bearded on young specimens. The cap surface is faintly zoned to azonate, with a thin layer of matted fibers, often becoming scurfy with age. It is dry to somewhat sticky, light yellow to orange-yellow, sometimes with rusty tints when older. The attachment of the gills to the stem is slightly decurrent—running slightly down the length of the stem. The gills are moderately broad, close to crowded, sometimes forked near the stem. Normally a cream to pale ochraceous color, they will stain dull lilac to purple when bruised.
The stem is 5–12 cm (2.0–4.7 in) long, 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) thick, nearly equal in width throughout or enlarged downward, hollow at maturity, sticky to dry, scrobiculate (coarsely pitted), pale yellow to orange-yellow, and stains dull lilac to purple. The flesh is firm, brittle, white, and will stain dull lilac to purple when cut. The odor is sometimes faintly fragrant or not distinctive, but when the mushroom is dry it smells intensely of soap. Its taste is mild to slightly acrid or somewhat bitter, and the flavor has been compared to sweet flag (Acorus calamus). The abundant amount of latex produced by the mushroom is white to cream, unchanging, staining all tissues dull lilac to purple. It tastes mild to slightly acrid or somewhat bitter. The spore print is yellowish. The fruit bodies are considered poisonous and consumption will cause stomach aches, but the nature of the toxic agents has not been identified.
A new form, Lactarius repraesentaneus f. immutabilis, was described from Le Sappey, in the Haute-Savoie department of southeastern France in 2011. It differs in the staining reaction of its injured flesh.
The spores are 8–12 by 6.5–9 μm, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid, ornamented with warts and ridges that do not form a reticulum, prominences up to 0.8 μm high, hyaline, and amyloid. The cap cuticle is an ixocutis—with the hyphae embedded in a slimy or gelatinized layer.
### Similar species
Lactarius repraesentaneus is similar in appearance to Lactarius scrobiculatus, which has latex that turns yellow when exposed to air, a different smell, a stinging flesh and a different reaction of the milk to alkali: in L. scrobiculatus the milk turns reddish-orange while that of L. representaneus does not change color. Lactarius uvidus also has a violet reaction but it has a different color and is not hairy at the margin of the cap. L. flavidus has a yellowish cap but does not have a hairy margin.
## Habitat and distribution
Like other Lactarius species, L. repraesentaneus is thought to form mycorrhizal relationships with trees. This is a mutually beneficial relationship where the hyphae of the fungus grow around the roots of trees, forming a sheath of tissue. This enables the fungus to receive moisture, protection and nutritive byproducts of the tree, and affords the tree greater access to soil nutrients. The fruit bodies of L. repraesentaneus are found scattered or in groups on the ground under spruce from August to September. The fungus is distributed in higher elevations in the northern USA and southern Canada where spruce is present. It has also been reported from Alaska, California, and the Rocky Mountains. The frequency of its appearance is described as occasional to fairly common. In Europe, where it is fairly rare, it is found mainly underneath sallows (Salix capraea) in forests at the foot of mountains on non-calcareous soil. It has been collected in Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, the French Alps and England; overall, it is widely distributed throughout the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. The fungus has also been collected under birch (B. pubescens, B. nana, and B. glandulosa) in Greenland.
## Bioactive compounds
Lactarius repraesentaneus was reported to have antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus aureus in 1947. The substance responsible for the antibacterial activity, determined to be heat-sensitive, was not identified. A number of chemicals have been isolated and identified from L. repraesentaneus that can regulate the growth of plants. The chemicals, in a class called sesquiterpenoids are named repraesentin A, and two related sesquiterpenes, namely repraesentins B and C. These compounds were shown to promote the radicle elongation of lettuce seedlings by 136%, 118% and 184% at 67 ppm, respectively. Other compounds reported in 2006 are repraesentins D, E, and F. Repraesentin E showed the strongest growth promotion activity, 164% at 3.6 μm, of the three compounds toward the radicle elongation of lettuce seedlings.
## See also
- List of Lactarius species
## Cited text
|
[
"## Taxonomy",
"## Description",
"### Similar species",
"## Habitat and distribution",
"## Bioactive compounds",
"## See also",
"## Cited text"
] | 1,735 | 3,838 |
254,498 |
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
| 1,173,357,564 |
1999 fantasy novel by J. K. Rowling
|
[
"1999 British novels",
"1999 children's books",
"1999 fantasy novels",
"BILBY Award-winning works",
"Bloomsbury Publishing books",
"Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers winners",
"British novels adapted into films",
"Children's fantasy novels",
"Costa Book Award-winning works",
"Fiction about prison escapes",
"Fiction about shapeshifting",
"Fiction about size change",
"Fiction set in 1993",
"Fiction set in 1994",
"Harry Potter novels",
"Novels about revenge",
"Novels about time travel",
"Scholastic Corporation books",
"Sequel novels",
"Werewolf novels",
"Wrongful convictions in fiction"
] |
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and is the third in the Harry Potter series. The book follows Harry Potter, a young wizard, in his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Along with friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry investigates Sirius Black, an escaped prisoner from Azkaban, the wizard prison, believed to be one of Lord Voldemort's old allies.
The book was published in the United Kingdom on 8 July 1999 by Bloomsbury and in the United States on 8 September 1999 by Scholastic, Inc. Rowling found the book easy to write, finishing it just a year after she began writing it. The book sold 68,000 copies in just three days after its release in the United Kingdom and since has sold over three million in the country. The book won the 1999 Whitbread Children's Book Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the 2000 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel and was short-listed for other awards, including the Hugo.
The film adaptation of the novel was released in 2004, grossing more than \$796 million and earning critical acclaim. Video games loosely based on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban were also released for several platforms, and most obtained favourable reviews.
## Plot
While Harry is living with the Dursleys, Aunt Marge comes to visit. When he and his late parents are insulted by Marge, an angry Harry accidentally inflates her. Harry packs up his stuff and leaves the house, choosing to spend the summer at the Leaky Cauldron inn in London. While there, Harry is warned that a former follower of Voldemort, named Sirius Black, is seeking him out after having escaped from the wizard prison, Azkaban.
At Hogwarts, the guards of Azkaban, known as the Dementors, patrol the school looking for Black. Harry is unusually affected by their presence, and asks help from Remus Lupin, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, in learning to repel them. Lupin teaches Harry the incredibly difficult Patronus charm, but Harry is able to produce a full-bodied Patronus to fight off the Dementors. Meanwhile, Black is reported to have been sighted in the village of Hogsmeade, close to Hogwarts.
Harry is given a secret map by Fred and George Weasley, which reveals everyone inside the castle and its grounds. Harry uses it to sneak into Hogsmeade without permission. Hiding inside a pub, he overhears a conversation in which he learns that Black is actually his godfather, and that he killed his own best friend, Peter Pettigrew, while also betraying Harry's father, James, to Voldemort.
Harry, Ron and Hermione visit Hagrid, and are surprised to find Ron's missing pet rat, Scabbers, hiding there. As they walk back to the castle with Scabbers, Ron is attacked by a large dog. The dog drags Ron into a secret tunnel and disappears, coming out on the other side, inside the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade. The dog is revealed to be Black in his Animagus form.
Harry and Hermione reach the Shack, followed by Lupin, who spots them on Harry's map. Lupin disarms Harry, then explains why he believes Black to be innocent. Black claims that the crimes attributed to him were actually committed by Pettigrew, who escaped suspicion by faking his own death. Pettigrew is also an Animagus, and has been hiding as Ron's rat Scabbers this whole time. Harry suggests handing Pettigrew over to the Dementors.
While walking back to the castle, the full moon suddenly emerges and Lupin, secretly a werewolf, starts transforming. Black turns into the dog to protect the others, and Pettigrew escapes amid the chaos. Harry, Hermione and Black are accosted by Dementors, and Black ends up being captured.
While Black is held captive inside a tower in Hogwarts, Dumbledore confirms with Harry and Hermione that he is indeed innocent. He instructs them to save Black, by going back in time and setting him free, before he is handed over to the Dementors. Using a Time Turner, which Hermione has had since the beginning of the year to get to all her classes, they travel back a few hours. Present-day Harry saves his past self, and the past versions of Hermione and Black from Dementors using a Patronus. He then allows Black to be captured by Snape, before using Hagrid's hippogriff, Buckbeak, to release him from the tower and escape.
The next day, Lupin is forced to resign as his secret identity as a werewolf is now known to the school. Harry is upset at not spending more time with his godfather, Black, but Dumbledore asks him to take comfort in having saved his life. On the train journey back to London, Harry receives a letter from Black, who also sends a replacement pet owl for Ron.
## Publication and reception
### Pre-release history
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third book in the Harry Potter series. The first, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, was published by Bloomsbury on 26 June 1997 and the second, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, was published on 2 July 1998. Rowling started to write the Prisoner of Azkaban the day after she finished The Chamber of Secrets. Rowling said in 2004 that Prisoner of Azkaban was "the best writing experience I ever had...I was in a very comfortable place writing (number) three. Immediate financial worries were over, and press attention wasn't yet by any means excessive".
### Critical reception
Gregory Maguire wrote a review in The New York Times for Prisoner of Azkaban: in it he said, "So far, in terms of plot, the books do nothing new, but they do it brilliantly...so far, so good." In a newspaper review in The New York Times, it was said that "'The Prisoner of Azkaban' may be the best 'Harry Potter' book yet". A reviewer for KidsReads said, "This crisply-paced fantasy will leave you hungry for the four additional Harry books that J.K. Rowling is working on. Harry's third year is a charm. Don't miss it." Kirkus Reviews did not give a starred review but said, "a properly pulse-pounding climax...The main characters and the continuing story both come along so smartly...that the book seems shorter than its page count: have readers clear their calendars if they are fans, or get out of the way if they are not." Martha V. Parravano also gave a positive review for The Horn Book Magazine, calling it "quite a good book." In addition, a Publishers Weekly review said, "Rowling's wit never flags, whether constructing the workings of the wizard world...or tossing off quick jokes...The Potter spell is holding strong".
However, Anthony Holden, who was one of the judges against Prisoner of Azkaban for the Whitbread Award, was negative about the book, saying that the characters are "all black-and-white", and the "story-lines are predictable, the suspense minimal, the sentimentality cloying every page".
In 2012 it was ranked number 12 on a list of the top 100 children's novels published by School Library Journal.
### Awards
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban won several awards, including the 1999 Booklist Editors' Choice Award, the 1999 Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers, the 1999 FCBG Children's Book Award, the 1999 Whitbread Book of the Year for children's books, and the 2000 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel. It was also nominated for the 2000 Hugo Award for Best Novel, the first in the series nominated, but lost to A Deepness in the Sky. Prisoner of Azkaban additionally won the 2004 Indian Paintbrush Book Award and the 2004 Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award. Additionally, it was named an American Library Association Notable Children's Book in 2000 as well as one of their Best Books for Young Adults. As with the previous two books in the series, Prisoner of Azkaban won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize Gold Medal for children aged 9–11 and made the top of the New York Times Best Seller list. In both cases, it was the last in the series to do so. However, in the latter case, a Children's Best Sellers list was created just before the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in July 2000 in order to free up more room on the original list. In 2003, the novel was listed at number 24 on the BBC's survey The Big Read.
### Sales
Prisoner of Azkaban sold more than 68,000 copies in the UK within three days of publication, which made it the fastest selling British book of the time. The sales total by 2012 is said by The Guardian to be 3,377,906.
## Editions
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was released in hardcover in the UK on 8 July 1999 and in the US on 8 September. The British paperback edition was released on 1 April 2000, while the US paperback was released 1 October 2001.
Bloomsbury additionally released an adult edition with a different cover design to the original, in paperback on 10 July 2004 and in hardcover in October 2004. A hardcover special edition, featuring a green border and signature, was released on 8 July 1999. In May 2004, Bloomsbury released a Celebratory Edition, with a blue and purple border. On 1 November 2010, they released the 10th anniversary Signature edition illustrated by Clare Mellinsky and in July 2013 a new adult cover illustrated by Andrew Davidson, both these editions were designed by Webb & Webb Design Limited.
Beginning on 27 August 2013, Scholastic will release new covers for the paperback editions of Harry Potter in the United States to celebrate 15 years of the series. The covers were designed by the author and illustrator Kazu Kibuishi.
An illustrated version of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was released on 3 October 2017, and was illustrated by Jim Kay, who illustrates the previous two instalments. This includes over 115 new illustrations and will be followed by Illustrated editions of the following 4 novels in the future. Jim Kay announced on 6 October 2022 that he would not be illustrating the final two Harry Potter books and that his last work, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, would be released on 11 October 2022.
## Adaptations
### Film
The film version of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was released in 2004 and was directed by Alfonso Cuarón from a screenplay by Steve Kloves. The film débuted at number one at the box office and held that position for two weeks. It made a total of \$796.7 million worldwide, which made it the second highest-grossing film of 2004 behind Shrek 2. However, among all eight entries in the Harry Potter franchise, Prisoner of Azkaban grossed the lowest; yet among critics and fans, the film is often cited as the best in the franchise – in large part due to Cuarón's stylistic influence. The film ranks at number 471 in Empire magazine's 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time.
### Video games
Three unique video games by different developers were released in 2004 by Electronic Arts, loosely based on the book:
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Publication and reception",
"### Pre-release history",
"### Critical reception",
"### Awards",
"### Sales",
"## Editions",
"## Adaptations",
"### Film",
"### Video games"
] | 2,479 | 10,229 |
50,517,400 |
Girl Code (song)
| 1,171,748,409 |
2015 single by Countess Luann
|
[
"2015 singles",
"2015 songs",
"Countess Luann songs",
"Song recordings produced by Jerry Duplessis",
"Songs written by Arden Altino",
"Songs written by DJ Buddha",
"The Real Housewives"
] |
"Girl Code" is a song by American television personality Luann de Lesseps, under the stage name and former courtesy title of Countess Luann. It was released on July 3, 2015, through Eloli Music, as a standalone single. Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis produced the song and co-wrote it with de Lesseps, Arden Altino, Angela Ann Hunte, Tzvetin T. Todorov, and Urales Vargas. Despite having no plans to release new music, de Lesseps was inspired by her fellow The Real Housewives of New York City cast members and convinced by the series' producer Andy Cohen to release a third single.
"Girl Code" is a funk-influenced dance song that features backing vocals from de Lesseps' daughter, Victoria. She premiered the song during an episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, and its lyrics partially reference an argument between de Lesseps and American author Carole Radziwill that occurred while vacationing in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It received mixed reviews from music critics, with E! Online referring to it as a guilty pleasure song.
## Background and release
According to Luann de Lesseps, she did not have any plans to release additional music in her career. In 2010, she was signed to Ultra Music, and collaborated with New York City-based musician Chris Young as her producer and co-songwriter. Together, they released "Money Can't Buy You Class" in 2010, and "Chic C'est la Vie" in 2011. Her appearances on The Real Housewives of New York City proved to be a source of inspiration for developing her third single, "Girl Code"; she said in an interview: "I got really inspired... I'm thrilled with it because the song is really different from what I've done before." The series' producer Andy Cohen also helped convince de Lesseps to release a new song. "Girl Code" was written by de Lesseps, Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis, Arden Altino, Angela Ann Hunte, Tzvetin T. Todorov, and Urales Vargas, while production was handled by Duplessis.
de Lesseps premiered "Girl Code" as a live performance on the American late-night talk show Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. The episode, which was broadcast on June 23, 2015, featured both de Lesseps and Real Housewives co-star Sonja Morgan; During the appearance, de Lesseps answered a fan's phone-in question regarding the song's subject matter and title: "I think every woman can understand what that means. When you break the girl code, when you cross the line, and you just do something that is – you know – unforgivable unless someone apologizes." The song was released on July 3, 2015, when it was distributed for digital download and streaming through Eloli Music. Some publications have referred to the song by the alternative title "Girl Code (Don't Be So Uncool)". A music video for the song was filmed during the last week of June 2015.
## Music and lyrics
"Girl Code" is a funk-influenced dance song. de Lesseps' daughter, Victoria, provides backing vocals. Dave Quinn and Jessica Fecteau, writers from People, both noted the song's girl power theme, with the former calling it funky.
Lyrically, "Girl Code" refers to a moment in de Lesseps' life where she felt betrayed by her friends. While vacationing with the Real Housewives cast in the Turks and Caicos Islands, she took issue with some members, specifically author Carole Radziwill, for entering a relationship with the former boyfriend of de Lesseps' niece. Specifying, de Lesseps revealed to E! Online that "Girl Code" is not entirely about just one incident, but rather "how friends have to look out for each other" and what happens when they do not. One of the lyrics references a catchphrase de Lesseps coined during the trip ("Don't be all, like, uncool"). In the chorus, "I'm just doing me / You broke the girl code / So don't be so uncool / I gotta let you go", Ben Rimalower from Vulture felt she expresses her want of "support and company" from her friendships.
## Critical reception
Chris Harnick from E! Online referred to "Girl Code" as a guilty pleasure song. Bustle's Kristie Rohwedder ranked de Lesseps' first three singles, and provided the lowest score to "Girl Code"; however, she enjoyed its lyrics, danceability, and catchiness. Lynsey Eidell of Glamour encouraged her readers to listen to the song "if only for a chuckle".
Retrospectively, Sadie Gennis from TV Guide Magazine listed "Girl Code" as the tenth best Real Housewives song in a 2017 article. She called the song nonsense and said Victoria de Lesseps' feature was the best part of the song. In a similar 2019 list by People, Quinn listed it as the franchise's 18th best song, and labeled it as "a banger".
## Track listing
## Release history
|
[
"## Background and release",
"## Music and lyrics",
"## Critical reception",
"## Track listing",
"## Release history"
] | 1,104 | 28,667 |
32,175,666 |
Caesars Palace 2000
| 1,171,288,255 |
Simulation video game
|
[
"2000 video games",
"Caesars Palace video games",
"Casino video games",
"Dreamcast games",
"Interplay Entertainment games",
"Multiplayer and single-player video games",
"PlayStation (console) games",
"Video games developed in the United Kingdom",
"Video games set in Nevada",
"Video games set in hotels",
"Video games set in the Las Vegas Valley",
"Windows games"
] |
Caesars Palace 2000 is a gambling simulation video game developed by Runecraft and published by Interplay Entertainment. It was released in North America and Europe in June 2000 for the PlayStation, Dreamcast and Microsoft Windows' PCs. It is named after the famous Caesars Palace luxury hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Interplay announced in late 1999 that they were working on a title for the Dreamcast which was known to be a 3D simulation of gambling with traditional casino games. The game was fully licensed by the Caesars Palace casino and features six card games, table games, five slot machine themes, and video game machines. Each game plays by official Caesars Palace rules and uses casino odds and payouts verified by a Ph.D. in statistics. The PC version of the game received praise for its graphics and sound, but the Dreamcast version received criticism for its presentation, graphics, and slow pace.
## Gameplay
There are eleven casino games, authentic Caesars Palace cards, chips, rules, and tutorial guides for beginners throughout each game. In the PlayStation version of the game, there are six card games, including variations of poker and blackjack; table games, including roulette and craps; video game machines, including video poker and keno; and five slot machine themes. For each of the various games included, official Caesars Palace tables and equipment are used. Each game plays by official Caesars Palace rules and uses casino odds and payouts confirmed by statistician William Bertram, Ph.D. Tutorials and in-game hints can be shown on each of Caesar's Palace 2000: Millennium Gold Edition'''s various games. The tutorials and hints are displayed at times when the game notices that the player is making moves considered incorrect by casino standards. For further assistance, Caesar's Palace 2000: Millennium Gold Edition also features the Caesars Palace Guide to Gaming Handbook, which details rules and strategies for the included games.
In the PC and Dreamcast versions of the game, an initial stake of \$2,000 is given, though more is available through loans at a virtual automated teller machine. Official Caesars Palace rules and tutorials are given for each game, along with genuine cards and chips. Odds and payouts are confirmed by Bertram. The card games include blackjack, Pai gow poker, Mini-Baccarat, Red dog, Casino war, and Spanish 21. The table games include craps and roulette, while machine gambling include video poker, poker challenge, and video Keno. The five slot machine themes include Ancient Egypt, Baseball Challenge, Halloween Spooky, Progressive Fruit, and Wild West. They all have different payouts and odds. The settings can be customized for some games, including the volume, coaching, number of decks, card tracking, bet limits, and animations.
## Development
In September 1999, publisher Interplay Entertainment announced the arrival of several Dreamcast titles to be developed by Rage Software. Interplay revealed that they were working on another title, known as Caesars Palace 2000 for the Dreamcast. It was known to be a 3D simulation of gambling, and they promised that it will be "one of the most realistic portrayals of the casino atmosphere ever". It was going to have traditional casino games, like blackjack, poker, and slots, and was slated for a late fourth-quarter release in 1999.
In May 2000, developer Runecraft was simultaneously working with publisher Ripcord Games on the Dreamcast port of Spec Ops, while developing Caesars Palace 2000. It was announced that the game was set for release on the PC, Dreamcast, and PlayStation. They promised to include all the things associated with gambling, and a release in late May 2000. The game was fully licensed by the Caesars Palace casino, with twenty-three different gambling games and adhering to the Official Caesars Palace Rules. Runecraft promised a title that "reflects the ambiance of Caesars Palace, including dealers with personality". Players would also be able to track their performance and do some statistical analysis.
## Reception
Caesars Palace 2000 received mixed reviews from critics, while the PC version received the most positive reaction. It received aggregate scores of 55% and 45% from GameRankings for PC and Dreamcast respectively.
For the PC version, GameSpot editor Stephen Poole stated "You'll be better off looking for free online versions of the various games contained in Caesars Palace 2000". In contrast, IGN was more favorable to the PC version of the game. Francois Laramee of Allgame praised the game for its "excellent audio-visuals. The 3D accelerated graphics, specifically the tables, the cards and the dealers' hands, are well modeled and lit, and the playing chips are beautiful. The sound effects are accurate, and the voice actors, competent". However, he noted that "some of the 3D effects are not particularly wieldy, the menus flicker, it's often hard to stop the scrolling menus at the right time, and the camera angles switch too fast and frequently to be anything but distracting. The slot machine wheels are a bit on the small side and difficult to read". Laramee went on to call the game "a competent effort, but is essentially dry and uninspired". ComputerAndVideoGames.com's Alex Huhtala criticized the game for its "Poor, vomit-inducing presentation".
For the PlayStation version, IGN's David Zdyrko cited that "Many of the games are quite enjoyable, but the truth of the matter is that it never quite matches the thrill of the real thing" and criticized on how "the visuals are very bland on the whole. It has low-resolution backgrounds, and pretty much nothing at all to get excited about". He also called the music "boring and completely uninspiring". Allgame editor Matt Grandstaff commended the card games, as they "require a fair amount of strategy, and thus remain entertaining" and that "the look and feel of Caesars Palace 2000'' recaptures the feel of one of the most successful casinos of all-time". He stated that the game "is definitely not about the looks" but "does an admirable job recreating the casino experience". Grandstaff felt that the game "has the sound of a real casino. From background clatter to the voices of the dealer, this is Caesar's Palace". He noted that players "will enjoy sitting through hours of card games" but to "Avoid the slots". Grandstaff also commented that the strategy book that comes with the game "should be packed on any trip to Vegas".
The Dreamcast version was heavily criticized. Ryan Davis of GameSpot stated that "the best bet for all involved would be to take your chips elsewhere". Similarly, IGN editor Jeremy Dunham noted that "the blandness of the game's presentation would probably disappoint the most basic of cavemen. Even the graphics are disappointing. True, those card tables can look very realistic, but what else is there to marvel at? Nothing! Without any type of exploration feature, or other characters there isn't anything to render". Allgame's Bryan Hightower criticized that "there are not enough games, there are annoying wait times, and the help mode is terrible". He also complained that "the dealer deals painfully slow and has to say what cards you have twice. You can already read your hand right on the screen, so you don't need the dealer to waste your time". Hightower also cited that "when you win at slots, the camera always goes to the bottom of the machine to show you the payout scale" which "becomes frustrating after a few credits because it is so slow. The act of leaving the table or machine is even slower". He also said that the advice the game gives you is "Perhaps the most irritating 'feature' of this game" because "Each time you do something the computer wouldn't have done, a pop-up screen will appear that adds more time to the lengthy procedure of completing a bet". Hightower commented that "The above-par graphics are quickly negated by the rock-bottom enjoyment factor" and that "this game doesn't have any of the character the real casino has".
|
[
"## Gameplay",
"## Development",
"## Reception"
] | 1,700 | 24,827 |
21,618,145 |
SM UB-13
| 1,172,009,501 |
German Type UB I-class submarine
|
[
"1915 ships",
"German Type UB I submarines",
"Maritime incidents in 1916",
"Ships built in Belgium",
"Ships built in Bremen (state)",
"Submarines lost with all hands",
"U-boats commissioned in 1915",
"U-boats sunk by mines",
"U-boats sunk in 1916",
"World War I shipwrecks in the North Sea",
"World War I submarines of Germany"
] |
SM UB-13 was a German Type UB I submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The submarine was probably sunk by a British mine net in April 1916.
UB-13 was ordered in October 1914 and was laid down at the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen in November. UB-13 was a little under 28 metres (92 ft) in length and displaced between 127 and 141 tonnes (125 and 139 long tons), depending on whether surfaced or submerged. She carried two torpedoes for her two bow torpedo tubes and was also armed with a deck-mounted machine gun. UB-13 was broken into sections and shipped by rail to Antwerp for reassembly. She was launched in March 1915 and commissioned as SM UB-13 in April.
UB-13 spent her entire career in the Flanders Flotilla and sank 11 merchant ships, about half of them British fishing vessels. In March 1916, UB-13 was responsible for sinking the Dutch ocean liner Tubantia, raising the ire of the Dutch public. Tubantia was the largest neutral vessel sunk during the war and among the 30 largest ships sunk by U-boats. On 25 April 1916, UB-13 was sunk with all hands.
## Design and construction
After the German Army's rapid advance along the North Sea coast in the earliest stages of World War I, the German Imperial Navy found itself without suitable submarines that could be operated in the narrow and shallow seas off Flanders. Project 34, a design effort begun in mid-August 1914, produced the Type UB I design: a small submarine that could be shipped by rail to a port of operations and quickly assembled. Constrained by railroad size limitations, the UB I design called for a boat about 28 metres (92 ft) long and displacing about 125 tonnes (123 long tons) with two torpedo tubes.
UB-13 was part of the initial allotment of seven submarines—numbered UB-9 to UB-15—ordered on 15 October from AG Weser of Bremen, just shy of two months after planning for the class began. UB-13 was laid down by Weser in Bremen on 7 November. As built, UB-13 was 27.88 metres (91 ft 6 in) long, 3.15 metres (10 ft 4 in) abeam, and had a draft of 3.03 metres (9 ft 11 in). She had a single 59-brake-horsepower (44 kW) Körting 4-cylinder diesel engine for surface travel, and a single 119-shaft-horsepower (89 kW) Siemens-Schuckert electric motor for underwater travel, both attached to a single propeller shaft. Her top speeds were 7.45 knots (13.80 km/h; 8.57 mph), surfaced, and 6.24 knots (11.56 km/h; 7.18 mph), submerged. At more moderate speeds, she could sail up to 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km; 1,700 mi) on the surface before refueling, and up to 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) submerged before recharging her batteries. Like all boats of the class, UB-13 was rated to a diving depth of 50 metres (160 ft), and could completely submerge in 33 seconds.
UB-13 was armed with two 45-centimeter (17.7 in) torpedoes in two bow torpedo tubes. She was also outfitted for a single 8-millimeter (0.31 in) machine gun on deck. UB-13's standard complement consisted of one officer and thirteen enlisted men.
After work on UB-13 was complete at the Weser yard, she was readied for rail shipment. The process of shipping a UB I boat involved breaking the submarine down into what was essentially a knock down kit. Each boat was broken into approximately fifteen pieces and loaded onto eight railway flatcars. In February 1915, the sections of UB-13 were shipped to Antwerp for assembly in what was typically a two- to three-week process. After UB-13 was assembled and launched on 8 March, she was loaded on a barge and taken through canals to Bruges where she underwent trials.
## Early career
The submarine was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy as SM UB-13 on 6 April 1915 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Walter Gustav Becker, a 29-year-old first-time U-boat commander. On 26 April, UB-13 joined the Flanders Flotilla (German: U-boote des Marinekorps U-Flotille Flandern), which had been organized on 29 March. When UB-13 joined the flotilla, Germany was in the midst of its first submarine offensive, begun in February. During this campaign, enemy vessels in the German-defined war zone (German: Kriegsgebiet), which encompassed all waters around the United Kingdom, were to be sunk. Vessels of neutral countries were not to be attacked unless they definitively could be identified as enemy vessels operating under a false flag.
Submarines of the Flanders Flotilla sank over 14,000 tons of merchant vessels in June 1915, and UB-13's first ship sunk, Dulcie, contributed almost one-seventh of that total. The British steamer Dulcie, listed at 2,033 gross register tons (GRT), was headed from Dunston for Le Havre with a load of coal when Becker torpedoed her 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) east of Aldeburgh. One man on Dulcie lost his life in the attack. Dulcie was the only ship sunk by UB-13 in June.
On 27 and 28 July, Becker and UB-13 sank three British fishing vessels while patrolling between 15 and 30 nautical miles (28 and 56 km; 17 and 35 mi) off Lowestoft. All three of the sunken ships were smacks—sailing vessels traditionally rigged with red ochre sails—which were stopped, boarded by crewmen from UB-16, and sunk with explosives.
In response to American demands after German submarines had sunk the Cunard Line steamer in May 1915 and other high-profile sinkings in August and September, the chief of the Admiralstab, Admiral Henning von Holtzendorff, issued orders suspending the first offensive on 18 September. His directive ordered all U-boats out of the English Channel and the South-Western Approaches and required that all submarine activity in the North Sea be conducted strictly along prize regulations. On 20 February 1916, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Karl Neumann, who replaced Becker in December 1915, UB-13 captured a Belgian ship named Z10 David Marie and retained her as a prize. There are no further details about where Z10 David Marie was taken or her final disposition, but other ships captured as prizes by Flanders boats were sailed into Zeebrugge by prize crews.
## Second submarine offensive
By early 1916, the British blockade of Germany was beginning to have an effect on Germany and her imports. The Royal Navy had stopped and seized more cargo destined for Germany than the quantity of cargo sunk by German U-boats in the first submarine offensive. As a result, the German Imperial Navy began a second offensive against merchant shipping on 29 February. The final ground rules agreed upon by the German Admiralstab were that all enemy vessels in Germany's self-proclaimed war zone would be destroyed without warning, that enemy vessels outside the war zone would be destroyed only if armed, and—to avoid antagonizing the United States—that enemy passenger steamers were not to be attacked, regardless of whether in the war zone or not. The day after the beginning of the second offensive, Neumann and UB-13 sank four more fishing smacks northeast of Lowestoft. All four ships were boarded and sunk in the same manner as the three sunk the previous July. Shortly after, Neumann was transferred to command UB-2 in early March, and was replaced by Oberleutnant zur See Arthur Metz, who had been in command of UB-17 for the preceding month.
### SS Tubantia
Shortly after 02:30 on 16 March, a torpedo from UB-13 struck the starboard side of the neutral Dutch ocean liner Tubantia, which was at anchor near the North Hinder Lightship, about 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) off the Dutch coast. The Royal Holland Lloyd (Dutch: Koninklijke Hollandsche Lloyd) ship had been fully illuminated, with her name spelled out in electric lights between the twin funnels. Distress calls from Tubantia were heeded and all 80 passengers and 294 crew were rescued by three nearby ships before the ship foundered. Tubantia was the largest neutral ship sunk during the war, and among the 30 largest ships sunk by U-boats.
Germany initially tried to implicate British mines or torpedoes, but relented when confronted with evidence that it was one of their own torpedoes—which had been assigned to UB-13—that had sunk Tubantia. The Germans, however, presented a forged log from UB-13 that showed her nowhere near Tubantia at the time of the attack. Further, they reported, UB-13 had fired that specific torpedo at a British warship on 6 March—ten days before Tubantia was sunk—which would have been under her previous commander, Kapitänleutnant Neumann. The U.S. Minister to the Netherlands, Henry van Dyke, writing in Fighting for Peace in 1917, called this explanation "amazing" and derided it:
> This certain U-boat had fired this particular torpedo at a British war-vessel somewhere in the North Sea ten days before the Tubantia was sunk. The shot missed its mark. But the naughty undisciplined little torpedo went cruising around in the sea on its own hook for ten days waiting for a chance to kill somebody. Then the Tubantia came along and the wandering-Willy torpedo promptly, obstinately, ran into the ship and sank her. This was the explanation. Germany was not to blame.
The Dutch public was furious at what they believed a hostile German act, which caused German diplomats to spread rumors of an impending British invasion of the Netherlands to divert the unwanted attention.
Amidst all of the denials and diplomatic wrangling over Tubantia's sinking, UB-13 continued to sink ships. On 31 March, off Southwold, Metz and UB-13 sank the British steamer Alacrity. The 1,080 GRT ship was carrying ballast destined for Seaham Harbour when she went down with fourteen crewman. Twelve days later, in the Kentish Knock area, UB-13 sank the Danish ship Proeven. The 276 GRT sailing vessel was the last ship sunk by UB-13.
## Sinking
On the evening of 23 April 1916, UB-13 departed Zeebrugge for a patrol off the mouth of the Thames and was never heard from again. Author Dwight Messimer, in his book Verschollen: World War I U-boat Losses, reports that the British had deployed a new explosive anti-submarine net at position in the early morning hours of 24 April. He suggests that it was possible UB-13 had set off some of the contact mines on the net, or possible that the submarine had struck a mine in one of the many British minefields off the Flemish coast. However, according to authors R. H. Gibson and Maurice Prendergast, in their book The German Submarine War, 1914–1918, UB-13 fouled the anchor cable of the British naval drifter Gleaner of the Sea on 24 April, and was depth charged by E.E.S.. Then for good measure, the British destroyer Afridi deployed explosive sweeps against the submarine. Whatever the specific cause of her demise, all seventeen crewmen on board the submarine were killed.
## Summary of raiding history
|
[
"## Design and construction",
"## Early career",
"## Second submarine offensive",
"### SS Tubantia",
"## Sinking",
"## Summary of raiding history"
] | 2,560 | 21,768 |
32,052,132 |
Today Is Your Day
| 1,154,570,208 | null |
[
"2011 singles",
"2011 songs",
"Country ballads",
"Mercury Nashville singles",
"Mercury Records singles",
"Shania Twain songs",
"Song recordings produced by David Foster",
"Song recordings produced by Nathan Chapman (record producer)",
"Songs written by Shania Twain"
] |
"Today Is Your Day" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter Shania Twain. It was self-penned by Twain and co-produced by David Foster and Nathan Chapman. The song was released on June 12, 2011 by Mercury Nashville Records, as a single to accompany the documentary television series Why Not? with Shania Twain (2011). The song marked Twain's first song release in over six years and actually even the only song release of her own within a timespan of twelve years. Twain wrote the track for self-inspiration, during the development of Why Not? with Shania Twain. To her, "Today Is Your Day" became the theme song for the series, expressing the purpose behind it via music. Despite feeling apprehensive, Twain decided to record the track, which induced her to create her forthcoming fifth studio album. The track is a midtempo ballad in the country pop genre. Lyrically, "Today Is Your Day" regards personal upliftment. "Today Is Your Day" is Twain's first track to have had no involvement from her now ex-husband Robert John "Mutt" Lange in 18 years. It is also only her second self-penned song, the first being "Leaving Is The Only Way Out" from her second studio album The Woman In Me (1995). Twain performed the song on her Rock This Country Tour and in an acoustic version for the Still the One residency.
"Today Is Your Day" has received mixed reviews from music critics and mild commercial performance in Canada and the United States. On the Canadian Hot 100, the song peaked at number 16, while, on the US Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at number 66. It became Twain's first effort to enter the main-genre chart since "Party for Two" (2004). Despite not receiving an official music video, a promotional music video was gathered from footage from Why Not? with Shania Twain.
## Background
In 1993, Twain released her self-titled debut album, which caught the attention of record producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange. The two collaborated on songwriting via phone calls for six months, and later established a romantic relationship. They wedded in December 1993 and Twain's second studio album, which they co-wrote together, The Woman in Me (1995) established her as a worldwide commercial success, selling over 12 million copies in the United States and over 20 million worldwide. Twain and Lange continued to collaborate on her subsequent albums Come On Over (1997) and Up! (2002); the prior went on to sell over 40 million copies worldwide and became the best-selling album by a female artist. After selling over 75 million records worldwide, making her the top-selling female artist in country music history, and releasing a Greatest Hits (2004) album, Twain decided to take a musical hiatus in 2005. In 2008, it was announced that after 14 years of marriage, Twain and Lange were in the process of divorcing. The singer discovered her husband had an affair with her friend and confidant, Marie Anne Thiebaud, which Lange and Thiebaud never admitted to. The divorce was finalized on June 9, 2010.
According to Twain, she became depressed and lost her desire to live after the divorce. As a distraction, she began to write a memoir, titled From This Moment On after the 1998 song of the same name. She then re-evaluated her life and noted a pattern of withholding emotions, which affected her voice for both speaking and singing. She explained the loss of her voice resulted from the cumulative stress of experiencing domestic violence in her childhood, the death of her parents, stress from her musical career, and the divorce. As a result, the singer developed dysphonia, an impairment in the ability to produce sound because of tightened muscles enveloping her voice box. In order to recover, Twain embarked on a documented journey with the series Why Not? with Shania Twain. Twain wanted to go outside her comfort zone and perform once again, while inspiring viewers to be proactive about their own problems.
## Writing and recording
After repeating to herself, 'Today is your day! You can do it!', Twain decided to compose a song for self-inspiration. Twain described the decision to write the song as crucial because it was her first songwriting effort since her separation from Lange. She had to "find [herself] as a songwriter" and become independent again. "I was petrified of writing a new song without Mutt. A whole new world for me. It had been many, many years since I had written by myself so that was new and scary", Twain said. Twain found writing the music quite simple, as it only occupied two lines of sheet music. The lyrics then flowed as Why Not? with Shania Twain progressed. "Today Is Your Day" inspirited her; hence, she considered sharing it with the series. The concept frightened her: "Sharing that song with other people, exposing, and basically allowing myself to be vulnerable and judged, it scared the heck out of me." She believed it became a natural theme song for the series. She explained, "From the inception of documenting the journey, the song was also created at that moment. And it has evolved with it all along the way."
As part of Why Not? with Shania Twain, she arranged a session with music producer David Foster, hoping to collaborate on "Today Is Your Day". Although she felt skeptical, Twain visited vocal coach Eric Vetro to prepare for her session with Foster. Twain and Vetro executed vocal exercises to loosen up the tension and tightness in her vocal chords. "The goal is to free up, to let go. She has to take all of that tension and tightness that she's been feeling for so long, and transform it to free herself from it. And to start singing from her heart again, the way she did when she was a little girl, when she started," Vetro stated. He also opined that Twain was ready to return to her music career. Twain learned beneficial vocal techniques and appreciated Vetro's understanding of her psyche.
Nevertheless, Twain remained frightened that Foster would dislike the song or her voice. To qualm her fears, Twain approached the session as if she were introducing "Today Is Your Day" as a songwriter, rather than a singer. Twain and Foster recorded the demo of "Today Is Your Day" at Foster's home studio in Los Angeles, California. They created the musical arrangement as the session progressed. Background vocals were provided by Twain and her sister, Carrie Ann Twain, using a handheld microphone. Foster then suggested for Twain to record lead vocals in his home's vocal booth. After agreeing, Twain nervously approached the recording session. Once immersed in the process, she began to enjoy it. The singer considered her session with Foster a "landmark moment in [her] journey" through Why Not? with Shania Twain and described it as second nature, as if she never put her musical career to a halt. Twain later recorded the studio version of "Today Is Your Day" and co-produced it alongside Foster and Nathan Chapman. The song made Twain feel comfortable recording music again, thus she began to work on her forthcoming fifth studio album, Now (2017).
## Release
The song premiered on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network on June 12, 2011, immediately after the broadcast premiere of Why Not? with Shania Twain's final episode, "Endless Love" at 11 P.M. EST. Subsequently, on the same night, "Today Was Your Day" was released to country radio and digital retailers in Canada and the United States, with an international release the next day. It became her first song release since "Shoes" (2005) from the Desperate Housewives soundtrack, and her first self-penned song released since "Leaving Is the Only Way Out" from The Woman in Me (1995); the two are her only self-penned tracks released. An official music video for "Today Is Your Day" was not filmed; instead, the song was given a promotional music video compiled from highlights from Why Not? with Shania Twain. It premiered on Vevo on June 23, 2011, and was released to the iTunes Store on June 28, 2011. It remains one of only five (the other four being "When", "Ka-Ching!, "She's Not Just a Pretty Face" and "It Only Hurts when I'm Breathing) Shania Twain music videos to remain commercially unavailable.
## Composition
"Today Is Your Day" is a song with a length of 3 minutes and 12 seconds. The song is a slow mid-tempo ballad of the country pop genre. Nonetheless, several critics, such as Nicholas Köhler and Ken MacQueen Maclean's, have described the track to be a piece of pop music, rather than country music. It commences with a sole piano accompanying Twain's voice, and later progresses to an assortment of banjo, string instruments and other instrumentation. However, the production is maintained as sparse, leaving Twain's vocals at center. The lyrics are written in second person and discuss optimism and personal upliftment. In the bridge she sings, "Brush yourself off no regrets / This is as good as it gets / Don’t expect more or less / Just go out and give it your best", meaning one must be able to disregard dreaming for a better day because "today is all you’ve got". Melinda Newman of HitFix presumed, considering Twain's back story, that Twain wrote "Today Is Your Day" as a message for herself.
## Critical reception
The song received mixed reviews from music critics. Melinda Newman of HitFix said it was "a bit snoozy", however complemented Twain's reasonably strong vocals. Newman added, "She’s not pushing or belting in any way, but she’s upfront and center. However, her delivery is hardly the peppy rallying call that the lyrics call for and if a song ever demanded to be uptempo, this would be it." Sean Daly of the St. Petersburg Times called the song "a shocking stinkeroo every which way." Daly criticized Twain's vocal delivery, noting she sounded as though she sang through the side of her mouth much like James Cagney, and said the track reinforced the skeptics who insisted Lange was the reason for Twain's success. He concluded, "If 'Today Is Your Day' is a sign of things to come, you might want to hold your breath on that comeback." Jenna Hally Rubenstein of MTV was disappointed with "Today Is Your Day", but said she would "take it" following the singer's long absence from music. Rubenstein commented that the song was undoubtedly saccharine, yet Twain's lush and rich voice prevailed.
## Chart performance
On the week ending July 2, 2011, "Today Is Your Day" debuted at number 14 on the Canadian Hot 100. The following week, it descended to number 45. Since, the song has spent six weeks on the Canadian Hot 100. On the week ending July 2, 2011, "Today Is Your Day" also entered on the US Billboard Hot 100, at number 66 with 46,000 digital downloads (its sole week on the chart). This marked Twain's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart since "Party for Two" (2004) spent its last week on the chart in February 2005. On the same week, "Today Is Your Day" entered at number 40 on the US Hot Country Songs chart, ranking Twain's fourth-highest debut. Two weeks later, on the week ending July 16, 2011, the track reached its peak at number 36, and spent a total of six weeks on the chart.
## Track listing
- Digital Download
1. "Today Is Your Day" – 3:14
## Charts
|
[
"## Background",
"## Writing and recording",
"## Release",
"## Composition",
"## Critical reception",
"## Chart performance",
"## Track listing",
"## Charts"
] | 2,527 | 5,417 |
27,294,805 |
Monarch-class coastal defense ship
| 1,096,186,596 |
Austro-Hungarian Navy's Monarch-class of coastal defense ships
|
[
"Battleship classes",
"Monarch-class coastal defense ships",
"World War I battleships of Austria-Hungary"
] |
The Monarch class was a class of three coastal defense ships built by Austria-Hungary at the end of the 19th century. The Monarchs were the first ships of their type to utilize turrets. The class comprised three ships: SMS Monarch, SMS Wien, and SMS Budapest, each armed with four 240 mm (9 in) L/40 guns in two turrets and capable of 15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph) at full speed. Budapest was fitted with slightly more modern and powerful engines, giving her a top speed of 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph).
Monarch was launched on 9 May 1895, Wien on 7 July 1895, and Budapest just over a year later on 24 July 1896. The ships saw very little service during World War I in the V Division of the Austro-Hungarian fleet. Budapest and Wien took part in the bombardment of Italian positions along the Adriatic coast in 1915 and 1917, but the three battleships went largely inactive for the remainder of war.
In 1917, Wien was struck by Italian torpedoes and sank in her home port of Trieste. The remaining two ships were ceded to Great Britain following the end of the war and were scrapped between 1920 and 1922.
## Construction
In the 1890s the Austro-Hungarian Navy consisted of two obsolescent ironclads, SMS Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf and SMS Kronprinzessin Erzherzogin Stephanie. By 1893, sufficient funds were available to build three replacement ships, but the Hungarian and Austrian parliaments authorized only the construction of a smaller class of coastal defense ships, as Austro-Hungarian naval policy at that time was primarily concerned with coastal defense. The three new ships—Budapest, Wien, and Monarch—weighed about 5,600 tonnes (5,512 long tons), half the size of the battleships of other navies. Budapest was fitted with more powerful engines than her sister ships, giving her a higher top speed. Budapest and Wien were built in the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino yards in Trieste, and Monarch was constructed at the Naval Arsenal in Pula.
The first ship of the class, Wien, was laid down on 16 February 1893. She was launched on 7 July 1895, about a month after Monarch. Despite this, Wien was the first ship of the new class to be commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy, on 13 May 1897. The second ship of the class, Monarch, was laid down on 31 July 1893, launched on 9 May 1895, and was commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy on 11 May 1898. Budapest was the third and final ship of the class. She was laid down on the same day as Wien, on 16 February 1893, and launched from the Naval Arsenal in Pula on 24 July 1896. She was commissioned on 12 May 1898, a day after Monarch.
## Design
### Armament and armor
The members of the Monarch class displaced 5,878 tonnes (5,785 long tons). Their armament consisted of four 240 mm (9.4 in) L/40 guns with two guns in each of the two turrets, six 150 mm (5.9 in) L/40 guns, 10 47 mm (1.9 in) L/44 guns, four 47 mm (1.9 in) L/33 guns, one 8 mm (0.31 in) MG gun, and two torpedo tubes. A single Škoda 7 cm K10 anti-aircraft gun was installed on SMS Budapest and SMS Wien in 1917 , while SMS Monarch received one of the earlier Škoda 66 mm (2.6 in) L/45 BAG anti-aircraft guns.
Ships of the Monarch class were fitted with Harvey armour throughout. Their belt armor was 270 mm (11 in) thick except for the turrets, which had 203 mm (8 in). The conning tower was protected by armor 220 mm (8.7 in) thick, and the deck by 64 mm (2.5 in); the redoubt and casemates had 76 mm (3 in) of armor.
### Propulsion and crew
Monarch-class ships normally carried 300 tons of coal, but could hold up to 500 tons. Budapest was fitted with 12 coal-fired Belleville boilers without economizers, giving an output of 9,180 hp (6,846 kW). Wien and Monarch had coal-fired cylindrical boilers and vertical triple expansion engines with an output of 8,500 indicated horsepower (6,338 kW). Wien and Monarch had a maximum speed of 15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph), compared to Budapest's top speed of 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph). Each ship was manned by 26 officers and 397 crewmen, a total of 423 personnel per ship.
## Service history
### Peace time
Upon being commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy, the three ships of the Monarch class were used for a variety of purposes. All three ships of the Monarch class partook in a cruise around the Adriatic and Aegean in 1899, to display the Austro-Hungarian flag in foreign waters. The Monarch class formed the I Battleship Division of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The battleship Wien participated in the Diamond Jubilee of the crowning of Queen Victoria in 1897, as well as the international blockade off Crete during the Greco-Turkish War of 1897.
However, less than five years after their completion, the Monarch-class battleships were rendered obsolete by the newly commissioned Habsburg class. The newly completed SMS Habsburg conducted a training cruise with the three Monarch-class battleships in January 1903; they were joined by SMS Árpád the following year. During the 1904 training exercises, the three Habsburg-class battleships engaged the three Monarchs in simulated combat; the maneuver marked the first time two homogeneous squadrons consisting of modern battleships operated in the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The three Habsburg-class ships took over the position of the I Division while the Monarchs formed the newly created II Division. With other new classes of pre-dreadnoughts being built such as the Erzherzog Karl class, and later the Radetzky class, the Monarchs were demoted even further, and ended up in the V Battleship Division. They were serving as coastal defense ships by the beginning of World War I.
### World War I
At the outbreak of World War I in July 1914, the three ships of the Monarch class were serving as the V Battleship Division, deployed as coastal defense ships. They also served as training ships, and were used to bombard coastal positions during the early years of the war. In August 1914, Budapest was transferred from Pula to Cattaro to shell Mount Lovcen. On 9 August 1914 Monarch shelled the French radio station at Budva. She also bombarded the Montenegrin radio station off Bar on 17 August and another station off Volovica Point on 19 August where she attacked the local radio station and barracks. Following these operations, Monarch served as a harbor defense ship. On 28–29 December 1915 Budapest supported the cruisers and destroyers of the Austro-Hungarian Navy that were to raid Durazzo, but the detachment returned to port without having opened fire on the enemy. On 9 January 1916, Budapest again bombarded the fortifications on Mount Lovcen, and helped to capture the enemy-held mountain. In late 1917 Budapest and Wien were sent to Trieste, and participated in shelling Italian troops in the Gulf of Trieste. On 10 December 1917, two Italian torpedo boats managed to penetrate the port of Trieste undetected, and fired torpedoes at the battleships Budapest and Wien. The torpedo fired at Budapest missed, but Wien was hit twice and sank in less than five minutes in the shallow water of the Trieste harbor. Forty-six men serving on Wien were killed in the attack. Budapest was subsequently given the task that Monarch had been performing for over three years, and was demoted to a floating barrack for German U-boat crews. In June 1918 Budapest was renovated and had a 380 mm (15 in) L/17 howitzer installed in her bow to use for coastal bombardment, but she never saw action with the new gun in place. At the end of the war in 1918, the remaining Monarch-class battleships, Budapest and Monarch, were handed over to Great Britain as war reparations. In 1920 the two ships were sold for scrap to Italy, and were broken up between 1920 and 1922.
|
[
"## Construction",
"## Design",
"### Armament and armor",
"### Propulsion and crew",
"## Service history",
"### Peace time",
"### World War I"
] | 1,933 | 24,184 |
11,892,548 |
Minoru Yasui
| 1,112,191,117 |
American lawyer and activist (1916–1986)
|
[
"1916 births",
"1986 deaths",
"20th-century American lawyers",
"Activists from Portland, Oregon",
"American activists",
"American military personnel of Japanese descent",
"Japanese-American civil rights activists",
"Japanese-American culture in Portland, Oregon",
"Japanese-American internees",
"Lawyers from Portland, Oregon",
"Oregon lawyers",
"People from Hood River, Oregon",
"Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients",
"United States Army officers",
"University of Oregon School of Law alumni",
"University of Oregon alumni"
] |
Minoru Yasui (安井稔, Yasui Minoru, October 19, 1916 – November 12, 1986) was an American lawyer from Oregon. Born in Hood River, Oregon, he earned both an undergraduate degree and his law degree at the University of Oregon. He was one of the few Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor who fought laws that directly targeted Japanese Americans or Japanese immigrants. His case was the first case to test the constitutionality of the curfews targeted at minority groups.
Yasui's case made its way to the United States Supreme Court, where his conviction for breaking curfew was affirmed. After internment during most of World War II, he moved to Denver, Colorado in 1944. In Denver, Yasui married and became a local leader in civic affairs, including leadership positions in the Japanese American Citizens League. In 1986, his criminal conviction was overturned by the federal court.
In 2015, Senator Mazie K. Hirono nominated Yasui for the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award of the United States. On November 16, 2015, President Barack Obama announced that Yasui would receive a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Medal was presented to Lori Yasui in a White House ceremony November 24, 2015.
## Early life
Born in Hood River, Oregon, on October 19, 1916, Minoru Yasui was the son of Japanese immigrants Shidzuyo and Masuo Yasui. The third son of nine children born to this fruit-farming family, he graduated from the local high school in Hood River in 1933. At the age of eight he spent a summer in Japan, and later was enrolled in a Japanese language school in Oregon for three years. Yasui went on to college after high school at the University of Oregon in Eugene. At the school Yasui earned a bachelor's degree from the school in 1937 and a law degree from the University of Oregon Law School in 1939. He also was a member of the United States Army's Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at the university, earning a commission after graduation in 1937. ROTC was a requirement of all male students during this time period for the first two years of the four-year program. Yasui was commissioned on December 8, 1937, as a second lieutenant in the Army's Infantry Reserve.
After law school he "was the first Japanese-American attorney admitted to the Oregon State Bar." He began practicing law in Portland, Oregon in 1939. He found it hard to find work in Portland, but through the connections of his father, he started working for the Japanese government at its consulate in Chicago, Illinois. He was employed as one of several Consular attachés at that office, mainly doing clerical work. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, which drew the United States into World War II against Japan and Germany, Yasui resigned his position with the consulate on December 8, 1941.
## World War II
Yasui returned to Hood River from Chicago after his father, Masuo Yasui, requested that he come home in order to report for military duty. After returning to Hood River, he tried to report for duty with the United States Army at the Vancouver Barracks in neighboring Washington, but wasn't allowed to take up his commission on nine occasions. Masuo Yasui was arrested on December 13, 1941, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as an enemy alien, and had his assets frozen. Min Yasui moved to Portland and opened a private law practice in order to help the Japanese Americans put their affairs in order. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, that allowed the military to set up exclusion zones, curfews, and ultimately the internment of Japanese Americans during the war.
On March 28, 1942, Yasui deliberately broke the military implemented curfew in Portland, by walking around the downtown area and then presenting himself at a police station after 11:00 pm in order to test the curfew’s constitutionality. He first asked an officer on the street to arrest him but was told to "Run along home, sonny boy," and so he walked into the police station. Later, on bail, he learned that a grand jury had indicted him. After the notice was given for the Japanese to evacuate, Yasui notified the authorities that he had no intentions of complying, and went to his family's home in Hood River. This violated another law restricting travel of Japanese Americans, and authorities arrested him in Hood River.
Yasui had consulted a friend in the FBI prior to arrest, and consulted with other legal minds to try to test the legality of the orders. At trial he was defended by private attorney Earl Bernard. Gus J. Solomon, later a judge for the same court, had asked the national American Civil Liberties Union to defend Yasui as no local Oregon groups elected to support Yasui. One part of the strategy was to proceed with a non-jury trial, leaving the decision only to the judge. Solomon was asked by Fee to help advise the court on the issues, along with eight other attorneys. At his trial, federal judge James Alger Fee found Yasui guilty and, further, that Yasui (born in Hood River, Oregon) was not a U.S. citizen. Yasui was sentenced to one year in prison and given a \$5000 fine.
Yasui waited nine months for his chance in court for appeal. During this time he was incarcerated at the Multnomah County Jail in Portland, and later sent to the Minidoka War Relocation Center in Idaho. When that chance finally came, the case went first to the Ninth Circuit briefly, but was then moved on to the Supreme Court. There the judges came to the conclusion that Yasui was still a U.S. citizen. After a few days on June 21, 1943, however, in Yasui v. United States, the court ruled unanimously that the government did have the authority to restrict the lives of civilian citizens during wartime, deciding the case as a companion case to Hirabayashi v. United States. Yasui was sent back to Fee, who removed the fine and decided that the time already served was enough of a punishment. Yasui was released and moved into the Japanese internment camps.
## Later years
In 1944, Yasui was allowed to leave the internment camp in the summer and was employed in Chicago before moving to Denver, Colorado, in September 1944. There he passed the bar in June 1945, but was only admitted to practice law after an appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court. The following year in November he married former internee True Shibata, and they had three daughters together, Iris, Holly, and Laurel.
Living in Denver, Yasui became involved with community relations, serving on committee set up by the mayor, and later from 1959 to 1983 on the Commission on Community Relations. This commission dealt with race relations and other social issues, with Yasui as executive director from 1967 to 1983. In 1954, he was chairman of the Japanese American Citizens League’s (JACL) district covering Colorado, Wyoming, Texas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Montana. The Minoru Yasui Community Service Award was started in 1974 by Denver community leaders, and is awarded annually to Denver area volunteers.
In 1976, Yasui began working on the JACL’s committee concerning redress for the internment during World War II. He continued on that committee until 1984, serving as its chairman in 1981. He also filed in federal district court in Oregon a coram nobis to attempt to overturn his conviction in 1984. His conviction was overturned by the Oregon federal court in 1986. Minoru Yasui died on November 12, 1986, and is buried in his hometown of Hood River.
## Legacy
The City and County of Denver owns an office building named after Yasui. Located at 303 West Colfax Avenue in Denver, the building is called Minoru Yasui Plaza, or the Minoru Yasui Building. A bronze bust of Yasui adorns the building's foyer.
## See also
- Fred Korematsu
- Gordon Hirabayashi
- List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Oregon
|
[
"## Early life",
"## World War II",
"## Later years",
"## Legacy",
"## See also"
] | 1,735 | 7,716 |
16,771,667 |
New York State Route 319
| 1,044,518,353 |
Former highway in New York
|
[
"Former state highways in New York (state)",
"Transportation in Chenango County, New York"
] |
New York State Route 319 (NY 319) was a state highway in Chenango County, New York, in the United States. It was 5.47 miles (8.80 km) long and connected the hamlet of Preston to the nearby city of Norwich. The route began in the hamlet at an intersection with three county-maintained highways and proceeded eastward through the town of Preston to downtown Norwich, where it terminated at an intersection with NY 12.
What became NY 319 was originally built during the early 19th century as the Norwich and Preston Turnpike, one of many privately maintained turnpikes in the state of New York. The state of New York assumed ownership of the turnpike's routing in the early 20th century, and the Preston–Norwich state highway was designated as NY 319 as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. Maintenance of NY 319 was split between the state and the city of Norwich, with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) handling the part of the route west of the city limits.
In 1962, the New York State Legislature approved a highway maintenance swap that would transfer the state-maintained section of NY 319 to Chenango County when a new alignment was constructed for NY 23 through the northwestern part of the county. The project was completed in July 1984, at which time the NY 319 designation was completely removed and Chenango County assumed maintenance of the route's former alignment west of Norwich. The new county road was redesignated County Route 10A (CR 10A).
## Route description
NY 319 began at an intersection with three county routes (CR 4, CR 10, and CR 19) in the hamlet of Preston, a small community in the northern portion of the town of the same name. The highway proceeded eastward, climbing the side of a hill approximately 1,560 feet (480 m) above sea level at its peak. NY 319 briefly descended to cross a creek then continued climbing, reaching an elevation of 1,760 feet (540 m) near Packer–Mason Cemetery. The route slowly descended in elevation from the cemetery, crossing Gilmore Brook on its way into the town of Norwich, where it intersected CR 19 for a second time just east of the town line. Past CR 19, the highway turned southeastward to descend the side of a ridge overlooking the city of Norwich.
At the bottom of the descent, the route turned eastward and crossed over Canasawacta Creek, a tributary of the Chenango River, as it entered the city of Norwich and became known as West Main Street. In Norwich, NY 319 served Emmanuel Episcopal Church and passed through the Chenango County Courthouse District, established in 1975 in the city's downtown area. In the center of the historic district, NY 319 reached its eastern terminus at its intersection with NY 12 (Broad Street). West Main Street becomes East Main Street at this junction, and the latter continues eastward as NY 990L, one of New York's reference routes.
## History
### Norwich and Preston Turnpike
The town of Norwich was created on January 19, 1793, comprising a much larger area than it does today. On April 2, 1806, part of the town was split off to form a new town named Preston. A charter on April 8, 1808, established the Norwich and Preston Turnpike, a turnpike connecting the town of Preston in the west to the town of Norwich in the east. The Norwich and Preston Turnpike was privately owned and maintained, as most turnpikes in New York were at the time.
The routing of the Norwich and Preston Turnpike was taken over by the state of New York in the early 20th century. On December 14, 1907, a contract was let to improve a 4.86-mile (7.82 km) long portion of the former turnpike. Construction cost \$57,714 (equivalent to \$ in 2023) and was completed by late 1908. The improved highway was added to the state highway system on November 16, 1908, as State Highway 598 (SH 598). A second contract to improve an additional 0.22 miles (0.35 km) of the turnpike was let on April 9, 1910. Work on this segment cost approximately \$6,000 (equivalent to \$ in 2023) and was completed by mid-1911. This section of the turnpike was added to the state highway system on July 22, 1911 as SH 598A. The first set of posted routes in New York were assigned in 1924; however, none of the former Norwich and Preston Turnpike was assigned a designation at that time.
### Designation and removal
In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, several of the routes assigned during the 1920s were renumbered or modified. At the same time, hundreds of state-maintained highways which did not yet have a route number, such as the Preston–Norwich state highway, were assigned one. The road was designated as NY 319 and maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation west of the Norwich city limits and by the city of Norwich within the city. The alignment of NY 319 remained unchanged for the next half-century.
Ownership and maintenance of NY 319 west of the Norwich city limits was slated to be transferred from the state of New York to Chenango County as part of a highway maintenance swap approved by the New York State Legislature and signed into law on February 13, 1962. However, the swap in maintenance was contingent on the construction and completion of a new alignment for NY 23 in northwestern Chenango County. The new road would extend from the Chenango–Cortland county border in the town of Pitcher to Scotts Corners in the town of Pharsalia, a point 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the hamlet of North Pharsalia. At the time, NY 23 began at NY 26 in northwest Pharsalia and followed an easterly and southerly routing to Scotts Corners, where it turned eastward onto its modern alignment. The portion of the exchange describing the roads that would be transferred to Chenango County is written in New York State Highway Law as follows, with annotations in parentheses:
> to enter an official order of abandonment to the county of Chenango of that portion of state highway eight hundred seven (NY 23) easterly and southeasterly from state highways eight thousand one hundred sixty-one and six hundred sixty-three (NY 26) to its intersection with the [new alignment of NY 23], all of state highways five hundred ninety-eight-a and five hundred ninety-eight (NY 319)
The new highway in the towns of Pitcher and Pharsalia was completed in July 1984, at which time NY 23 was rerouted to follow the highway and the entirety of the pre-approved highway maintenance swap went into effect. Thus, ownership and maintenance of NY 23's old alignment through Pharsalia and the entirety of NY 319 west of Norwich was transferred to Chenango County. The former alignment of NY 23 became CR 42 while the now county-maintained section of NY 319 was redesignated CR 10A, a spur of the pre-existing CR 10. The NY 319 designation was also removed from West Main Street in the city of Norwich at this time.
### Post-designation
In 1997, the bridge that had carried NY 319 over Gilmore Brook in the town of Preston was replaced. The new 29-foot-long (8.8 m) structure handles an average of 1,154 vehicles per day. Farther east, the 74-foot-long (23 m) bridge over Canasawacta Creek was also reconstructed in 1997. It was built in 1937 and carries an average of 2,093 cars per day.
## Major intersections
## See also
- List of county routes in Chenango County, New York
- List of former state routes in New York (301–400)
|
[
"## Route description",
"## History",
"### Norwich and Preston Turnpike",
"### Designation and removal",
"### Post-designation",
"## Major intersections",
"## See also"
] | 1,718 | 43,189 |
191,805 |
HMS Carnarvon
| 1,134,776,027 |
Royal Navy warship built in 1905
|
[
"1903 ships",
"Devonshire-class cruisers (1903)",
"Ships built on the River Clyde",
"World War I cruisers of the United Kingdom"
] |
HMS Carnarvon was one of six Devonshire-class armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She was assigned to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron of the Mediterranean Fleet upon completion in 1905 and was transferred to the 2nd Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet in 1907. She was assigned to the reserve Third Fleet in 1909 and became flagship of the 5th Cruiser Squadron of the reserve Second Fleet in 1912.
When World War I began in August 1914, she was assigned to the Cape Verde Station to search for German commerce raiders while protecting British shipping. Carnarvon was transferred to the South Atlantic two months later and assigned to the squadron that destroyed the German East Asia Squadron at the Battle of the Falklands. She was assigned to the North America and West Indies Station in 1915 and continued to patrol against German raiders and escort convoys to the end of the war. In 1919, she became a training ship and was then sold for scrap in 1921.
## Design and description
Carnarvon was designed to displace 10,850 long tons (11,020 t). The ship had an overall length of 473 feet 6 inches (144.3 m), a beam of 68 feet 6 inches (20.9 m) and a deep draught of 24 feet (7.3 m). She was powered by two 4-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, which produced a total of 21,000 indicated horsepower (16,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph). The engines were powered by seventeen Niclausse and six cylindrical boilers. She carried a maximum of 1,033 long tons (1,050 t) of coal and her complement consisted of 610 officers and ratings.
Her main armament consisted of four breech-loading (BL) 7.5-inch Mk I guns mounted in four single-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure and one on each side. The guns fired their 200-pound (91 kg) shells to a range of about 13,800 yards (12,600 m). Her secondary armament of six BL 6-inch Mk VII guns was arranged in casemates amidships. Four of these were mounted on the main deck and were only usable in calm weather. They had a maximum range of approximately 12,200 yards (11,200 m) with their 100-pound (45 kg) shells. Carnarvon also carried eighteen quick-firing (QF) 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns and two submerged 18-inch torpedo tubes. Her two 12-pounder 8 cwt guns could be dismounted for service ashore.
At some point in the war, the main deck six-inch guns of the Devonshire-class ships were moved to the upper deck and given gun shields. Their casemates were plated over to improve seakeeping and the four 3-pounder guns displaced by the transfer were landed.
The ship's waterline armour belt ranged from two to six inches (51 to 152 mm) in thickness and was closed off by five-inch (127 mm) transverse bulkheads. The armour of the gun turrets was also five inches thick whilst that of their barbettes was six inches thick. The protective deck armour ranged in thickness from .75–2 inches (19–51 mm) and the conning tower was protected by twelve inches (305 mm) of armour.
## Construction and service
Carnarvon, named to commemorate the Welsh county, was laid down by William Beardmore & Company at their Dalmuir shipyard on 1 October 1902 and launched on 7 October 1903. She was completed on 29 May 1905 and was initially assigned to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron of the Mediterranean Fleet. She was transferred to the 2nd Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet in June 1907 and was then assigned to the reserve Third Fleet at Devonport in April 1909. The ship was transferred to the Second Fleet at Devonport in March 1912 and subsequently became the flagship of the 5th Cruiser Squadron until the start of World War I. She participated in the fleet manoeuvres in July–August 1913 as well as those in July 1914. On 31 July, a few days before war was declared on Germany, she encountered the German light cruiser Strassburg in the English Channel returning home and the two ships saluted each other.
When news of the outbreak of hostilities was received on 5 August, Carnarvon, now the flagship of Rear Admiral Archibald Stoddart, was at sea, making for the Canary Islands from Gibraltar. She was quickly sent to Cape Verde and captured the German merchant ship SS Professor Woermann on 23 August 1914. She escorted her prize to Freetown, Sierra Leone for disposal and resumed patrolling. She moved to the Brazilian coast in October and then proceeded to the Falkland Islands with the squadron commanded by Vice-Admiral Doveton Sturdee.
### Battle of the Falklands
Upon arrival at Port Stanley on 7 December, Sturdee informed his captains that he planned to recoal the entire squadron the following day from the two available colliers and to begin the search for the East Asia Squadron, believed to be running for home around the tip of South America, the day after. Vice-Admiral Maximilian von Spee, commander of the German squadron, had other plans and intended to destroy the radio station at Port Stanley on the morning of 8 December. The appearance of two German ships at 07:30 caught Sturdee's ships by surprise, but the Germans were driven off by 12-inch (300 mm) shells fired by the predreadnought battleship Canopus when they came within range around 09:20. Carnarvon completed recoaling at 08:00 and the squadron cleared the harbour by 10:30. Sturdee ordered "general chase" at that time, but Carnarvon could only manage 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) and fell behind the other British ships. His two battlecruisers were the fastest ships present and inexorably began to close on the German cruisers, opening fire at 12:55 that straddled the light cruiser Leipzig, the rear ship in the German formation. It was clear to Spee that his ships could not outrun the battlecruisers and that the only hope for any of his ships to survive was to scatter. So he turned his two armoured cruisers around to buy time by engaging the battlecruisers and ordered his three light cruisers to disperse at 13:20. Carnarvon, now 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) behind, had no hope of catching the scattering German ships and continued to trail the battlecruisers.
Carnarvon finally came within range of the German armoured cruisers and opened fire shortly before Scharnhorst rolled over and capsized at 16:17. She then engaged Gneisenau until Sturdee ordered "cease fire" at 17:50. The German captain had started to scuttle his ship 10 minutes earlier when it was clear that the situation was hopeless and his ship sank at 18:00. Carnarvon rescued 20 survivors from Gneisenau, but only wreckage was visible when she later steamed through the area where Scharnhorst had sunk.
After the battle she participated in the hunt for the light cruiser Dresden that had escaped during the battle and investigated anchorages in Argentina, Chile and the island of South Georgia before proceeding north to Brazil in February. She struck a coral reef off the Abrolhos Archipelago on 22 February 1915 and had to be beached to avoid sinking. The ship received temporary repairs at Rio de Janeiro the following month. Carnarvon received permanent repairs in Montreal, Canada, from May to July after which she escorted several British H-class submarines from Halifax to the United Kingdom en route to Devonport. She then returned to Halifax where she was based for the rest of the year. Now assigned to the North America and West Indies Station, with its main base at the Royal Naval Dockyard in the Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda, she resumed her duties protecting British shipping for the rest of the war. After the United States Navy destroyer USS Stewart grounded at Bermuda on 16 August 1917, a cricket team from Carnarvon played a match against one from Stewart at the Bermuda dockyard. In 1919, she began serving as a cadet training ship, remaining in that role until she was listed for sale in March 1921. Carnarvon was sold for scrap on 8 November 1921 and subsequently broken up in Germany.
|
[
"## Design and description",
"## Construction and service",
"### Battle of the Falklands"
] | 1,851 | 12,952 |
9,319,956 |
Zapata rail
| 1,165,619,957 |
Species of bird of the monotypic genus Cyanolimnas
|
[
"Birds described in 1927",
"Endemic birds of Cuba",
"Higher-level bird taxa restricted to the West Indies",
"Mustelirallus"
] |
The Zapata rail (Mustelirallus cerverai) is a medium-sized, dark-coloured rail. It has brown upperparts, greyish-blue underparts, a red-based yellow bill, white undertail coverts, and red eyes and legs. Its short wings render it almost flightless. It is endemic to the wetlands of the Zapata Peninsula in southern Cuba, where its only known nest was found in sawgrass tussocks. Little is known of its diet or reproductive behaviour, and its described calls may belong to a different species.
The species was discovered by Spanish zoologist Fermín Zanón Cervera in March 1927 in the Zapata Swamp near Santo Tomás, in the southern Matanzas Province of Cuba. The swamp holds one other bird found nowhere else, the Zapata wren, and also gives its name to the Zapata sparrow. Due to ongoing habitat loss in its limited range, its small population size, and predation by introduced mammals and catfish, the Zapata rail is evaluated as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Tourism and climate change may pose threats in the future.
## Discovery and taxonomy
The Zapata rail was formally described by American herpetologist Thomas Barbour and his compatriot, ornithologist James Lee Peters, in 1927. They considered it distinctive enough to merit its own genus, Cyanolimnas. The genus name derives from Ancient Greek kuanos "dark blue" and Modern Latin limnas "rail or crake"; the specific name cerverai honours the rail's discoverer, Fermín Zanón Cervera, a Spanish soldier who had stayed on after the Spanish–American War and became a professional naturalist.
Barbour had been accompanied by the Spaniard on his previous visits to Cuba, and on hearing of the strange birds to be found in the Zapata area, he sent Cervera on a series of trips into the region. Cervera eventually found the rail near the very small settlement which is commemorated in the Spanish name for the rail, "Gallinuela de Santo Tomás". Cervera also discovered the Zapata wren and the Zapata sparrow, and his name is commemorated by the new ecological centre in the Ciénaga de Zapata National Park.
The rail family contains more than 150 species divided into at least 50 genera, the exact number depending on the authority. The Zapata rail is a member of the genus Mustelirallus, and is considered to be related with Pardirallus. All six species in the two genera are long-billed, five have drab plumage, and all but one have a red spot at the bill base. They are believed to be descended from Amaurornis-like ancestral stock.
## Description
This is a medium-sized, dark rail, approximately 29 cm (11.4 in) long. The upperparts are olive-brown and the forehead, head sides and underparts are slate-grey, with some white barring on the lower belly. The flanks are grey-brown and the undertail is white. The iris, legs and feet are red, and the bill is yellow with a red base. The tail feathers are only sparsely barbed, and the wings are very short and rounded. The sexes are similar in appearance, but immature birds are duller and have olive feet and bill; the chicks, as with all rails, are covered with blackish down. The Zapata rail's call is described as a bouncing cutucutu-cutucutu-cutucutu similar to that of the bare-legged owl, and a loud limpkin-like kuvk kuck. However, these calls may actually be those of the spotted rail.
There are no similar species in Cuba; the sympatric spotted rail is much the same size, but is heavily spotted and barred with white. The Zapata rail's plumage is intermediate between those of the Colombian crake and the plumbeous rail, but these are mainland birds of Central and South America.
## Distribution and habitat
This rail is a Cuban endemic restricted to the northern part of the 4500 km<sup>2</sup> (1740 mi<sup>2</sup>) Zapata Swamp, which is also the only location for the Zapata wren, and the nominate subspecies of the Zapata sparrow. The favoured habitat of the Zapata rail is flooded vegetation, 1.5–2.0 m (60–80 in) tall, consisting of tangled, bush-covered swamp and low trees, and preferably near higher ground. Typical plants of the swamp are wax myrtle, the willow Salix longipes, the sawgrass Cladium jamaicensis, and the narrow leaf cattail.
The species was once more widespread, with fossil bones found at Havana, Pinar del Río and the Isla de la Juventud. Barbour did not believe that the rail, Zapata sparrow and Zapata wren were relics in the sense that they once ranged widely over Cuba (as did, for example, the dwarf hutia and the Cuban crocodile), since the birds are so highly modified for swamp conditions. He considered that conditions similar to those found today may once have extended over the large submerged area now represented by the shallow banks, with scattered mangrove keys, which stretch towards the Isla de la Juventud and perhaps eastward along the southern Cuban coast. The birds fossilized at Isla de la Juventud are smaller than the single extant specimen, but the paucity of available material makes it impossible to establish whether the populations were genuinely different.
## Behaviour
The Zapata rail usually breeds in Cladium jamaicensis sawgrass, building the nest above water-level on a raised tussock. Breeding occurs around September, and possibly also in December and January. American ornithologist James Bond found a nest containing three white eggs 60 cm (2 ft) above water level in sawgrass, but little else is known of the breeding biology. Rails are usually monogamous, and all have precocial chicks which are fed and guarded by the adults.
The bird prefers to feed in sawgrass. The diet is not recorded, but most marsh rails are omnivorous, feeding on invertebrates and plant material. The rails may disperse in the rainy season, returning to permanently flooded areas in the dry months.
Like other rails, this species is difficult to observe as it moves through the sawgrass, and may crouch to avoid detection, but is not usually particularly wary. When disturbed, it may run a short distance and then stop with its tail raised and the conspicuous white undertail showing. Despite its short wings, the Zapata rail may not be completely flightless. On morphological grounds it would be classed as a flightless species, since the pectoral girdle and wing are as reduced as in other species of rails that are considered to be flightless, but Bond reported that he saw one flutter about ten feet across a canal.
## Conservation status
Island species of rails are particularly vulnerable to population loss since they frequently and rapidly evolve to become flightless or very weak fliers, and are very susceptible to introduced predators. Fifteen species have become extinct since 1600, and more than 30 are endangered.
The species appears to have been easily found in the Santo Tomás area until 1931, but there were no further records until the 1970s when birds were found 65 km (40 mi) away at Laguna del Tesoro. The few records in subsequent years suggest that numbers remain low, although after no official sightings for two decades, a 1998 survey found the birds at two new locations in the Zapata Swamp. Ten rails were detected at Peralta, and seven at Hato de Jicarita. On the basis of this sample it was estimated that 70–90 rails were present in the 230 hectares (570 acres) between the two sites. As of 2016, the only sighting for several years was in November 2014.
The Zapata rail is restricted to a single area, with an extent of about 1,000 km<sup>2</sup> (400 mi<sup>2</sup>), and its small population, estimated on the basis of recent surveys and local assessments of population densities at 250–1,000 individuals, is assessed as decreasing. In the past, grass-cutting for roof thatch was a cause of extensive loss of breeding habitat, and habitat loss through dry-season burning of the vegetation continues. Predation by introduced small Asian mongooses and rats is a problem and, more recently, introduced African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) have been identified as major predators of rail chicks.
C. cerverai was classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List until 2011, when its status was uplisted to critically endangered. This had already been suggested since, given the lack of knowledge about its calls, the rail's population may be lower than currently estimated.
Two remaining sites are in protected areas: the Corral de Santo Tomás Faunal Refuge, and the Laguna del Tesoro nature tourism area. Surveys have recently been conducted throughout the species' range and proposed conservation measures include the control of dry season burning.
### Future threats
Cuba has plans to encourage more tourists, including to the Zapata area, and changes to United States policy mean that its citizens are allowed to visit Cuba. In the future, this could further increase the effects of ecotourism; this might have a dangerous impact on the wetland, but there are ways in which the impact of mass tourism can be mitigated.
In the longer term, the Ramsar-listed swamp itself may be threatened. Rising sea levels due to global warming could contaminate the wetland with saltwater, damaging the plants and fauna, and by 2100 the area of Ciénaga de Zapata would be reduced by one-fifth. Higher ocean temperatures resulting from climate change could also lead to stronger hurricanes and drought. Bouza warned that the fallen vegetation left by hurricanes could act as fuel for further damaging fires once it had dried out.
## Cited texts
|
[
"## Discovery and taxonomy",
"## Description",
"## Distribution and habitat",
"## Behaviour",
"## Conservation status",
"### Future threats",
"## Cited texts"
] | 2,120 | 38,906 |
61,641,137 |
SMS Nix
| 1,171,656,720 |
Aviso of the Prussian and later British Royal Navy
|
[
"1850 ships",
"Nix-class avisos",
"Ships built in Millwall"
] |
SMS Nix was the lead ship of the two-vessel Nix class of avisos built for the Prussian Navy in the early 1850s. After commissioning in 1851, Nix saw little activity, apart from short training exercises and cruises in the Baltic Sea, which were frequently punctuated with boiler fires. A dissatisfied Prussian Navy decided to sell both Nix-class ships. In 1855, the Prussians sold Nix to the British Royal Navy in exchange for the sail frigate Thetis, and was commissioned as HMS Weser. She saw action during the Crimean War at the Battle of Kinburn in October 1855, and thereafter saw little activity, being based in Malta. She was ultimately decommissioned in 1865, used as a harbor ship, and then sold to ship breakers in 1873.
## Design
The Nix-class avisos were paddle steamers designed by the British naval architect John Scott Russell and Prince Adalbert of Prussia in 1849. They were authorized in 1850 as part of a program to strengthen the small Prussian Navy during the First Schleswig War; they were ordered from Russell's firm, Robinson & Russell, along with the larger paddle steamer Danzig, which was to be built under British supervision in Prussia.
Nix was 53.85 m (176 ft 8 in) long overall, with a beam of 7.2 m (23 ft 7 in) over the hull and 12.4 m (40 ft 8 in) over the paddle wheels. With a design displacement of 389 t (383 long tons) and a full-load displacement of 430 t (420 long tons), she had a draft of 2 m (6 ft 7 in). She was propelled by a pair of single-expansion marine steam engines that turned a pair of paddle wheels, one on either side of the hull amidships. Steam for the engines was provided by four boilers, which were ducted into two funnels. Her propulsion system was rated at 600 PS (592 ihp) for a top speed of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph). At a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), she could steam for 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi). Her crew consisted of approximately four officers and seventy enlisted men. She carried an armament of four 25-pound mortars.
## Service history
Nix was laid down in 1850 and was launched later that year. The builders had originally planned to have the ship finished before Prussia's harbors on its Baltic coast froze over for the winter of 1850–1851, but delays prevented this, so the builders slowed work on Nix to allocate workers to her sister ship Salamander. In March 1851, the ship's first commander, Kapitänleutnant Schirmacher, and crew traveled to London to be trained during the vessel's sea trials. Since the Prussian Navy lacked experienced engineers, a British machinist was hired to supervise the ship's engine room crew. Nix left London to travel to Prussia in mid-April, but the inexperienced crew caused one of the boilers to catch fire, while another sprang a leak. As she entered the Oder river, the ship ran aground owing to a mistake by the pilot. Salamander arrived thereafter and pulled her free. Nix then steamed to the naval depot in Stettin, where she was withdrawn from service for repairs. During this period, the crew conducted further training and the ship's guns were installed. Nix was formally commissioned on 29 July. She was named after the nix of German folklore.
After entering service, the ship embarked on training exercises, the first one of which saw Adalbert come aboard for a cruise to Danzig. By the end of August, she had been joined in Danzig Bay by the frigate Mercur. She thereafter carried Prince Karl of Prussia to Kronstadt, Russia. These early operations were marked by a number of accidents, frequently boiler fires related to the wooden stokeholds. By September, she had arrived in Stralsund, where she was decommissioned. The ship saw little activity in 1852, apart from carrying King Friedrich Wilhelm IV between Stralsund, Putbus and Danzig. She also went to Karlskrona, Sweden for an overhaul that year. She remained out of service for the duration of 1853. In May 1854, she was recommissioned and on 26 June she embarked the 1st Company, Seebataillon (naval battalion) from Stettin and carried them to Danzig. Friedrich Wilhelm IV and Prince Karl boarded the ship once again in July for a visit to Kronstadt that ended in September. Nix thereafter underwent repairs in Danzig.
The poor reputation of the vessels, in large part a result of the repeated fires, led the naval command to decide to sell the two Nix-class ships. The Prussian Navy initially sought to trade them for a pair of small corvettes from the British Royal Navy, one of which was to have been HMS Terpsichore. After negotiations, an agreement was reached to transfer the ships to the British in exchange for the sail frigate Thetis in late 1854, as the British were in need of small, fast steamers for use during the Crimean War. In early November, Nix and Salamander left Danzig and on the 23rd, they stopped in Jade Bay to take part in celebrations marking the founding of the naval base at Wilhelmshaven. Two days later, they resumed their voyage to Britain, but the Hannoverian government initially refused to grant permission for the vessels to enter Bremen on the Weser to take on coal for the trip across the North Sea and shelter in the port to avoid bad weather. After the Prussian representative in Hannover pressured the government, they were finally allowed entry on 1 December. They remained there until 11 December, but a severe storm prevented them from leaving the Weser estuary for three days. While en route, further storms caused the two ships to become separated, and Nix arrived in Devonport on 19 December. On 12 January 1855, the ship was formally transferred to British control.
### British service
The Royal Navy renamed the ship Weser and sent her to the Devonport shipyard for an overhaul, after which she was sent to the Mediterranean Sea in March. Her commander at that time was John Edmund Commerell; while operating in the Black Sea, Weser once again caught fire while steaming off Constantinople and Commerell ran the ship aground. After the fire was suppressed, the ship was towed off and later joined the siege of Sevastopol in June. On the night of 16 June, she joined several other vessels—HMS Tribune, Highflyer, Terrible, Miranda, Niger, Arrow, Viper, and Snake—for a night bombardment of the Russian positions defending the city. Weser later entered the Sea of Azov and on 11 October, Commerell, William Thomas Rickard (the ship's quartermaster), and a seaman went ashore to burn Russian stores. Commerell and Rickard were both awarded the Victoria Cross for their actions. She joined the fleet that attacked Kinburn on 17 October that resulted in the Battle of Kinburn.
After the war, Weser was stationed in Malta, and in early 1859, she returned to Britain for a major overhaul at the Woolwich Arsenal, carried out between 1 May 1859 and May 1861. She thereafter returned to the Mediterranean before being decommissioned at Malta in 1865. She was employed there as a harbor ship until 1873, when she was sold for scrap on 29 October and subsequently broken up.
|
[
"## Design",
"## Service history",
"### British service"
] | 1,650 | 4,519 |
6,336,550 |
Born Again (The X-Files)
| 1,148,575,875 | null |
[
"1994 American television episodes",
"Television episodes about reincarnation",
"Television episodes set in Buffalo, New York",
"Television episodes written by Howard Gordon",
"The X-Files (season 1) episodes"
] |
"Born Again" is the twenty-second episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files, premiering on the Fox network on April 22, 1994. It was written by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, and directed by Jerrold Freedman. The episode featured guest appearances by Brian Markinson and Maggie Wheeler. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, a stand-alone plot which is unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Born Again" earned a Nielsen household rating of 8.2, being watched by 7.7 million households in its initial broadcast, and received mixed reviews from critics.
The show centers on FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. When Mulder and Scully are called to New York State to investigate the death of a police officer, they come to believe that a young girl present during the incident may be the reincarnation of another officer murdered years earlier.
Several crew members disliked the episode, most notably Gordon and Duchovny. Gordon felt that the episode was too similar to the other episodes that had been aired, whereas Duchovny bluntly stated that he "detested" the episode.
## Plot
In Buffalo, New York, police detective Sharon Lazard finds a little girl, Michelle Bishop, alone in an alley. Lazard takes the seemingly lost girl into her precinct and leaves her alone to be interviewed by another detective, Rudolph Barbala. However, moments later, Barbala is launched through a window, falling to his death.
Lazard turns to FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully for help. She tells them of Michelle's claims that a man had attacked Barbala, even though she was the only person in the room when the detective was killed. The agents have Michelle describe the alleged attacker for a computerized facial composite; the computer seemingly glitches, displaying a face that Michelle identifies as the killer. The composite matches that of a Detective Charlie Morris — who died nine years previously in an apparent gangland hit. Mulder speaks to Michelle's psychiatrist, Dr. Braun, who tells him that she habitually mutilated dolls in a uniform manner during their sessions together, removing the same eye and arm each time; Mulder realizes that these mutilations match the circumstances of Morris' death.
The agents interview Tony Fiore, Morris' ex-partner, who attributes his death to a triad gang they had been investigating together. Later that day, Fiore meets with a Leon Felder to discuss claiming a large sum of money from a safety deposit box. The two men agree that they haven't waited the ten years they had intended to, ominously discussing that they are the last two claimants left. That night, Felder gets off a bus, but his scarf catches in the door, seemingly moved by an invisible force, as the bus drives off. The driver tries to brake, but the bus inexplicably continues to accelerate, strangling Felder. Michelle watches from inside the bus.
Investigating further, Mulder and Scully learn that Fiore, Barbala, Felder and Morris had all worked closely together in the past. They also find that Fiore's wife Anita keeps a collection of origami animals made by her first husband—Charlie Morris. Anita tells the agents that Fiore hasn't returned home from the previous night; meanwhile, the agents find that pages are missing from the file on Morris' murder, and Fiore was the last one to have checked the file out.
Michelle undergoes a session of regression hypnosis, where she claims to be twenty-four years old. She suddenly starts screaming in panic about someone trying to kill her, and the session is ended. Mulder reviews the video of the session and is convinced that the girl is the reincarnation of Morris, having been conceived right around the time the detective was murdered. The tape contains a brief section of static noise just before Michelle begins screaming, which Mulder has an expert clean up. The noise is found to contain a grainy image of what appears to be a fish tank ornament of a man in a diving suit. Meanwhile, Scully has tracked down Morris' autopsy findings, which show the presence of salt water in his respiratory tract, indicating he died of drowning. The agents realize from these findings that Morris was drowned in the exotic fish tank in Fiore's house.
Rushing to Fiore's house, Mulder and Scully find Michelle using telekinetic powers to try to kill Fiore. They prevent her from doing so, and Fiore confesses that he, Felder and Barbala had stolen a large sum of money, intending to keep it safe for ten years before claiming it. Morris learned of their plan and threatened to report on them, and was consequently killed to silence him. However, Fiore maintains that he never wanted to see Morris dead and only wanted to take care of Anita after his death. Michelle uses her powers to destroy the fish tank, but spares Fiore after hearing pleas from Anita not to hurt him. Later, Fiore pleads guilty to charges of murder and grand larceny, whilst Michelle seemingly recovers and goes on to become a normal little girl.
## Production
Writer Howard Gordon has expressed his disappointment with the episode, feeling that it was too similar to his earlier work on the episode "Shadows" and finding that it was "not done particularly interestingly". Series creator Chris Carter also felt that "Born Again" was "just not one of [his] favorites", adding that he "thought the direction was a little sloppy, but it's one of those episodes that plays a little closer to reality and I like that about it". David Duchovny reportedly "detested" the episode, despite a guest appearance by his then-girlfriend Maggie Wheeler.
Executive producer R. W. Goodwin recalls being on location for the episode's opening scene, in which Detective Barbala is thrown from a window. The room used for the scene had two windows side by side, and one had been replaced with sugar glass for the stunt. When the false window was blown out to simulate someone being thrown through it, the crew found that the glass window beside the false one had also accidentally been blown out. The episode's key grip, Al Campbell, suggested that the next shot show Barbala's dog lying beside his body to explain the second window breaking.
## Broadcast and reception
"Born Again" premiered on the Fox network on April 22, 1994, and was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on February 23, 1995. This episode earned a Nielsen household rating of 8.2, with a 14 share, meaning that in the US, roughly 8.2 percent of all television-equipped households, and 14 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode. It was viewed by 7.7 million households.
In a retrospective of the first season in Entertainment Weekly, "Born Again" was rated a B−, with the episode being described as "engaging but ultimately just serviceable", although Andrea Libman's casting as Michelle was called "inspired". Zack Handlen, writing for The A.V. Club, felt negatively towards the episode, feeling that its plot was too reminiscent of earlier episodes, such as "Eve" or "Shadows". However, he found the scene in which an image is found in the static of a video recording to have been a highlight, calling it "a cool combination of hard science and the inexplicable". Matt Haigh, writing for Den of Geek, was favorable towards the episode, again praising the performance of Libman as Michelle. He also drew comparisons to "Shadows", but felt that "Born Again" was the better episode of the two.
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"## Broadcast and reception"
] | 1,608 | 4,185 |
61,127,579 |
2019 European Pool Championship
| 1,140,169,548 |
European Pool Championships, April/May 2019
|
[
"2019 in Italian sport",
"2019 in cue sports",
"April 2019 sports events in Italy",
"European Pool Championships",
"International sports competitions hosted by Italy",
"May 2019 sports events in Italy",
"Sports competitions in Treviso"
] |
The 2019 European Pool Championships (also known as the 2019 Dynamic Billiards European Pool Championships) was a series of professional pool championships that took place at the Best Western Premier in Treviso, Italy. The event was played between 26 April and 8 May 2019 and was the 39th edition of the European Pool Championships that were first held in 1980. The championships saw events for men, women, under 23s and wheelchairs across five disciplines; straight pool, eight-ball, nine-ball, ten-ball and a team event.
Russian players won the most medals over the course of the series, with seven – winning three events. Russia's Kristina Tkach was the most successful female player, winning two events, losing only once in the final of the ten-ball event. Jasmin Ouschan won the nine-ball event, with a whitewash over Nataliya Seroshtan. Finland's Jouni Tähti was the most successful wheelchair player, winning two of the three handicapped events.
## Overview
The European Pool Championships are an annual series of pool tournaments for players in Europe which were first held in 1980. The 2019 event featured matches played over 24 tables, and was held between 26 April and 8 May 2019 at the Best Western Premier in Treviso, Italy. The event also set as a prelude to the 2019 Treviso Open event for the Euro Tour held in the same location. The series features events for four disciplines of pool – straight, eight-ball, nine-ball, and ten-ball – as well as a team event. Every event has a separate tournament for both men and women, with a wheelchair event in eight, nine and ten-ball. An event for junior players who are under 23 was also played for eight and nine-ball events.
The tournaments were played as a double-elimination bracket, with players qualifying for a single elimination knockout. Each discipline was played to a different length, with matches in straight pool being played to 125 points in the men's event, and 75 in the women's competition. The eight and ten-ball events was played as a –to–8 , with the women's and wheelchair events as race–to–6 racks. The nine-ball event was held as race–to–9 racks for the men's and juniors events, with women's and wheelchairs as race–to–7 racks. The series was sponsored by billiards and pool online store Dynamic Billiard.
## Tournament summary
The championships began 26 April 2019, with the straight pool event. Three Polish players reached the semi-finals of the men's event alongside Austria's Mario He. Karol Skowerski defeated He 125–32 and Tomas Kaplan defeated Mariusz Skoneczny 125–69 to complete an all-Polish final. Skowerski won his first individual European championship by defeating Skoneczny 125–45, with a of 106. In the women's event, Russian player Kristina Tkach defeated Marharyta Fefilava in the semi-final, whilst the Netherlands' Tamara Peeters-Rademakers defeated Swiss player Claudia von Rorh. Rorh had previously defeated defending champion Jasmin Ouschan earlier in the tournament. Tkach won the final, defeating Peeters-Rademakers 75–23 to win the gold medal.
The ten-ball event began on 31 April, and featured 101 participants in the men's, and 43 for the women's division. Mieszko Fortunski met Casper Matikainen in the final of the men's event. Matikainen won the first three racks, but lost eight of the next nine racks for Fortunski to win the event 8–4. Having already won the straight pool event, Tkach reached the final of the ten-ball event. She met Christine Feldmann in the final, but lost her only match at the championships, with Feldmann winning 6–3. Sweden's Henrik Larsson won the wheelchair event, defeating Latvian player Kaspars Turks 6–1 in the final.
The eight-ball competition commenced on 2 May. Eklent Kaçi and Ralf Souquet meet in the final. Albanian Kaçi had never won a European championship title, with Souquet having won 22 previously. Kaçi took a 6–1 lead, but Souquet won five of the next six to trail by one rack. Kaçi won rack 14 to capture his first championship 8–6. Tkach contested the third final of the event in the women's eight-ball event, where she met Jasmin Ouschan. Ouschan won the first four racks of the final, before Tkach won three to trail 3–4. On the verge of equalling the score, Tkach allowing Ouschan to take a two rack lead. With the to win the match, Ouschan missed her first shot, allowing Tkach to run the next two racks to tie the match at 5–5, and win the match 6–5. Finland's Jouni Tähti won the wheelchair event, defeating Roy Kimberley 5–2 to win his 25th European medal. In the Under 23s, Pijus Labutis played Vitaliy Patsura in the final, winning 8–4.
The team events began 5 May. The men's competition featured national teams consisting of three players, with a match of eight, nine and ten-ball in each tie. In the final, the Spanish team of Francisco Díaz-Pizarro, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and David Alcaide played the Austrian side of Albin Ouschan, Maximilian Lechner, and Mario He. Díaz-Pizarro was the first player to win a match, winning his ten-ball match 8–3 against Ouschan. Sanchez-Ruiz defeated He 9–5 to win the tournament, that eventually finished as a 3–0 victory for the Spanish team. The women's event was played with national teams consisting of two players. Ties consisted of one match of eight-ball and one of nine-ball. If a tie ended 1–1, a match of doubles in ten-ball was used as a tie-breaker. The Portuguese team of Vania Franco and Sara Rocha reached the final without losing a match, where they met the German pair of Tina Vogelmann and Veronika Ivanovskaia. Franco defeated Vogelmann 6–3 in eight-ball, whilst Rocha defeated Ivanovskaia 7–2 in nine-ball to win the final 2–0. In winning, the Portuguese team went undefeated.
The final event was the nine-ball championships, beginning on 6 May. Russian player Fedor Gorst played Joshua Filler in the final. Gorst took an early lead in the match, with Filler making a lot of . Gorst took an 8–4 lead, before Filler won four straight racks to lead the match to . Gorst had the break for the deciding rack, and to win 9–8. Jasmin Ouschan met Russian Nataliya Seroshtan in the final of the women's nine-ball event, where she won in a whitewash 7–0. Having already won the eight-ball under 23 event, Pijus Labutis met Oliver Szolnoki in the final of the junior nine-ball event. Labutis won the final 9–7. The final event of the championships was the wheelchair nine-ball event, where Jouni Tähti defeated Irishman Fred Dinsmore 7–1.
## Medals table
On the overall medals table, Russia were top, having won three events and seven medals. Poland were second, with seven titles, but only two event victories. Finland placed third, with two event wins by Jouni Tähti. The full table is shown below:
|
[
"## Overview",
"## Tournament summary",
"## Medals table"
] | 1,656 | 8,954 |
5,970,645 |
Flow (video game)
| 1,166,965,896 |
2006 indie video game
|
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"Browser games",
"Commercial video games with freely available source code",
"Fantasy video games",
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"Game Developers Choice Award winners",
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"PhyreEngine games",
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"PlayStation Network games",
"PlayStation Portable games",
"PlayStation Vita games",
"Sony Interactive Entertainment games",
"SuperVillain Studios games",
"Thatgamecompany",
"Video games about microbes",
"Video games affiliated with the USC Interactive Media & Games Division",
"Video games developed in the United States",
"Video games scored by Austin Wintory",
"Video games with underwater settings"
] |
Flow (stylized as flOw) is an independent video game created by Jenova Chen and Nicholas Clark. Originally released as a free Flash game in 2006 to accompany Chen's master's thesis, it was reworked into a 2007 PlayStation 3 game by his development studio, Thatgamecompany, with assistance from Santa Monica Studio. SuperVillain Studios developed a PlayStation Portable version of the game in 2008, and PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita versions in 2013. In Flow, the player navigates a series of two-dimensional (2D) planes with an aquatic microorganism that evolves by consuming other microorganisms. The game's design is based on Chen's research into dynamic difficulty adjustment at the University of Southern California's Interactive Media Division, and on psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's theoretical concept of mental immersion or flow.
The Flash version of Flow received 100,000 downloads within its first two weeks of release, and had been played over 3.5 million times by 2008. Its PlayStation 3 re-release was the most downloaded game on the PlayStation Network in 2007 and won the Best Downloadable Game award at the 2008 Game Developers Choice Awards. It was nominated for awards by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Reviewers praised Flow's visual and audio appeal, but noted the simplicity of its gameplay; several considered it to be more of an art piece than a game.
## Gameplay
In Flow, the player guides a small, multi-segmented worm- or snake-like creature through an aquatic environment. There are no menus or guidelines; the game begins immediately. The game world, which is viewed from a top-down perspective, consists of two-dimensional planes stacked vertically upon each other. A blurred version of the layer below appears in the background of each plane. Planes contain organisms of varying sizes; the player's creature automatically attempts to consume them when they are nearby. The majority of these creatures are non-confrontational and are composed of cells that increase the number of segments in the player's creature when eaten. All planes, except for the highest and lowest, contain two specially colored organisms that move the player's creature up or down one plane when touched.
Certain planes feature aggressive, multi-segmented creatures that perish when all their segments are eaten by the player's creature; however, they can eat segments of the player's creature to regrow their own. These creatures release many cells upon death, which can restore the health of the player's creature, temporarily increase the size of its mouth, or cause it to sprout decorative protrusions. Players are not required to eat these or any other organisms; they may travel to higher or lower planes at any time. Being defeated by aggressive creatures does not result in death, but causes the player's creature to float to a higher plane. In the Flash version, the player can replay the game with a jellyfish-like organism by defeating an aggressive creature on the bottom plane. If the player reaches the bottom again, the creature there is their original worm-like creature, and defeating it starts the game over as that organism.
### PlayStation versions
The PlayStation 3 version of Flow features enhanced visuals and three additional playable organisms: one that can move with a short burst of speed, one that can paralyze other creatures, and one that lunges toward its prey's weak point. The worm creature from the original game was given the ability to move faster, while the jellyfish may now create a vortex to attract small creatures. These special moves are activated by hitting any button on the controller. When the player reaches the bottom plane with each creature, the next creature type is unlocked and becomes selectable at the beginning of the game. The PlayStation 3 version features a multiplayer mode for up to four players; a game in progress can be joined at any time, players may play different creatures if they desire so. The PlayStation Portable version contains all the features introduced by the PlayStation 3 version, but reduces the size of each plane. On November 20, 2007, the PlayStation 3 version received an add-on pack that allows players joining a multiplayer game to select their creatures. The pack also includes new enemies, food types, and a playable creature with a shield ability.
## Development
Flow was originally developed as part of Jenova Chen's master's thesis for the Interactive Media Program at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. His thesis was on the concept of dynamic difficulty adjustment (DDA), wherein a game adjusts its reactions to a player based on the past and present actions of that player. He illustrated his ideas with Flow, which he created in collaboration with Nicholas Clark. Chen implemented DDA by causing the player to change the game's difficulty subconsciously; he allowed players to dive between planes at will and provided the option of eating or not eating any creature. Players may decide to rush downwards or to grow stronger before attacking powerful opponents. Chen described Flow as "a simple game. It's the simplest test of active DDA." Another influence on the game was psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's work on flow, wherein a person fully immerses themselves in an activity and gains a feeling of energized focus. To achieve this state, the person or player must have control over the activity; Chen believed that his DDA theory gave players the control necessary to achieve flow while playing.
The game was released in March 2006, after two months of development—during which Chen and Clark taught themselves Flash programming. The game's source code was later released in 2009. The game's score was composed by Austin Wintory. A PlayStation 3 version was announced for the PlayStation Store in May of that year, and was released in February 2007. Chen had graduated by that point, and had founded Thatgamecompany, which handled the conversion to the PlayStation 3; Nicholas Clark was one of the employees and served as the game version's designer. Impressed by Flow, Sony provided Thatgamecompany with finances, supplies, and additional staff, and offered them a three-game contract; the PlayStation 3 version of Flow was the first of these. Chen originally believed the conversion could be completed in four months and that it would be ready for the November 2006 launch of the PlayStation Network. However, when it was finally released in February 2007, it did not include "half of the original design".
A version for the PlayStation Portable, developed by SuperVillain Studios, was released in March 2008. The company coded it from scratch, as the PlayStation 3 version's code and art were too platform-specific to reuse. The add-on pack for the PlayStation 3 version was also developed by SuperVillain. Thatgamecompany was not involved in the development of either project beyond a design influence and art direction role, as they were creating their next title, Flower. SuperVillain Studios later created ports of the PlayStation 3 version for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, which were published in November 2013 to correspond with the release of the PlayStation 4. Although no album of music specifically for Flow has been released, in 2012 Austin Wintory released Journey Bonus Bundle as a download-only album on Bandcamp, containing variations on themes from Flow and Journey, a 2012 PlayStation 3 game by Thatgamecompany.
## Reception
The Flash version of Flow received 100,000 downloads within its first two weeks of release. By July 2006, it had been downloaded over 650,000 times; by February 2008, it had been played over 3.5 million times. Its PlayStation 3 re-release was the most downloaded game on the PlayStation Network in 2007. Flow received the 2008 Game Developers Choice Awards nominations for the Innovation Award and Best Debut, and was presented with Best Downloadable Game. The game was nominated for the Best Downloadable Game of the Year award at the 2008 Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Interactive Achievement Awards, and for the Best Innovation award at the 2007 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards. Its music garnered nominations for Best Interactive Score and Most Innovative Use of Audio from the Game Audio Network Guild, and won composer Austin Wintory the Rookie of the Year award. Flow was a finalist at the 2007 Slamdance Guerrilla Games Competition, but withdrew along with several other finalists after Super Columbine Massacre RPG! was removed from the competition. In 2011 it was chosen through a public vote out of an initial selection of 240 to be one of 80 games showcased in a 2012 exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum titled "The Art of Video Games". The game was also included in the 2010 video game reference book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die.
Flow received mixed reviews from critics, who focused on the game's PlayStation versions. The visuals and presentation were among its most praised elements, with IGN's Chris Roper calling them "one of Flow's greatest strengths". Alex Navarro of GameSpot agreed, saying that it was "hard to argue with those aesthetics"; he lauded the use of color, the designs of the creatures, and the dynamic soundtrack. Will Freeman of VideoGamer.com called it "attractive and stylish", which made the game "immensely satisfying to toy with". Richard Leadbetter of Eurogamer claimed that the game's main purpose was to "look pretty" and "sound cool".
Reviewers were mixed in their opinions on the gameplay; Roper said that "simply see[ing] what's next" was enjoyable, but acknowledged that the game's activities were limited beyond this aspect. Leadbetter went further, saying Flow "feels like a tech demo in many ways", and that its small amount of gameplay existed primarily "to act as a tour guide" through the visuals and audio. Freeman said that "it would not be unfair to describe Flow as empty and without substance." Navarro concluded that Flow was enjoyable for the few hours needed to complete it, but it lacked "a lasting gameplay experience"; he attributed this to the game's "heavy emphasis on aesthetics over gameplay". Luke Mitchell of PALGN, however, felt that "anything more complicated would take away from the friendly nature of an experience of this type."
Reviewers found the game to be largely unchallenging. Roper stated that "there really isn't any sort of a challenge here", particularly due to the player character's inability to die; Leadbetter summed up the game's difficulty as "negligible". However, when reviewing the PlayStation Portable version of the game, Justin Calvart of GameSpot took the view that "the game's difficulty masterfully scales to match your skill level", so it does not become overly "frantic or frustrating". Reviewers were universally dismissive of the multiplayer mode, with Calvart saying that "whatever it is, it's not good". Leadbetter called the PlayStation 3 version's multiplayer "little more than an afterthought", while Navarro said it "doesn't add a lick of depth to the experience".
Overall, reviewers saw Flow as being more akin to an art piece than a game. Navarro called it an "arty piece of gaming", and complimentarily said that it had the "vibe of an art-school project". Leadbetter believed that it was more of an experiment than a traditional game, and described it as a "trippy ornament". Freeman called it the PlayStation 3's "first art-house title". Roper summarized Flow as "not so much a game as it is an experience", and Mitchell claimed that it "tries to do something entirely unique and experimental, and on that level, it succeeds".
|
[
"## Gameplay",
"### PlayStation versions",
"## Development",
"## Reception"
] | 2,417 | 39,185 |
13,955,086 |
2005 FA Community Shield
| 1,136,949,283 | null |
[
"2000s in Cardiff",
"2005–06 in English football",
"2005–06 in Welsh football",
"Arsenal F.C. matches",
"Chelsea F.C. matches",
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The 2005 FA Community Shield (also known as The FA Community Shield in partnership with McDonald's for sponsorship reasons) was the 83rd staging of the FA Community Shield, an annual football match contested by the reigning champions of the Premier League and the holders of the FA Cup. It was held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 7 August 2005. The game was played between Chelsea, champions of the 2004–05 Premier League and Arsenal, who beat Manchester United on penalties to win the 2005 FA Cup Final. Chelsea won the match 2–1 in front of a crowd of 58,014.
This was Chelsea's fifth Community Shield appearance to Arsenal's 19th. Relations between the two clubs were hostile before the match, given Chelsea's illicit attempts to sign Arsenal defender Ashley Cole. In the game Chelsea took the lead when striker Didier Drogba scored in the eighth minute. He scored again in the second half, before Cesc Fàbregas replied for Arsenal with a goal in the 64th minute. José Mourinho praised Chelsea in his post-match interview and felt the team looked comfortable in defence. Opposing manager Arsène Wenger admitted Drogba had presented problems for Arsenal and likened his opponents to a long ball team, who on the day played "very direct".
## Background and pre-match
Founded in 1908 as a successor to the Sheriff of London Charity Shield, the FA Community Shield began as a contest between the respective champions of the Football League and Southern League, although in 1913, it was played between an Amateurs XI and a Professionals XI. In 1921, it was played by the league champions of the top division and FA Cup winners for the first time. Cardiff's Millennium Stadium was hosting the Shield for the fifth time; it took over as the venue for the event while Wembley Stadium underwent a six-year renovation between 2001 and 2006.
Chelsea qualified for the 2005 FA Community Shield as winners of the 2004–05 FA Premier League. It was their first league title in 50 years, remembered for the records broken such as the most wins, fewest goals conceded in a league season and most points accumulated. The other Community Shield place went to Arsenal, who beat Manchester United on penalties to win the final of the 2004–05 FA Cup. Arsenal was making its 19th Community Shield appearance and held the Shield after beating Manchester United 3–1 a year previously. By contrast this was Chelsea's fifth appearance, their first since 2000. It was also the first meeting between both sides in the Shield.
Chelsea manager José Mourinho described relations between the two clubs as "non-existent", given his club's approach to sign (tapping up) Arsenal defender Ashley Cole. The player had met Mourinho and chief executive Peter Kenyon at a London hotel in January 2005, without Arsenal's consent. Chelsea, Mourinho and Cole were all later found guilty by an independent commission and fined accordingly; the club was charged the most amount – £300,000.
The ownership of Chelsea by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich also caused friction between both clubs. Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger said in May 2005: "They are a financially doped club. They have enhancement of performances through financial resources which are unlimited. For me, it's a kind of doping because it's not in any way linked to their resources. It puts pressure on the market that is not very healthy. They can go to Steven Gerrard or Rio Ferdinand and 'say how much do you earn, we'll give you twice as much.'" Wenger admitted this put Arsenal at a disadvantage in the transfer market; in the case of Shaun Wright-Phillips, a long-term target, Chelsea's interest meant Arsenal needed to wait before making a bid. The player eventually joined Chelsea from Manchester City for £21 million.
## Match
### Team selection
Chelsea fielded a full-strength team, which lined up in a 4–3–3 formation; an attacking three of Didier Drogba, Damien Duff and Arjen Robben. Asier Del Horno was named as left back, which meant William Gallas moved to central defence. Wright-Phillips began the match on the substitute bench. Arsenal's line up by contrast was relatively inexperienced in midfield – Gilberto Silva was on the bench and Mathieu Flamini partnered Cesc Fàbregas in the centre. Up front Dennis Bergkamp started alongside striker Thierry Henry. The team played in a 4–4–2 formation.
### Summary
The stadium observed a period of silence in memory of the victims of the July bombings in London, and a mark of respect to Arsenal fan Anthony Walker, killed on Merseyside the previous week. Arsenal in their away strip of yellow kicked off the match; they won a corner after four minutes, but their threat was averted by Chelsea. In the eighth minute Del Horno hit a long pass to the edge of Arsenal’s right area. Drogba controlled the ball with his chest and went beyond his marker Philippe Senderos. He shot the ball past goalkeeper Jens Lehmann in the Arsenal goal to give Chelsea a 1–0 lead. Arsenal began to dominate proceedings, but struggled to make use of their advantage. A slip by Senderos in the 20th minute invited Robben to make a run down the right side of the pitch, but the chance for Chelsea was brief as Senderos won the ball back. Four minutes later Fàbregas and Claude Makélélé were each shown a yellow card for clashing with one another. Arsenal in the 36th minute fashioned their best chance of the game through Kolo Touré, whose shot forced goalkeeper Petr Čech to save acrobatically. Six minutes before the interval Drogba was ruled offside, but continued to run in the direction of Arsenal’s goal. He went down on a challenge from Lauren and proceeded to roll around Arsenal’s penalty area once Lehmann got involved – the "farce" was brought to a close after words from the referee.
Arsenal made a host of changes before the match restarted – Gilberto, Robin van Persie and Alexander Hleb were substituted on for Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Flamini. Robben made a run down the right side of the pitch, but failed to get past Senderos in what was the first notable action of the second half. Moments after, Freddie Ljungberg's attempt on goal was cleared by the Chelsea defence following good play by Van Persie. In the 57th minute Chelsea increased their lead. A long pass found Drogba, who once more held off Senderos in pursuit of the ball. He was forced wide by Lehmann, but on the turn shot the ball through the net to score his second goal of the game. Drogba was then replaced by Hernán Crespo, and Tiago came on for Eiður Guðjohnsen. Arsenal scored in the 64th minute; Ljungberg crossed the ball from the left and Fàbregas evaded the Chelsea defence to slot it past Čech in the goal. Both clubs made mass substitutions in the final third of the game, notably Wright-Phillips coming on for his Chelsea debut in place of Robben. Arsenal continued to push for an equaliser the longer the match went on, which meant they were culpable to Chelsea countering. A free-kick by Van Persie was saved by Čech and it was not until the 86th minute that Henry fashioned his first chance of the half – it too was dealt with by Čech. Chelsea continued to withstand Arsenal’s pressure in injury time and came close to scoring a third goal, but for Touré’s intervention.
### Details
### Statistics
## Post-match and aftermath
Mourinho believed his team deserved to win and said after scoring the first goal, "we looked comfortable and solid in the defence and good on the counter-attack." He did not believe the result would have any consequences for either team, but said "...it is better to win than to lose and we can go home happy and with a smile on our faces." John Terry described the victory as a "perfect start", and added it gave Chelsea a psychological edge over Arsenal. Drogba felt the result was good for the team's confidence, though confessed Chelsea did not play well – particularly in midfield.
Two weeks after the Community Shield match, both teams played each other in the league at Chelsea's home ground, Stamford Bridge. Drogba scored the only goal of the game, which marked Arsenal's first league defeat against their opponents in ten years. Chelsea also beat Arsenal away from home and went on to retain the Premier League. Whereas Arsenal's league form was indifferent and the team finished fourth (outside of the top two for the first time under Wenger), their performances in the UEFA Champions League were appreciable. They became the first London team to participate in a European Cup final, though lost 2–1 to Barcelona in the Stade de France, Paris.
## See also
- 2005–06 FA Premier League
- 2005–06 FA Cup
- Arsenal F.C.–Chelsea F.C. rivalry
|
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"## Background and pre-match",
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"### Details",
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] | 1,895 | 34,196 |
1,571,523 |
Joseph Tydings
| 1,172,456,522 |
American politician
|
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"Politicians from Harford County, Maryland",
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"United States Attorneys for the District of Maryland",
"University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law alumni",
"University of Maryland, College Park alumni",
"University of Maryland, College Park faculty"
] |
Joseph Davies Tydings (né Cheesborough; May 4, 1928 – October 8, 2018) was an American lawyer and politician. He was most notable for his service as a Democratic member of the United States Senate representing Maryland from 1965 to 1971.
Born in North Carolina, Tydings moved to Maryland as a youth after he was adopted by his mother's husband, Millard Tydings, who also served as a U.S. Senator from Maryland. After serving in the military, he obtained his law degree and entered into practice. He served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1955 to 1961, and as United States Attorney for Maryland from 1961 until his resignation in 1963 to run for Senate.
Tydings easily won election to the Senate in 1964. However, his controversial stances on gun control and crime in the District of Columbia cost him re-election in 1970. He made another attempt at his old seat in 1976, but was defeated in the Democratic primary election by Congressman Paul Sarbanes. He later served as a member of the Board of Regents of the University of Maryland, College Park and the University System of Maryland, and continued to practice law.
Tydings also argued Eisenstadt v. Baird, in which the Supreme Court of the United States legalized birth control for single persons in 1972, something that had been prohibited in many states. The Eisenstadt decision has been described as among the most influential Supreme Court decisions of the 20th century.
## Early life, education, and military service
Tydings was born in Asheville, North Carolina, the son of Eleanor Davies and Thomas Patton Cheesborough, who divorced in 1935. He was raised in Aberdeen, Maryland, and was adopted by his stepfather, Millard Tydings. His maternal grandfather was Joseph E. Davies, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Soviet Union, and whose second wife was the cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. Tydings went on to graduate from the McDonogh School in 1946. He served in the 6th Constabulary Regiment from 1946 to 1948 during the U.S. Army's post-World War II occupation of Germany and attained the rank of corporal.
Following his military service, Tydings attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where he played football and Lacrosse. He graduated in 1951. While attending college, Tydings became a brother of Alpha Phi Omega, and he graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1953. He was president of the Maryland Young Democrats in the 1950s.
## Legal career
Tydings had been admitted to the bar in 1952, before he completed his law degree, and he began to practice soon afterwards. In 1954 he was a successful Democratic candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates from Harford County, Maryland. He served as a Delegate from 1955 to 1961, when he was appointed United States Attorney for Maryland by President John F. Kennedy, a close friend. As U.S. Attorney, Tydings brought many political corruption cases, including against Congressman Thomas Francis Johnson and state House of Delegates speaker A. Gordon Boone, both of whom were imprisoned. He also oversaw the prosecution of several people in the savings and loan business. In 1963, Tydings served as the United States representative at the Interpol Conference in Helsinki, Finland, and at the International Penal Conference in Bellagio, Italy.
## Election to the Senate
In the 1964 elections, Tydings was frequently mentioned as a potential candidate for the United States Senate seat of Republican James Glenn Beall. While initially hesitant, Tydings resigned as U.S. Attorney on November 21, 1963, to test his political support across the state. On January 14, 1964, Tydings officially declared his candidacy, stating he was challenging the "old guard" of the Maryland Democratic Party political machine. He also said he would work to bring a "new era of leadership into Maryland".
During the primary election in May 1964, Tydings faced Maryland Comptroller Louis L. Goldstein, who had won the endorsement of both J. Millard Tawes, Governor of Maryland, and Daniel Brewster, the other U.S. Senator from Maryland. Despite Goldstein's support from party leaders, Tydings trounced him by a nearly a two-to-one margin.
Tydings faced Beall in the general election and the results gave Tydings nearly 63% of 1,081,042 votes cast. His large margin of victory was due at least in part to the landslide win by fellow Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson for President in the same election, which likely increased voter turnout.
## United States Senator
Upon his election, Tydings began to lay out his legislative agenda for his upcoming term, which included water conservation, pollution and air purity, and mass transportation. He played a crucial role in the enactment of the federal law governing multidistrict litigation. He also expressed interest in serving on the Senate Committee on the District of Columbia. Tydings won a place on the DC committee, and was appointed chairman in 1969.
Leading up to the elections of 1970, Tydings faced criticism from both parties for his actions as senator. In July 1970, syndicated columnist Marquis Childs noted that Tydings' problems on the left stemmed from his support of a crime bill for the District of Columbia, which was perceived as repressive against African Americans. There was also criticism directed at the bill for writing into law the practices of preventive detention and no knock warrants.
Tydings voted in favor of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Civil Rights Act of 1968, and the confirmation of Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court. Tydings opposed President Richard Nixon's nominations of Clement Haynsworth and G. Harrold Carswell to the Supreme Court, earning him the enmity of Nixon.
Known for his love of horses, Tydings was the Senate sponsor of the Horse Protection Act of 1970, which prohibited certain inhumane practices against horses.
Tydings' difficulties with the right stemmed from his sponsorship of the Firearms Registration and Licensing Act, which would have required the registration of firearms. An avid hunter himself, his efforts agitated the gun lobby and the NRA. One Maryland activist group, Citizens Against Tydings, was formed solely because of Tydings' gun registration platform. Further complicating his relations with the right were the efforts by the American Security Council Foundation, which graded him as a "zero" on national security issues and spent over \$150,000 to campaign against his bid for re-election.
## 1970 election
In the Democratic primary, Tydings was challenged by perennial candidate and Dixiecrat George P. Mahoney and two others. After a divisive campaign, Tydings beat Mahoney by 53% to 37%.
For the general election, Tydings' opponent was freshman Congressman John Glenn Beall Jr. from Western Maryland, the son of James Glenn Beall, whom Tydings had defeated in 1964. Beall's campaign strategy "leaned heavily on his affable, noncontroversial personality" and avoided turning the campaign negative. As a result of Tydings' unpopularity and Beall's campaign strategy, Tydings was defeated 51% to 48%.
In a review of the election, The Washington Post noted one of Tydings' major problems was identifying with his constituents. Despite the 3–1 advantage of registered Democrats versus Republicans in the state, Tydings had been labeled as an "ultraliberal" by many Marylanders, and Vice President Spiro Agnew, formerly the Governor of Maryland, had called Tydings "radical" while campaigning for Beall. Tydings was also wealthy, and was seen as having an "aloof" disposition.
## Return to politics
Tydings resumed his legal career after he lost his Senate seat, entering into practice with a Washington law firm that included Giant Food President Joseph Danzansky. After several years out of politics, he began traveling the state in 1975 to gauge his chances for winning a rematch versus Beall, who was coming up for re-election in 1976. On January 10, 1976, Tydings announced his candidacy for his former senate seat, which he argued was taken unfairly in 1970 due to an undisclosed \$180,000 gift to the Beall campaign.
In the primary, Tydings faced a strong challenge from Congressman Paul Sarbanes, who had entered the race several months earlier. This head start gave Sarbanes a considerable organizational and monetary advantage, and he had already secured influential endorsements. To fend off Sarbanes, Tydings hoped his name recognition and charisma on television would compensate for Sarbanes' other advantages. He also worked to relabel himself as more fiscally conservative than Sarbanes, since both candidates were seen as liberal.
For the primary election, Tydings needed a large margin of victory from precincts in the Washington, D.C., suburbs of Prince George's and Montgomery Counties, where he was most popular. Despite Tydings winning both counties, Sarbanes performed well in the rest of the state and defeated him by over 100,000 votes, 61% to 39%. Sarbanes had outspent Tydings two-to-one during the campaign. After defeating Tydings, Sarbanes won the general election by a landslide and served as senator until 2007.
## Post-Senate career
Following his electoral defeat, Tydings returned to his law career at Danzansky's firm. In 1971, he gave oral argument on behalf of Bill Baird in the Supreme Court case Eisenstadt v. Baird in November 1971; in its decision the next year, the Court held that a Massachusetts state law barring the use of birth control for single persons was unconstitutional. The Eisenstadt decision has been described as among the most influential Supreme Court decisions of the 20th century.
Tydings also worked as a partner in the law firm of Finley, Kumble, Wagner, Underberg, Manley, Myerson & Casey, which collapsed in 1987. Later, Tydings worked at Anderson Kill Olick & Oshinsky from 1988 until his departure with Jerold Oshinsky in 1996 to join Dickstein Shapiro in Washington, D.C.
In academics, Tydings was a member of the Board of Regents of the University of Maryland from 1974 to 1984, serving as chairman from 1982 to 1984; it became University of Maryland, College Park in 1988. In 1977, Tydings called for the Board of Regents of the University of Maryland to divest its endowment from companies doing business with the apartheid regime in South Africa. He later served as a member of Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland from 2000 to 2005. In September 2008, he was appointed by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley to the board of the University of Maryland Medical System. As of 2016, he resided in Harford County, Maryland.
In the last two decades of his life, Tydings was an attorney at the firm Blank Rome. Tydings was a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One.
Joseph Tydings died in Washington, D.C., from cancer, on October 8, 2018, at the age of 90.
## Personal life
Tydings married Virginia Reynolds Campbell of Lewes, Delaware, in 1955; they had four children. The couple divorced in 1974. In 1975, Tydings married Terry Lynn Huntingdon of Mount Shasta, California, with whom he had one child, actress Alexandra Tydings. Tydings and Huntingdon subsequently divorced.
Marjorie Merriweather Post was the second wife of Tydings' maternal grandfather Joseph E. Davies and it came to pass that Davies' crest was displayed at Post's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. The heraldry had one word placed above it, "Integritas" (Latin for integrity). When the estate came into the hands of Donald Trump and was converted into a private club, the future President modified the logo and replaced "Integritas" with "Trump". Tydings who as a boy had spent a good deal of time at the seaside home remarked about the irony...“My grandfather would be rolling over in his grave if he knew Trump was using his crest,” ... “I am sorry to say that banishing the concept of ‘integrity’ is a sad metaphor for the Trump presidency"...
|
[
"## Early life, education, and military service",
"## Legal career",
"## Election to the Senate",
"## United States Senator",
"## 1970 election",
"## Return to politics",
"## Post-Senate career",
"## Personal life"
] | 2,627 | 7,478 |
31,194,089 |
1995–96 South Pacific cyclone season
| 1,159,867,703 |
Tropical cyclone season
|
[
"1995–96 South Pacific cyclone season",
"Articles which contain graphical timelines",
"South Pacific cyclone seasons"
] |
The 1995–96 South Pacific cyclone season was a below average South Pacific tropical cyclone season's on record, with only five tropical cyclones occurring within the South Pacific Ocean to the east of 160°E. The season officially ran from November 1, 1995, until April 30, 1996. The first storm developed on January 12, while the last one dissipated on April 2. During the season the most intense tropical cyclone was Severe Tropical Cyclone Beti, which reached a minimum pressure of 935 hPa (27.61 inHg) as it affected New Caledonia. After the season ended Beti's name was the only name to be retired from the tropical cyclone naming lists and was replaced with Bune, after it inflicted over 5.6 million (USD) worth of damage to Australia, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and New Zealand.
During the season, tropical cyclones were officially monitored by the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) in Nadi, Fiji, and the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers (TCWC) in Brisbane, Australia and Wellington, New Zealand. Throughout the season the United States Navy also monitored the basin and issued unofficial warnings, through its Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center (NPMOC). Tropical cyclones that were located between 160°E and 120°W, as well as the Equator and 25°S, were monitored by RSMC Nadi while any that were located to the south of 25°S between 160°E and 120°W were monitored by TCWC Wellington. During the season the JTWC issued warnings on any tropical cyclone that was located between 160°E and 180° while the NPMOC issued warnings for tropical cyclones forming between the 180° and the American coast. RSMC Nadi and TCWC Wellington both used the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale, and measured windspeeds over a 10-minute period during the season, while the JTWC and the NPMOC measured sustained windspeeds over a 1-minute period.
## Seasonal summary
Because of a weak–moderate La Niña episode, most tropical cyclones that developed within the season occurred within the Coral Sea. The weak La Nina conditions also affected the amount of tropical cyclones that occurred during the year, with only 5 tropical cyclones occurring within the basin. During December 24, Tropical Cyclone Gertie moved into the basin from the Australian region, before it passed to the south of New Caledonia and weakened below tropical cyclone intensity.
Cyclone Yasi, developed on January 12 as a tropical depression before it was named on January 16. As a tropical cyclone, Yasi brought significant rain to both Fiji and Tonga before it dissipated on January 19 to the south of Papette in French Polynesia. After Yasi dissipated, no tropical cyclones were recorded in the basin until March 9; however on February 12, a tropical low developed to the west of New Caledonia. Over the next 24 hours the low deepened to about 1002 hPa before it crossed 160°E and moved into the Australian region where it became known as the Queen Elizabeth II storm. On February 22 and 23, a shallow tropical depression moved around the Fijian archipelago and caused some flooding of low-lying areas in Vanua Levu. On March 9 and 10, Tropical Cyclones Zaka and Atu both developed near New Caledonia, about 1,000 km (620 mi) apart and took similar tracks towards the southeast before becoming extratropical. On March 21, the final tropical cyclone of the season developed to the northeast of Vanuatu. Over the next couple of days the depression gradually developed further and was named as Beti, before it passed over Vanuatu and New Caledonia. On March 29, after it had passed over New Caledonia, Beti degenerated into an extratropical cyclone, before dissipating on April 2. After the season ended the name Beti was retired from the tropical cyclone naming lists.
## Systems
### Tropical Cyclone Yasi
On January 12, the FMS reported that a tropical depression had developed over the Fijian island of Vanua Levu, about 430 km (270 mi) to the south of Labasa. Over the next few days, the depression moved towards the southeast before it started to affect Tonga on January 15. During the following day, the depression rapidly developed further as it interacted with the South Pacific Convergence Zone, before the NPMOC initiated warnings on the system and designated it as 08P. At 0000 UTC on January 17, the NPMOC reported that the depression had reached its peak 1-minute sustained windspeeds of 85 km/h (53 mph), while the FMS reported that the depression had intensified into a tropical cyclone while it was located about 510 km (320 mi) to the southeast of Nukualofa, Tonga. However, the FMS did not name it Yasi for another 12 hours, while the system reached its peak 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 85 km/h (53 mph). After it was named on January 17, Yasi accelerated towards the southeast, before it moved out of the FMS's area of responsibility. During January 18, the NPMOC issued their final warning because Yasi had degenerated into an extratropical cyclone. MetService monitored Yasi's remnants for another day, before the system dissipated about 1,520 km (940 mi) to the south of Papeete, French Polynesia. Although no major damage was reported from any of the islands affected some minor damage was reported in Tonga, after Yasi caused heavy rainfall there.
### Tropical Cyclone Zaka
On March 9, the FMS started to monitor a tropical depression had developed within an active convergence zone, about 150 km (93 mi) to the northwest of Noumea, New Caledonia. During that day an upper-level trough moved over New Zealand which brought the jet stream over New Caledonia. As a result, this made the depression hard to locate with satellite imagery. However, later that day despite the system being poorly organized, the FMS reported that the depression had intensified into a tropical cyclone and named it Zaka. As they named it RSMC Nadi reported that the system had reached its peak 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 65 km/h (40 mph) with further development of the system restricted by strong vertical wind shear. Early on March 10, the JTWC designated Zaka as Tropical Cyclone 20P, while it had its peak 1-minute windspeeds of 75 km/h (47 mph). The FMS then issued their final advisory at 0600 UTC, as Zaka had weakened into a tropical depression and was moving into TCWC Wellingtons area of responsibility. TCWC Wellington and the JTWC monitored Zaka for another day before it was last noted during March 11 as it became an extratropical cyclone. Zaka dumped 376 mm (14.8 in) of rain on Vanuatu in just 24 hours.
### Tropical Cyclone Atu
On March 4, the JTWC started to monitor an area of disturbed weather that had developed within the Australian region about 900 km (560 mi), to the southeast of Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. Over the next few days, the system remained weak and gradually moved southeast before it crossed 160°E and moved into the basin on March 9. During the next day, both the JTWC and the FMS started to monitor the system as a tropical depression as it moved through the Loyalty Islands. On March 11, the depression intensified into a tropical cyclone as it moved southeastward, prompting the FMS to name it Atu at 1800 UTC. Early on March 12, the JTWC reported that Atu had reached its peak 1-minute windspeeds of 100 km/h (62 mph). Later that morning the FMS reported that Atu had reached its peak 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 85 km/h (53 mph). After it had peaked in intensity, Atu weakened under the influence of strong vertical windshear before the JTWC and the FMS issued their final advisories during March 13, as Atu had become extratropical. Atu's remnants were then monitored by the FMS and MetService until they dissipated on March 18.
### Severe Tropical Cyclone Beti
On March 19, the JTWC started to monitor a tropical disturbance that was located about 1,145 km (711 mi) to the northwest of Suva, Fiji. Over the next couple of days, the system moved towards the south and gradually developed further in an area of low vertical windshear, before the system was designated as Tropical Depression 23P by the JTWC on March 21. Over the next couple of days, 23P moved further towards the south, before the depression started to move towards the southwest as a ridge of high pressure strengthened on March 23. Later that day, the FMS reported that the depression had intensified into a category 1 tropical cyclone and named it as Beti. During that day, Beti continued to develop further before the system moved into the Coral Sea on March 24, after passing over the Vanuatuan islands of Pentecost and Malekula. As Beti moved into the Coral Sea, the system quickly intensified further, with the FMS reporting on March 25 that Beti had intensified into a category 3 severe tropical cyclone. As Beti intensified into a severe tropical cyclone, the ridge of high pressure weakened as it interacted with an upper-level trough of low pressure. As a result, the system started to move towards the south-southeast.
Over the next couple of days Beti continued to intensify as it moved towards New Caledonia, before the JTWC reported at 1800 UTC on March 26, that Beti had reached its peak 1-minute sustained windspeeds of 195 km/h (121 mph). Six hours later, the FMS reported that the system had peaked as a category 4 severe tropical cyclone with 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 165 km/h (103 mph). Later on March 27, Severe Tropical Cyclone Beti made landfall on the Grande Terre island of New Caledonia near its peak intensity and quickly weakened into a category 2 tropical cyclone. During the next day, Beti moved towards the southeast under the influence of the trough, reemerging into the Coral Sea as a weakening tropical cyclone that had started to transition into an extratropical cyclone. Later on March 28, the FMS passed the primary warning responsibility of the cyclone to MetService, before the JTWC issued their final advisory on Beti as it had become extratropical. Over the next few days, TCWC Wellington continued to monitor Beti's remnants, as they came under the influence of a high pressure area and moved around New Zealand's East Coast, before they were last noted on April 2 while located about 1,400 km (870 mi) to the southeast of Wellington.
While it was active, Cyclone Beti was responsible for 2 deaths and caused damage in Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, and Vanuatu. The most significant damage occurred in New Caledonia where wind and flooding destroyed crops, gardens and caused disruption to the electricity network, water supply, road and telephone communications. Many homes and roads were also badly damaged, with over 50% of lower standard housing on the outskirts of Noumea damaged after rivers and creeks burst their banks. Press reports indicated that Beti inflicted between FF 22- (US\$4.3 - ) in damage to New Caledonia and that only a few injuries had occurred. Within Vanuatu, Beti caused about , () in damage to food gardens and shelters. As an extratropical cyclone, Beti generated a high surf and long period swells that hit both eastern Australia and New Zealand. Within Australia, the high surf left several competitors in the Australian life surfing championships injured, while another competitor was killed after his boat was swamped by large waves. Within New Zealand, Beti's remnants caused flooding and mud-slips, which led to several roads being closed. A helicopter and its pilot were lost at the height of the storm, while they were travelling from Napier to Gisborne.
### Other systems
During December 23, the remnants of Severe Tropical Cyclone Gertie, moved westwards off the Australian mainland and into the Coral Sea near Maryborough. After moving into the Coral Sea, the system underwent a pierod of rapid intensification, during which it reintensified into a tropical cyclone and caused gale-force winds along the southern Queensland Coast. During the following day, gale-force winds eased along the Queensland coast, as Gertie moved north-eastwards into the South Pacific basin, where it peaked with 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 75 km/h (45 mph). The system subsequently passed to the south of New Caledonia and was last noted on December 24, as it weakened below tropical cyclone intensity. During February 12, a tropical low developed to the west of New Caledonia. Over the next 24 hours the low deepened to about 1002 hPa (29.59 inHg) before it crossed 160°E and moved into the Australian region where it became known as the Queen Elizabeth II storm. On February 22 and 23, a shallow tropical depression moved around the Fijian archipelago and caused some flooding of low-lying areas in Vanua Levu.
## Season effects
## See also
- Atlantic hurricane seasons: 1995 , 1996
- Pacific hurricane seasons: 1995, 1996
- Pacific typhoon seasons: 1995, 1996
- North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1995, 1996
|
[
"## Seasonal summary",
"## Systems",
"### Tropical Cyclone Yasi",
"### Tropical Cyclone Zaka",
"### Tropical Cyclone Atu",
"### Severe Tropical Cyclone Beti",
"### Other systems",
"## Season effects",
"## See also"
] | 2,976 | 3,202 |
46,719,550 |
Railroad Gazette
| 1,172,626,661 |
19th century trade journal
|
[
"Defunct magazines published in the United States",
"Engineering magazines",
"Magazines established in 1856",
"Magazines with year of disestablishment missing",
"Rail transport magazines published in the United States"
] |
Railroad Gazette , published as Western Railroad Gazette from its founding until 1870, was a trade journal first published by Stanley C. Fowler, assisted by James J. Schock, in April 1856 at 128 South Clark St., Chicago, which focused on railroad, transportation and engineering topics. Master mechanics read and used the publication to share information about railway matters with one another. An article in the publication documented what was purported to be the first locomotive run in the United States on a railroad, which was stated as performed by the author of the article. It also reported about the Erie Railroad's Rochester Division's electrification and about the opening of the Thebes Bridge. Over time Railroad Gazette editors included Arthur Mellen Wellington, Silas Wright Dunning (1838–1924) and Matthias Nace Forney with Horace Cleveland as an article contributor. The journal was sold by Fowler in 1870 to A.N. Kellogg (Ansel Nash Kellogg 1832-1886), who retained Schock.
Another publication of the same name Railroad Gazette was established in 1843 in Rogersville, Tennessee. It focused exclusively upon "internal improvement".
## Overview
Railroad Gazette was a trade journal published in the United States that focused on railroad news, transportation and engineering. The journal also published editorial content. It was established and first published in April 1856. Master train mechanics were among the journal's readership, who used it to share in technological information about railway matters. The publication served as a forum for readers to discuss railroad management and technology.
## Content
In February–June 1872, Railroad Gazette published a series of articles written by a person using the pen name "Hindoo", and reader comments in response to the articles. Hindoo was a British colonial official who was visiting the United States, who stated that the Indian railway system very rarely had problems with head-on and rear-end collisions, which were more frequent in the United States. Hindoo proposed that this was due to the manner in which Indian train stations dispatched trains using telegraphs, in which a system was used whereby each train station acted as a "blocking point." This blocking point system was originally devised by the British railroad industry, and forbade trains from leaving a station until a telegraph was received from the next station stating that the line was clear, upon which a clearance card was issued to the train operator. Hindoo felt that the U.S. system placed too much responsibility upon a single dispatcher, who would "oversee all freight and passenger train movements on a division."
Hindoo's articles provided a comparison of safety matters between Indian and American railway systems, comparisons of management systems and styles and comparisons in train dispatching methods. A main contributor to the ongoing discussion was a reader using the pen name "X", and several other readers also responded. In a response, X stated that the U.S. system was less expensive and more efficient compared to British and Indian methods, and posited whether another system could be used that is both cost effective and safe. Additional reader responses generally concurred with X's opinion, but did not provide solid suggestions about how to remedy such problems. One respondent stated that some of the comparisons were faulty as being based upon U.S. railway lines that did not use telegraphic dispatching. This discourse in Railroad Gazette during this time also covered various aspects of problems and flaws in the American railroad system, and potential reforms to remedy these problems.
An article published on April 18, 1884 in Railroad Gazette, written by railroad engineer Horatio Allen and titled "The First Railroad in America", states that the author (Allen) was the operator of the first locomotive run in the United States on a railroad. Allen stated that on August 9, 1829, he ran a locomotive named Stourbridge Lion in Pennsylvania "three miles and back over rails of wood upon which bar iron 2 1⁄4 inches wide and 1 1⁄2 inch thick was spiked down".
Railroad Gazette reported about the electrification of the Erie Railroad's Rochester Division. It also reported about the Thebes Bridge at the time the bridge was opened in Illinois.
## Personnel
Arthur Mellen Wellington was one of the editors of Railroad Gazette from 1884 to early 1887. Wellington's work The Economic Theory of the Location of Railroads was first published in a series of Railroad Gazette articles in 1876. A book of the same content was published in 1877 by Railroad Gazette. Matthias Nace Forney was editor of the publication in the (circa) 1870s. In 1866, Forney patented a concept for urban elevated railways which "later became the de facto standard for elevated railway service". Articles written by the noted American landscape architect Horace Cleveland that focused upon tree planting efforts in the western United States were published in Railroad Gazette.
## Selected works
- A list of accessible Railroad Gazette issues may be accessed at Railroad gazette, published by the Hathi Trust Digital Library.
## See also
- Railway Age
- List of American rail transport magazines
|
[
"## Overview",
"## Content",
"## Personnel",
"## Selected works",
"## See also"
] | 1,039 | 8,853 |
4,947,383 |
Ladislaus II of Hungary
| 1,143,190,759 |
12th-century King of Hungary and Croatia
|
[
"1131 births",
"1163 deaths",
"12th-century Hungarian people",
"Burials at the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary",
"Dukes of Bosnia",
"House of Árpád",
"Kings of Croatia",
"Kings of Hungary",
"Medieval Hungarian people of Serbian descent",
"People excommunicated by the Catholic Church"
] |
Ladislaus II or Ladislas II (Hungarian: II. László, Croatian and Slovak: Ladislav II; 1131 – 14 January 1163) was King of Hungary and Croatia between 1162 and 1163, having usurped the crown from his nephew, Stephen III.
Ladislaus received the title of Duke of Bosnia from his father, Béla II of Hungary, at the age of six but never ruled the province. Instead, around 1160, he followed his younger brother, Stephen's, example and settled in Constantinople but both were to return to Hungary following the death of their elder brother, Géza II of Hungary, in 1162. Their return was backed by the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos who used their return in a bid to expand his suzerainty over Hungary. Initially, the Emperor was planning to assist Stephen IV in seizing the throne, but the Hungarian lords were only willing to accept Ladislaus as king against the late Géza II's son, Stephen III.
Although the latter's staunch supporter, Lucas, Archbishop of Esztergom, refused to crown Ladislaus and excommunicated him, he was crowned by Mikó, Archbishop of Kalocsa, in July 1162 but died within six months of his coronation.
## Youth
Born in 1131, Ladislaus was the second son of King Béla the Blind and his wife, Helena of Rascia. A few months after his birth, his mother took him and his elder brother, Géza, to an assembly held at Arad where the barons who were considered responsible for the blinding of the King were massacred upon the Queen's order.
Béla II's army invaded Bosnia in 1136, which he commemorated by adopting the title King of Rama after a small river. The following year, the King appointed Ladislaus Duke of Bosnia at an assembly of the prelates and barons in Esztergom. However, Ladislaus never personally ruled the territory and administration was overseen by the Ban, who was either an appointed or an elected official.
Béla II died on 13 February 1141 and was succeeded by his oldest son, Ladislaus's elder brother, Géza II. The Illuminated Chronicle writes that during his reign King Géza "granted ducal revenues to his brothers", Ladislaus and his younger brother, Stephen, in an unspecified year, although according to historian Bálint Hóman, this happened in 1146. Scholars Ferenc Makk and Gyula Kristó argue that the two dukes only received this grant around 1152, when the King appointed his son, Stephen, his successor.
Ladislaus's younger brother, Stephen, conspired against King Géza but failed in 1156 or 1157. Stephen first sought refuge in the Holy Roman Empire but later fled to the Byzantine Empire. Ladislaus followed him and also settled in Constantinople around 1160.
## Exile
Contemporaneous sources disagree on the cause of Ladislaus' departure for Constantinople. According to John Kinnamos, both Stephen and Ladislaus "became extremely hateful" towards King Géza after they had quarreled with him. On the other hand, Niketas Choniates wrote that Ladislaus "defected to Manuel, not so much because Géza loved him less than he should or that he feared a plot on his brother's part, but more because he was fascinated" by Stephen's favorable reception by the Emperor.
Géza II died on 31 May 1162 and was succeeded by his son, the 15-year-old Stephen III. However, Emperor Manuel, who "put a high value on the overlordship of Hungary", according to the contemporaneous John Kinnamos, decided to intervene on behalf of the late King's two brothers, stating that "it is law among the Hungarians that the crown passes always to the survivors of brothers". Initially, the Emperor planned to assist the younger of the two brothers, Stephen, as claimant to the throne. Bribed by Emperor Manuel's envoys, most Hungarian lords were willing to dethrone the young monarch but instead of Stephen, whom they viewed as a puppet of the Emperor, Ladislaus was chosen to be king. Six weeks after the young Stephen III's coronation, his partisans were routed at Kapuvár forcing him to leave Hungary and seek refuge in Austria.
> The Emperor ... concluded that it was necessary to assist [Ladislaus's brother, Stephen], by the use of greater force. He marched out of Sardica and when arrived in the region of the Danube adjacent to Braničevo and Belgrade dispatched his nephew Alexios Kontostephanos with an armed force to [Stephen]. Once in control of Chramon, they did everything possible to secure the throne, winning over the most powerful of the Hungarians with gifts, seducing them with flattery, and inciting them with the greatest promises; however, the only thing they achieved was that the Hungarians accepted Ladislaus as their ruler..
## Reign
Ladislaus was crowned king in July 1162. The ceremony was performed by Mikó, Archbishop of Kalocsa, as the Archbishop of Esztergom, Lucas, was loyal to Stephen III and considered Ladislaus an usurper. Archbishop Lucas excommunicated Ladislaus, but was arrested and imprisoned in return.
According to the chronicle of Henry of Mügeln, Ladislaus granted one-third of the kingdom to his brother, Stephen, and the title of duke. Kinnamos wrote that Ladislaus granted the title urum ("My lord") to his brother as "among the Hungarians, this name means he who will succeed to the royal authority". Ladislaus attempted to reconcile himself with his opponents and released Archbishop Lucas at Christmas upon the request of Pope Alexander III. However, the Archbishop did not yield to him and continued to support Stephen III, who had returned to Hungary and captured Pressburg (present-day Bratislava in Slovakia). Ladislaus did not attack his nephew in Pressburg, but again imprisoned Archbishop Lucas.
Ladislaus "usurped the crown for half a year", according to the Illuminated Chronicle and died on 14 January 1163. He was buried in the Székesfehérvár Basilica.
## Family
Ladislaus seems to have been a widower when he arrived in Constantinople in about 1160, but both the name of his wife and her family are unknown. Ladislaus "could have married a woman of royal blood" at Constantinople, according to Choniates. However, continues Choniates, Ladislaus "refrained from marriage so that he should not forget to return to his country and thus bring ruin to his domestic affairs, enchanted by the spell of a wife". Ladislaus's daughter, Mary was married to Nicholas Michiel, son of Vitale II Michele, Doge of Venice.
|
[
"## Youth",
"## Exile",
"## Reign",
"## Family"
] | 1,483 | 34,621 |
147,052 |
Big stick ideology
| 1,173,475,415 |
American political catchphrase
|
[
"American political catchphrases",
"Banana Wars",
"Foreign policy doctrines of the United States",
"Hegemony",
"History of United States expansionism",
"Imperialism",
"Metaphors referring to objects",
"Military diplomacy",
"Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt"
] |
Big stick ideology, big stick diplomacy, big stick philosophy, or big stick policy refers to an aphorism often said by the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt; "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far". The American press during his time, as well as many modern historians today, used the term "big stick" to describe the foreign policy positions during his administration. Roosevelt described his style of foreign policy as "the exercise of intelligent forethought and of decisive action sufficiently far in advance of any likely crisis". As practiced by Roosevelt, big stick diplomacy had five components. First, it was essential to possess serious military capability that would force the adversary to pay close attention. At the time that meant a world-class navy; Roosevelt never had a large army at his disposal. The other qualities were to act justly toward other nations, never to bluff, to strike only when prepared to strike hard, and to be willing to allow the adversary to save face in defeat.
The idea is negotiating peacefully but also having strength in case things go wrong. Simultaneously threatening with the "big stick", or the military, ties in heavily with the idea of Realpolitik, which implies a pursuit of political power that resembles Machiavellian ideals. It is comparable to gunboat diplomacy, as used in international politics by the powers.
## Background
Roosevelt (then Governor of New York) to Henry L. Sprague, dated January 26, 1900. Roosevelt wrote, in a bout of happiness after forcing New York's Republican committee to pull support away from a corrupt financial adviser:
> I have always been fond of the West African proverb: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
Roosevelt would go on to be elected Vice President later that year, and subsequently used the aphorism publicly in an address to the Minnesota State Fair, entitled "National Duties", on September 2, 1901:
> A good many of you are probably acquainted with the old proverb: "Speak softly and carry a big stick—you will go far."
## Usage
Although it had been used before his presidency, Roosevelt used military muscle several times throughout his two terms with a more subtle touch to complement his diplomatic policies and enforcing the Monroe Doctrine throughout multiple interventions in Latin America. This included the Great White Fleet, 16 battleships which peacefully circumnavigated the globe as an illustration of United States's rising yet neutral prestige under Roosevelt's direction.
### Latin America
#### Venezuelan Affair (1902) and the Roosevelt Corollary
In the early 20th century, Venezuela was receiving complaints from Britain and Germany about "acts of violence against the liberty of British subjects and the massive capture of British vessels" who were from the UK and the lack of Venezuelan initiative to pay off long-standing debts. After the Royal Navy and Imperial German Navy took naval action with a blockade on Venezuela (1902–1903), Roosevelt denounced the blockade. The blockade began the basis of the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe doctrine. Though he had mentioned the basis of his idea beforehand in private letters, he officially announced the corollary in 1904, stating that he only wanted the "other republics on this continent" to be "happy and prosperous". For that goal to be met, the corollary required that they "maintain order within their borders and behave with a just obligation toward outsiders".
Most historians, such as one of Roosevelt's many biographers Howard K. Beale have summarized that the corollary was influenced by Roosevelt's personal beliefs as well as his connections to foreign bondholders. The U.S. public was very "tense" during the two-month blockade; Roosevelt asked Britain and Germany to pull out their forces from the area. During the requests for the blockade's end, Roosevelt stationed naval forces in Cuba, to ensure "the respect of Monroe doctrine" and the compliance of the parties in question. The doctrine was never ratified by the senate or brought up for a vote to the American public. Roosevelt's declaration was the first of many presidential decrees in the twentieth century that were never ratified.
#### Canal diplomacy
The U.S. used the "big stick" during "Canal Diplomacy", the diplomatic actions of the U.S. during the pursuit of a canal across Central America. Both Nicaragua and Panama featured canal related incidents of big stick diplomacy.
##### Proposed construction of the Nicaragua Canal
In 1901, Secretary of State John Hay pressed the Nicaraguan Government for approval of a canal. Nicaragua would receive \$1.5 million in ratification, \$100,000 annually, and the U.S. would "provide sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity". Nicaragua then returned the contract draft with a change; they wished to receive, instead of an annual \$100,000, \$6 million in ratification. The U.S. accepted the deal, but, after Congress approved the contract, a problem of court jurisdiction came up. The U.S. did not have legal jurisdiction in the land of the future canal. This problem was on the verge of correction until pro-Panama representatives posed problems for Nicaragua; the current leader (General José Santos Zelaya) did not cause problems, from the outlook of U.S. interests.
##### Construction of the Panama Canal
In 1899, the Isthmian Canal Commission was set up to determine which site would be best for the canal (Nicaragua or Panama) and then to oversee construction of the canal. After Nicaragua was ruled out, Panama was the obvious choice. A few problems had arisen, however. With the U.S.'s solidified interests in Panama (then a small portion of Colombia), both Colombia and the French company that was to provide the construction materials raised their prices. The U.S., refusing to pay the higher-than-expected fees, "engineered a revolution" in Colombia. On November 3, 1903, Panama (with the support of the United States Navy) revolted against Colombia. Panama became a new republic, receiving \$10 million from the U.S. alone. Panama also gained an annual payment of \$250,000, and guarantees of independence. The U.S. gained the rights to the canal strip "in perpetuity". Roosevelt later said that he "took the Canal, and let Congress debate". After Colombia lost Panama, they tried to appeal to the U.S. by the reconsidering of treaties and even naming Panama City the capital of Colombia.
#### Cuba
The U.S. after the Spanish–American War had many expansionists who wanted to annex Cuba. Many people felt that a foreign power (outside of the U.S.) would control a portion of Cuba, thus the U.S. could not continue with its interests in Cuba. Although many advocated annexation, this was prevented by the Teller Amendment, which states "hereby disclaims any disposition of intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control over said island except for pacification thereof, and asserts its determination, when that is accomplished, to leave the government and control of the island to its people". When summarized, this could mean that the U.S. would not interfere with Cuba and its peoples. The expansionists argued that the Teller Amendment was created "ignorant of actual conditions", which released the U.S. from its obligation. Following the debate surrounding the Teller Amendment, the Platt Amendment took effect. The Platt Amendment (the name is a misnomer; the Platt Amendment is actually a rider to the Army Appropriation Act of 1901) was accepted by Cuba in late 1901, after "strong pressure" from Washington. The Platt Amendment, summarized by Thomas A. Bailey in "Diplomatic History of the American People":
1. Cuba was not to make decisions impairing her independence or to permit a foreign power [e.g., Germany] to secure lodgment in control over the island.
2. Cuba pledged herself not to incur an indebtedness beyond her means [It might result in foreign intervention].
3. The United States was at liberty to intervene for the purpose of preserving order and maintaining Cuban independence.
4. Cuba would agree to an American-sponsored sanitation program [Aimed largely at yellow fever].
5. Cuba would agree to sell or lease to the United States sites for naval or coaling stations [Guantánamo became the principal base].
With the Platt Amendment in place, Roosevelt pulled the troops out of Cuba. A year later, Roosevelt wrote:
> Just at the moment I am so angry with that infernal little Cuban republic that I would like to wipe its people off the face of the earth. All that we wanted from them was that they would behave themselves and be prosperous and happy so that we would not have to interfere.
## See also
- Pax Americana
- Peace through strength
- History of U.S. foreign policy, 1897–1913
|
[
"## Background",
"## Usage",
"### Latin America",
"#### Venezuelan Affair (1902) and the Roosevelt Corollary",
"#### Canal diplomacy",
"##### Proposed construction of the Nicaragua Canal",
"##### Construction of the Panama Canal",
"#### Cuba",
"## See also"
] | 1,819 | 243 |
4,293,310 |
77th Street station (BMT Fourth Avenue Line)
| 1,171,754,713 |
New York City Subway station in Brooklyn
|
[
"1916 establishments in New York City",
"BMT Fourth Avenue Line stations",
"Bay Ridge, Brooklyn",
"New York City Subway stations in Brooklyn",
"Railway stations in the United States opened in 1916"
] |
The 77th Street station is a station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at 77th Street and Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, it is served by the R train at all times.
The 77th Street station was constructed as part of the Fourth Avenue Line, which was approved in 1905 and subsequently modified. Construction on the segment of the line that includes 77th Street started on January 24, 1913, and was completed in 1915. The station opened on January 15, 1916, as part of an extension of the BMT Fourth Avenue Line from 59th Street to 86th Street. The station's platforms were lengthened in 1926–1927 and in 1968-1970.
## History
### Construction and opening
The 77th Street station was constructed as part of the Fourth Avenue Line. The plan for the line was initially adopted on June 1, 1905, before being approved by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York on June 18, 1906 after the Rapid Transit Commission was unable to get the necessary consents of property owners along the planned route. The Rapid Transit Commission was succeeded by the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) on July 1, 1907, and the PSC approved the plan for the line in October and November 1907.
As part of negotiations between New York City and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT), and the Interborough Rapid Transit Company for the expansion of the city's transit network, the line was leased to a subsidiary of the BRT. The agreement, known as Contract 4 of the Dual Contracts, was signed on March 19, 1913. In 1912, during the Dual System negotiations, the construction of an extension of the Fourth Avenue subway from 43rd Street to 89th Street, just south of the 86th Street station, was recommended. This recommendation was approved by the Board of Estimate on February 15, 1912. The PSC directed its chief engineer to create plans on June 14, 1912. The two contracts for the extension, Route 11B, were awarded on September 16, 1912, to the Degnon Construction Company for a combined \$3.8 million (equivalent to \$ million in ).
On January 24, 1913, construction began on Route 11B2, which includes this station and extends between 61st Street and 89th Street. Construction was completed on this section in 1915. 77th Street station opened on January 15, 1916, as part of an extension of the BMT Fourth Avenue Line from 59th Street to 86th Street.
### Station renovations
#### 1920s
On June 27, 1922, the New York State Transit Commission commissioned its engineers to examine platform-lengthening plans for 23 stations on the lines of the Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT), the successor to the BRT, to accommodate eight-car trains. As part of the project, 77th Street's platforms would have been lengthened from 495 feet (151 m) to 530 feet (160 m). Progress on the extensions did not occur until February 16, 1925, when the New York City Board of Transportation (NYCBOT) commissioned its engineers to examine platform-lengthening plans for this and eleven other stations along the Fourth Avenue Line. It estimated the project would cost \$633,000 () (). The BMT had been ordered by the Transit Commission to lengthen these platforms since September 1923. The NYCBOT received bids for the project on February 25, 1926. The contract was awarded to the Corson Construction Company for \$345,021 () (). The extensions opened on August 1, 1927.
#### 1960s
The city government took over the BMT's operations on June 1, 1940. In the 1960s, the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) started a project to lengthen station platforms on its lines in Southern Brooklyn to 615 feet (187 m) to accommodate 10-car trains. On July 14, 1967, the NYCTA awarded a contract to conduct test borings at eleven stations on the Fourth Avenue Line, including 77th Street, to the W. M. Walsh Corporation for \$6,585 () in preparation of the construction of platform extensions (). The NYCTA issued an invitation for bids on the project to extend the platforms at stations along the Fourth Avenue Line between 45th Street station and Bay Ridge–95th Street, including this station, on May 3, 1968.
However, work had already started on the platform extension project in February. As part of the renovation project, the station's platforms were extended at its northern and southern ends, for a total of 85 feet (26 m), and the station's elaborate mosaic tile walls were covered over with 8-by-16-inch (20 by 41 cm) white cinderblock tiles. The latter change, which was also made to 15 other stations on the BMT Broadway and Fourth Avenue Line, was criticized for being dehumanizing. The NYCTA spokesman stated that the old tiles were in poor condition and that the change was made to improve the appearance of stations and provide uniformity. Furthermore, it did not consider the old mosaics to have "any great artistic merit".
In 2017, as part of an initiative to increase the accessibility of the New York City Subway system, the MTA indicated that it was considering installing elevators at the 77th Street and 95th Street stations.
## Station layout
This underground station has two tracks and two side platforms. The R stops here at all times. The station is between Bay Ridge Avenue to the north and 86th Street to the south.
While the 95th Street-bound platform has columns along its full length, the Manhattan-bound platform is mostly columnless, with only a few columns located in the middle of the platform and at either end. The columns on the 95th Street-bound platform are curved, except for those near the staircases to the mezzanine and at the north end of the platform, which are typical I-beams, and are where the platform was extended in 1970. All of the columns are painted yellow and alternate ones have "77 Street" signs on them.
Prior to the station's 1970 renovation, it was finished all in white and marble tile, and it had its own color scheme to allow regular passengers to identify the station based only on the color of the marble trimmings. Since that renovation, the station walls have consisted of white cinderblock tiles, except for small recesses in the walls, which contain orange-painted cinderblock tiles. These recesses contain the station-name signs as well as white text pointing to the exits.
### Provisions
The Fourth Avenue Line south of 59th Street, including the Bay Ridge Avenue and 77th Street stations, was built as a two-track structure under the west side of Fourth Avenue with plans for two future tracks on the east side of the street. The station is designed to allow the northbound platform to become the Manhattan-bound express trackway if the two additional tracks were built. To facilitate the conversion, the northbound platform is mostly columnless and is wider than the southbound platform. Furthermore, there is space underneath the platform for the trackway.
### Exits
The station's full-time entrance is a mezzanine at the south end above the platforms and tracks. Two staircases from each platform go up to a waiting area/crossover, where a turnstile bank provides entrance/exit from the system. Outside fare control, there is a token booth and two staircases going up to either northern corners of 77th Street and Fourth Avenue. The northwest staircase has its original ornate banisters and railings. Inside the mezzanine, there are mosaics indicating a newsstand and two restrooms, all of which are now closed, and directing to each platform.
In addition, the Bay Ridge-bound platform has an exit-only at the north end, which consisted of one high entry-exit turnstile on the platform. A single platform-level exit-only turnstiles leads to a double flight staircase that goes up to the northwest corner of 76th Street and Fourth Avenue. The landing here has the station's original trim line with "77" tablets on it.
|
[
"## History",
"### Construction and opening",
"### Station renovations",
"#### 1920s",
"#### 1960s",
"## Station layout",
"### Provisions",
"### Exits"
] | 1,770 | 12,602 |
24,433,062 |
Alexander Buchan (artist)
| 1,158,819,270 |
Scottish landscape artist
|
[
"1769 deaths",
"18th-century Scottish painters",
"Burials at sea",
"James Cook",
"Landscape artists",
"Scottish artists",
"Scottish explorers",
"Year of birth missing"
] |
Alexander Buchan (died 17 April 1769) was a Scottish landscape artist. He is known for his participation in the 1768–1771 first voyage of James Cook aboard HMS Endeavour, where he was one of the artists in the entourage of botanist Joseph Banks. Buchan had epilepsy. On the journey, he had two documented seizures, the first during an expedition in Tierra del Fuego. Buchan died after the second seizure, shortly after Endeavour's arrival at Tahiti, and was buried at sea. Buchan produced landscapes, coastal views, ethnographic drawings and natural history drawings. He is best known for illustrations of the people of Tierra del Fuego, some of which were engraved for publication in accounts of the voyage. All of his drawings from the voyage were taken by his employer Joseph Banks and are now in the British Library and the Natural History Museum, London.
## Background
Nothing is known about the early life of Buchan, but he was described as having been "young" when he was hired by Joseph Banks to go on the first voyage of James Cook. According to Averil Lysaght, an expert on Banks, there is no evidence that Buchan exhibited work in London, but Banks, who had many Scottish contacts, could have heard about Buchan's ethnographically precise and unromantic work through one of them. However, Lysaght found no direct evidence for a connection of Buchan with either Banks' Scottish friends or with the Buchan family of North Berwick, Scotland. It is unclear whether Banks knew that Buchan was an epileptic before the start of his employment. It is also not known how Buchan learned to draw. According to the art historian Bernard Smith, Buchan was not academically trained in figure drawing, but had likely learned through self-study by making copies of engravings. An oil painting showing Buchan exists, which in 1979 was in the possession of Christopher Crowder. It has been proposed that it is a self portrait, which would make it the artist's only known work before the voyage on the Endeavour.
## Voyage with Captain Cook
On the first voyage of James Cook, the naturalist Joseph Banks was accompanied by a party of eight people, including the two artists Sydney Parkinson and Alexander Buchan, with the latter engaged for landscape and figure drawing. Banks' original plan was to have Parkinson draw faithful representations of plants and animals, and to have Buchan draw the scenery and natives. Both Parkinson and Buchan also drew coastal profiles, possibly on Cook's suggestion. Such views of the coast were often used as navigational aids and included in charts. It is possible that Cook himself instructed Buchan and Herman Spöring Jr., Banks' scientific secretary, in the drawing of views, as the work of both has similarities to Cook's own coastal views. Banks' associates produced work that was more accurate than the usual standard of the Royal Navy.
Buchan is not mentioned often in the surviving journals from the voyage. In Banks' journals, his first appearance is a note that Buchan drew views of the Cape Verde islands on 30 September 1768. Buchan's epilepsy first comes up in Banks' journal during an expedition in Tierra del Fuego. Endeavour lay at anchor in the Bay of Good Success on 15 January 1769. On 16 January, a group of eleven people including Banks, Daniel Solander, Buchan and four of Banks' servants went on an expedition in the country, attempting to reach the top of the hills. During this, Buchan had an epileptic seizure, a fire was lit, and the servants stayed with Buchan while Banks and others went on to search for alpine plants. On their return, the weather became cold and it started to snow, making it impossible to return to the ship. Two of Banks' servants, Richmond and Dorlton, got drunk on whiskey and died from exposure that night, but Buchan recovered.
On 20 January, Banks visited an Ona village, very likely together with Buchan, whose drawing of An Indian Town at Terra del Fuego (engraved as View of a Village in the Bay of Good Success, in the Island of Terra del Fuego) illustrates Banks' description:
> The town itself was situate upon a dry Knowl among the trees, which were not at all cleard away, it consisted of not more than twelve or fourteen huts or wigwams of the most unartificial construction imaginable, indeed no thing bearing the name of a hut could possibly be built with less trouble. They consisted of a few poles set up and meeting together at the top in a conical figure, these were coverd on the weather side with a few boughs and a little grass, on the lee side about one eighth part of the circle was left open and against this opening was a fire made.
## Death at Tahiti
From Tierra del Fuego, the Endeavour continued to Tahiti in order to observe the 1769 transit of Venus, arriving at the island on 13 April. Banks recorded in his journal for 16 April 1769 that Buchan had an epileptic seizure: "Poor Mr Buchan the young man who I brought out as lanscape [sic] and figure painter was yesterday attackd by an epileptick fit [sic] , he was today quite insensible, our surgeon gives me very little hopes of him." He died at Matavai Bay on 17 April 1769. James Cook wrote in his journal:
> At 2 oClock this Morning departed this Life Mr Alex Buchan Landscip Draftsman to Mr Banks, a Gentleman well skill'd in his profession and one that will be greatly miss'd in the course of this Voyage, he had long been subject to a disorder in his Bowels which had more than once brought him to the Very point of death and was at the same time subject to fits of one of which he was taken on Saturday morning, this brought on his former disorder which brought a period to his life.
This was the first mention of Buchan in Cook's journals. In a first draft of Cook's journal, he also stated about Buchan, "there are now none on board who understands this sort of drawing."
On Banks' suggestion, Buchan's body was buried at sea as not to disturb the natives. Banks wrote of his employee's death:
> I sincerely regret him as an ingenious and good young man, but his Loss to me is irretrevable, my airy dreams of entertaining my freinds in England with the scenes that I am to see here are vanishd. No account of the figures and dresses of men can be satisfactory unless illustrated with figures: had providence spard him a month longer what an advantage would it have been to my undertaking but I must submit.
After Buchan's death, his duties in drawing people and landscapes fell to Parkinson and Spöring.
## Artworks and legacy
Following Buchan's death, Banks took possession of all his drawings from the voyage. Buchan's natural history drawings are now in the British Natural History Museum, and include some drawings in pen and watercolour of marine animals from the coast of Brazil, as well as a cockroach from Madeira. The remaining material has been held by the British Library, since 1827, when Robert Brown transferred the library of Joseph Banks to the British Museum.
Buchan's best-known works are his illustrations of the people of western Tierra del Fuego, made during a stopover at the Bay of Success. For publication in John Hawkesworth's An Account of the Voyages (1773), Buchan's sketches were changed extensively by Giovanni Battista Cipriani to conform with Hawkesworth's interpretation of the Fuegians. Cipriani added additional figures to Buchan's Inhabitants of the island of Tierra del Fuego, in their hut before the images were engraved by Francesco Bartolozzi. Cipriani and Bartolozzi both had a classical education as history painters trained at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, and Cipriani used classical motifs to change the "wretched" inhabitants of the hut in Buchan's sketch into "comely youth and wise old men". However, the exposed genitals of the men in the image accurately follow both the description by Banks and Buchan's original. Another one of Buchan's drawings, of a village on Tierra del Fuego, was obtained by Sydney Parkinson's brother Stanfield from Banks, engraved by James Newton and published in Parkinson's Journal of a Voyage to the South Seas.
|
[
"## Background",
"## Voyage with Captain Cook",
"## Death at Tahiti",
"## Artworks and legacy"
] | 1,785 | 22,209 |
68,509,460 |
Bellesa
| 1,162,140,357 |
Pornographic company
|
[
"Canadian erotica and pornography websites",
"Canadian pornographic film studios",
"Erotica and pornography websites",
"Feminist pornography",
"Internet properties established in 2017",
"Sex toy manufacturers",
"Sex-positive feminism",
"Women's erotica and pornography"
] |
Bellesa is a Canadian internet pornography website founded in 2017 and marketed towards women. It produces original pornographic films under the company Bellesa Films, with Jacky St. James as a director. Bellesa Boutique (BBoutique) offers sex toy products, and the website also features webcam models, pornographic fiction and other media. Under the name Bellesa Plus, they have a tiered subscription service.
The company was initially founded to host pornographic videos and other content shared by women, but after a positive profile in Bustle, it was widely criticized by sex workers for embedding content without consent from the production studios, directors or performers, and without paying them. After CEO Michelle Shnaidman apologized, the website underwent redesign. Bellesa later began working with St. James to produce films in which the pornographic actors had agency over storylines, outfits and who they would work with. They have a BIPOC Creators Program to give \$20,000 per month to filming projects involving BIPOC workers. Additionally, the company produces sex toys with BuzzFeed, who promote the products on their website, and they sponsor BuzzFeed's Sex and Love section.
Bellesa Films have garnered several nominations for AVN Awards, winning one. A review of the website in The Daily Dot was mostly positive. The company's first sex toy, the Air Vibe, received mixed feedback from critics.
## History
### Initial founding
The Montreal-based company Bellesa was founded in February 2017 by Michelle Shnaidman, who majored in Psychology and minored in Women's Studies at McGill University, graduating in 2014. According to a sponsored article in The Bull & Bear, Shnaidman named the website after the Catalan word "beauty". She felt alienated by mainstream pornography websites, highlighting "grow your penis by 4 inches"-type adverts as a demonstration that the sites are not designed for her. Bellesa was targeted towards women. As a result of the company's research, Schnaidman said that the site was designed to highlight "authentic" performer pleasure and "relatable" bodies in pornography, with an increased focus on male bodies and noises. Additionally, Schnaidman saw women as more interested in erotica than men, due to the focus on empathy and imagination, and as consumers of both male-on-male and female-on-female porn—the latter was not referred to by Bellesa as "lesbian porn" to avoid alienating heterosexual women. Vice journalist Zing Tsjeng wrote in September 2017 that the website's official comments "leaned hard on the language of feminism and sex positivity".
The website began by hosting user-submitted videos, pornographic fiction and other media. It also hosted a blogging platform, The Collective, focused on sex-positivity as it relates to culture and feminism. An NowThis News video about the site drew attention to it. In September 2017, complaints by pornographic actors including Kim Cums, Janice Griffith and Casey Calvert about the illegitimacy of the website hosting videos without the performers' consent or financial benefit led Bellesa to remove its video and picture sections. According to Tsjeng, video clips were used without crediting the director or production company and appeared to be embedded from tube sites including Pornhub, SpankBang and xHamster. Mile High Media said that they had not given permission for their productions to be used on the website, but that it made up a substantial amount of Bellesa's hosted content. According to Schnaidman in September 2018, the pirated content was uploaded to tube sites and embedded on Bellesa by users; Bellesa did not have the facility to monitor uploads as its userbase grew. Schnaidman believed that host websites should have taken down the videos, but "bigger tube sites don't care whatsoever" about piracy.
The owner of Takedown Piracy, Nate Glass, said that the website was not hosting the content, instead "curating" the "predominantly pirated content". Glass sent at least 20 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notices to Bellesa. Pornographic director Jacky St. James, whose content was used on Bellesa, criticized that the website was "faux-feminist" for making statements about ethics but using others' content without credit. According to The Daily Dot's Ana Valens, the website's terms and conditions held the users who uploaded material, not the owners, responsible for copyright issues. Jiz Lee, a producer for PinkLabel, commented that "piracy is the most destructive to independent creators, especially women filmmakers and female performers who produce their own content". Sociologist Chauntelle Tibbals wrote a piece for AVN that was strongly critical of both Bellesa and Suzannah Weiss's positive Bustle profile of Shnaidman; Tibbals said the profile was what brought scrutiny to the site.
Shnaidman apologized in a statement, saying: "it has become soberingly clear to me that the goal with which I created this platform has regrettably become in direct conflict with supporting and respecting the women of the sex-space". Brady Dale of The New York Observer commented that Bellesa's mission statement was solely about its audience, not sex workers, but that Shnaidman's apology "acknowledges that she also has a responsibility to the women producing this work".
### Redesign and original productions
Bellesa.co underwent a website redesign in August 2019, and by March 2020 it had launched a sex toy shop, and a webcam model section. They formed contributing partnerships with Deeplush, Sweet Sinner and Vixen. Their tiered susbcription plan scheme, Bellesa Plus, began in February 2021.
In October 2017, AVN announced that Bellesa was founding a pornographic studio, Bellesa Productions, in co-operation with Mile High Media. This manifested in April 2019 as Bellesa Films, with Jacky St. James as a director. It debuted with two box sets, First Times & Second Chances, and This Isn't Cheating, the first of which features Calvert and the latter of which features Carter Cruise. In 2020, Damon Dice was the first contract performer for Bellesa Films, with a year-long exclusivity contract.
In December 2019, Bellesa Films launched an imprint, Bellesa House, with St. James as a director. According to Bellesa, the productions give performers a chance to choose their partners; it features movies that are unscripted and unedited, where performers choose their own clothes and do not wear makeup or have their hair done. In addition, no sex stills are taken. The videos have no dialogue and are not softcore. Shooting for the imprint began at the end of January 2020.
Another original production series, Bellesa Blind Date, began in August 2021. Directed by St. James, two performers communicate with each other anonymously about their sexual fantasies, and then meet each other and have sex.
The BIPOC Creators Program, launched in February 2021, earmarks \$20,000 per month to projects involving BIPOC workers. Bellesa stated that the initiative was needed because "much of the adult content shot by studios with performers of color, even in 2021, is fetishized and problematic".
In September 2022, Bellesa Plus released the comeback scene of performer Remy LaCroix.
### Sex toys
In 2018, the company launched Bellesa Boutique, a sex toy shop. They began partnering with BuzzFeed. Their first original product, the AirVibe, was released in November 2020. It is a vibrator that uses suction and G-spot stimulation. The Pebble debuted in February 2021. The release dates were timed to arrive shortly before seasonal peaks in sex toy sales. In November 2021, Bellesa Boutique launched the Demi Wand sex toy with musician and actor Demi Lovato. The product is a wand vibrator that charges in its casing, designed mostly for clitoral stimulation. It was intended, like a love egg, to be accessible to people new to using sex toys. Bellesa also produces cock rings, dildos and other sex toys.
Bellesa sponsors BuzzFeed's Sex and Love vertical, while BuzzFeed receive royalties when its readers are pointed to a Bellesa product and complete a sale. The companies cannot spend money on Google or Facebook-owned platforms advertising, as their terms and conditions forbid this, but they can post on Facebook and Instagram. They use information collected from BuzzFeed readers to inform their consumer choices. Bellesa have also worked with The Daily Beast to promote its sex toys.
### Other ventures
On August 19, 2021, the content creator platform OnlyFans—best-known for hosting pornography—announced that it would be prohibiting sexually explicit material from October onwards. The same day, Bellesa declared that it would be launching a similar platform for sex workers and content creators later in the year. Individual creators would monetize their content through subscription fees and one-time tips. OnlyFans reversed its decision a week later.
Bellesa are a sponsor of Rachel Kramer Bussel's Good Sex Awards, which had its first ceremony in July 2021.
The company has an active Instagram account, which was briefly suspended in December 2021, but restored after fan protest.
## Reception
At the 37th AVN Awards, for pornography in 2019, Bellesa Films garnered five nominations. In the following year, Bellesa House won the award for Best New Production Banner.
Danni Danger of The Daily Dot gave a mostly positive review of Bellesa in 2020, praising the "authentic, raw" nature of its original content, the high-profile nature of its pornographic performers and St. James's direction in maintaining "flirtatious tension". They praised the website's layout, its reasonable bandwidth, minimal adverts and affordability, but criticized that the films present womanhood as "thin, cis-gendered and able-bodied", and that some storylines are "cringeworthy", such as one in which a man is rewarded by the narrative for arguing with his girlfriend about her sexual boundaries in a threesome.
Mashable's Anna Iovine gave the AirVibe a mostly negative review, criticizing the buttons and design as confusing and writing that the size and shape of the toy did not match her anatomy. However, she praised its discreet packaging and price. In contrast, Anne Stagg, reviewing for New York, recommended the AirVibe for its price and ability to induce "glorious, toe-curling, blended orgasms".
Bustle's Sophie Saint Thomas and Cosmopolitan's Megan Wallace both praised the small size, quiet but powerful vibrations, case charger and ungendered yellow color. Thomas recommended it for traveling and for use on multiple erogenous zones during masturbation and sex. However, Wallace reviewed it as less aesthetically pleasing than some other sex toys, and noted that there is no option to reduce the intensity except by cycling through all eight modes.
|
[
"## History",
"### Initial founding",
"### Redesign and original productions",
"### Sex toys",
"### Other ventures",
"## Reception"
] | 2,307 | 17,067 |
16,404,790 |
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
| 1,172,898,135 |
Steel roller coaster
|
[
"2009 establishments in Florida",
"Roller coasters in Florida",
"Roller coasters in Orlando, Florida",
"Roller coasters introduced in 2009",
"Roller coasters operated by Universal Parks & Resorts",
"Universal Parks & Resorts attractions by name",
"Universal Studios Florida"
] |
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is a steel roller coaster at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, Florida. With a height of 167 feet (51 m), a length of 3,800 feet (1,200 m), and a top speed of 65 miles per hour (105 km/h), it is the largest X-Coaster ever built by German manufacturer Maurer Söhne. Announced on March 19, 2008, the coaster officially debuted on August 19, 2009, despite original plans to open several months earlier in the spring. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit features on-ride music LED lighting, and on-ride photos and videos captured from cameras mounted in each passenger row.
## History
During the second week of January 2008, Universal Parks & Resorts filed a Notice of Commencement with Orange County, Florida indicating that they were to construct a ride system that they had code-named "Project Rumble." The notice also stated that the contractor was "Maurer Rides GmbH," located in Munich, Germany.
The new attraction was officially announced by Universal Studios on March 19, 2008. Although the layout was not revealed, the original press release stated that the roller coaster's vertical lift hill would be 167 feet (51 m) tall, and that the trains would reach a maximum speed of 65 miles per hour (105 km/h). It also mentioned that each train would be equipped with a multi-media package, LED lights, built-in video recorders, and the option for riders to choose a song from a list to be played during the course of the ride. The ride would also include six near miss encounters. At the time, the new roller coaster was scheduled to open in Spring 2009. Also, in the months after the announcement, Universal Studios surveyed guests on what songs they think should be included in the roller coaster. Some of the artists that guests could choose from were: The Black Eyed Peas, Bee Gees, The Beach Boys, and Johnny Cash.
Construction began in May 2008 with preliminary land clearing, which caused the removal of some of Twister...Ride it Out's outdoor extended queue. The first track pieces were installed during the week of December 7, 2008. In February 2009, Universal launched a website for the attraction, which included a construction blog and photographs chronicling progress of the attraction's construction. The track layout was completed at the end of April 2009 with the crowning of the lift hill.
In April 2009, Universal confirmed that the roller coaster would not open as originally planned and said it would open in the summer. Though Universal has never mentioned what the exact problem with the roller coaster was, it is believed by newspapers that issues with the anti-rollback devices on the lift hill that were not working correctly caused the delay.
After the issues with the ride were resolved, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit began public previews in mid-August 2009. On August 19, 2009, Universal Studios Florida officially opened the attraction. It continued to experience technical issues early on after opening. A number of its features worked sporadically or not at all. There were also operational issues, such as slower-than-expected loading times that diminished capacity and led to long lines. One of the notable complaints was the rough ride experience, especially for guests sitting in the back seat.
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit closed indefinitely in September 2010. Maurer issued an alert warning that stress testing of its X-Car ride vehicles had found that the coupling bars holding the trains together would not be "fatigue endurable." It eventually reopened on October 28, 2010, with refurbished trains to improve the ride experience.
## Ride experience
### Queue
Guests first enter into one of three queues; either the main queue, the express queue, or the single rider queue. As of 2015, riders must pass through a metal detector in order to board, and may not board with any loose items on their person or in pockets. Lockers are provided for storage of these items. In each of the queue lines, there are several large screen displays that explain how to pick a song to play during the ride and important safety instructions. In the video, characters called "Video DJ's" are used as demonstrators to provide a visual explanation.
### Ride
The station for the roller coaster is a unique design, in which trains enter and slow down but do not stop. There is a moving sidewalk on both sides that moves at the same speed as the train allowing riders to board. Riders have approximately 30 seconds to take their seat, lower the lap-bar, and make their song choice. After the restraints are checked, the train immediately begins to climb the 167-foot (51 m) vertical chain lift, and the song selected by the rider begins to play. The on-ride video recorder also begins recording. When the train reaches the top of the lift, it drops back to the ground, reaching a maximum speed of 65 mph (105 km/h). The train then enters a non-inverting loop nicknamed "The Double Take", followed by an upward right turn into one of the several mid-course brakes. It drops back down, going through a hole in a wall before entering a left, upward helix section of the coaster that is nicknamed "The Treble Clef". Next the train enters a quick element nicknamed "The Jump Cut", a non-inverting corkscrew. This is followed by a large dip that takes the train into a second set of mid-course brakes. Following a small drop to the left, the track straightens for a moment before making a right turn, a left turn, and then another right leading into the third set of mid-course brakes. An s-bend turn follows, which leads the train into an inclined loop and a fourth set of brakes. Finally, the train drops once more, travels over a small hill, and then enters the final brake run as the song playing ends.
### Track
The steel track of Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long, and the height of the lift is approximately 167 feet (51 m). Because the lift hill is vertical, a special evacuation system is used in the event that a train stalls on the lift. Also, the track is filled with sand and gravel to reduce the noise when a train is on the track. Throughout the layout of the roller coaster, there are 6 sets of brakes to control the speed of the trains.
### Trains
The roller coaster operates with seven stadium-style seating X-Car trains. Each train has two cars that can hold six riders each for a total of twelve riders per train. On the headrest of each seat there are two speakers that play music during the ride. The speakers have been designed so that only the rider's selected music track will be audible. On the restraint is a small touch screen where riders can choose which song they want to listen to during the ride. Additionally, the trains are equipped with multi-colored lights that can be seen during the night.
## Incident
On August 1, 2013, an unidentified woman received minor injuries when the ride came to a sudden stop.
## See also
- Hollywood Dream: The Ride - a Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster which uses similar technology for music.
|
[
"## History",
"## Ride experience",
"### Queue",
"### Ride",
"### Track",
"### Trains",
"## Incident",
"## See also"
] | 1,507 | 9,033 |
26,056,854 |
Nepal at the 2010 Winter Olympics
| 1,152,810,684 | null |
[
"2010 in Nepalese sport",
"Nations at the 2010 Winter Olympics",
"Nepal at the Winter Olympics by year"
] |
Nepal sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 12 to 28 February 2010. The delegation consisted of a single cross-country skier, Dachhiri Sherpa. Sherpa finished 92nd in his only event, the 15 kilometre freestyle
## Background
Nepal first participated in Olympic competition at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The nation did not take part in the next Summer Olympics, but have participated in every Summer Games since the 1972 edition. Nepal did not enter the Winter Olympic Games until the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, they again took part in the Turin Olympics four years later. Dachhiri Sherpa was the only Nepalese athlete to participate in Vancouver, just as he had been in Turin. Sherpa was chosen as the flag bearer for both the opening ceremony and the closing ceremony.
## Cross-country skiing
Sherpa was 40 years old at the time of the Vancouver Olympics, and had taken up skiing at the age of 33. His only event was the 15 kilometre freestyle held on 15 February; Sherpa posted a time of 44 minutes and 26 seconds, finishing nearly 11 minutes behind gold medal time. He finished in 92nd position out of 95 competitors.
## See also
- Nepal at the 2010 Asian Games
- Nepal at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics
|
[
"## Background",
"## Cross-country skiing",
"## See also"
] | 303 | 6,979 |
15,544,137 |
Rock with U
| 1,171,654,088 |
2008 single by Janet Jackson
|
[
"2008 singles",
"2008 songs",
"Eurodisco songs",
"House music songs",
"Island Records singles",
"Janet Jackson songs",
"LGBT-related songs",
"Song recordings produced by Jermaine Dupri",
"Songs about dancing",
"Songs written by Jermaine Dupri",
"Songs written by Ne-Yo"
] |
"Rock With U" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her tenth studio album, Discipline (2008). It was written by Ne-Yo, Jermaine Dupri, and Eric Stamile, and produced by the last two. The song was released as the album's second single on February 5, 2008, by Island Records. "Rock with U" is a pop, Eurodisco, and house song that was recorded with the gay community in mind, as Jackson felt the necessity to do something for her gay fans, as well as the wider community members.
"Rock with U" received positive reviews from music critics, with the majority lauding its retro, but futuristic sound, and commending the song's elements of house music. The song had minimal success, only being able to reach the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles and the top 20 of the Hot Dance Club Songs. Saam Farahmand directed the long-take music video, which features Jackson having a party inside a club, with red and white rays of light entering the room. "Rock with U" served as the title for Jackson's Rock Witchu Tour the same year, where the song was also performed.
## Background and writing
In July 2007, it was announced that Jackson had signed a recording contract with Island Records, after her five-album deal with Virgin Records was fulfilled with the release of her album 20 Y.O. (2006). Jackson's tenth studio album, Discipline, which was an acknowledgment of Jackson's commitment, focus and dedication to her career, was released on February 26, 2008 under the supervision of label head L. A. Reid. She did not write or co-write any songs on the album, a departure from her usual practice of co-writing and producing all of the songs on her albums. "Rock With U" was written by Shaffer Smith, Jermaine Dupri and Eric Stamile, with Dupri producing it, while Stamile co-produced it. In an interview for NewNowNext, Jackson explained that the song was created for the gay community, saying,
> "Honestly the song was created for the gay community. I kept stressing to Jermaine [Dupri, the song's co-writer], 'I got to do something for the kids.' I had talked about it on the last album – and there was a song that I had, and it wasn't quite completed. And I talked about it to the papers, gay magazines, and it didn't wind up on the album with the cut-off date. I felt really badly about that. So he just handed me a CD and said, ‘Here are 10 tracks for the kids; tell me which one you like the best.' I fell in love with 'Rock With U'."
After the song was released, Jackson was awarded the Vanguard Award at the 19th annual GLAAD Media Awards, honoring her contributions in promoting equal rights among the gay community. The organization's president commented, "Ms. Jackson has a tremendous following inside the LGBT community and out, and having her stand with us against the defamation that LGBT people still face in our country is extremely significant."
## Music and lyrics
"Rock with U" is a pop, Eurodisco, and house song. According to Jackson, it is reminiscent of "Together Again" or "Throb" from The Velvet Rope (1997) and janet. (1993), respectively. "It's still classic me but with a different twist to it – a modern twist", she said. Jim Farber from the New York Daily News noted the song's riffs, which he considered greater when they first appeared in Madonna's 1985 song "Into the Groove". The song was compared to Jackson's brother Michael Jackson's "Rock with You" (1979), due to the similar title and its disco themes. "Rock with U" also contains vocodered whispers and murmured vocals. The song opens with the line, "Strobe lights make everything sexier", while it talks about an erotic proposition which was reportedly dedicated to the gay community.
## Release
"Rock with U" was made available for sale through the US iTunes Store on February 5, 2008, along with a pre-order offer for Discipline. In the United States, the song was serviced to rhythmic contemporary radio stations on February 11 and to contemporary hit radio stations on February 26.
## Critical reception
"Rock with U" was met with general critical acclaim from most music critics, with most praising its style and retro vibe. Picking the song as one of the album's best tracks, Andy Kellman of AllMusic named it "an irresistible, grade-A dancefloor track", calling it "swift and swooning." Bryan Borzykowski of Now called it a "bouncy house track", while Nick Levine from Digital Spy called it "cosmic, sleek, catchy and bracingly modern", writing that "it wouldn't disgrace itself as a Kylie [Minogue] single." Dan Gennoe of Yahoo! Music was extremely positive, writing that the song marries Jackson's sweet and stomping side for a 1980s influenced song, which we called both genuinely exciting and "sounds 100 per cent like Janet Jackson".
Ann Powers from the Los Angeles Times enjoyed the track, calling it "the gentlest time travel ever accomplished." Powers also wrote, "Playing on memory and melancholia, Janet's 'Rock With U' is nowhere as great as the original, but as a bit of intimate meta-pop it's utterly poignant. Jackson has long been the bearer of her brother's secrets, and on this song she shows that she can still crave something other than sexual fulfillment. Something like innocence." Michael Arceneaux of PopMatters praised the track, calling it "a sensual gem" and "almost euphoric", effectively complimenting Jackson's "whispery delivery." Arceneaux added, "It's a digitized form of pop music Janet should look into for future recordings." Tom Young from BBC Music was negative in his review, saying that its lyrics would not seduce anybody.
## Music video
The accompanying music video for "Rock with U" was directed by Saam Farahmand and choreographed by Gil Duldulao. It premiered on Access Granted on March 5, 2008. Jackson described Farahmand as an excited, passionated and creative person. He wanted to make the video as a long take video, like the music video for previous single "Feedback", which he also directed. According to the singer, the makeup looks and fashion of the video were a "futuristic version of the Blitz Kids from the 80's". Dulduao commented "I just wanted sort of bring Janet into the visionary style she's had in the past and I wanted to bring to like, video, and bring it back". He also mentioned that it took him at least a day and a half to finish its choreography.
The long-take video begins with many people dancing on a hallway, until a girl comes and opens a door which leads to a room. There, other dancers are dancing to the song in midway of white rays of light, until the camera shows Jackson in the corner of the room and they start performing a dance routine. While the singer disappears from vision, people dance until she appears again dancing to the song. Then she goes to a hallway and enters a red-lighted room, accompanied by dancers, where entertainer Mimi Marks is seen. There she dances another routine along with her dancers. After dancing, she enters in another hallway where she gets alone with a man, until they share a kiss. Then, people who were in the previous room enter to the hallway to connect to another room, with Marks taking Jackson with her. The video ends with people coming closer to Jackson.
## Live performances
Jackson performed "Rock with U" on Good Morning America, which aired in February 2008 on ABC. During the Rock Witchu Tour the same year, "Rock with U" was performed by Jackson right after "All Nite (Don't Stop)". An interlude of "Rock with U" was used during her Unbreakable World Tour (2015–2016). It was also included during the DJ intermission on the State of the World Tour (2017–2018). Jackson also included the song on the set list of her Las Vegas residency Janet Jackson: Metamorphosis (2019). During the May 28, 2023 concert of her tour, Janet Jackson: Together Again in Milwaukee, "Rock with U" was performed after being requested by one of her backup dancers.
## Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Discipline.
- Janet Jackson – vocals
- Shaffer Smith – songwriter
- Jermaine Dupri – songwriter, producer, vocal production, mixing
- Eric Stamile – songwriter, co-producer
- Manuel Seal – vocal production
- Ian Cross – vocal production, mixing assistant, vocal recording
- John Horesco IV – guitar, recording
- Josh Houghkirk – engineer
- Steven Barlow – assistant engineer
- Chris Soper – assistant engineer
- Angie Teo – assistant engineer
## Charts
## Release history
|
[
"## Background and writing",
"## Music and lyrics",
"## Release",
"## Critical reception",
"## Music video",
"## Live performances",
"## Credits and personnel",
"## Charts",
"## Release history"
] | 1,903 | 27,307 |
19,882,343 |
SMS Albatross (1907)
| 1,134,999,854 |
German Navy's Nautilus-class minelayer
|
[
"1907 ships",
"Minelayers of the Imperial German Navy",
"Nautilus-class minelayers",
"Ships built in Bremen (state)",
"World War I cruisers of Germany",
"World War I minelayers of Germany"
] |
SMS Albatross was a German minelaying cruiser built for the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy), the second and final member of the Nautilus class. Her keel was laid down in May 1907 at the AG Weser shipyard; she was launched in October and commissioned into the fleet in May 1908. Her armament consisted of eight 8.8 cm (3.5 in) guns and 288 naval mines.
Her peacetime career consisted of conducting fleet training exercises and serving as a mine warfare training ship. After the outbreak of World War I in July 1914, Albatross laid several offensive and defensive minefields in the North Sea. She was assigned to the Baltic Sea in 1915, and began a series of operations to block Russian naval operations in the eastern Baltic. These culminated in the Battle of Åland Islands on 2 July, where a group of Russian armored cruisers surprised Albatross and the light cruiser Augsburg after they had laid a minefield off the Åland Islands. Albatross was badly damaged in the battle and forced to beach off the island of Gotland in neutral Sweden. The ship was refloated by the Swedes later that month and interned for the remainder of the war, along with her crew. She was returned to Germany in January 1919, was sold for scrap, and broken up in Hamburg.
## Design
Albatross was 100.9 meters (331 ft) long overall and had a beam of 11.5 m (38 ft) and an average draft of 4.4 m (14 ft) forward. She displaced 2,208 metric tons (2,173 long tons; 2,434 short tons) normally and up to 2,506 t (2,466 long tons; 2,762 short tons) at full load. Her crew numbered 10 officers and 191 enlisted men.
Her propulsion system consisted of two triple-expansion steam engines each driving a single screw propeller, with steam supplied by four coal-fired marine-type boilers. The ship's engines were rated to produce a top speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) from 6,600 PS (6,510 ihp; 4,850 kW), though Albatross slightly exceeded those figures on speed trials. She had a cruising radius of 3,530 nautical miles (6,540 km; 4,060 mi) at a speed of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph).
The primary armament for Albatross was a battery of eight 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/35 guns in individual mounts. Two were placed side by side on the forecastle, four were placed on the superstructure amidships, with two on each broadside, and the last two were mounted side by side at the stern. She carried 288 naval mines.
## Service history
Albatross was built by the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen; her keel was laid down as "mine steamer B" on 24 May 1907, and her completed hull was launched as Albatross just five months later on 23 October. After completing fitting-out work, the ship was commissioned for sea trials on 19 May 1908, which lasted until 25 July. She spent the rest of the year in the minesweeping unit while the older minelayer Pelikan was undergoing a major overhaul. Albatross took part in the annual fleet maneuvers in August and September. On 26 October, she became a mine warfare training ship, and she was based in Cuxhaven. The following year followed a similar pattern.
In 1910, Albatross went into drydock at the Kaiserliche Werft (Imperial Shipyard) in Kiel for modernization that included moving the mine-launching equipment to the upper deck. The work lasted into 1911. After she returned to service, Albatross resumed her duties with the mine training school. In 1911, she accidentally rammed the DDG Hansa steamer Wartburg damaging her hull and necessitating repairs that took three weeks to complete. From late August to the end of September, Albatross operated in the Baltic Sea. For Albatross, 1912, 1913, and the first half of 1914 passed uneventfully, in the same routine as her first three years in service.
### World War I
After the outbreak of World War I in July 1914, Albatross was classified as a mine cruiser. She was temporarily sent to the Baltic Sea to lay defensive minefields against a possible attack by the Russian Baltic Fleet. In late August, Albatross and her sister ship Nautilus were sent to lay a minefield off the Humber and the River Tyne. The two minelayers proceeded independently, and were each covered by a light cruiser and half-flotilla of destroyers. Albatross's group, which included the cruiser Stuttgart, departed from Helgoland early on the morning of 25 August. After arriving, Albatross laid a single mine field that was 11 nmi (20 km; 13 mi) long, though she had laid the field to the northwest of the intended location, owing to heavy fog. On the way back to port, the German vessels sank six British fishing vessels.
In June 1915, Albatross was transferred to the Baltic, along with the auxiliary minelayer Deutschland. Konteradmiral (Rear Admiral) Albert Hopman intended to lay a series of offensive minefields to prevent the Baltic Fleet from sortieing to attack German ports. Albatross conducted her first minelaying operation, codenamed V, on 20 June. Escorted by the armored cruisers Roon, Prinz Heinrich, and Prinz Adalbert and the light cruisers Augsburg and Lübeck, Albatross laid a minefield off the island of Bogskär. The operation was completed and the ships returned to Neufahrwasser on 22 June. Three days later, Albatross, laden with 350 mines, sortied with Prinz Adalbert, Prinz Heinrich, and the light cruiser Thetis to lay another minefield in operation VI. The four ships were screened by eight torpedo boats from X Flotilla. The ships completed the operation and returned to Neufahrwasser at 23:00 on 26 June.
#### Battle of Åland Islands
The next operation, VII, began on the night of 30 June, when Albatross, Roon, and five torpedo boats steamed out of the Vistula River; they were met the following morning by Augsburg—the flagship of Kommodore (Commodore) Johannes von Karpf—Lübeck, and two more torpedo boats. Albatross was to lay another minefield off Bogskär. Later that day, Roon, Lübeck, and two torpedo boats separated from the rest of the flotilla to guard a channel between German minefields, while Albatross and the rest of the ships continued north to Bogskär. That evening, Albatross laid a field of 160 mines, after which she and Augsburg turned back south and rendezvoused with Roon and Lübeck. Karpf then issued via wireless a report to headquarters that gave his position, speed, and bearing. This message was intercepted and decrypted by the Russians; coincidentally, the Russian fleet had planned an operation to bombard Memel the following day, and several cruisers had put to sea on 1 July.
Four Russian armored cruisers, with the powerful armored cruiser Rurik steaming in support, attempted to ambush the German squadron after receiving word of the intercepted message. Karpf dispersed his force shortly before encountering the Russians; Albatross, Augsburg, and three torpedo boats steamed to Rixhöft while the remainder went to Libau. Shortly after 06:30 on 2 July, lookouts on Augsburg spotted the Russian force; Karpf ordered the slower Albatross to seek refuge in neutral Swedish waters, while Augsburg and the torpedo boats used their high speed to escape the Russians and attempting to recall Roon and Lübeck. The Russian cruisers turned to port to bring their batteries to bear, and opened fire at a range of 8,000 m (26,000 ft); the cruisers Bogatyr and Oleg engaged Albatross. Heavy fog masked the Russian ships to the German gunners, preventing them from being able to return effective fire.
Karpf ordered the slow Albatross to make for neutral Swedish waters, where theoretically she would be protected from the Russian attack, while he tried to escape with Augsburg to the south. Soon, all four Russian cruisers were firing at Albatross, allowing Augsburg and the torpedo boats to escape freely. At 07:20, Albatross was hit for the first time. As the range closed, the Russian ships came close enough that Albatross could reply with her 8.8 guns, but by this time the Russian fire was beginning to take its toll. The forecastle was riddled with holes, the foremast was knocked down, and the conning tower was destroyed, killing the men inside. At 07:45, Albatross entered Swedish territorial waters, but the Russians continued firing for another twenty minutes, checking their fire only at 08:07 after the ship had reached Östergarn Sound. By this time, the ship was badly damaged and was listing heavily to port. Fearing that the ship would capsize, her captain ordered her to be beached.
In the course of the battle, Augsburg had been hit by six 8-inch (200 mm) and twenty 6-inch (150 mm) shells. One officer and 26 enlisted men were killed. In return, the ship scored a single hit on Bayan, with the shell splinters damaging a 7.5 cm (3.0 in) gun and wounding one man. Hopman considered sending a torpedo boat to try to pull Albatross free, but the threat of Russian vessels in the area led him to abandon the idea. Instead, he sortied with Prinz Adalbert and Prinz Heinrich, intending to reinforce Karpf's ships and then to rescue Albatross. While he was en route, the British submarine HMS E9 torpedoed Prinz Adalbert, badly damaging her and forcing Hopman to break off the operation. Unable to free herself and with no rescue operation forthcoming, Albatross was interned by Sweden for the remainder of the war.
Of the fatalities, 26 of the German sailors were buried the same evening the battle was fought in a mass grave just east of Östergarn Church. One member of the crew had fallen overboard and could not be found. Two of the crew members who died during transportation to Roma were buried at Björke cemetery. The surviving German crew were interned, first in Roma, then at Blåhäll in Tofta. The Swedish salvage company Neptun refloated Albatross on 23 July and towed her to Fårösund before proceeding to Oskarshamn, where she was interned for the duration of the war. Sweden returned Albatross and her crew to Kiel in January 1919; there, she was formally decommissioned on 23 January. On 21 March, she was stricken from the naval register and thereafter sold for 900,000 marks and broken up for scrap in Hamburg.
|
[
"## Design",
"## Service history",
"### World War I",
"#### Battle of Åland Islands"
] | 2,416 | 36,732 |
12,354,337 |
Queen angelfish
| 1,171,259,664 |
Species of marine angelfish
|
[
"Fish described in 1758",
"Fish of the Western Atlantic",
"Holacanthus",
"Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus"
] |
The queen angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris), also known as the blue angelfish, golden angelfish, or yellow angelfish, is a species of marine angelfish found in the western Atlantic Ocean. It is a benthic (ocean floor) warm-water species that lives in coral reefs. It is recognized by its blue and yellow coloration and a distinctive spot or "crown" on its forehead. This crown distinguishes it from the closely related and similar-looking Bermuda blue angelfish (Holacanthus bermudensis), with which it overlaps in range and can interbreed.
Adult queen angelfish are selective feeders and primarily eat sponges. Their social structure consists of harems which include one male and up to four females. They live within a territory where the females forage separately and are tended to by the male. Breeding in the species occurs near a full moon. The transparent eggs float in the water until they hatch. Juveniles of the species have different coloration than adults and act as cleaner fish.
The queen angelfish is popular in the aquarium trade and has been a particularly common exported species from Brazil. In 2010, the queen angelfish was assessed as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as the wild population appeared to be stable.
## Taxonomy
The queen angelfish was first described as Chaetodon ciliaris in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae, with the type locality given as the "Western Atlantic/Caribbean". In 1802 it was moved by French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède to the genus Holacanthus, the name of which is derived from the Ancient Greek words "holos" (full) and "akantha" (thorn). Its specific name ciliaris means "fringed", a reference to its squamis ciliatis ("ciliate scales"). Other common names for the species include "blue angelfish", "golden angelfish" and "yellow angelfish".
Marine angelfish of the genus Holacanthus likely emerged between 10.2 and 7.6 million years ago (mya). The most basal species is the Guinean angelfish (Holacanthus africanus) off the coast of West Africa, indicating that the lineage colonized the Atlantic from the Indian Ocean. The closure of the Isthmus of Panama 3.5–3.1 mya led to the splitting off of the Tropical Eastern Pacific species. The closest relative and sister species of the queen angelfish is the sympatric and similar Bermuda blue angelfish (H. bermudensis), from which it split around 1.5 mya. They are known to interbreed, producing a hybrid known as the Townsend angelfish which has features similar to both parent species. The Townsend angelfish is fertile, and individuals can breed both with each other and with the two parent species.
The following cladogram is based on molecular evidence:
## Description
The queen angelfish has a broad, flattened, oval-shaped body with triangular tail fin, a reduced, dulled snout and a small mouth containing bristle-like teeth. The dorsal fin contains 14 spines and 19–21 soft rays, and the anal fin has 3 spines and 20–21 soft rays. The dorsal and anal fins both dangle behind the body. This species attains a maximum total length of 45 cm (18 in) and weight of 1,600 g (56 oz). Males may be larger than females.
The species is covered in yellow-tipped blue-green scales, with a bright yellow tail, pectoral and pelvic fins. Both the dorsal and anal fins have orange-yellow end points, while the pectoral fins have blue patches at the base. On the forehead is an eye-like spot or "crown" that is cobalt blue with an electric blue outer ring and dotted with electric blue spots. This crown is the main feature distinguishing the species from the Bermuda blue angelfish. Juveniles are dark blue with bright blue vertical stripes and a yellow pectoral area. They resemble juvenile blue angelfish and are distinguished by more curved vertical stripes. Growing juveniles develop transitional patterns as they reach their adult coloration.
Seven other color morphs have been recorded off the coast of the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, Brazil. The most commonly recorded is a mostly gold or bright orange morph. Other morphs may be bright blue with some yellow, black or white coloration or even all white. Another color morph was recorded off Dry Tortugas, Florida, in 2009. This fish was mostly cobalt blue with white and yellow-orange colored areas.
There are records of at least two wild queen angelfish at St. Peter and St. Paul with a "pughead" skeletal deformity, a squashed upper jaw and a lower jaw that sticks out. Such deformities mostly occur in captive fish.
## Ecology
Queen angelfish are found in tropical and subtropical areas of the Western Atlantic Ocean around the coasts and islands of the Americas. They occur from Florida along the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea down to Brazil. Their range extends as far east as Bermuda and the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago. Queen angelfish are benthic or bottom-dwelling and occur from shallow waters close to shore down to 70 m (230 ft). They live in coral reefs, preferring soft corals, and swim either alone or in pairs.
Queen angelfish eat sponges, tunicates, jellyfish, corals, plankton, and algae. Juveniles act as cleaner fish and establish and remove ectoparasites from bigger fish. Off St. Thomas Island and Salvador, Bahia, 90% of the diet of adults is sponges. Off the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, more than 30 prey species may be consumed, 68% being sponges, 25% being algae, and 5% being bryozoans. Queen angelfish appear to be selective feeders as the proportion of prey in their diet does not correlate with their abundance. On the species level, the angelfish of the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago target the less common sponges Geodia neptuni, Erylus latens, Clathria calla, and Asteropus niger.
## Life cycle
Male queen angelfish have large territories with a harem of two to four females. Little is known about the sexual development of the species, though they are presumed to be protogynous hermaphrodites. The largest harem female may transform into a male if the territorial male disappears. Around midday, the females forage individually in different locations. The male tends to each of them, rushing at, circling, and feeding next to them. Spawning in this species occurs year-round. It is observed sometime around a full moon.
Courtship involves the male showing his side to the female and flick his pectoral fins at her or "soaring" above them. At the beginning of spawning, the female swims towards the surface with the male swimming under her with his snout pressing against her vent. They then deposit their eggs and semen into the water. The female discharges between 25 and 75 thousand eggs a day. After spawning, the pair split and head to back to the ocean floor.
The transparent eggs are pelagic and remain suspended in the water for 15–20 hours. The hatched larvae have a large yolk sac with no functional eyes, gut or fins, but two days later, the yolk is absorbed, and the larvae have more of a resemblance to fish. These larvae are plankton-eaters and grow quickly. Between the ages of three and four weeks old, when they have reached a length of 15 to 20 mm (0.6 to 0.8 in), they descend to the floor as juveniles. Juvenile angelfish live alone and in territories encompassing finger sponges and coral, where they establish cleaning stations for other fish.
## Human interactions
Queen angelfish are not normally eaten or commercially fished. They are captured mostly for the aquarium trade, where they are highly valued. As juveniles, angelfish can adapt to eating typical aquarium food and hence have a higher survival rate than individuals taken as adults, which require a more specialized diet.
In Brazil, the queen angelfish is the most common marine ornamental fish sold aboard. From 1995 to 2000, 43,730 queen angelfish were traded at Fortaleza in the northeast of the country, and in 1995, 75% of marine fish sold were both queen and French angelfish. In 2010, the queen angelfish was assessed as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as the species is only significantly fished off Brazil and the wild population appeared to be secure.
Queen angelfish have been caught in the eastern Adriatic Sea, off Croatia, in 2011, and the Mediterranean Sea, off Malta, in 2020. These are likely introductions from the aquarium industry and not natural colonizations. In 2015, an aquarium-introduced angelfish was found in the Red Sea at Eilat's Coral Beach, Israel. Its kidney was infected with the disease-causing bacterium Photobacterium damselae piscicida, which was not previously recorded in Red Sea fish, raising concerns that it could infect native fish.
|
[
"## Taxonomy",
"## Description",
"## Ecology",
"## Life cycle",
"## Human interactions"
] | 2,010 | 41,337 |
24,484,323 |
Do-Over
| 1,158,977,181 | null |
[
"2008 American television episodes",
"30 Rock (season 3) episodes",
"Television episodes written by Tina Fey"
] |
"Do-Over" is the first episode of the third season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the thirty-seventh episode overall. It was written by the series' creator, executive producer and lead actress, Tina Fey and directed by series producer Don Scardino. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on October 30, 2008. Guest stars in this episode include Will Arnett, Marceline Hugot, and Megan Mullally.
Liz Lemon (played by Fey) is being evaluated by Bev (Mullally) as a part of the adoption process while Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) returns from his job in Washington, D.C., and tries to retake his position from Devon Banks (Arnett) at General Electric. Meanwhile, Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) grows angry with Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) for not compensating her for voice acting work on his successful adult video game.
"Do-Over" has received generally positive reception from television critics. According to the Nielsen Media Research, the episode was watched by 8.7 million households during its original broadcast, becoming 30 Rock's highest-rated episode, until the December 2008 episode "Christmas Special". "Do-Over" was nominated for an Art Directors Guild Production Design Award for "Single-Camera Television Series".
## Plot
As Liz Lemon is returning to studio 6H, the TGS with Tracy Jordan studio, she meets Jack Donaghy returning from Washington. Jack tells her that he intends to get his old job back and Liz tells him of her upcoming adoption evaluation. When he confronts Devon Banks in his office, Devon offers Jack a position in the mail room, laughing, but Jack accepts. Jack later tells Liz of his plan to work his way back to his old job through honest means, though Kathy Geiss (Marceline Hugot) shows a sexual interest in Jack he could leverage into a quicker promotion. When he discovers that Devon is planning to shut down GE, Jack, with Liz's help, convinces Kathy to hire him as her business adviser. Devon, realizing that he has been beaten, decides on a new path to securing his financial future: hurling himself in front of a series of moving cars so that he can sue the drivers.
Tracy Jordan's pornographic video game, Gorgasm: The Legend of Dong Slayer, has been very successfully released since it was developed in the previous episode "Cooter". He shows off a large royalty check and Jenna Maroney grows angry that she has not been compensated for her voice acting work in the game. Liz convinces him to make it up to her, and everyone else who helped him with the video game, by buying them presents. However, while everyone else receives extravagant gifts such as Frank getting gold-plated nunchucks and Pete getting a chinchilla fur coat, Jenna only gets a coupon for free hugs and decides to sue Tracy.
Following a home evaluation, Bev from the adoption agency comes to work with Liz where she checks the safety of the studio and interviews the TGS cast and crew including Jenna, Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit), Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander), and Cerie Xerox (Katrina Bowden). The workplace evaluation goes badly, with many of the interviews reflecting badly on Liz or the safety of the studio for a child. However, before Bev files her report she sustains a head injury and forgets that she has done the evaluation. Liz gets the crew to help her "do over" the evaluation, hoping for a better result.
## Production
"Do-Over" was written by series creator, executive producer and lead actress Tina Fey, making it her thirteenth writing credit. The episode was directed by series producer Don Scardino, making it his fourteenth for the series. "Do-Over" originally aired in the United States on October 30, 2008, on NBC as the season premiere episode of the show's third season and the 37th overall episode of the series.
In September 2008, it was announced that actress Megan Mullally would guest star on 30 Rock. In this episode of 30 Rock, Mullally played Bev, a woman evaluating Liz Lemon as part of the adoption process. Actress Marceline Hugot made her fifth appearance as the character Kathy Geiss, the daughter of Don Geiss (Rip Torn), in the series. Comedy actor Will Arnett reprised his role as Devon Banks for the fourth time.
Four filmed scenes from "Do-Over" were cut out from the airing. Instead, the scenes were featured on 30 Rock's season three DVD as part of the deleted scenes in the Bonus features. In the first scene, Jack Donaghy plans to seduce Kathy so that he can get his old job back. The next scene, after Jack tells Liz he plans on reclaiming his former job back, Liz asks him how he will be able to get inside the 30 Rock building, as he does not have his employee ID card. Jack tells her you can do anything if you walk with confidence, which he does, and is permitted inside. Liz tries to do the same, but the guard asks her for ID, which she shows. In the third scene, Liz and Bev talk to NBC page Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer). Kenneth is fascinated with the adoption process, and says that his own mother worked two jobs as an animal control person for the state and selling meats door-to-door. The final scene, Liz introduces Bev to Tracy in the "do over".
## Reception
According to the Nielsen Media Research, "Do-Over" was watched by 8.7 million households in its original American broadcast, and became the highest-rated episode of the series, until the December 11, 2008, episode of 30 Rock "Christmas Special". It earned a 4.1 rating/10 share in the 18–49 demographic. This means that it was seen by 4.1 percent of all 18- to 49-year-olds, and 10 percent of all 18- to 49-year-olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. "Do-Over" was nominated for an Art Directors Guild Production Design Award for "Single-Camera Television Series".
IGN contributor Robert Canning reviewed the episode, saying it "[set] the bar for the rest of the season" and was "filled to capacity with comedy." Jeremy Medina of Paste magazine commented that "Do-Over" was "sort of like the first day of school after summer vacation: sort of awkward at times, but fast and buoyant and warmly familiar all the same." Bob Sassone of AOL's TV Squad wrote "...this episode manages to do what the show has always done, mix crazy, almost surreal humor with a genuine (not manufactured) heart." TV Guide contributor Matt Mitovich enjoyed "Do-Over", and enjoyed Jack's story of trying to reclaim his job, along with Jack and Liz pretending to be a couple in front of Kathy. The A.V. Club's Nathan Rabin opined that premiere episodes "tend to be 30 Rock's Achilles Heel. But the show comes roaring out of the gate with 'Do-Over', a show that definitively breaks the premiere jinx." He said that the "frenetic farcical plotting" of Megan Mullally's character—in which she endured a disastrous trip to the 30 Rock studios, bumped her head, and lost her memory—"felt a little sitcommy but the laughs kept coming". In conclusion, Rabin gave this episode an A− grade rating.
Television columnist Alan Sepinwall for The Star-Ledger felt that the element's towards Jack getting his old job back were "fairly labored", but noted that Liz's adoption plot was "more solid from start to finish". He was complimentary towards the Kathy Geiss character, observing that her actions in the episode were "all frighteningly funny", and enjoyed Mullally's guest spot. In conclusion, Sepinwall said that this was not the best from the 30 Rock staff, but "they had some things they felt obligated to deal with, and there was more than enough comedy genius that I can't really complain."
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"## Reception"
] | 1,698 | 19,269 |
28,354,876 |
Ryan Mollett
| 1,143,058,329 |
Lacrosse player
|
[
"1978 births",
"American lacrosse players",
"Lacrosse defenders",
"Living people",
"Major League Lacrosse players",
"New Jersey Pride players",
"Princeton Tigers men's lacrosse players",
"Rochester Rattlers players",
"Sportspeople from New York City",
"Yale School of Management alumni"
] |
Ryan DeForest Mollett (born November 3, 1978) is a finance executive and a retired lacrosse defenseman who played professional field lacrosse in Major League Lacrosse (MLL). He starred as a member of the Princeton Tigers men's lacrosse team from 1998 through 2001, where he was the best NCAA lacrosse defenseman in the nation, the Ivy League player of the year, a two-time United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-American (first team once), two-time All-Ivy League first team selection and a member of two national champion teams. 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 twice and won four Ivy League championships. He was a member of Team USA at the 2002 World Lacrosse Championship. He was the first collegiate player ever drafted in the MLL and became an MLL All-Star player.
## Background
In 1997, Mollett along with teammate John Glatzel led his Boys' Latin School of Maryland lacrosse team to an undefeated season and the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship.
## College career
He served as co-captain of the 2001 team that won the 2001 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship. Mollett won the 2001 Schmeisser Award as the best National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) lacrosse defenseman. He was the 2001 Men's Ivy League Player of the Year. He was a first team USILA All-American Team selection in 2001 and an honorable mention selection in 2000. He was a first team All-Ivy League selection in 2000 and 2001, when he was Ivy League Player of the year. During his four-year career, Princeton went undefeated in Ivy League Conference play with consecutive 6–0 records. He was a 2001 USILA Scholar All-American. , Mollett was ranked 13th all-time at Princeton University as a lacrosse player. He was a part of the 2001 Princeton team that allowed only 5.8 goals per game, lowest for a Princeton team in the modern era and lowest total for an Ivy League team (fourth all-time in Division I).
## Professional career
In 2001, the Rochester Rattlers selected Mollett as the first player drafted in the first Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft. That same year, the New York Saints of the box lacrosse National Lacrosse League made Mollett the 22nd overall selection in the second round of the 2001 NLL draft. He played for the Rattlers from 2001 to 2005. Then, he became a member of the Chicago Machine, but never appeared in a game for them. The Machine had drafted him in the 2006 MLL Expansion Draft, but he requested to be traded. In March 2006, the Machine traded Mollett to the New Jersey Pride. He played with the Pride from 2006 until 2007. In 2003, he was selected as an All-Star.
Mollett represented the United States at the 2002 World Lacrosse Championship where they won the championship. After obtaining his M.B.A. in 2007, he went to work for BlackRock as Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst. Prior to joining BlackRock, he was a Trader at First New York Securities. Mr. Mollett began his career as a Consultant with Gemini Realty Advisors. He is now a Senior Managing Director with GSO. Since joining GSO in 2011, Mr. Mollett has focused on distressed and special situation investing. Mr. Mollett is on the Investment Committee and serves as a Portfolio Manager of GSO Community Development Capital Group as well as GSO Hedge Fund Strategies.
## Personal
Mollet obtained a M.B.A. from Yale School of Management in 2007. That year, his wedding to Glamour magazine fashion editor Samantha Noelle Bishopp was announced in The New York Times. Mollett is the son of Dorothy Mollett and Richard C. Mollett of Taneytown, Maryland.
|
[
"## Background",
"## College career",
"## Professional career",
"## Personal"
] | 865 | 21,641 |
21,129,442 |
Barack Obama "Hope" poster
| 1,168,264,959 |
Image designed by Shepard Fairey
|
[
"2008 works",
"Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign",
"Cultural depictions of Barack Obama",
"Paintings in the National Portrait Gallery (United States)",
"Political Internet memes",
"Political art",
"Portraits of politicians",
"Public art",
"Works by Shepard Fairey"
] |
The Barack Obama "Hope" poster is an image of US president Barack Obama designed by American artist Shepard Fairey. The image was widely described as iconic and came to represent Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. It is a stylized stencil portrait of Obama in solid red, beige and (light and dark) blue, with the word "progress", "hope", or "change" below (and other words in some versions).
Fairey based the design on a photo taken by former Associated Press (AP) freelance photographer Mannie Garcia. He created the design in a day and printed it first as a street poster. It was then widely distributed—both as a digital image and other paraphernalia—during the 2008 election season, with approval from the Obama campaign. By July 2008, Sticker Robot had printed over 200,000 vinyl "Hope" stickers, 75% of which had been given away to support Obama's campaign. The image became one of the most widely recognized symbols of Obama's campaign, spawning many variations and imitations, including some commissioned by the Obama campaign.
In January 2009, after Obama had won the election, Fairey's mixed-media stenciled portrait version of the image was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution for its National Portrait Gallery. Later that month, the photograph that Fairey based the poster on was identified and the AP began negotiations for compensation. Fairey sued for a declaratory judgment that his poster was a fair use of the photograph. The parties settled out of court in January 2011. In February 2012, Fairey pleaded guilty to destroying and fabricating evidence showing that he had used the photograph; in September, he was sentenced to two years of probation, 300 hours of community service, and a fine of \$25,000.
## Concept and design
In October 2007, Shepard Fairey, who had created political street art critical of the US government and George W. Bush, discussed the Obama presidential campaign with publicist Yosi Sergant. Sergant contacted the Obama campaign to seek permission for Fairey to design an Obama poster, which was granted a few weeks before Super Tuesday. Fairey decided to create a portrait of Obama based on his feeling that his "power and sincerity as a speaker would create a positive association with his likeness".
Using Google Image Search, Fairey found a photograph of Obama taken by freelancer Mannie Garcia for the Associated Press, and created a poster design in a day. The original image had the word "progress" and featured Fairey's signature obey star—a symbol associated with his Andre the Giant Has a Posse street art campaign—embedded in the Obama campaign's sunrise logo. Due to the Obama campaign's concerns about the connotations of the word, Fairey changed the slogan printed under Obama's image from "progress" to "hope".According to design writer Steven Heller, the poster was inspired by social realism. Heller saw it as part of a tradition of contemporary artists drawing inspiration from political candidates and producing "posters that break the mold not only in terms of color and style but also in message and tone". Fairey cited a photo of John F. Kennedy and the image of Abraham Lincoln on the US five-dollar bill as inspirations.
## Distribution during the 2008 campaign
Fairey began screen-printing posters soon after completing the design and showing it to Sergant. Initially, he sold 350 and put 350 more up in public. Beginning with that sale and continuing throughout the campaign, Fairey used proceeds from selling the image to produce more; after first printing, he made 4,000 more that were distributed at Obama rallies before Super Tuesday. He also put a printable digital version on his website. The image quickly went viral, spreading through social media and word of mouth.
After the initial 600 posters, the Obama campaign conveyed through Sergant that they wanted to promote the theme of hope, and most of the posters sold by Fairey subsequently had the word "hope" and later "change" instead of "progress"; the obey star was also absent from later versions. By October 2008, Fairey and Sergant said they had printed 300,000 posters (with fewer than 2,000 sold and the rest given away or displayed). In addition, throughout the duration of the campaign, over 1,000,000 stickers were printed and disseminated by Stickerobot.com as well as clothing and other items with the image sold through Fairey's website. According to Fairey and Sergant, proceeds from sales of the image were used to produce more posters, stickers and other merchandise in support of the Obama campaign, rather than direct profit for Fairey.
According to Guardian journalist Laura Barton, the image had "acquired the kind of instant recognition of Jim Fitzpatrick's Che Guevara poster".
In an interview with Esquire in 2015, Fairey said that Obama had not met his expectations as president, citing his use of drones and domestic spying.
## Parodies and imitations
As the campaign progressed, many parodies and imitations of Fairey's design appeared. For example, one anti-Obama version replaced the word "hope" with "hype", while parody posters featuring opponents Sarah Palin and John McCain had the word "nope". In January 2009, Paste launched a site allowing users to create their own versions of the poster. More than 10,000 images were uploaded to the site in its first two weeks.
Mad parodied the "hope" poster with an "Alfred E. Neuman for President!" poster. Alfred was on the poster, and the word "hope" was replaced with "hopeless". Anti-Gaddafi protesters in Chicago, in solidarity with the 2011 Libyan civil war, have co-opted the image. Dynamite Comics released a four-part crossover with Obama and Ash Williams of their Army of Darkness comics and the Evil Dead films. One of the issues covers had a picture of Ash Williams (played by Bruce Campbell in the films) in the style of the "Hope" poster with the bottom text reading "Hope?"
Fairey was also commissioned to create a number of works in the same style. He produced two other versions, based on different photographs, officially on behalf of the Obama campaign, and another to serve as the cover of the Person of the Year issue of Time. He also created a portrait of comedian Stephen Colbert in the same style, which appeared in an issue of Entertainment Weekly honoring Colbert's television show The Colbert Report.
Firas Alkhateeb, the student who designed the controversial Obama "Joker" image, cited Fairey as his greatest influence. Alkhateeb described the "Joker" image as a corrective to Fairey's glowing portrayal of Obama. Fairey said he did not agree with its political content, but that the "artwork is great in that it gets a point across really quickly".
The September 2009 issue of The Advocate, America's oldest-continuing LGBT publication, featured a cover image similar to Fairey's design. The blue and red coloring was replaced with pink and purple, but instead of "hope", the caption was "nope?". Jon Barrett, the magazine's editor-in-chief, said the cover expressed the frustration among some Democratic members of the LGBT community.
### Honest Gil Fulbright
Shepard Fairey created an adaptation of the Obama HOPE poster for satirical Kentucky politician Honest Gil Fulbright. The poster features a portrait of Frank L. Ridley, the actor who portrays Fulbright, with the words "SOLD," which refers to Fulbright's "honest" political message: "I'm only in this thing for the money, but at least I'm honest about it."
### Fairey's adaptation for the Occupy movement
Sympathizing with the Occupy movement, in November 2011 Shepard Fairey introduced a variation of his "Hope" poster. In the new poster, he featured a Guy Fawkes mask, and the message "Mister President, we HOPE you're on our side", with the word "HOPE" in large font and the rest of the sentence in small font. The Obama campaign logo on the right was replaced by a similar logo with the inscription "We are the 99%".
## Acquisition by Smithsonian
On January 7, 2009, the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery announced it had acquired Fairey's hand-finished collage (stencil and acrylic on paper) version of the image (with the word "hope"), which the gallery said would go on display shortly before Obama's inauguration on January 20, 2009. The work was commissioned and later donated by art collectors Heather and Tony Podesta, the brother of Obama's transition co-chairman John Podesta. It is an unusual acquisition, in that the National Portrait Gallery normally collects official portraits as presidents are leaving office rather than before they take office.
## Origin and copyright
The source photograph Fairey based the poster on was not publicly known until after Obama had won the election. After a mistaken attribution to Reuters photographer Jim Young for a similar-looking January 2007 photograph, in January 2009 photographer and blogger Tom Gralish discovered that the poster was based on an Associated Press (AP) photograph by freelance photographer Mannie Garcia. Garcia took the photograph at a 2006 media event with Kansas senator Sam Brownback, where the actor George Clooney was raising awareness of the War in Darfur after a trip to Sudan he had taken with his father.
In February 2009, the AP announced that it had determined "that the photograph used in the poster is an AP photo and that its use required permission" and announced it was in discussions with Fairey's attorney. Fairey was represented by Anthony Falzone, executive director of the Fair Use Project at Stanford University. Falzone was quoted in the press release: "We believe fair use protects Shepard's right to do what he did here." Fairey subsequently filed a federal lawsuit against the AP, seeking a declaratory judgment that his use of the AP photograph was protected by the fair use doctrine and so did not infringe their copyright.
In October 2009, Fairey admitted that he had based the poster on the AP photograph and had fabricated and destroyed evidence to hide the fact. Fairey's admission came after one of his employees told him that he had discovered relevant documents on an old hard drive. Realizing that these documents would reveal his cover-up, Fairey told the truth to his attorney.
Garcia contended that he retained copyright to the photo according to his AP contract. He said that he was "proud of the photograph and that Fairey did what he did artistically with it, and the effect it had", but that he did not "condone people taking things, just because they can, off the internet". Fairey countered that his conduct did not constitute "improper appropriation" because he had not taken any protected expression from Garcia's original photo. In addition, he claimed his behavior qualified as fair use. At trial AP would have to address both arguments.
A judge urged a settlement, stating that AP would win the case. The AP and Shepard Fairey settled out of court in January 2011. In a press release, the AP announced that it and Fairey had "agreed to work together going forward with the Hope image and share the rights to make the posters and merchandise bearing the Hope image and to collaborate on a series of images that Fairey will create based on AP photographs. The parties have agreed to additional financial terms that will remain confidential."
In a separate criminal action, federal prosecutors suggested that Fairey should face prison time for the destruction of evidence in the case, with the government sentencing request stating that "[a] sentence without any term of imprisonment sends a terrible message to those who might commit the same sort of criminal conduct. Encouraging parties to game the civil litigation system ... creates terrible incentives and subverts the truth-finding function of civil litigation." In September 2012, Fairey was sentenced to two years of probation, 300 hours of community service, and a fine of \$25,000.
|
[
"## Concept and design",
"## Distribution during the 2008 campaign",
"## Parodies and imitations",
"### Honest Gil Fulbright",
"### Fairey's adaptation for the Occupy movement",
"## Acquisition by Smithsonian",
"## Origin and copyright"
] | 2,520 | 18,536 |
20,124,378 |
No Can Do
| 1,122,303,154 | null |
[
"2008 singles",
"2008 songs",
"Island Records singles",
"Songs written by George Astasio",
"Songs written by Jason Pebworth",
"Songs written by Jon Shave",
"Songs written by V V Brown",
"Sugababes songs"
] |
"No Can Do" is a song by British girl group Sugababes from their sixth studio album, Catfights and Spotlights (2008). It was written by Jason Pebworth and George Astasio of The Invisible Men, Jon Shave and VV Brown, and produced by The Invisible Men in collaboration with Si Hulbert. The song was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 29 December 2008 as the album's second and final single. "No Can Do" is a pop song with influences of R&B and soul. It contains a sample of Sweet Charles Sherrell's "Yes It's You", and contains influences of Motown music and songs performed by The Jackson 5.
The song received mixed reviews from critics, who were ambivalent towards its Motown influence. "No Can Do" peaked at number 23 on the UK Singles Chart and is one of the group's lowest-charting singles in the UK. The single also charted on the Danish and Slovakian airplay charts. The music video for "No Can Do" was directed by Marco Puig, and was inspired by a piece of pop created by Allen Jones in the 1960s. It features the group using twenty half-naked men as objects such as cars, motorcycles and bridges. The Sugababes performed the song in November 2008 to promote the release of the New Xbox Experience, and at Ponty's Big Weekend in July 2009.
## Background and release
Following the release of their fifth studio album, Change (2007), and the completion of its supporting tour, the Sugababes announced that they would take a year-long break to record their sixth studio album. Despite the announcement, the trio soon began work on the album, titled Catfights and Spotlights, which they eventually recorded within a matter of weeks and in between various festivals. "No Can Do" was co-written and co-produced by The Invisible Men team members Jason Pebworth and George Astasio. The two musicians co-wrote the song in collaboration with Jon Shave and VV Brown, and co-produced it with Si Hulbert. The song was programmed collectively by Hulbert, Shave, Pebworth and Melvin Kuiters, mixed by Jeremy Wheatley and engineered by Dave Palmer. "No Can Do" was recorded at Metropolis Studios in London, England.
"No Can Do" was released as the second and final single from Catfights and Spotlights. When Digital Spy questioned group member Keisha Buchanan about her reaction to its release, she responded: "I'm really excited about it. I'm looking forward to people hearing another side to the album. This single has got a kind of Jackson 5 feel to it which I love. The whole album has got a really old-school, laid-back Motown sound, so hopefully 'No Can Do' will get more people interested in the album." "No Can Do" was released as a digital download in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 19 December 2008. The following day, it was made available as a CD single, which consists of three remixes of the track and a cover version of Keane's song "Spiralling".
## Composition and lyrics
"No Can Do" is an uptempo pop song with influences of soul and R&B. It features prominent bass instrumentation provided by the keyboard, guitar, trombone, trumpet, saxophone and brass. "No Can Do" is based around a sample of Sweet Charles Sherrell's "Yes It's You", as written and produced by Nugetre and Hal Ritson, respectively. The song is largely inspired by Motown music and is reminiscent of songs performed by The Jackson 5, namely their 1969 song "I Want You Back". The Motown influences are most evident within the song's beat. The record's influences also derive from the music of girl groups from the 1960s. According to the digital sheet music published at Sheet Music Direct, "No Can Do" was composed in the key of G major using common time, with a tempo of 96 beats per minute.
Matthew Chisling of AllMusic noted that the song "[builds] on the recurring themes of enticing harmonies and vocal showcasing which are seen as the most dominant traits that the girls are showing off this time around". The lyrics of "No Can Do" address the riddance of a boyfriend, following the group's "trademark super-energised big goodbye songs". Buchanan stated during an interview with BBC's Sarah Jane Griffiths that the lyrics are "about your partner treating you really bad and you saying, 'Not any more. Or No Can Do'".
## Response
### Critical reception
Critical reception for "No Can Do" was mixed. David Balls of Digital Spy gave the song a two out of five star rating, and wrote, "in comparison to the majority of the group's singles, it's a half-hearted, bland and middle of the road offering that lacks the excitement of Sugababes at their best". He did, however, call the song an improvement from the group's previous single "Girls". A writer from Orange criticised the song's incorporation of multiple genres as "less than the sum of its parts". The reviewer was also unfavourable of the sampling of "Yes It's You", which was noted as "giving the ladies' warblings a strange air of karaoke with the wrong lyrics" as a result of its resemblance to "I Want You Back". The writer concluded the review by stating that "things are just a little lacklustre; the trio's vocals are still strong, but missing the sass that made them famous".
Entertainment.ie's Lauren Murphy regarded "No Can Do" and album track "Side Chick" as "feeble uptempo tracks that sound like they've been plucked at random from a pop factory conveyor belt". A writer from the Daily Record commented that "as much as ['No Can Do'] is mainstream and poppy, it's hardly their most remarkable offering". Popjustice considered the song to be "above average" but not the best track from the album, while Fraser McAlphine of the BBC Chart Blog wrote that it "won't be the all-conquering pop superbeast that it could be". A positive response came from AllMusic writer Matthew Chisling, who considered the song to be a "show-stopping [number]" and stated that it "work[s] as shimmering displays of subtle strength". Virgin Media's Johnny Dee praised inclusion of the Motown beat, which according to him makes the song "feel retro and modern simultaneously.
### Commercial performance
"No Can Do" entered the UK Singles Chart on 13 December 2008 at number 170, based on digital downloads from Catfights and Spotlights. Upon its release as a single, the song peaked at number 23 in the issue dated 10 January 2009 with 12,890 copies sold. Subsequently, "No Can Do" became the group's lowest-charting single since 2006's "Follow Me Home" and their third-lowest charting single overall. The song is also one of their lowest-selling singles to date. "No Can Do" brought the Sugababes' total single sales in the UK to three million. The single also peaked at number eleven on the Danish airplay chart, number 53 on the Slovakian airplay chart, and number 67 on Billboards European Hot 100 Singles chart.
## Music video
The music video for "No Can Do" was directed by Marco Puig. The video was filmed in November 2008. On YouTube, it was released on 2 December 2008. The video's inspiration stemmed from a piece of art created by the sculptor Allen Jones in the 1960s, involving the use of female mannequins as everyday pieces of furniture. The Sugababes wore glamorous gowns and had large hair and long eyelashes for the video, which features twenty muscly men who are used as pieces of furniture. TBalls described the video as "a little racier than we'd expect from Keisha and Co", but acknowledged that "it's nice to see the girls letting their hair down for a change". He compared it to the music video for Kylie Minogue's 2003 single "Slow". VV Brown, the co-writer of "No Can Do", stated that she did not expect the video to be racy: "Being very honest, I didn't see in that way. I saw the song as more fun and cheeky, rather than sassy and glossy like that."
## Live performances and impact
The trio first performed the song in November 2008 to promote the release of the New Xbox Experience, as part of a set list that included their singles "Push the Button" and "About You Now". They performed "No Can Do" on 18 July 2009 at Ponty’s Big Weekend, which was held at Ynysangharad Park in Pontypridd, Wales, and dedicated the performance to Michael Jackson who died a month earlier. Buchanan named "No Can Do" one of her favourite songs from the Sugababes' career, stating: "I love 'No Can Do' because it's such a different sound for us. I really like the whole old-school, laid-back sound and it's got a kind of Jackson 5 feel to it which I love."
## Formats and track listings
- Digital download
1. "No Can Do" – 3:10
- Extended play
1. "No Can Do" (Wawa Club Remix) – 6:31
2. "No Can Do" (Bimbo Jones Remix) – 5:48
3. "No Can Do" (Mowgli Remix) – 5:48
4. "Spiralling" (Radio One Live Lounge) – 3:10
- CD Single'''
1. "No Can Do" – 3:10
2. "No Can Do" (Bimbo Jones Remix) [Edit] – 5:48
3. "No Can Do" (WAWA Remix) [Edit] – 5:48
4. "Spiralling" (Radio One Live Lounge) – 3:10
## Credits and personnel
Recording
- Vocals recorded at Metropolis Studios, London
- Brass recorded at Rollover Studios
Personnel
- Songwriting – Jason Pebworth, Jon Shave, George Astasio, Vanessa Brown
- Production – The Invisible Men, Si Hulbert
- Vocals – Keisha Buchanan, Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah
- Keyboards – Si Hulbert, Melvin Kuiters, Jon Shave, Jason Pebworth
- Programming – Si Hulbert, Melvin Kuiters, Jon Shave, Jason Pebworth
- Additional production – Melvin Kuiters
- Mixing – Jeremy Wheatley at Twenty One Studio, London
- Mixing (assistant) – Richard Edgeler
- Engineering – Dave Palmer
- Guitar – George Astasio
- Bass – George Astasio
- Trombone – Nichol Thompson
- Trumpet – Henry Collins
- Saxophone – Jim Hunt
- Brass engineering – Spencer Dewing
- Vocal engineering – Matt Lawrence
- Vocal engineering (assistant) – Xavier Stephenson
Sample
- Samples "Yes It's You" by Sweet Charles Sherrell
- Songwriting – Nugetre
- Production – Hal Ritson
- Guitar – Guthrie Govan
- Bass – Guthrie Govan
- Drums – Richard Adlam
- Keyboards – Hal Ritson
- Programming – Hal Ritson
- Violin – Hal Ritson
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Catfights and Spotlights''.
## Charts
## Release history
|
[
"## Background and release",
"## Composition and lyrics",
"## Response",
"### Critical reception",
"### Commercial performance",
"## Music video",
"## Live performances and impact",
"## Formats and track listings",
"## Credits and personnel",
"## Charts",
"## Release history"
] | 2,462 | 14,394 |
39,798,505 |
Hold My Liquor
| 1,172,735,932 |
Song performed by Kanye West
|
[
"2010s ballads",
"2013 songs",
"American house music songs",
"Chief Keef songs",
"Industrial songs",
"Kanye West songs",
"Song recordings produced by Kanye West",
"Song recordings produced by Mike Dean (record producer)",
"Songs written by Arca (musician)",
"Songs written by Chief Keef",
"Songs written by Cyhi the Prynce",
"Songs written by Fonzworth Bentley",
"Songs written by Justin Vernon",
"Songs written by Kanye West",
"Songs written by Mike Dean (record producer)",
"Songs written by Rhymefest"
] |
"Hold My Liquor" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). It was primarily produced by West and longtime collaborator Mike Dean, who also provides a guitar solo, with additional production from Arca and Noah Goldstein. It features vocals from rapper Chief Keef and singer-songwriter Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. It is a house ballad that is built upon a pulsating synth beat with metallic stabs. In the song, West stumbles into an ex-girlfriend's home for reckless sex, with lyrics that contain references to substance abuse and issues with relationships and self-image.
The song received highly positive reviews from music critics, who praised its instrumental, West's verse, Dean's guitar solo, and the performances of Vernon and Chief Keef; one reviewer placed the song on his list of the best songs of 2013. Despite not being released as a single, the song was able to chart in the United States on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. West performed the song on the Yeezus Tour and at the Glastonbury Festival in 2015. It was covered by Lorde and ceo in 2013.
## Background and composition
"Hold My Liquor" was included as the fifth track on the track-listing of Kanye West's sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). In earlier leaked versions of the album, the song was titled "Can't Handle My Liquor" and "Can't Hold My Liquor", before being shortened. According to West, "Hold My Liquor" almost didn't make the album at one point. The track contains vocals from American rapper Chief Keef, who sings the hook, and singer-songwriter Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, who sings the intro. "Hold My Liquor" is not the first time West has worked with Chief Keef and Vernon; West had appeared on a remix of Chief Keef's song "I Don't Like" in 2012 and Vernon contributed vocals to West's songs "Monster" and "Lost in the World" from his 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Their performances on "Hold My Liquor" were first heard at a listening party for Yeezus.
"Hold My Liquor" was written by West, Mike Dean, Vernon, Chief Keef, Elon Rutberg, Che Smith, Malik Jones, Alejandra Ghersi, Cydel Young, and Derrick Watkins. It was produced by West and Dean, with additional production by Arca and Noah Goldstein. Musically, it is a house ballad that contains industrial flourishes. The elongated track is musically frenetic; its instrumental is built on pulsating synths and a guitar over a slow, steady 4/4 beat. The lyrics of West's sole verse are underscored by metallic, distorted stabs. His lyrics reflect issues with substance abuse, relationships, and self-image and contain references to Deepak Chopra and Tupac Shakur. More specifically, they describe West stumbling into an ex-girlfriend's home for "some emotionally reckless and scattered sex." Longtime collaborator Mike Dean contributed guitar on the track, which was compared to the work of American electronic rock band Ratatat. Dean responded to the comparisons by saying: "I don't even know them-- so I definitely didn't bite it. [laughs] I was doing some Queen shit."
## Critical reception
The song received highly positive reviews from music critics, with many praising its instrumentation, West's vocals, and Dean's guitar solo. Multiple critics have described the track as "woozy." The Velvet Underground's Lou Reed gave the song a positive review in The Guardian saying: "'Hold My Liquor' is just heartbreaking, and particularly coming from where it's coming from – listen to that incredibly poignant hook from a tough guy like Chief Keef". He then praised its synthesized guitar solo, calling it "devastating" and "absolutely majestic." Gavin Haynes of NME called the song "the missing link between the woozy-weepy electronics of 808s... and his new incarnation [on Yeezus]." Jordan Sargent of Spin described the song as "the woozy and, arguably, darkest track" on Yeezus. Andrew Unterberger from Popdust also praised the song, claiming the instrumental was reminiscent of the Drive soundtrack and labeling West's verse a highlight. Unterberger did however, criticize Vernon and Chief Keef's contributions, calling them "uninspiring" and felt another verse by West would have been better. Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone described the song as "an elegantly wasted house ballad, with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver as dyspeptic diva crooning under the amber waves of drank and teenage Chicago rapper Chief Keef playing the sad gangsta."
Kyle Kramer of Complex named "Hold My Liquor" the best song of 2013. In 2018, Phil Witmer of Noisey looked back on "Hold My Liquor" and fellow Yeezus track "Black Skinhead", writing that they weren't rap, but 'rock anthems from the 25th century' and branded "Hold My Liquor" as the album's 'emotional peak'.
## Commercial performance
Despite not having been released as a single, "Hold My Liquor" managed to debut at number six on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and remained on the chart for only one more week. The track also debuted at number 32 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart upon the album's release and fell down eleven places to number 43 the next week.
## Live performances and cover versions
Before West had officially announced The Yeezus Tour, Mike Dean gave confirmation of a tour for the album and added that "Hold My Liquor" would be great to play live. West subsequently performed it at the KeyArena in Seattle on the tour's opener and again on the second day of West's performance at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It was again performed on the tour during the first concert at the Barclays Center in New York City, with a gremlin-like monster joining him on stage during it. However, during another performance at Glastonbury in 2015 with Vernon, West forgot the lyrics. When speaking, West said: "[we went] off the rails and [had] a moment of feeling like we're back in the studio, or feeling like we're back in high school" and named Vernon as his favorite living artist.
Lorde performed a cover version at the 2013 iHeartRadio Music Festival. In her version, Lorde sang abridged versions of Vernon's intro, Chief Keef's hook, and West's verse, bookending the performing with the line "bitch, I'm back out my coma." According to Jordan Sargent of Spin, "her backing band kept the beat's shrieking punctuations and played up the bass drum's insistent, almost techno-level thump." ceo uploaded his cover version, titled "My Liquor", to SoundCloud on December 9, 2013, but later deleted it. A revamped version was released by BJ the Chicago Kid on October 7, 2014, titled "Can't Hold My Liquor", which kept several important components of the original.
## Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the Yeezus liner notes.
- Songwriter – Kanye West, Mike Dean, Justin Vernon, Keith Cozart, Elon Rutberg, Che Smith, Malik Jones, Alejandra Ghersi, Cydel Young, and Derrick Watkins
- Producer – Kanye West and Mike Dean
- Additional producer – Arca and Noah Goldstein
- Additional instruments – Mike Dean (guitar solo)
- Engineer – Noah Goldstein, Anthony Kilhoffer, and Mike Dean
- Assistant engineer – Marc Portheau, Khoï Huynh, Raoul Le Pennec, Nabil Essemlani, Keith Parry, Kenta Yonesaka, Dave Rowland, Kevin Matela, Sean Oakley, Eric Lynn, Dave 'Squirrel' Covell, and Josh Smith
- Mix – Manny Marroquin at Larrabee Studios, Los Angeles, CA
- Mix assisted – Delbert Bowers and Chris Galland
- Vocals – Chief Keef and Justin Vernon
## Charts
## Certifications
|
[
"## Background and composition",
"## Critical reception",
"## Commercial performance",
"## Live performances and cover versions",
"## Credits and personnel",
"## Charts",
"## Certifications"
] | 1,744 | 30,252 |
68,442,310 |
The Q (nightclub)
| 1,166,654,875 |
Gay nightclub in Manhattan, New York City
|
[
"2021 establishments in New York City",
"Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan",
"Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the LGBT community",
"LGBT drinking establishments in New York City",
"LGBT nightclubs in New York (state)",
"Nightclubs in Manhattan"
] |
The Q was a multilevel LGBT nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Backed by celebrity investors including Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto, the club was billed as "the largest queer-owned and -operated nightlife venue in Manhattan". It was known for its five distinctly themed rooms and for its entertainment selection, which featured A-list comedians, prominent local drag queens, burlesque acts and jazz bands. The establishment was originally set to open in 2020, but its debut was pushed to June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2022, Frankie Sharp—one of the club's three founding owners—filed a lawsuit against the other two, Alan Picus and Bob Fluet. The club shuttered in March 2023 in the aftermath of the legal proceedings. During its operation, the Q garnered praise from critics, who have described it as innovative, inclusive and chic.
## Description
Located on Eighth Avenue near 48th Street in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, the Q was a four-story venue containing five distinct clubbing areas. Frankie Sharp, who co-founded the club, stated to Thrillist and Queerty that it was "the largest queer-owned and -operated nightlife venue in Manhattan".
Live music and performances took place on the Q's ground level, which was outfitted with parquet floors, booths and mirrors. The second floor, styled like a lounge, contained a bar and a "'Gentlethem's Club' nestled behind a tufted wall". The top level was an open clubbing space with 20-foot (6.1-meter) ceilings, a suspended catwalk, a high DJ platform and decorative LED screens bearing the venue's emblem. In some areas, the walls were adorned with graffiti, queer movie posters and sexual artwork, including a Tom of Finland mural and a drawing of "a buff Ned Flanders from The Simpsons with protruding nipples".
The establishment hosted a number of weekly drag and music shows, which starred "prominent local entertainers like jazz musician Richard Cortez and drag queens Lagoona Bloo, Jasmine Rice Labeija, and Kizha Carr". It also featured A-list comedy events, burlesque and go-go dancing.
## History
The Q was originally co-owned by Sharp, an event producer and DJ; Bob Fluet, a co-founder of the Boxers NYC bar chain; and Alan Picus, a party promoter. Sharp expressed intentions to open "a multi-floor LGBTQ nightclub ... that would redefine the genre" in early 2020, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic delayed these plans. The Q's lease had been set to start on March 10 of that year, just days before nonessential businesses in New York were ordered to shutter. Several months later, the building's landlord proposed a "'COVID-friendly' deal" that enabled the venue's co-owners to proceed with construction. Sharp, Fluet and Picus subsequently secured investments from celebrities including Billy Porter, Zachary Quinto, Charlie Carver and Jake Shears.
In a March 2021 interview with Michael Musto, Sharp announced that the club would open as soon as it could feasibly do so under the circumstances of the pandemic. Excitement over the Q's debut drew press attention throughout the spring, with Instinct's Michael Cook calling it "one of the most anticipated nightlife openings in recent memory". The club's inaugural party was held on June 25, which coincided with the end of Pride month. The venue sold out a number of high-profile events during its first week. As of July 2021, the establishment required proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for entry.
### Lawsuit
On May 16 or June 10, 2022, Sharp—who had divested from the Q—filed a lawsuit against Picus, Fluet and the Q's parent company (Bar Fluid, LLC, which is owned by Fluet) for "breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, unjust enrichment and accounting". The court filings included claims that Sharp's employment contract was violated; that Picus instructed Q security to not check patron IDs and to allow drugs such as GHB inside the venue; that Picus sometimes told door employees to deny entry to women; and that Picus made racist and transphobic statements, such as: "I don't need to break my back to hire people just because they're black and trans," and "Make sure [the club's] Latin nights are the good kind of Latins. Not Blatinos," referring to dark-skinned Latinx people.
Other local nightlife venues complained that underage patrons who gained access to the Q attempted to purchase alcohol at their establishments using Q wristbands. NPR reported that the Q had acquired a reputation as a place to go for underage drinking.
Sharp said that Picus also discriminated on the basis of weight when hiring staff, and other employees commented that women and Black people were rarely employed by the Q. One female employee stated that she received fewer and fewer shifts until she was taken off the schedule. The lawsuit also included allegations that Picus "[had] public sex with customers in front of employees, [took] advantage of young gay men, and [made] sexual comments to staff and patrons." Picus's attorney refuted these claims.
A former Q patron stated to NPR that after a bouncer "caressed her stomach and grabbed her waist in an ... inappropriate way that left her feeling shaken," she was directed to report the incident to Picus, who "[did not] seem to take the accusation seriously and ultimately dismissed all responsibility". He did not respond to a private message she sent him on Instagram to follow up.
Sharp's court documents additionally read that four of the Q's senior managers quit or had been fired over the course of the year due to conflict with Picus. Of his own termination, he said that when he brought his concerns to Fluet—including by presenting security footage of Picus engaging in sexual activity with a patron in a public part of the club—he was given the option to either resign with "four percent of net profits for the remainder of the lease and a small cash disbursement in exchange for signing a non-disclosure agreement ('NDA')" or be fired. Because he refused to sign the NDA, "Fluet terminated his employment on May 23, 2022, as an at-will employee without cause."
In July 2022, Instinct reached out to Sharp, Fluet and Picus for comment. Picus did not respond, Sharp replied that he had no comment, and Fluet said:
> When we started looking for a venue, it was Alan and myself, and we were looking for somebody to join us, and we reached out to Frankie. The truth is, I was told to be careful and that there are demons unfortunately.... I think his demons took control and kind of put me in a situation where I had no choice.... There are a lot of false allegations that are being made, and I didn't know where from until I found out where from. I obviously did all of my leg work to make sure that nothing is real, which it wasn't.
Fluet further stated to NPR that he had not been able to keep as close an eye on the Q as he wanted, because he was busy with Hush and Boxers HK, the two other Hell's Kitchen nightlife venues he owns. Sharp and other employees indicated that they nevertheless brought complaints about Picus directly to Fluet on multiple occasions.
On July 5, Fluet announced via the Q's Instagram profile that Luis Fernando, the club's creative director, would replace Picus as its executive producer.
### Criminal incidents
In November 2022, local and international media reported that a 33-year-old man, John Umberger, died under suspicious circumstances after leaving the Q with two unidentified men on Memorial Day weekend. When he was found in his employer's Upper East Side residence on June 1, toxicology reports showed that he had fentanyl, p-fluoro fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, lidocaine and ethanol in his system. He was presumed to have been drugged, and the police investigation found that "[h]is phone and credit cards were stolen and more than \$25,000 was drained from his bank account."
The New York City Police Department investigated a possible connection between this incident and more than a dozen others involving drugging and robbery of local gay men, including one in April 2022 in which 25-year-old Julio Ramirez was drugged, robbed and subsequently found dead after leaving the Ritz, another Hell's Kitchen gay club. EDGE Media Network reported that another parent came forward about their son being drugged and robbed after leaving the Q in early April 2022, though that man survived. The press referred to the suspected group of perpetrators of these attacks as the "roofie robbers".
In January 2023, a 29-year-old man named Jordan Taylor went missing outside of the Q. As of March 2023, he had not been found. On March 23, 2023, the New York County District Attorney issued arrest warrants for three men charged with first-degree murder of Umberger and Ramirez.
### Closure
The Q closed abruptly on March 27, 2023. An anonymous source from the venue told WERRRK.com that this was "most likely the result of management missteps, coupled with the inability to recover after the massively poor PR that came from accusations of racism and sexual harassment ... in July of 2022." The same source said that the establishment had been losing money and that it had made poor choices when hiring performers and DJs, who were not drawing a crowd that spent money on drinks, which resulted in staffing cuts and delays in employees' pay. Club manager Xavier Pineda started a GoFundMe page to raise funds to support the Q's staff members, who were suddenly out of work.
## Reception
Kyler Alvord of Thrillist called the Q "a game-changing queer venue that caters to every interest", remarking that it "brings four floors of old-school grit and glam to Manhattan's queer nightlife scene". He further commented: "While the Q revives some of the grit and allure synonymous with classic NYC gay clubs, it arrives with an added emphasis on respect and inclusion."
A July 2021 Travel Gay review said the establishment was "set to become one of the biggest gay destinations in New York". After attending the Q's opening weekend events, Musto dubbed it "[a] giddy Bloomingdale's of gay chic". Insider's Moises Mendez II wrote that "each floor [has] a different vibe from the last, and as you make your way up the stairs, each space became even more energetic and vibrant".
W42ST.com listed the Q as a runner-up for its 2021 Best of Awards, together with a quotation characterizing it as "a fun new club that has a solid variety of high-quality events".
## See also
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the LGBT community
- LGBT culture in New York City
- List of nightclubs in New York City
|
[
"## Description",
"## History",
"### Lawsuit",
"### Criminal incidents",
"### Closure",
"## Reception",
"## See also"
] | 2,297 | 8,464 |
1,660,132 |
Amenemhat IV
| 1,173,828,638 |
Pharaoh of Egypt
|
[
"18th-century BC Pharaohs",
"19th-century BC Pharaohs",
"Children of Amenemhat III",
"Pharaohs of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt"
] |
See Amenemhat, for other individuals with this name.
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Sekhembiknebunetjeru
Sḫm-bik-nbw-nṯrw
The golden Horus, powerful one of the gods
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Amenemhat IV (also known as Amenemhet IV) was the seventh and penultimate king of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt (c. 1990–1800 BC) during the late Middle Kingdom period (c. 2050–1710 BC), ruling for more than nine years in the late nineteenth century BC or the early eighteenth century BC.
Amenemhat IV may have been the son, grandson, son-in-law, or stepson of his predecessor, the powerful Amenemhat III. His reign started with a seemingly peaceful two-year coregency with Amenemhat III. He undertook expeditions in the Sinai for turquoise, in Upper Egypt for amethyst, and to the Land of Punt. He also maintained trade relations with Byblos as well as continuing the Egyptian presence in Nubia.
Amenemhat IV built some parts of the temple of Hathor at Serabit el-Khadim in the Sinai, and constructed the well-preserved temple of Renenutet in Medinet Madi. The tomb of Amenemhat IV has not been identified, although the Southern Mazghuna pyramid is a possibility.
Amenemhat IV was succeeded by Sobekneferu, who may have been his sister or stepsister; she was a daughter of Amenemhat III. Her reign marked the end of the Twelfth Dynasty and the beginning of the Middle Kingdom's decline into the Second Intermediate Period.
## Family
Amenemhat IV's mother was a woman named Hetepi. Hetepi's only known attestation is an inscription on the wall of the temple of Renenutet at Medinet Madi, where she is given the title of "King's Mother", but not the titles of "King's Wife", "King's Daughter", or "King's Sister". However, this does not mean she was not a wife of Amenemhat III, as she her titles in relation to Amenemhat III might have been omitted in an inscription from her son's reign.
The relationship of Amenemhat IV to Amenemhat III is debated. Amenemhat IV was the son of Amenemhat III according to Manetho, but as he isn't called a "King's Son" in any known reference to him, some historians believe that he was a grandson. However, there is no record of another son of Amenemhat III and as stated above, Hetepti is not known to have been called a "King's Daughter".
Manetho states that Amenemhat IV married his sister Sobekneferu, who is identified as a royal daughter of Amenemhat III, and who eventually ruled in her own right upon the death of Amenemhat IV. However, Manetho's claim about the marriage has not been proven correct; Sobekneferu is not known to have borne the title of "King's Wife" among her other titles. Egyptologist Kim Ryholt has alternatively proposed that before marrying Amenemhat III, Hetepi had been previously married to another man and that Amenemhat IV came from this marriage, thus becoming Sobekneferu's stepbrother – which could explain the Manethonian tradition.
Amenemhat IV may have died without a male heir, which could explain why he was succeeded by Sobekneferu. This is also disputed, as some Egyptologists, such as Aidan Dodson and Kim Ryholt, have proposed that the first two rulers of the Thirteenth Dynasty, Sobekhotep I and Amenemhat Sonbef, might be his sons, based on the filiative nomen Amenemhat.
## Reign
Amenemhat IV first came to power as a junior coregent of his predecessor Amenemhat III, whose reign marks the apex of the Middle Kingdom period. The coregency is well attested by numerous monuments and artefacts where the names of the two kings parallel each other. The length of this coregency is uncertain; it could have lasted from one to seven years, although most scholars believe it was only two years long. The Turin Canon, a king list redacted during the early Ramesside period, records Amenemhat IV on Column 6, Row 1, and credits him with a reign of 9 years, 3 months and 27 days. Amenemhat IV is also recorded on Entry 65 of the Abydos King List and Entry 38 of the Saqqara Tablet, both of which date to the New Kingdom.
In spite of the Turin canon, the duration of Amenemhat IV's reign is uncertain. It was given as eight years under the name Ammenemes in Manetho's Aegyptiaca. In any case, Amenemhat IV's rule seems to have been peaceful and uneventful. Amenemhat IV is well attested by contemporary artefacts, including a number of scarab- and cylinder-seals.
### Expeditions and foreign relations
Four expeditions to the turquoise mines of Serabit el-Khadim in the Sinai are dated to his reign by in-situ inscriptions. The latest took place in his ninth year on the throne and could be the last expedition of the Middle Kingdom, since the next inscription dates to Ahmose I's reign, some 200 years later. In his 2nd regnal year, Amenemhat IV sent another expedition to mine amethyst in the Wadi el-Hudi in southern Egypt. The leader of the expedition was the assistant treasurer'' Sahathor. Farther south, three nilometer records are known from Kumna in Nubia that are explicitly dated to regnal years 5, 6, and 7, showing that Egyptian presence in the region was maintained during his lifetime.
During his reign, important trade relations must have existed with the city of Byblos on the coast of modern-day Lebanon, where an obsidian and gold chest as well as a jar lid bearing Amenemhat IV's name have been found. A gold plaque showing Amenemhat IV offering to a deity may also originate there.
In 2010, a report on continuing excavations at Wadi Gawasis on the Red Sea coast notes the finding of two wooden chests and an ostracon inscribed with a hieratic text mentioning an expedition to the fabled Land of Punt in regnal year 8 of Amenemhat IV, under the direction of the royal scribe Djedy. Two fragments of a stela depicting Amenemhat IV and dating to his regnal year 7 were found at Berenice on the Red Sea.
## Tomb
The tomb of Amenemhat IV has not been identified. Nonetheless, he often is associated with the ruined Southern Mazghuna pyramid. No inscriptions have been found within the pyramid to determine the identity of its owner, but its architectural similarity with the second pyramid of Amenemhat III at Hawara has led Egyptologists to date the pyramid to the late Twelfth Dynasty or early Thirteenth Dynasty. Less likely, Amenemhat IV could have been interred in Amenemhat III's first pyramid in Dahshur, since his name has been found on an inscription in the mortuary temple.
At Dahshur, next to the pyramid of Amenemhat II, the remains of another pyramid dating to the Middle Kingdom were discovered during building work. The pyramid has not yet been excavated, but a fragment inscribed with the royal name "Amenemhat" has been unearthed. It is possible that this pyramid belongs to Amenemhat IV, although there are also kings of the Thirteenth Dynasty that bore the name Amenemhat and who could have built the pyramid. Alternatively, the relief fragment could have originated at the nearby pyramid of Amenemhat II.
## See also
- List of pharaohs
|
[
"## Family",
"## Reign",
"### Expeditions and foreign relations",
"## Tomb",
"## See also"
] | 1,834 | 1,971 |
62,641,159 |
Al-Hasan al-A'sam
| 1,114,065,605 |
Tenth century military leader
|
[
"10th century in the Middle East",
"10th-century Iranian people",
"891 births",
"977 deaths",
"Al-Jannabi family",
"Generals of the medieval Islamic world",
"Qarmatians"
] |
Abu Ali al-Hasan al-A'sam ibn Ahmad ibn Bahram al-Jannabi (al-Ahsa Oasis, 891 – Ramla, 977) was a Qarmatian leader, chiefly known as the military commander of the Qarmatian invasions of Syria (especially around Damascus and Palestine) in 968–977. Already in 968, he led attacks on the Ikhshidids, capturing Damascus and Ramla and extracting pledges of tribute. Following the Fatimid conquest of Egypt and the overthrow of the Ikhshidids, in 971–974 al-A'sam led attacks against the Fatimid Caliphate, who began to expand into Syria. The Qarmatians repeatedly evicted the Fatimids from Syria and invaded Egypt itself twice, in 971 and 974, before being defeated at the gates of Cairo and driven back. Al-A'sam continued fighting against the Fatimids, now alongside the Turkish general Alptakin, until his death in March 977. In the next year, the Fatimids managed to overcome the allies, and concluded a treaty with the Qarmatians that signalled the end of their invasions of Syria.
## Family
Al-Hasan al-A'sam was born at al-Ahsa Oasis, the capital of the Qarmatians of Bahrayn, in 891, to Ahmad, son of the founder of the Qarmatian state, Abu Sa'id al-Hasan al-Jannabi. Power was held collectively among the sons of Abi Sa'id, although the youngest, Abu Tahir Sulayman al-Jannabi, was the dominant figure until his death in 944. After Abu Tahir's death, his brothers continued to hold power collectively until the 970s, when they began to die. At this point, their sons (al-A'sam and his cousins) were admitted into the ruling council. This means that, although al-A'sam was the principal military leader of the Qarmatians in their expeditions abroad, in reality power still resided with his uncles, the last of whom, Abu Ya'qub Yusuf, died in 977.
## Attack on Ikhshidid Syria
Al-A'sam first appears as a commander of the Qarmatian forces that captured Damascus and defeated the Ikhshidid governor, al-Hasan ibn Ubayd Allah ibn Tughj in battle before his capital, Ramla, on 28 October. The town was plundered for two days, but the locals managed to buy off the Qarmatians with 125,000 gold dinars. Hasan was obliged to agree to an annual tribute of 300,000 dinars to the Qarmatians to maintain control of Syria.
Medieval Arab historians (followed by the modern historian Michael Jan de Goeje) consider these events to have been a co-ordinated, unified strategy as part of the Fatimid Caliphate's imminent conquest of Egypt. However, modern scholarship has revealed that the Qarmatians were neither loyal partisans of the Fatimids nor, as becomes evident from their behaviour once victorious, were they interested in conquest and conversion of the Syrian territories to their doctrine. Rather, the Qarmatians were principally interested in the extraction of tribute to sustain their resource-poor state. For this reason, the Qarmatians had for decades been raiding wealthier regions of the Islamic world. Indeed, al-A'sam apparently fell into disgrace after being accused of embezzling some of the booty amassed during this campaign. When the Qarmatian army again departed for Syria two months later, he was replaced by two of his cousins at the head of the expedition.
## Campaigns against the Fatimids
The disgrace did not last long, as the conquest of Egypt by the Fatimid general Jawhar in 969 and the subsequent advance into Syria, which led to the defeat and capture of al-Hasan ibn Ubayd Allah ibn Tughj at the hands of the Fatimid general Ja'far ibn Fallah in April 970, changed the situation. The Fatimid takeover meant the end of the annual tribute promised by al-Hasan ibn Ubayd Allah ibn Tughj, and the Fatimids' declared intention to restore the safety of the Hajj routes threatened to put an end to the Qarmatians' extortion of the Hajj caravans as well.
This led to a radical shift of the Qarmatians—for which some sources consider al-A'sam to have been the principal instigator—against the Fatimids and a rapprochement with the Abbasids. Through the mediation of the Abbasid caliph al-Muti, the Qarmatians became the nucleus of a broad anti-Fatimid alliance, comprising not only the Qarmatians, but also the Hamdanid ruler of Mosul, Abu Taghlib, the Buyid ruler Izz al-Dawla, the Bedouin tribes of Banu Kilab and Banu Uqayl, and remnants of the Ikhshidid troops. The Qarmatian army moved to Kufa, Rahba, and Palmyra, gathering allies, arms and money at each stop along the way. As they approached Damascus, Ibn Fallah chose to confront the allies in open battle, but was defeated and killed.
### Capture of Syria and first invasion of Egypt
On 25 August 971, the allies captured Damascus, with al-A'sam proclaiming the suzerainty of the Abbasid caliph over Syria and having the name of the Fatimid caliph, al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah, ritually cursed in the mosques. The Qarmatians now turned towards Ramla. Jawhar had sent reinforcements, freshly arrived from Ifriqiya, to the city, but their commander, Sa'adat ibn Hayyan, withdrew to Jaffa and adopted a passive stance. The Qarmatians were thus left free to sack Ramla on 5 September 971. Encouraged by his successes, al-A'sam proceeded to lay siege to Jaffa with part of their forces under Akhu Muslim, and led the remainder of his army into an invasion of Egypt. Egypt was left almost defenceless, while the Qarmatian army grew with the addition of the Banu Tayy Bedouin to it.
Al-A'sam entered Egypt at Qulzum, a month after capturing Damascus. Instead of moving directly against the Egyptian capital, Fustat, however, he moved north to the eastern Nile Delta. The coastal town of Tinnis, which had rebelled a year before against Fatimid taxation, rose up again in revolt, and the Qarmatians captured the town of Farama. A month later, a Fatimid army under Yaruq recovered Farama, but over the following weeks the revolt spread across the Delta, and Yaruq and his men had to retreat towards Fustat. The Qarmatians' detour nevertheless gave Jawhar time to prepare a ditch and wall, at Ayn Shams, north of Fustat, stretching for 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the Nile to the Muqattam hills. The Fatimid general called almost the entire population of Fustat to arms, and in two fierce battles on 22 and 24 December 971, despite heavy losses, managed to defeat his opponents. The Qarmatians broke and retreated back into Palestine. Jawhar did not pursue them, but set a bounty on them, and many Qarmatians were killed as a result. Al-As'ar returned to al-Ahsa, but the Qarmatians remained in control of Syria.
### Second invasion of Egypt
The Fatimids went onto the counteroffensive in 972, and managed to break the siege of Jaffa. In 973, the Qarmatian–Bedouin alliance disintegrated due to infighting, allowing the Fatimids to seize again control of Palestine and southern Syria. In the same year, the Fatimid caliph al-Mu'izz moved his court to the new capital of Cairo in Egypt. From there the Caliph sent al-A'sam a letter, accusing him of abandoning the Fatimid cause to which, as al-Mu'izz claimed, his father and grandfather had been devoted. Al-A'sam not only rejected al-Mu'izz's claims, but made the letter public and reaffirmed his opposition to the Fatimids and their claims, launching another invasion of the Fatimid domains. No details are known, but within a short time in late 973, the Fatimids were again driven out of Syria and Palestine, and in the next spring, the Qarmatians invaded Egypt for the second time.
Once again, they found support among the local populace, which was exhausted by the Fatimids' heavy taxation. Al-A'sam occupied the eastern Nile Delta with the main army, but a smaller force under the Hasanid sharif Akhu Muslim bypassed Cairo and encamped between Asyut and Akhmim, driving out the Fatimid officials and collecting the tax revenues of Middle Egypt for the Qarmatian cause. Akhu Muslim's manoeuvre was all the more dangerous because many of the leading ashraf families flocked to join him. In April, al-Mu'izz sent one of his best generals, Rayyan, to the Delta. Rayyan defeated a Qarmatian force at Mahalla, but al-A'sam moved the main Qarmatian army to Bilbays, from where he threatened Cairo. Again the Fatimids were forced to a general call to arms of the entire male population of the capital to confront the Qarmatian advance. On 4 April, the Qarmatian advance guard attacked the Fatimid positions at Ayn Shams. The Fatimids' Berber soldiers repulsed the attack, but during the pursuit they were in turn surprised by a counterattack and suffered heavy losses. This led to the defection of one of the Fatimid commanders, Ali ibn Muhammad al-Khazin, and riots erupted in Fustat. At the same time, news arrived in the capital that Akhu Muslim had defeated a Fatimid army at Akhmim. Fearful of betrayal by the former Ikhshidid commanders now enrolled in his army, on 12 April al-Mu'izz arrested their sons as hostages.
On 27 April, al-Mu'izz's son Abdallah led the Fatimid army out to confront the Qarmatians at the dry lake bed known as Jubb Umayra or Birkat al-Hajj, just north of Ayn Shams. Al-A'sam divided his army, sending his brother, al-Nu'man, to face the Fatimid advance, while he himself remained on a height dominating the lake bed. Abdallah exploited this mistake, by sending a corps to keep al-A'sam in check, while he destroyed al-Nu'man's force. He then turned on al-A'sam, who was defeated and barely escaped capture. The Fatimid victory spelled the end of the invasion. 10,000 Berbers pursued the Qarmatians, cutting off their supply routes, and recovering Palestine and southern Syria before the year was out; while in the south, Akhu Muslim dispersed his small army and barely managed to escape capture himself. Hunted by Fatimid agents, he sought refuge in al-Ahsa, but only ended up being poisoned by the Qarmatians, who were now engaged in negotiations with the Fatimids.
### Final years
Forced to retreat from Syria, the Qarmatians allied themselves with Alptakin, a Turkish ghulam formerly in Buyid service. Alptakin invaded Palestine, defeated the Fatimids and captured several cities, before turning on Damascus, whose populace received him enthusiastically when he entered the city in April 975. In July 976, a Fatimid army commanded by Jawhar appeared before Damascus, and placed it under siege. The Qarmatians reacted by sending an army to aid Alptakin—according to some sources, the Damascenes appealed to the Qarmatians for aid—forcing Jawhar to lift the siege in January 977. The allies pursued Jawhar to Ramla, where they were joined by the Banu Tayy; Jawhar was defeated in a pitched battle at the Yarqon River, and was forced to abandon Ramla and retreat to Ascalon. The allies entered Ramla on 12 March.
Most sources report that al-A'sam, already ill, died a few days after the allies entered the city. He was succeeded by his brother (or cousin) Ja'far. According to the account of Ibn al-Qalanisi (followed by Ibn al-Athir), however, al-A'sam was still active when the new Fatimid caliph, al-Aziz Billah, took the field in person and defeated the allies in summer 978. Following his victory, al-Aziz neutralized the Qarmatian threat by offering an annual tribute of 30,000 dinars (other sources give the sum as 20,000 or 70,000 dinars), paid in advance for that year. Although al-A'sam is reported as active during these events, more likely it reflects a confusion with his successor. At any rate, the agreement with al-Aziz marked the end of Qarmatian presence in the region.
|
[
"## Family",
"## Attack on Ikhshidid Syria",
"## Campaigns against the Fatimids",
"### Capture of Syria and first invasion of Egypt",
"### Second invasion of Egypt",
"### Final years"
] | 2,836 | 11,587 |
45,665,155 |
Hypnotized (1910 film)
| 1,167,650,041 | null |
[
"1910 drama films",
"1910 films",
"1910 lost films",
"1910s American films",
"American black-and-white films",
"American drama short films",
"American silent short films",
"Films about hypnosis",
"Lost American drama films",
"Silent American drama films",
"Thanhouser Company films"
] |
Hypnotized, released in Britain as A Quack Hypnotist, is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film focuses on May Smalley and Jack, who loves her, who attend a traveling show that comes to their little town. The show consists of a hypnotist and a Hindu magician and proves to be a popular show, but the hypnotist who is becomes interest in May. The hypnotist lures May away by telling her that he has a message for her from the spirit world and later gets her to leave town with him. Jack knocks the magician down and takes his costume and follows the hypnotist and May back to their hotel, where he rescues her. Aside from William Russell's role in the film, the production and cast credits are unknown. The film was released on December 30, 1910, it was met with positive reviews. The film is presumed lost.
## Plot
Though the film is presumed lost, a synopsis survives in The Moving Picture World from December 31, 1910. It states, "May Smalley is a simple little country girl with whom Jack, a youth whom she has known since childhood, is very much in love. When a traveling show, consisting of a hypnotist and a Hindu magician comes to the opera house in her little town, the two young people are among the other interested spectators who flock to see the performance. May's youth and beauty attract the hypnotist, who plans to lure her away from her home. He sends May a message that he has a communication for her from the spirit world. Against the protest of Jack, her escort, May goes behind the scenes after the performance to meet with the great hypnotist, who fascinates her with his wiles. The hypnotist is an unscrupulous villain, and seeing that May is thoroughly impressed with his few tricks and considers him quite superhuman, he induces her to follow him when he leaves the town. How Jack proves himself to be a youth of resource as well as courage, the important part he played in May's deliverance by the Hindu fakir, is well told by the picture. Finally the hypnotist is shown in his true light. May is disillusioned, and comes to decide that Jack is just about the kind of protection she needs in a world of uncertainty." According to a reviewer, Jack comes up to the stage where the Hindu magician is and knocks him down. Jack takes his costume and follows the hypnotist and May to the hotel where he rescues her.
## Cast
- William Russell as the hypnotist.
## Production
The writer of the scenario is unknown, but it was most likely Lloyd Lonergan. He was an experienced newspaperman employed by The New York Evening World while writing scripts for the Thanhouser productions. The film director is unknown, but it may have been Barry O'Neil or Lucius J. Henderson. Cameramen employed by the company during this era included Blair Smith, Carl Louis Gregory, and Alfred H. Moses, Jr. though none are specifically credited. The role of the cameraman was uncredited in 1910 productions. According to Bowers the cast credits are unknown, but many 1910 Thanhouser productions are fragmentary. Though a production still shows William Russell in the film. In late 1910, the Thanhouser company released a list of the important personalities in their films. The list includes G.W. Abbe, Justus D. Barnes, Frank H. Crane, Irene Crane, Marie Eline, Violet Heming, Martin J. Faust, Thomas Fortune, George Middleton, Grace Moore, John W. Noble, Anna Rosemond, Mrs. George Walters.
This film was an example of the use of the character names Jack and May, which were to be repeatedly used by Lonergan in various productions. Bowers writes, "It developed that Lloyd F. Lonergan, ... liked these names, and during the years to come used them again and again. One can imagine that it must have become a studio joke to decide who was to play Jack and who was to play May. In actuality, names such as Jack and May were used in printed synopses to keep track of who was who, but such names were usually not mentioned in the film's subtitles. Patrons watching the picture in a theatre had not the foggiest idea whether the hero was named Jack, Bertram, or Ezekiel." The first usage of the two leading character roles was in Dots and Dashes.
## Release and reception
The single reel drama, approximately 1,000 feet long, was released on December 30, 1910. The film was released in Britain under the title A Quack Hypnotist on April 26, 1913. The film likely had a wide national release, known advertising theaters include those in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Kansas. Some theaters did not provide the production credits, complicating identification with Selig Polyscope's Hypnotized. The film received a positive review in the Moving Picture World which said, "It is a good story, well told, and the audience seems intensely interested in it." The New York Dramatic Mirror offered a review that neither commended or criticized the production in its summary review of the film.
## See also
- List of American films of 1910
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Cast",
"## Production",
"## Release and reception",
"## See also"
] | 1,101 | 14,528 |
4,616,767 |
Dragons of Autumn Twilight
| 1,158,894,321 |
1984 novel by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
|
[
"1984 American novels",
"1984 debut novels",
"1984 fantasy novels",
"American fantasy novels adapted into films",
"Core Dragonlance novels",
"Novels by Margaret Weis",
"Novels by Tracy Hickman"
] |
Dragons of Autumn Twilight is a 1984 fantasy novel by American writers Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, based on a series of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) game modules. It was the first Dragonlance novel, and first in the Chronicles trilogy, which, along with the Dragonlance Legends trilogy, are generally regarded as the core novels of the Dragonlance world. Dragons of Autumn Twilight details the meeting of the Companions and the early days of The War of the Lance. The novel corresponds with the first two Dragonlance game modules, Dragons of Despair and Dragons of Flame, but with a different ending. It introduces many of the characters that are the subject of later novels and short stories.
The title Dragons of Autumn Twilight follows a pattern with the other novels in the series, Dragons of Winter Night and Dragons of Spring Dawning, as they all start with Dragons, followed the names of the seasons, Autumn, Winter, and Spring, as well as a series of time, Twilight, Night, and Dawning.
Margaret Weis includes allusions to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, one of her favorite stories. References include: But there was something disquieting about him—secret, silent, self-contained, and solitary as an oyster and The fate of mankind is my business. This quote is turned from meaning good to meaning harm.
## Publication history
Jean Black, the managing editor of TSR's book department, assigned Hickman and Weis to write first the novel Dragons of Autumn Twilight and then continue with the rest of the Dragonlance Chronicles series. The Chronicles trilogy came about because the designers wanted novels to tell the story of the game world they were creating, something to which TSR, Inc. (TSR) agreed only reluctantly.
## Setting
The novels take place on the fantasy world of Krynn, created specifically for the gameplay. The world once worshiped the True Gods, a pantheon unique to the Dragonlance saga, but has come to believe that the True Gods have abandoned the world and those in it. The world is just starting to recover from the loss of the True Gods and a group has sprung up seeking to replace the True Gods (the Seekers). The main focus of the novels is the continent Ansalon and the characters Tanis Half-Elven, Sturm Brightblade, Caramon Majere, Raistlin Majere, Flint Fireforge, Tasslehoff Burrfoot, Goldmoon, and Riverwind.
## Plot summary
The book begins with the return of a group of friends, consisting of Tanis, Sturm, Caramon, Raistlin, Flint, and Tasslehoff, who had separated to pursue their own quests and pledged to return in five years. Kitiara Uth Matar, the half sister of the twins Caramon and Raistlin, was supposed to be there as well, but only sent a mysterious note.
On the eve of their reunion, the Companions discover that the village where they are meeting has been taken over by a religious order called the Seekers. They are collaborating with the Dragon Highlords, who are preparing for the conquest of the continent of Ansalon.
The Companions soon discover that the Seekers are searching for a Blue Crystal Staff. When Goldmoon, a plainswoman in the same inn as the companions, heals a Seeker with her staff, the Companions are confronted by Highlord forces and are forced to flee the village.
The next day, the group is attacked by Draconians, reptilian creatures that serve as foot soldiers in the Highlords' army. The Companions are driven into the woods, where they are attacked by undead and rescued by a centaur. The group is charged to go to the ruined city of Xak Tsaroth to retrieve the Disks of Mishakal, an object containing the teaching of the True Gods that will be instrumental for the restoration of the faith in the True Gods.
After a lengthy trip on the backs of pegasi and several encounters with the forces of darkness, the companions enter Xak Tsaroth and meet some gully dwarves, diminutive and socially awkward creatures. One of the dwarves, Bupu, leads them to the dragon Khisanth, who is killed by the holy power of the Blue Crystal Staff. When this happens, Goldmoon is consumed by its flame and presumed dead. However, they later find her resting at the foot of a statue of Mishakal (the Goddess of Healing), which now bears the Blue Crystal Staff, and Goldmoon is blessed with true clerical powers. The Companions leave with the Disks of Mishakal. Bupu gives an ancient spellbook (formerly belonging to the archmage Fistandantilus) to Raistlin. When they return to the village to regroup they find it occupied. The Companions are captured by the Highlord armies and are chained in a slave caravan along with an elf named Gilthanas, the son of the leader of the elven nation of Qualinesti.
The group is freed by Gilthanas's brother, Porthios. They flee to Qualinesti, where Tanis is reunited with his childhood sweetheart, the exceptionally beautiful elven princess, Laurana Kanan. Laurana is still in love with Tanis and wants to marry him, but Tanis breaks her heart by telling her he is now in love with Kitiara.
The Elven King Solostaran convinces the Companions to lead an attack on the slave-mine Pax Tharkas to free the slaves from the control of the local Dragon Highlord. The Companions journey through a secret passage underground to Pax Tharkas and devise a plan to free the slaves. Laurana, desperate to win Tanis back, secretly follows the Companions. When Tanis discovers Laurana has followed them he angrily rebukes her for acting like a spoiled child. Laurana resolves to try to prove she is more than that.
The Companions infiltrate Pax Tharkas and Goldmoon heals Elistan, a dying Seeker, and converts him to the faith of the true gods. He becomes the first cleric of Paladine, and Goldmoon turns the Disks of Mishakal over to him. The Companions help the slaves break free. Laurana proves her worth in the battle by fighting bravely. The Dragon Highlord Verminaard and his red dragon Ember arrive to crush the revolt, but the insane red dragon Flamestrike kills Ember, while the Companions cut down Verminaard. A mysterious figure called "The Everman" later appears at a celebration following the freeing of the slaves, but flees after being spotted.
According to Tracy Hickman, "The restoration of truth and faith are... to a great extent, the theme of this first book in the series".
## Characters
### Heroes of the Lance
- Tanis Half-Elven, a bastard half-elf and the leader of the companions, torn between the human woman Kitiara and the elfmaid Laurana.
- Sturm Brightblade, a squire to the Knights of Solamnia and deeply honorable man.
- Goldmoon, daughter of the chief of the Que-Shu tribe, bearer of the Blue Crystal Staff, and first true cleric of good since the Cataclysm.
- Riverwind, bodyguard and romantic interest of Goldmoon. His family was made outcast from their tribe for their belief in the old gods of Krynn, rather than worshipping the tribe's ancestors.
- Caramon Majere, a huge, muscular, sometimes slow-thinking warrior, with a deep affection for his brother, Raistlin, and a romantic interest in Tika.
- Raistlin Majere, a cynical, sarcastic, physically frail mage, distrusted by most of the other Companions, twin brother of Caramon.
- Flint Fireforge, a gruff old dwarf and old friend of Tanis.
- Tasslehoff Burrfoot, a happy-go-lucky, not-so-innocent and genial kender.
### Other major characters
- Laurana Kanan, an elven princess and romantic interest of Tanis.
- Gilthanas Kanan, elven prince and brother of Laurana, he strongly disapproves of his sister's love for the illegitimate half-elf Tanis.
- Fizban, a muddled old wizard.
- Tika Waylan, a red-haired barmaid turned warrior and romantic interest of Caramon.
- Elistan, leader of the refugees who becomes the first cleric of the good god, Paladine.
- Dragon Highlord Verminaard, the leader of the Red Dragonarmy and a priest of the evil goddess, Takhisis. He seeks to destroy the elven nation of Qualinesti and exterminate the elves, generally seen as the most incorruptible defenders of Good on Krynn.
## Adaptations
### Comic
Devil's Due Publishing adapted the novel into comic format. A trade paperback collecting the issues was released in May 2006. It was ranked 33 in the top 100 graphic novels in sales with an estimated preorder quantity of 2,634.
### Movie
A movie adaptation of the novel was released on 15 January 2008. It is the first direct-to-video movie release based on the Dragonlance campaign setting of Dungeons & Dragons. The screenplay adaptation was completed by George Strayton, with creative assistance by Weis and Hickman, and Will Meugniot directed. The movie used both 2D and 3D animation, and was made by Paramount Pictures.
## Importance to Dragonlance
The storyline of the original Dragonlance series had been plotted and outlined before either the novel trilogy or the games were written. Dragons of Autumn Twilight was the first novel of the Dragonlance series. It was based upon a Dungeons & Dragons session played by the authors with some of their friends, some of whom later became Dragonlance writers. The novel was written after the completion of the first Dragonlance game modules. Weis and Hickman felt this was constraining and made the novel feel too episodic, so they reversed the process for the next books and completed the novels before the related modules were written.
This book sets up many of the most important characters, the group known as the Heroes of the Lance. According to the Dragonlance Nexus fansite, the Chronicles Trilogy sets the foundation for the rest of the novels. A Wizards of the Coast interview stated that Hickman and Weis make a good team because Hickman is better at writing about good characters, and Weis is better at writing about dark characters, evidenced by her love of Raistlin. Dragons of Autumn Twilight was the debut novel for both Weis and Hickman.
## Reception
Dave Langford reviewed Dragons of Autumn Twilight for White Dwarf \#65, suggesting that it was "inspired by an AD&D campaign full of chunks ripped bleeding from Tolkien" and complained about the "deadly predictable questing, with stock D&D characters in familiar encounters" and ultimately reported that he "couldn't finish this one".
Steve Hampshire reviewed Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Autumn Twilight for Imagine magazine, and stated that "in conclusion, the book stands up well as AD&D supplementary material, but rather less well as a novel".
Jason Heller, of The A.V. Club, wrote a positive review of Dragonlance Chronicles, remarking that Dragons of Autumn Twilight is still widely read, although he noted the clichés of the series: "In Dragons of Autumn Twilight, the adventurers meet up in a tavern—even if it is a tavern that’s nestled in the branches of a giant tree, something my 12-year-old self thought was super cool. My 42-year-old self agrees, although my days of getting drunk way up high up in a tree are starting to wind down".
Dragons of Autumn Twilight was \#10 on CBR's 2020 "10 Of The Best DnD Stories To Start Off With" list — the article states that "the reason that any aspiring Dungeon master or player should read this novel, is that it provides some great ideas on how to make common tropes seen in D & D more interesting. For example, the Companions in the novel provide a great framework to turn class-based archetypes into three-dimensional characters".
In the Io9 series revisiting older Dungeons & Dragons novels, Rob Bricken commented that "the characters are complex enough to feel real, and the scope of the novel makes Krynn feel like a living world".
## Reviews
- Review by Michael M. Levy (1985) in Fantasy Review, March 1985
- Review by Frank Catalano (1985) in Amazing Stories, July 1985
- Review by John C. Bunnell (1985) in Dragon Magazine, June 1985
- Review by Andy Sawyer (1986) in Paperback Inferno, \#62
- Review by J. W. Wrenn (2004) in Deep Magic, \#22, March 2004
## See also
- Dragons of Winter Night
- Dragons of Spring Dawning
- Dragons of Summer Flame
## Release details
|
[
"## Publication history",
"## Setting",
"## Plot summary",
"## Characters",
"### Heroes of the Lance",
"### Other major characters",
"## Adaptations",
"### Comic",
"### Movie",
"## Importance to Dragonlance",
"## Reception",
"## Reviews",
"## See also",
"## Release details"
] | 2,735 | 18,056 |
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