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Hurricane Kiko (1989)
| 1,170,971,026 |
Category 3 Pacific hurricane in 1989
|
[
"1989 Pacific hurricane season",
"1989 in Mexico",
"Category 3 Pacific hurricanes",
"Hurricanes and tropical depressions of the Gulf of California",
"Pacific hurricanes in Mexico"
] |
Hurricane Kiko was one of the strongest tropical cyclones on record to have made landfall on Mexico's Baja California peninsula. The eleventh named storm of the 1989 Pacific hurricane season, Kiko formed out of a large mesoscale convective system on August 25. Slowly tracking northwestward, the storm rapidly intensified into a hurricane early the next day. Strengthening continued until early August 27, when Kiko reached its peak intensity with winds of 120 mph (190 km/h). The storm turned west at this time, and at around 0600 UTC, the storm made landfall near Punta Arena, Mexico at the southern tip of Baja California Sur. The hurricane rapidly weakened into a tropical storm later that day and further into a tropical depression by August 28, shortly after entering the Pacific Ocean. The depression persisted for another day while tracking southward, before being absorbed by nearby Tropical Storm Lorena. Though Kiko made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane, its impact was relatively minor. Press reports indicated that 20 homes were destroyed and numerous highways were flooded by torrential rains.
## Meteorological history
Unlike most other eastern Pacific hurricanes between 1988 and 1990 that began as tropical waves off the western coast of Africa, Hurricane Kiko developed out of a large-scale mesoscale convective system on August 23 on the coast of Sonora. The system slowly tracked southward into the Gulf of California and became increasingly organized. Shower and thunderstorm activity was present around an area of low pressure the following day; however, insufficient reports from the region hindered the National Hurricane Center's (NHC) forecasting ability. By August 25, satellite intensity estimates, using the Dvorak technique, indicated that the low had developed into a tropical depression around 1200 UTC, while the storm was located about 115 miles (185 kilometers) south of Mazatlán, Sinaloa. Operationally, the system was not declared a tropical depression; instead it was immediately declared Tropical Storm Kiko with winds of 40 mph (64 km/h). Located within an area with little or no steering current, and situated over warm waters and underneath an upper-level low, conditions were near perfect for rapid intensification, despite the proximity to land. A general northwestward drift was anticipated, and the NHC forecast the storm to reach hurricane intensity within 24 hours.
Convective banding features began to develop late on August 25 as winds around the center reached 50 mph (80 km/h). With the development of an anticyclone over the storm, Kiko's outflow become more pronounced. Around 0600 UTC on August 26, an eye developed within the small circulation, suggesting the cyclone had strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. However, satellite intensity estimates indicated winds of only 40 mph (64 km/h). Shortly after, Kiko was upgraded to a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 100 mph (160 km/h). Ships in the vicinity of the hurricane reported tropical storm-force winds extending roughly 50 mi (80 km) from the center. Winds within the eyewall subsequently increased to 115 mph (185 km/h), making Kiko a minimal Category 3 hurricane. Intensification continued for another six hours, ending around 0000 UTC on August 27, at which time the storm reached its peak intensity with winds of 120 mph (190 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 955 mbar (hPa; 28.2 inHg).
Around the time of peak intensity, Dvorak intensity estimates reached T6.0, equating to a minimal Category 4 hurricane with winds of 135 mph (217 km/h). A trough located to the north of the hurricane began to weaken, causing the storm to track in a more westward direction. Kiko weakened slightly before making landfall near Punta Arena, on the southern tip of Baja California, with winds of 115 mph (185 kph). Kiko was thus the second major hurricane to ever make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Baja California since reliable recordkeeping began in 1949, with the other being 1967's Hurricane Olivia. Due to the small size and slow movement of the storm, it rapidly weakened, becoming a tropical storm by 1800 UTC. Convection associated with the storm significantly diminished; the center of circulation became nearly devoid of thunderstorm activity early on August 28. Shortly after emerging into the Pacific Ocean, Kiko was further downgraded into a tropical depression, and turned towards the southwest due to interaction with nearby Tropical Storm Lorena. Tropical Depression Kiko dissipated around 1800 UTC on August 29; however, its remnants continued southward before being absorbed by Lorena.
## Preparations and impact
Around 2100 UTC on August 25, the Government of Mexico issued a hurricane warning for the Islas Marías and areas between the southern border of Sonora and El Dorado. A hurricane watch was also issued for areas between Los Burros, Mexico and the southern tip of Baja California Sur along the Gulf of California. By 0900 UTC the following day, the hurricane watch was upgraded to a warning. Roughly three hours later, the previous hurricane watch issued for Sonora was discontinued as Kiko was no longer forecast to make landfall in the state. The hurricane warning on Baja California was also extended northward to Bahía Concepción. Due to uncertainty in Kiko's track, a hurricane watch was re-issued for Sonora between El Dorado and Los Mochis. Around 0900 UTC on August 27, a hurricane warning was issued for areas south of San Carlos on the Pacific coast of Baja California. The hurricane watch for Sonora was then discontinued. By 1800 UTC, the hurricane warnings on the Gulf Coast of Baja California were replaced by a tropical storm warning which was declared for areas between the southern tip of the peninsula and Bahía Concepción. At this time, the hurricane warning for the Pacific coast was revised to a tropical storm warning. Early on August 28, all watches and warnings were discontinued as Kiko weakened into a tropical depression and moved away from land.
In Baja California Sur, more than 1,300 people evacuated to shelters in La Paz. Flights arriving and departing in the region were canceled or diverted to other airports. The Red Cross prepared shelters in schools, hospitals, and other public buildings throughout the city. On the Islas Marías, an unconfirmed report of 54 mph (87 km/h) sustained winds was relayed to the National Hurricane Center. Due to the hurricane's small size, only areas directly in the path of the storm received precipitation; however, a monsoonal outer band on the eastern side of the storm produced widespread rainfall in eastern Mexico. In Sonora, over 7 in (180 mm) of rain fell in mountainous areas, while numerous locations recorded at least 1 in (25 mm). In Baja California, the heaviest rainfall was recorded in Los Cabos, and amounted to 11.97 in (304 mm). Only a small portion of the peninsula received more than 10 in (250 mm) of rain. At least 1,000 people were evacuated from heavily damaged areas. Press reports indicated that 20 homes were destroyed by Hurricane Kiko. High winds, gusting over 109 mph (175 km/h), brought down numerous trees and power lines.
Before Kiko's eye moved ashore, the airport near Cabo San Lucas reported sustained winds of 47 mph (76 km/h) with gusts up to 63 mph (101 km/h). Meteorological recordings near the place of landfall were not available as the small system tracked over a sparsely populated region. From La Paz to Cabo San Lucas, power and water supplies were lost. The heavy rains flooded several highways, and the resultant flood waters overturned a bus. Passengers on the bus managed to escape injury and were quickly brought to shelter by the local fire department. The storm's effects washed out roughly 100 yd (91 m) of the San Antonio–San Bartolome highway. The Rancho Leonero Resort in Buena Vista sustained severe roof damage and several docked boats were damaged. Several days after Kiko dissipated, remnant moisture from the storm contributed to a complex weather system that produced torrential rainfall throughout the U.S. state of Kansas, unofficially reaching 16 in (410 mm) in localized areas.
## See also
- 1989 Pacific hurricane season
- Other tropical cyclones named Kiko
- Hurricane Olaf (2021)
|
[
"## Meteorological history",
"## Preparations and impact",
"## See also"
] | 1,788 | 41,234 |
14,228,979 |
The Economist (Lost)
| 1,161,303,261 | null |
[
"2008 American television episodes",
"Lost (season 4) episodes",
"Television episodes directed by Jack Bender",
"Television episodes written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz"
] |
"The Economist" is the third episode of the fourth season and 75th episode overall of the ABC's serial drama television series Lost. It was aired on February 14, 2008, on ABC in the United States and on CTV in Canada. The episode was written by co-executive producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and directed by executive producer Jack Bender. In the episode's narrative, Sayid Jarrah (Naveen Andrews) and Kate Austen (Evangeline Lilly) negotiate for John Locke's (Terry O'Quinn) hostage Charlotte Lewis (Rebecca Mader), while physicist and Kahana crew member Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies) discovers that time on the island runs at an offset from the rest of the world. Another storyline follows Sayid working as an assassin after being rescued from the island.
"The Economist" was watched by 14 million American viewers and received positive reactions from critics.
## Plot
Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox) and Miles Straume (Ken Leung) argue about what to do about leader of the Others, Ben Linus (Michael Emerson), and Miles's colleague Charlotte, both sought after by Miles and his colleagues and taken prisoner by Locke. Sayid pays his respects to Naomi Dorrit, and takes her bracelet. He then offers to retrieve Charlotte without bloodshed, in return gaining a helicopter flight to the freighter anchored offshore. He takes along Miles and Kate. Sayid asks Jack not to come with them as Jack might be unpredictable around Locke.
While Sayid is gone, Daniel asks Regina (Zoë Bell), a colleague on the freighter to shoot a projectile onto the island. Regina does so, but the projectile does not arrive for thirty minutes. When it lands, Daniel extracts a clock from the payload and finds that the two times, that running on the island and that running outside, are not synchronized.
The survivors led by Locke arrive at the location of Jacob's cabin, but find the area deserted. Locke changes his course to the barracks, and uses Hugo "Hurley" Reyes (Jorge Garcia) to ambush Sayid, Kate and Miles. Kate is watched by James "Sawyer" Ford (Josh Holloway), and they discuss their reasons for wanting or not wanting to go home. Kate, realizing that she would be arrested for her crimes upon rescue, defects to Locke's group. Sayid negotiates with Locke to exchange Charlotte with Miles, in order to get access to the boat. Locke tells him that wouldn't be necessary as Ben has a spy on that freighter, to which Sayid responds that he would rather sell his soul than trust Ben.
At the helicopter, Desmond Hume (Henry Ian Cusick) confronts pilot Frank Lapidus (Jeff Fahey) about the picture Naomi had of him and his ex-fiancée Penelope Widmore (Sonya Walger). Frank denies any knowledge of her, but Desmond nevertheless demands a place on a helicopter. At the same time, Sayid returns, with only Charlotte. While Frank accuses Sayid of being dishonest, he considered Miles a "pain in the ass", and agrees to fly him offshore.
The episode's flashforwards are centered on Sayid in Berlin, who had since become one of the Oceanic Six. He is hired as an assassin, and courts a German woman, Elsa (Thekla Reuten), in order to get closer to her employer (the eponymous "economist"). After several dates, Sayid turns on Elsa, who reveals herself to be a counter-spy by unexpectedly shooting Sayid in the shoulder. Sayid is able to shoot and kill Elsa. As the episode ends, Sayid is treated for his wound by Ben, who gives him another assignment. Sayid is now wary since they now know that he's after them, to which Ben replies, "Good".
## Production
The story of Sayid's future was influenced by spy fiction—in particular, the writing eventually "gravitated" towards a story much like the Jason Bourne franchise. The story was justified by Sayid's status as part of the "Oceanic Six", as his celebrity status would provide the perfect cover for his clandestine activities. The episode was written in autumn 2007. At the end of the first scene in Berlin, the flag shown on the building across the street from where Sayid stands is actually that of the former East German GDR.
An important scene in the episode regarded Faraday's experiment and the resulting time differential. The scene set up a prominent theme of "time-travel" for later episodes. In the episode's respective podcast, Lost's show runners Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof further discussed the time differential as part of an already existing theme regarding transport between the island and the rest of the world. In particular, the theme was alluded to the "Orchid video", a Dharma Initiative video that premiered at the 2007 Comic-Con.
However, some scenes in the episode gained unintentional significance. The Boston Red Sox won the World Series for the second time in three years after the episode was written, which prompted the question "Is it possible Lapidus is actually from 2008?" due to his annoyed reply. Likewise, the only reason that Elsa and Naomi had similar bracelets was that it would serve as an "emotional touchstone" for Sayid. After the episode, the producers received several emails about both issues.
Andrews enjoyed his role in "The Economist". He appreciated that, unlike the third season, he was able to "push the story forward", which he thought was "infinitely more interesting and rewarding." The premise "threw [him] for a loop", and he was pleased with how complex the episode was.
## Reception
"The Economist" was seen by 13.76 million American viewers, making Lost the fourth most watched program of the week. The episode received a Nielsen rating of 5.8/15 in the key adults 18–49 demographic. In Great Britain, Lost brought in 1.2 million viewers.
The first four episodes of the fourth season were watched beforehand by TV Guide, who called them "worth the wait" and "emotionally satisfying". TV Guide also stated that they "provide gaspworthy plot twists that should whip fans into a theory-spinning tizzy." Sarah Vasques of eFluxMedia thought the scene where Daniel discovers the time discrepancy the most mind-blowing scene of the episode. Entertainment Weekly commented that "for the second straight year, Cupid was kicked in the nuts", as the episode "Flashes Before Your Eyes" also aired on St. Valentine's Day. Also discussed in the review was possible Biblical allegory to the Book of Daniel. However, Mark Madley of The National Post thought that this episode, along with the previous two, gave away too much plot detail, and compared the off-island storyline to "that awful Stallone/Banderas movie Assassins". Don Williams of BuddyTV thought that the scene where Sayid disposes of his cellphone after calling Ben "like an episode of Alias", and finished his recap by saying "consider my mind blown again". MaryAnn Johanson of Film.com called the episode "mind-blowing", and theorized that Sayid had been working for Ben before the crash, and that the crash of Oceanic 815 was deliberate. Chris Carabott of IGN stated that, in the episode "Sayid Jarrah is a badass who could give Jack Bauer, James Bond, and Jason Bourne all a run for their money", and praised Lost's nature for being able to have "a lighthearted episode featuring Hurley [one week] and the next can be an action spy thriller starring Sayid." He praised the episode for being a perfect example of serialized television, and thought that Elsa's double cross to be "very reminiscent of Vesper Lynd and her true employer in Casino Royale". Overall, he rated the episode 8.6 out of 10.
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"## Reception"
] | 1,638 | 35,828 |
22,211,080 |
Battarrea phalloides
| 1,170,201,917 |
Species of fungus
|
[
"Agaricaceae",
"Fungi described in 1785",
"Fungi of Asia",
"Fungi of Australia",
"Fungi of Brazil",
"Fungi of Europe",
"Fungi of North America",
"Fungi of Oceania",
"Fungi without expected TNC conservation status",
"Inedible fungi",
"Taxa named by James Dickson (botanist)"
] |
Battarrea phalloides is an inedible species of mushroom in the family Agaricaceae, and the type species of the genus Battarrea. Known in the vernacular as the scaley-stalked puffball, sandy stiltball, or desert stalked puffball, it has a woody, slender, and shaggy or scaly stem that is typically up to 40 centimeters (15.7 in) in length. Although its general appearance resembles an agaric with stem and gills, atop the stem is a spore sac, consisting of a peridium and a powdery internal gleba. In maturity, the spore sac ruptures to release the spores. Battarrea phalloides is found in dry, sandy locations throughout the world, and has been collected from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America (primarily in western regions), and South America. There is currently some disagreement in the literature as to whether the European B. stevensii is the same species as B. phalloides.
## Taxonomy
The species was first mentioned in the scientific literature in 1784, when Thomas Jenkinson Woodward described a new species found by Mr. Humphreys of Norwich. It was named by James Dickson in 1785 as Lycoperdon phalloides, and the type locality was Suffolk, England. Christian Hendrik Persoon sanctioned the name when he transferred to Battarrea in his 1801 Synopsis Methodica Fungorum, a newly circumscribed genus named after the Italian mycologist Giovanni Antonio Battarra. Synonyms include Phallus campanulatus, published by Miles Berkeley in 1842 based on collections made by Charles Darwin in Maldonado (Uruguay) in 1833, and Ithyphallus campanulatus, a new combination based on Berkeley's name, published by Diederich Franz Leonhard von Schlechtendal in 1933.
The specific epithet phalloides means phallus-like, and refers to the similarity of the volva to the genus Phallus. Battarrea phalloides is commonly known as the "scaly-stalked puffball" and the "sandy stiltball"; a common name given to the species B. stevenii is the "desert drumstick". In Cyprus, it is known locally as "Donkey fungus", a name that may be derived from the fact that the spores were once used as a natural antiseptic and antipruritic agent applied to the backs of donkeys, or for their morphological resemblance to the animal's penis.
Historically, there has been uncertainty as to whether the European species known as Battarrea stevenii is a unique species or merely a polymorphic variant of B. phalloides. The taxon has been described as both a variety (as B. phalloides var. stevenii by Cleland and Cheel in 1916) and as a form (as B. phalloides f. stevenii by Calonge in 2004). In 1995, mycologist Roy Watling opined that B. stevenii differs in having spores that are colored more orange-tawny, slightly larger (5–6.5 by 5.75–7 μm, as opposed to 4.5–5.25 by 4.5–5.75 μm), and less ornamented. Further, B. stevenii is thought to have a larger fruit body size, a more coarsely scaly stipe, and lack of mucilage in the volva and the innermost parts of the stem. The presence or absence of mucilage has been traditionally considered the significant characteristic separating the species. In 1904, Lászlo Hollós proposed the idea of a single polymorphic species; in 1942, Paul Marshall Rea, after studying 25 specimens from southern California, concluded that B. stevenii was conspecific with B. phalloides and represented a single species. An analysis of a number of European specimens—using both macroscopic and microscopic characteristics in addition to molecular analysis of ITS regions of the 5.8S rDNA—also suggested both to be conspecific. The authors of this study considered the differences in spore ornamentation and stipe hyphae to be insufficient to discriminate them as two species; they did, however, note that their inability to locate the type material for both species limited the conclusiveness of their suggestion. The conspecificity of the species was supported in a later study that used traditional and molecular methods to compare field-collected English specimens and an extensive range of herbarium material collected from around the world. They found that material labeled B. stevenii generally had a greater range of cap and stem sizes, while that labeled B. phalloides was generally more consistent, and smaller. However, the B. phalloides material they studied was generally from similar habitats in the UK, while the B. stevenii material originated from a wide variety of locales and habitats, suggesting that environmental factors influence fruit body morphology. Evidence pointing to conspecificity included the continuum of spore sizes between the two, and the lack of any significant differences between their DNA. In 2006, however, based on a study of specimens collected in China, other scientists considered them to be independent species.
## Description
Mature specimens of Battarrea phalloides roughly resemble the typical agaric mushroom stature of stem and cap. However, rather than a cap with gills, this species has a spore sac atop the stem. When young, the fruit body is roughly spherical and completely encased in an outer wall (exoperidium) that later splits in a circumscissile fashion (along a circular or equatorial line), the lower wall forming a volva and the upper part forming scales that cover the inner wall. The upper part rolls upward and backward and eventually falls away in one piece, exposing a spore sac lined with a narrow ring of capillitium and spores. The spores are sticky. As these are carried away by the wind, the drying action of the latter cause the edges of the peridium to shrivel and roll up more, exposing more spores. This is continued until the upper half of the peridium has shriveled and blown away and there remains only a few spores, which may be washed away by rain.
The fruit body develops rapidly; when mature, it is rust-colored, with a hemispherical to somewhat conical "head" 1 to 3 cm (0.4 to 1.2 in) in diameter, and with a stalk up to 40 cm (15.7 in) long by 0.4 to 1.5 cm (0.2 to 0.6 in) thick.
One study reported a specimen found in Mexico with a length of 70 cm (27.6 in). Typically, the spore case is 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2.0 in) broad by 1 to 3.5 cm (0.4 to 1.4 in) tall. The hollow stalk is pale brown to brown, woody, and has a fibrous, scaly, or even woolly surface. The mature gleba, which is eventually exposed when the peridial cap is shed, has a rust-brown color. The cap may persist after the spore mass is dispersed and form a disc-like unit that slides down the stalk like a ring. The fragile sac-shaped volva is up to 15 by 13 cm (5.9 by 5.1 in) broad, unattached to the stalk, and formed by two distinct, separated tissue layers. The inner layer resembles the scales of the stem, consisting of hyphae that are 3–18 μm in diameter, closely arranged (nearly parallel), septate, sparsely branched, yellowish ochre, with clamps at some septa. The outer layer of fungal tissue is thicker, membranous, sometimes with a corky texture when dry, and dirty white. It consists of pale yellow intertwined hyphae that are difficult to distinguish individually, and without remains of a gelatinous matrix. Fruit bodies may persist for several months after they have dried.
The thick-walled spores are roughly spherical, rusty-brown, finely and densely warted, and have diameters of 5–6.5 μm. Elaters are 50–80 by 4–6 μm, and have ring-like or spiral thickenings. The endoperidium consists of densely interwoven hyphae that are 3–9 μm in diameter and walls less than 1 μm thick; they are septate, branched, pale yellow, with clamp connections.
The gleba is largely made up of two types of threads. The pseudocapillitium has hyphae up to 5 μm diameter, mostly thin walled, smooth, septate, sparsely branched, hyaline to pale yellow, with clamps. The elaters have diameters of 3.5–7 μm and are 32–70 μm long; they are pale yellow, smooth-walled, tapered and cylindrical with spiral thickenings. Glebal elaters are aseptate and not branched.
### Edibility
Battarrea phalloides (as well as Battarrea stevenii) is inedible. In Cyprus, the immature egg-form of the fruit body is eaten. Older specimens may smell unpleasant. The spores of B. stevenii are used as a cicatrizant—a product that promotes healing through the formation of scar tissue–by the Criollo herdsmen of Gran Chaco in northern Argentina.
### Similar species
The closely related species Battarrea diguettii is known in the United States from the Mojave desert, and differs from B. phalloides in that the spore sac emerges by ripping through the top of the exoperidium, rather than by circumscissile rupture. The endoperidium of B. diguettii is also smaller, and the spores emerge through a number of pores on the upper surface of the spore sac. Battarrea stevenii can grow taller, up to 70 centimeters (27.6 in). Podaxis pistillaris, commonly known as the "desert shaggy mane", occurs in dry locales similar to B. phalloides, but can be distinguished by its shaggy, elongated cap.
## Habitat and distribution
Battarrea phalloides may be found growing solitary to scattered on dry, sandy hedgebanks (raised or mounded boundary feature, often topped by a hedgerow), sometimes growing amongst elm suckers. It is a relatively rare species, but may be locally abundant in some locations. In Mexico, where it is only known from the north and central part of the country, it has been usually collected in arid and semiarid areas, on coastal dunes, found from sea level up to 2,550 m (8,370 ft) high. The mushroom has been associated with the quick-growing evergreen tree Schinus molle, as well as Lycium brevipes, Solanum hindsianum, Salicornia subterminalis, Atriplex linearis, Quercus agrifolia and Opuntia species, in coastal dunes. The largest fruit bodies were found on floodplains with halophilic (i.e., thriving in high-salt conditions) vegetation. In Belgium, specimens were found on sandy soil under dead elderflower bushes.
In North America, Battarrea phalloides has been collected from the Yukon Territory, western Canada; the US, where it is confined to the west— Southern California, New Mexico, and Arizona— Mexico, and Hawaii. It has also been reported growing in South America (Brazil), Africa (Morocco), Europe (Belgium and North Macedonia), China, and Australia. Due to a decline in sightings, B. phalloides was granted legal protection in Hungary in 2005, making it a finable offense to pick them. It received similar protected status in the United Kingdom in 1998.
The habitat and range of Battarrea stevenii include arid regions of the western and southwestern United States, Australia, South Africa, and several European countries, including Russia.
|
[
"## Taxonomy",
"## Description",
"### Edibility",
"### Similar species",
"## Habitat and distribution"
] | 2,608 | 36,733 |
69,096,358 |
Murders of William and Patricia Wycherley
| 1,172,065,869 |
1998 double murder case
|
[
"1998 murders in the United Kingdom",
"Crime in Nottinghamshire",
"Mansfield",
"May 1998 events in the United Kingdom",
"Parricides"
] |
At some point over the Early May bank holiday weekend in 1998, William and Patricia Wycherley were shot and killed in their home in a suburb of Mansfield, England, by their daughter Susan and her husband, Christopher Edwards. The Edwardses then buried the bodies in the garden behind the house and went on to use the Wycherleys' identities to commit various acts of fraud intended to fund their hobby of collecting expensive Hollywood memorabilia.
The crime went undiscovered until 2012, when Christopher contacted his stepmother to ask for money and confessed. At this point the Edwards were living in Lille, France, having moved there when the UK's Department for Work and Pensions requested an interview with William Wycherley to assess his needs, as he would have been approaching his 100th birthday. They eventually agreed to surrender themselves to police at St Pancras railway station in October 2013 after travelling back to the UK.
The couple were found guilty of murder in June 2014 and were sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years. The case was the basis for a 2021 docudrama miniseries titled Landscapers.
## Background
William Wycherley served in the British Merchant Navy, and married Patricia in 1958. After their deaths, the investigating police officers found only two photographs of William and none of Patricia. They could not trace any friends of the couple, and only managed to find relatives of William – some nieces – although they did not know him well at all. Neighbours described Patricia as "old-fashioned", and William as "like a Victorian father, head of the family".
Christopher Edwards met Susan Wycherley via a dating agency, and the couple married in 1983. Christopher worked as a credit controller and Susan was a librarian, although she gave up work after marriage. They lived in a small flat in Dagenham, East London. The couple shared a hobby of collecting Hollywood memorabilia which developed into obsession; the couple purchased many expensive items that they could not reasonably afford, including spending £20,000 on a signed photograph of Frank Sinatra. Susan forged letters supposedly from French actor Gérard Depardieu to her husband, writing in poor English and using a franking machine purchased on the Internet to add a fake French postmark.
## Murders and concealment
William and Patricia Wycherley were each shot twice in the chest using a .38 calibre revolver dating from the Second World War at some point between 1 May and 5 May 1998; they were 85 and 63 years old respectively. The Edwardses maintain that Patricia shot William before taunting Susan. They claim that Patricia said that "[Susan] had never been wanted as a child" and that "she [Patricia] had been having an affair with Christopher", provoking Susan into shooting her mother. At trial, the prosecution argued that this story was unlikely. They asserted that the ballistic evidence pointed to careful shots by the same, experienced shooter. Christopher had admitted in his police interviews that he had once belonged to a gun club, and thus the prosecutors argued that Christopher had pulled the trigger.
One night soon after the killings, Christopher dug a large hole in the back garden of the Wycherleys' house and buried their bodies in it. To conceal his actions, he planted shrubs in the ground above. Although a neighbour saw the hole being dug, they did not believe the act was suspicious enough to warrant informing the police.
The Wycherleys were not particularly social – one neighbour said that "[t]hey didn't mix [...] or communicate with anyone" – and so many assumed that they had simply moved away. The Edwardses told anyone who asked that the Wycherleys were travelling. To keep up the pretense, the couple sent Christmas cards to relatives containing invented stories of extended holidays, forged replies to correspondence and regularly visited the house to mow the lawn, clear gutters and pay bills.
## Fraud and discovery
On Tuesday, 5 May 1998, Susan Edwards opened a joint bank account in her name and that of her mother using forged documents, and moved her parents' savings of just over £40,000 into it. The couple proceeded to redirect private and state pension payments, industrial injury payouts and winter fuel payments to themselves. They also took out personal loans in the names of the Wycherleys. The couple spent almost all of the money on more memorabilia, including many signed photographs of the actor Gary Cooper. In 2005, believing that sufficient time had passed since the killings, they sold the house in Mansfield, again using forged signatures, for just under £67,000 in an attempt to pay off their debts. By this point they were paying creditors around £700 per month, but were still making memorabilia purchases of ten times that amount.
In late 2012, the Department for Work and Pensions wrote to William requesting a meeting to assess his needs. This frightened the Edwardses, and they fled the UK, living for a year in Lille, France. Unable to find work in France, the couple ran out of money, and Christopher contacted his stepmother, Elizabeth, and told her the version of the story they would tell in court – that Patricia had shot William, and then Susan had shot her mother after provocation.
Elizabeth Edwards contacted the police, and an investigation was launched under Detective Chief Inspector Rob Griffin. After initial inquiries lent credence to the story, police excavated the garden of the Wycherleys' former home, discovering their bodies in October 2013. After a brief email correspondence, the Edwardses agreed to surrender to UK police at St Pancras railway station after returning from France on the Eurostar three weeks after the discovery of the bodies. At the time of their arrest, the couple were £160,000 in debt.
## Trial
The Edwardses were put on trial at Nottingham Crown Court in 2014. Susan pleaded guilty to the lesser crime of manslaughter, but denied murder. Christopher pleaded not guilty to the killings. The couple both pleaded guilty to two counts of interfering with the duties of a coroner and theft of a credit balance.
Prosecutors argued that the crime was premeditated, and that Christopher had shot both Wycherleys with the intention of stealing their money. A jury found both Christopher and Susan guilty of murder in June 2014, rejecting Susan's claims of provocation.
Both Christopher and Susan were convicted of murder, and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years. Susan applied for leave to appeal against her sentence in 2015, claiming that her father had sexually assaulted her and that the judge did not take this "provocation" into account. The Court of Appeal dismissed her application, with Lady Justice Rafferty stating that "the crown court judge was entitled to reach the conclusions she did when setting the minimum term".
## Media representation
The case was the basis for a 2021 docudrama miniseries, Landscapers, directed by Will Sharpe. Christopher was played by David Thewlis and Susan by Olivia Colman. The series received positive reviews from viewers and critics, and has a "certified fresh" 98% status on Rotten Tomatoes. In 2021–2022 BBC Radio 4 broadcast a five-part documentary, "Bodies in the Garden: The Wycherley Murders".
## See also
- Murders of Harry and Megan Tooze
- Murder of Don Banfield
|
[
"## Background",
"## Murders and concealment",
"## Fraud and discovery",
"## Trial",
"## Media representation",
"## See also"
] | 1,541 | 25,204 |
2,052,490 |
Xenosaga I & II
| 1,115,339,333 |
2006 video game
|
[
"2006 video games",
"Japan-exclusive video games",
"Japanese role-playing video games",
"Nintendo DS games",
"Nintendo DS-only games",
"Video game remakes",
"Video games developed in Japan",
"Video games featuring female protagonists",
"Video games set on fictional planets",
"Xenosaga"
] |
Xenosaga I & II is a 2006 role-playing video game co-developed by Monolith Soft and Tom Create, and published by Namco for the Nintendo DS. A spin-off of the Xenosaga trilogy and forming part of the Xeno metaseries, Xenosaga I & II retells the events of Xenosaga Episode I and Xenosaga Episode II while expanding on its characters and narrative. Displayed from an angled two-dimensional perspective, Xenosaga I & II makes use of a turn-based battle system with elements carried over from the main Xenosaga games.
Xenosaga I & II, Monolith Soft's first portable game, began development in 2005 following the completion of Xenosaga: The Animation. The scenario, drafted and supervised by series creator Tetsuya Takahashi, was intended to retell the story of the two games while incorporating events that had originally been cut. The game was released exclusively in Japan in March 2006. It received generally positive reviews from critics but was not commercially successful.
## Gameplay
Xenosaga I & II is a role-playing video game which retells the events of Xenosaga Episode I and its direct sequel Episode II. Cutscenes and the in-game environments and character sprites are displayed on the Nintendo DS (DS) console's top screen, with events outside still animated cutscenes taking place from an angled top-down perspective using two-dimensional graphics. Additional information is displayed on the DS's bottom screen. Environments can be freely explored, with breakable chests holding consumable items and accessories. Shops within the levels can be used to purchase items and equipment using in-game currency. Special EVA structures within the environment can be used to recover health points (HP) and a type of skill point called ether points (EP). Characters are able to both roam around open environments and enter story-based dungeons. During the course of the story, the player receives emails through the U.M.N. service, which is also used to store the game's glossary, a store of information on the world and characters.
Unlike the original versions, Xenosaga I & II features random encounters within the environment, with enemies only appearing in the battle arena. During battle, the battle arena is displayed on the DS's top screen while commands and party status is displayed on the bottom screen. Battles are governed by a turn-based battle system similar to the main Xenosaga games. Battles take plates on a 5x6 grid divided between the main party and the enemy party. During their turn, a character can move to any part of their half of the grid.
The party's statistics are divided between HP, EP which is drained by using Ether abilities, attack points (AP) when a party member performs an attack, and a boost count gauge which is filled when an enemy attacks. Each character is given two actions per turn, with one physical and one magical attack per character. When a character has three AP available, they can attack twice and trigger a special cinematic attack which deals high damage. The Boost meter, once filled, grants either side additional turns.
In addition to independent movements, the party can create formations, with specific formations triggering different status buffs such as regenerating HP or AP. New formations are acquired through the course of the game, and are specific to characters. Following each battle, characters gain both experience points and ability points; the former raises their experience level and general statistics, while the latter are used as currency to unlock more or upgrade existing abilities. Each character's equipment can be enhanced through the combined effects of assigning types of equipment and items or accessories to a particular character, strengthening their abilities. In addition to standard battles, characters have access to mechs with their own move sets and abilities, with basic mechanics shared with normal battles.
## Development and release
Early development work for Xenosaga I & II began following the completion of Xenosaga: The Animation in 2005, although plans existed while the anime was in development. Xenosaga I & II was co-developed by Xenosaga series developer Monolith Soft and external studio Tom Create. It was Monolith Soft's first time developing a portable game, as they had previously only worked on home console titles. The script was written by Yuichiro Takeda, whose previous work included both Xenosaga: The Animation and Xenosaga CD dramas. The script was based on drafts by series creator Tetsuya Takahashi, who supervised the writing process. Staff related to multiple video game and anime projects took part, with their previous work including Xenosaga: The Animation. Character designs were redrawn by Hiroshi Takeuchi, who had done artwork for Cowboy Bebop and My-HiME. The drawing director was Ai Kikuchi, who had worked on the anime adaptation of the Star Ocean: The Second Story manga. Cutscene director Hiroyuki Okawa had worked on both Xenosaga: The Animation and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED. Coloring for cutscene artwork was done by Studio Deen. The music was composed by Kousuke Yamashita, who had previously worked on both Xenosaga: The Animation and the Nobunaga's Ambition series. Due to the size of the narrative, the game used a 2D art style so minimal story content was cut. Voice acting was limited to victory quotes after successful battles, with the rest of the story communicated solely with text.
Takeda was first shown the project while still working on Xenosaga: The Animation, a work load he estimated at six months. Once work on the anime had finished, Takeda and Takahashi began work on the script. Takahashi created the draft based on his original plans for the Xenosaga storyline, which had needed substantial alteration for the original Episode I and Episode II due to both design and time limitations. The scenario for Episode I required little alteration as it was relatively unaltered from Takahashi's initial draft. For Episode II, more substantial alterations were made such as rearranging flashback sequences so the story would maintain an uninterrupted flow, and greatly expanding information concerning the Immigrant Fleet faction and the origins of central character Jr.. During the "beta" period of script development, the scenario for Episode II only made up 30% of the whole game, which was seen as a drastic imbalance requiring rewrites to address it. To better connect the two storylines, characters from Episode II were given minor cameos within the events of Episode I. A major change was the shift to the viewpoint of main protagonist Shion Uzuki, as Episode II originally portrayed events from the perspective of Jr., a concession that enabled events to be fleshed out. Despite these changes, keeping the narrative consistent with the in-development Xenosaga Episode III was a necessity. Ultimately the scenario came close to what Takahashi originally intended for Episode I and Episode II. The total writing work on Xenosaga I & II lasted over six months, with Takeda needing to visit Monolith Soft's offices once a week to discuss the script.
The game was first announced in December 2004 under the working title Xenosaga DS alongside a DS game in the Baten Kaitos series. The game's official title and release window were announced in September 2005 alongside reveal of Xenosaga Episode III and Baten Kaitos Origins. The game released on March 30, 2006; it was the fourth video game release in the Xenosaga franchise. Along with the mobile spin-off Xenosaga: Pied Piper, Xenosaga I & II remains exclusive to Japan.
## Reception
During its debut week on sale in Japan, the game debuted outside the top ten, reaching fifteenth place with sales of over 17,000 units. These low sales were noted as disappointing for a game within the Xenosaga series, which was still popular in Japan. By the end of 2006, the game had sold 38,500 units.
While Japanese magazine Famitsu praised the game's storyline, with one reviewer saying the story was the main reason for playing the game, another reviewer found the technical terminology slowed the pace. RPGFan writer Neal Chandran felt that the story was lacking despite the additions and supplementary material, although he found that the story delivery struck a better balance with gameplay than the original games. RPGamer's Michael Baker positively compared the story to "a particularly well-organized season of Star Trek: The Next Generation" in spite of the need to read the in-game encyclopedia to keep up with its terminology, but noted that the amount of text could be off-putting, also citing the game being in Japanese as a barrier to importing the title.
In its review, one Famitsu reviewer found elements of the gameplay quite challenging despite it being an "orthodox" role-playing game. Chandran enjoyed the additions to saving and navigation, and praised the battle system despite some pacing issues and annoying mechanics. Baker praised the streamlining of general gameplay and the battle system, lauding the removal of the more convoluted mechanics of the original games. His main complaint was the mini-games, which he found lacked substance. Bethany Massimilla of GameSpot compared the battle system to the mainline Xenosaga titles, positively noting the battle system mechanics.
|
[
"## Gameplay",
"## Development and release",
"## Reception"
] | 1,894 | 35,522 |
1,337,053 |
Music of Final Fantasy X
| 1,164,450,454 |
Music from the video game Final Fantasy X
|
[
"Final Fantasy X",
"Final Fantasy music",
"Video game music discographies",
"Video game soundtracks"
] |
The music of the video game Final Fantasy X was composed by regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu, along with Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano. It was the first title in the main Final Fantasy series in which Uematsu was not the sole composer. The Final Fantasy X Original Soundtrack was released on four Compact Discs in 2001 by DigiCube, and was re-released in 2004 by Square Enix. Prior to the album's North American release, a reduced version entitled Final Fantasy X Official Soundtrack was released on a single disk by Tokyopop in 2002. An EP entitled feel/Go dream: Yuna & Tidus containing additional singles not present in the game was released by DigiCube in 2001. Piano Collections Final Fantasy X, a collection of piano arrangements of the original soundtracks by Masashi Hamauzu and performed by Aki Kuroda, was released by DigiCube in 2002 and re-released by Square EA in 2004. A collection of vocal arrangements of pieces from the game arranged by Katsumi Suyama along with radio drama tracks was released as Final Fantasy X Vocal Collection in 2002 by DigiCube.
The theme song for the game is titled "Suteki da ne", which was performed by Japanese folk singer Ritsuki Nakano, known as "RIKKI". The song was released as a single by DigiCube in 2001 and was re-released by Square Enix in 2004. The game's music was well received overall; reviewers praised the additions to the soundtrack by the two new composers for the series. They especially praised Hamauzu, both for his work in the original soundtrack and in arranging the themes for Piano Collections Final Fantasy X. Several tracks, especially "Suteki da ne" and "To Zanarkand", remain popular today, and have been performed numerous times in orchestral concert series, as well as being published in arranged and compilation albums by Square as well as outside groups.
## Creation and influence
Final Fantasy X marks the first time Nobuo Uematsu has had any assistance in composing the score for a Final Fantasy game. His fellow composers for X were Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano. Uematsu contributed 51 tracks, Hamauzu contributed 20 and Nakano contributed 18 tracks to the game. The two new composers were chosen for the soundtrack based on their ability to create music that was different than Uematsu's while still working together. Uematsu states that his music has been inspired by the music of popstar idols such as Elton John and Paul McCartney, and that his favorite part about the soundtrack is the good reviews from listeners. Nakano set out to create music with a "vibrant and dynamic feel" that tied together his years of experience with game music, while Hamauzu tried to use the soundtrack to bring video game music to "greater heights".
"To Zanarkand" was originally written by Uematsu before the development of Final Fantasy X, for the recital of a flutist friend named Seo. Uematsu eventually decided the track was too gloomy and kept it for a later use. When development of X started, he decided to use the track for the game.
## Albums
### Final Fantasy X Original Soundtrack
Final Fantasy X Original Soundtrack (ファイナルファンタジーX オリジナルサウンドトラック, Fainaru Fantajī Ten Orijinaru Saundotorakku) is a soundtrack album of music from Final Fantasy X composed, arranged and produced by Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano. Vocals are performed by RIKKI for "Suteki da ne", Bill Muir for "Otherworld", and choruses for "Hymn of the Fayth". It spans four discs and 91 tracks, covering a duration of 4:32:26. It was first released in Japan on August 1, 2001 by DigiCube with catalog number SSCX-10054, and was re-released on May 10, 2004 by Square Enix with catalog number SQEX-10013.
In 2002, Tokyopop released a version of Final Fantasy X Original Soundtrack in North America entitled Final Fantasy X Official Soundtrack, which contained 17 tracks from the original album on a single disk. This release had the catalog number TPCD-0211-2. Additionally, in 2001, prior to the game's release, Square released a promotional disk titled Final Fantasy X Promo CD, which contained edited versions of "Other World", "To Zanarkand", and "Battle 1". The disk covers a length of 7:08, and was only released in Japan.
Final Fantasy X Original Soundtrack reached \#4 on the Oricon charts, and sold 140,000 copies as of January 2010. The album was moderately well received; while some reviewers felt it to be an "absolutely amazing" soundtrack, others only found it to be a "satisfying" work. Some reviewers felt that of the three composers, Uematsu's pieces were the weakest, citing them as having a tendency to be "buried" under the compositions of the others. The same reviewers, however, noted that some of the best pieces on the soundtrack, such as "To Zanarkand", were the work of Uematsu. Hamauzu's contributions were seen as some of his best work, and reviewers felt that both he and Nakano brought a "myriad of new flavors" to the soundtrack which were very well received. Final Fantasy X Official Soundtrack, although not re-released after the Original Soundtrack was brought to North America, was seen as a good sampler of the music from the full soundtrack.
Track listing
### feel/Go dream: Yuna & Tidus
feel/Go dream: Yuna & Tidus is an EP containing tracks composed by Nobuo Uematsu and inspired by pieces from the game. "feel" was based on the "Hymn of the Fayth", while "Go dream" was based on "Tidus' Theme". Music arrangements were done by Masashi Hamauzu, Tsuyoshi Sekito, Junya Nakano, and Masayoshi Kikuchi. Vocals are performed by Mayuko Aoki for the track "feel" and Masakazu Morita for the track "Go dream". A remix of "feel" was included as a bonus track in the Vocal Collection of Final Fantasy X. It was released in Japan by DigiCube on October 11, 2001, bearing the catalog number SSCX-10058. The EP reached \#13 on the Oricon charts.
### Piano Collections Final Fantasy X
Piano Collections Final Fantasy X is a collection of music from the original soundtrack arranged for the piano by Masashi Hamauzu, and performed by Aki Kuroda. Hamauzu intended the process of arranging the pieces to "consider the groundwork of individual compositions in order to transform these pieces into piano arrangements" rather than simply playing the themes on a piano as they originally sounded. It spans 15 tracks and covers a duration of 56:43. It was first released in Japan on February 20, 2002 by DigiCube with catalog number SSCX-10064, and was re-released on July 22, 2004 by Square Enix with catalog number SQEX-10028.
Piano Collections Final Fantasy X reached \#89 on the Oricon charts and sold 2,900 copies. It was very well received, with reviewers finding it to be a "great" album, and stating that it was superior to most video game soundtracks, both piano or otherwise. They especially praised Hamauzu, terming him a "very skilled arranger and performer".
### Final Fantasy X Vocal Collection
Final Fantasy X Vocal Collection (ファイナルファンタジーX ボーカル・コレクション, Fainaru Fantajī Ten Bōkaru Korekushon) is a collection of vocal arrangements of pieces from the game arranged by Katsumi Suyama along with radio drama tracks, performed by the game's characters' voice actors in Japanese. It spans 14 tracks and covers a duration of 42:21. It was released in Japan on December 18, 2002 by DigiCube with catalog number SSCX-10073. The album was poorly received by critics. They found the album, while it had "pretty good" vocals, to have overall poor sound quality and a clichéd musical style. While "not a horrible album", they found that the collection was overpriced and under-produced. It reached \#69 on the Oricon charts, and sold over 11,700 copies.
## Songs
### Suteki da ne
"Suteki da ne" is one of the main theme songs of Final Fantasy X and the vocal version of Yuna's character theme. It was written by Nobuo Uematsu and Kazushige Nojima and was sung by Japanese folk singer Ritsuki Nakano, known as "Rikki", whom the music team contacted while searching for a singer whose music reflected an Okinawan atmosphere. "Suteki da ne" is sung in its original Japanese form in both the Japanese and English versions of Final Fantasy X. The song's title translates to "Isn't It Wonderful?" in English, and its lyrics were written by scenario writer Kazushige Nojima, while Uematsu composed the instrumentals and Shirō Hamaguchi arranged the instrumentals. Like the ballad from Final Fantasy VIII, "Suteki da ne" has an in-game version used in cutscenes together with an orchestrated version used as part of the ending theme.
The song was released as a single by DigiCube on July 18, 2001, and re-released by Square Enix on July 22, 2004. The disk also contains an instrumental version, an unrelated song entitled "Gotsuki-sama \~UTIKISAMA\~" ("The Moon"), and a vocal version of Aerith's theme song from Final Fantasy VII titled "Pure Heart". The single covers a duration of 20:35. The original release has a catalog number of SSCX-10053, and the re-release has a catalog number of SQEX-10029. The original release of "Suteki da ne" reached \#10 on the Oricon charts, and sold 130,000 copies.
There is also an "autumn version" of the song, also performed by Ritsuki Nakano, released by Universal on October 3, 2001 on the "KANARIA" minialbum together with six unrelated tracks. The release has a catalog number of UMCK-1056. This version of the song, as well as all versions on the single, is also found on the Final Fantasy Single Collection bootleg CD, released by EverAnime with catalog number GM-496, by Archer Records with catalog number SA-007 and by Miya Records with catalog number MICA-0068. An official English translation of the song was created for the Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy concert series and was first performed in Chicago by vocalist Susan Calloway on December 12, 2009.
### Otherworld
"Otherworld", the opening theme of Final Fantasy X, was composed by Nobuo Uematsu with lyrics by Alexander O. Smith. It was sung by Bill Muir, the frontman of xtillidiex (pronounced "Till I die"), a death metal band active in Tokyo at the time. The song was already fully formed when Smith was tasked with writing lyrics for it based on a guide track. Smith's lyrics were loosely based on "The Song of Wandering Aengus", a poem by W. B. Yeats. Smith mistook a guitar solo section of the song as another part that he had to fill with lyrics, and so he wrote in a spoken words part in "one of those Limp Bizkit-style breakdowns". Uematsu liked the result and included it in the final song.
## Legacy
The Black Mages, a band led by Nobuo Uematsu that arranges music from Final Fantasy video games into a rock music style, have arranged three pieces from Final Fantasy X. These are "Fight With Seymour" from their self-titled album, published in 2003, and "Otherworld" and "The Skies Above", both of which can be found on the album The Skies Above, published in 2004. Uematsu continues to perform certain pieces in his Dear Friends: Music from Final Fantasy concert series. The music of FFX has also appeared in various official concerts and live albums, such as 20020220 Music from Final Fantasy, a live recording of an orchestra performing music from the series including several pieces from the game. Additionally, "Swing de Chocobo" was performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra for the Distant Worlds - Music from Final Fantasy concert tour, while "Zanarkand" was performed by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra in the Tour de Japon: Music from Final Fantasy concert series. An arrangement of "A Fleeting Dream" was performed on July 9, 2011 at the Symphonic Odysseys concert, which commemorated the music of Uematsu. Independent but officially licensed releases of Final Fantasy X music have been composed by such groups as Project Majestic Mix, which focuses on arranging video game music. Selections also appear on Japanese remix albums, called dojin music, and on English remixing websites.
|
[
"## Creation and influence",
"## Albums",
"### Final Fantasy X Original Soundtrack",
"### feel/Go dream: Yuna & Tidus",
"### Piano Collections Final Fantasy X",
"### Final Fantasy X Vocal Collection",
"## Songs",
"### Suteki da ne",
"### Otherworld",
"## Legacy"
] | 2,873 | 27,608 |
10,741,538 |
Delaware Route 6
| 1,160,219,394 |
Highway in Delaware, United States
|
[
"State highways in Delaware",
"Transportation in Kent County, Delaware"
] |
Delaware Route 6 (DE 6) is a state highway in Kent County, Delaware. It runs from Maryland Route 291 (MD 291) at the Maryland border west of Blackiston east to the Delaware Bay in Woodland Beach. The route passes through rural areas of northern Kent County as well as the towns of Clayton and Smyrna. DE 6 intersects DE 42 in Blackiston, DE 15 in Clayton, DE 300 and U.S. Route 13 (US 13) in Smyrna, and DE 9 to the east of Smyrna. The road was built as a state highway during the 1920s and 1930s and received the DE 6 designation by 1936. The easternmost part of the route was paved in the 1960s and the route was moved to its current alignment bypassing downtown Smyrna by the 1990s.
## Route description
DE 6 begins at the Maryland border, where the road continues west into that state as MD 291. From the state line, the route heads east on two-lane undivided Millington Road, passing through the Blackiston Wildlife Area. The road runs through areas of woods and farms with some homes. In the community of Blackiston, DE 6 intersects the western terminus of DE 42, which heads southeast toward the town of Kenton, and Longridge Road. The route continues east through more agricultural areas and reaches a junction with DE 15, at which point residential development near the road increases. DE 15 turns east to form a concurrency with DE 6. Upon reaching the western edge of the town of Clayton, DE 15 splits from DE 6 by heading to the north.
DE 6 proceeds northeast through Clayton on Main Street, where it passes homes along with a few businesses. In Clayton, the road crosses the Delmarva Central Railroad's Delmarva Subdivision line at-grade north of the former Clayton Railroad Station as it turns more to the east. The route continues into the town of Smyrna, where it becomes Smyrna Clayton Boulevard. Shortly after entering Smyrna, DE 6 crosses Greens Branch and intersects DE 300, where it turns northeast onto West Glenwood Avenue and forms a concurrency with DE 300. The two routes pass a mix of homes and businesses before gaining a center left-turn lane past the Main Street junction and entering a commercial area in the northern part of Smyrna as East Glenwood Avenue. Here, the road widens into a divided highway before intersecting US 13. At this point, DE 300 ends and DE 6 turns southeast to form a concurrency with US 13. The two routes pass more businesses on four-lane divided North Dupont Boulevard. DE 6 splits from US 13 by heading to the east on two-lane undivided East Commerce Street, running through residential areas. The route passes over the DE 1 toll road without an interchange and leaves Smyrna.
Upon leaving Smyrna, DE 6 becomes Woodland Beach Road and passes to the north of Smyrna Airport. The road heads east into agricultural areas, crossing Mill Creek as it winds east. The route intersects DE 9 before curving northeast into marshland within the Woodland Beach Wildlife Area. DE 6 turns north and reaches its eastern terminus at an intersection with Delaware Avenue in the community of Woodland Beach, located along the Delaware Bay. Past the eastern terminus, the road continues as Beach Avenue for one block to a parking lot adjacent to the Delaware Bay.
The portion of the route between Alley Mill Road west of Clayton and DE 300 in Smyrna is part of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, a Delaware Byway. DE 6 has an annual average daily traffic count ranging from a high of 26,210 vehicles at the east end of the US 13 concurrency to a low of 525 vehicles at the Delaware Avenue intersection in Woodland Beach.
## History
By 1920, what is now DE 6 existed as an unimproved county road. The road was completed as a state highway within Clayton and was proposed as one from Clayton west to Blackiston by 1924. On August 5, 1925, the state highway between Clayton and Blackiston was completed. In 1929, the road leading to Woodland Beach was completed as a state highway. The portion of the road between Blackiston and the Maryland border was upgraded to a state highway in 1930. When Delaware created its state highway system by 1936, DE 6 was routed between the Maryland border west of Blackiston and Woodland Beach, following its current alignment to Smyrna, passing through Smyrna on Commerce Street, and continuing east on its current alignment to Woodland Beach. All of the route was paved except for the portion between present-day DE 9 and Woodland Beach. The eastern portion of the road was paved by 1967. By the 1990s, DE 6 was routed onto its current alignment through Smyrna along DE 300 and US 13, bypassing the downtown area.
## Major intersections
## See also
|
[
"## Route description",
"## History",
"## Major intersections",
"## See also"
] | 1,051 | 871 |
5,445,708 |
Golf (1995 video game)
| 1,154,080,528 |
1995 golf game for the Virtual Boy
|
[
"1995 video games",
"Golf video games",
"Nintendo games",
"Single-player video games",
"T&E Soft games",
"Video games developed in Japan",
"Virtual Boy games"
] |
Golf is a video game that was released within months of the Virtual Boy console's launch. It was developed and published by T&E Soft in Japan and published by Nintendo in North America. Golf uses standard golf rules and is set in the fictional 18-hole Papillion Golf & Country Club. Hazards include water, sand traps, trees, and deep rough grass. It is displayed in the Virtual Boy's standard red and black color scheme with 3D effects by use of a 3D processor. It was met with critical praise for its controls and physics and mixed reviews for its graphics. Nintendo Power called it the third best Virtual Boy release of its year.
## Gameplay
Golf's gameplay follows traditional golf rules, where players must reach the hole on the green in as few strokes as possible by hitting the ball with a club, while avoiding obstacles including sand traps, water hazards, trees, and deep rough grass. It takes place in the fictional 18-hole Papilion Golf & Country Club. Players choose between two modes of play: Tournament, where they compete against 47 virtual computer-controlled opponents, and Stroke, where they attempt to surpass their previous high scores. In the screen's top left and right corners, players are shown the wind speed/direction and an aerial layout of the course respectively. In advance of their turn, they choose aspects of the swing, such as speed, direction, stance, club type, swing power, and the ball impact point. Players can also place a grid on a nearby portion of the course to aide with the aim and distance of their shots. Players can choose between five different viewing perspectives, change button configurations, and review the positives and negatives of their last shots.
## Development
Golf was developed by T&E Soft for the Virtual Boy. It was originally known as VR Golf. Like all other Virtual Boy games, Golf uses a red-and-black color scheme and uses parallax, an optical trick that is used to simulate a 3D effect. It was published by T&E Soft in Japan on August 11, 1995, and by Nintendo in North America sometime in November 1995.
## Reception
Golf had mixed to positive reception. Critics such as Official Nintendo Magazine, Edge, AllGame, and Nintendo Power noted T&E Soft's experience with golf games, the latter which called it the third best Virtual Boy game of the year. Nintendo Power also called Golf the most realistic sports game on the Virtual Boy at the time of its release. A reviewer for Next Generation said that the gameplay holds up surprisingly well to golf simulations on systems better suited to the genre. However, Total! magazine felt that the game was very basic and lacked in content and features.
The audiovisual elements received mixed reviews. GamePro and Electronic Playground both found the game fun but were disappointed by its graphics. GamePro additionally criticized the audio quality. Total! felt that the game had some of the console's worst 3D effects. Next Generation felt that the console's limitations and the game's ineffective use of its 3D abilities hindered it, making features in the distance difficult to make out. AllGame felt that the audio and sense of depth were poor, but commended its use of shading. Nintendo Magazine was more positive, praising its presentation and perspective.
## See also
- List of Virtual Boy games
|
[
"## Gameplay",
"## Development",
"## Reception",
"## See also"
] | 676 | 10,371 |
38,506,321 |
Final Fantasy All the Bravest
| 1,171,016,057 |
2013 video game
|
[
"2013 video games",
"Android (operating system) games",
"Final Fantasy video games",
"Gacha games",
"IOS games",
"Retro-style video games",
"Role-playing video games",
"Single-player video games",
"Video games developed in Japan"
] |
Final Fantasy All the Bravest (Japanese: ファイナルファンタジー オール ザ ブレイベスト, Hepburn: Fainaru Fantajī ōru za bureibesuto) was a video game in the Final Fantasy series developed by BitGroove and published by Square Enix. The game was released for iOS and Android mobile devices.
The title featured gameplay, characters, locations, and art assets from many different Final Fantasy games. Gameplay focused on expanding the number of characters players could possess and unlock all the character jobs by defeating enemies and bosses. Players could also include up to forty characters in their parties.
The game was met with near-universal disapproval, citing a lack of gameplay depth, no character customization, no story, and costly in-app purchases. Positives mentioned were the humorous flavor text and nostalgia for the original games from which the title draws. One of the game's producers later stated that the title is an app, not a game, and understood that this confusion had led to disappointment by players.
The Android version was shut down and removed on November 10, 2022. The iOS version was shut down and removed on July 27, 2023.
## Gameplay
### Combat
Players' characters could traverse an overhead map between battles. After a series of battles, players could confront a boss enemy. During combat, the players controled a party of characters that could be as large as forty individuals. The game featured the Active Time Battle (ATB) system found in other Final Fantasy titles. In this system, battles were turn-based, with turns taken when the gradually increasing ATB gauge reached its capacity. Upon attacking, the bar was emptied and gradually started refilling again. Defeating enemies granted experience points which the player needed to level up. Strengthening characters in this way gave players character slots to expand the player's party. When characters discovered weaponry, it was auto equipped to all characters that could wield it. Once every three hours, the Fever option was available, granting the player the ability to attack without needing the ATB gauge to be refilled.
### Features
Battles featured 30 songs from the Final Fantasy franchise, most of which were battle themes from different titles. With the progress in the game the players could unlock 20 different character jobs such as blue mage, knight, and thief. The players could encounter enemies, including boss characters from previous titles, as well as recurring enemies such as behemoths and cactuars. A player could use Facebook and Twitter within the game to promote the title and earn extra character slots. The game also featured leaderboards for those who have advanced the farthest.
### In-app purchases
When characters were defeated, they took 3 minutes to revive per character (not simultaneously). Golden hourglass items were purchasable in order to revive all defeated characters instantly. Players could purchase premium characters from previous Final Fantasy games in the in-game shop at random. Characters included Tifa Lockhart, Rinoa Heartilly, Terra Branford, Chocobo, Moogle, a pig from Final Fantasy IV, and others. World tickets were also purchasable to access notable Final Fantasy locations, including Zanarkand, Midgar, and Archylte Steppe.
## Development
The first hints of the game's existence came when Square Enix trademarked the name All the Bravest in December 2012. Speculation began that the title was related to Bravely Default: Flying Fairy. Square Enix later posted a teaser page on their Japanese website with silhouettes of Final Fantasy heroes and enemies and a date of "1.17." This teaser led to further speculation that the game would be a re-release of Final Fantasy V or VI, but critics quickly dismissed both theories. Square Enix officially unveiled the title in the following month on January 16, as Final Fantasy: All the Bravest, despite initial plans for the unveiling to occur the next day. All the Bravest was released in the Google Play Store on September 13, 2013.
The original concept for the game came from Tetsuya Nomura who also served as creative producer on the game.
All the Bravest producer Ichiro Hazama recognized that the title "was a fun app, not a game". He also acknowledged that since it was not a full game, many fans were disappointed and that apps must be marketed appropriately based on what they are.
## Reception
Final Fantasy: All the Bravest was almost universally panned. Reviewers mainly focused their criticisms on the large number and cost of in-app purchases along with the lack of story, simplistic gameplay, and a lack of respect for players by Square Enix. Despite the poor reception, the game still managed to chart at number 25 on the "Top Paid Apps" chart on the iTunes App Store on January 18, 2013.
IGN stated that despite a small amount of nostalgia, the game had such high prices for its in-game purchases that it was insulting, with the gameplay as repetitive and boring. They ultimately concluded that the game was a black mark on the Final Fantasy franchise. They even took the unprecedented step of issuing a public service announcement not to buy the game. They later cited the game for making money despite bad reviews and high prices. Pocket Gamer also criticized the gameplay and in-app purchase system, stating that there was hardly any game to at all, with the app being like a shady casino. Slide to Play criticized the game for having no gameplay or strategy and that it existed to take people's money. Digital Spy echoed the criticisms of the games in-app purchases and poor gameplay, stating that it felt like a "parody" of what free-to-play games are like, feeling that it exists to "make loyal fans waste their money", adding that it would have had some appeal if not for its "shallow" gameplay.
1Up.com also attacked the lack of real gameplay, as they believed the active time battle system has players attack with no thought to skills, weapons, or even characters. Pocket Tactics, like IGN, also issued a public service announcement not to buy the game. They said that they long defended Square Enix's higher mobile game pricing, but believed that this title was so poor that it showed their disdain for fans. Kotaku also stated that the game is emblematic of Square Enix's lack of respect for fans, and a desire to milk the franchise for money.
GamesRadar+ ranked it as the 44th worst game ever made. The staff accused its developers of cashing in on the Final Fantasy brand. USgamer cited the game as being the most notable misstep Square Enix had done since CEO Yosuke Matsuda took over, but also noted that the project had begun under the previous CEO, Yoichi Wada.
A few critics found elements to compliment. 4Gamer loved the music, monsters, and characters that appeared from past Final Fantasy titles, as well as being able to fight with such a large party. Famitsu also praised the appearance of so many familiar villains from each Final Fantasy title and called the boss fights challenging. Gamezebo noted that the game ran well even with a significant amount of action occurring on-screen. Kotaku identified the menus' flavor text as hilarious, and the only reason to get the game.
|
[
"## Gameplay",
"### Combat",
"### Features",
"### In-app purchases",
"## Development",
"## Reception"
] | 1,505 | 34,997 |
11,330,249 |
Maryland Route 318
| 1,170,949,539 |
Highway in Maryland
|
[
"Roads in Caroline County, Maryland",
"Roads in Dorchester County, Maryland",
"State highways in Maryland"
] |
Maryland Route 318 (MD 318) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs 11.32 miles (18.22 km) from MD 16/MD 331 at Linchester east to the Delaware state line near Federalsburg, where the highway continues east as Delaware Route 18 (DE 18). MD 318 connects Federalsburg with Preston and Bridgeville, Delaware. The state highway follows the Dorchester–Caroline county line for most of its length between Linchester and Federalsburg. The county line road is considered to be in Caroline County for maintenance purposes. Further east, MD 318 runs concurrently with MD 313 to bypass Federalsburg. The portion of MD 318 west of Federalsburg was originally numbered Maryland Route 319 and assumed by MD 318 in the mid-1950s. The MD 319 section was constructed in the late 1910s near Federalsburg and completed west to MD 16/MD 331 in the late 1920s. MD 318 east of Federalsburg was built in the mid-1920s. MD 318 was placed on the bypass of Federalsburg in the early 1960s; its old alignment through Federalsburg became MD 315.
## Route description
MD 318 begins at an intersection with MD 16/MD 331 at Linchester, just south of the Caroline–Dorchester county line. MD 16/MD 331 head south from the intersection as East New Market Ellwood Road and west as a continuation of Preston Road toward the town of Preston. MD 318 heads east as Preston Road, a two-lane undivided road that intersects Langrell Road and Beulah Road a short distance east of its western terminus. Langrell Road is unsigned MD 817B, which follows the county line west to a dead end at Hunting Creek. MD 318 continues east along the county line through farmland between Dorchester County to the south and Caroline County to the north. The state highway intersects American Corner Road and passes Magennis Farm Airport in the hamlet of Hynson. MD 318 fully enters Caroline County shortly after passing Lovers Road, then intersects MD 313 (Federalsburg Highway) and MD 315 (Bloomingdale Avenue). MD 315, the old alignment of MD 318, continues straight east toward downtown Federalsburg, while MD 318 turns south and runs concurrently with MD 313 on a bypass of the town of Federalsburg.
MD 313/MD 318 intersect MD 307 (Williamsburg Road) at the Federalsburg Roundabout. The highway crosses the Seaford Line of the Maryland and Delaware Railroad at-grade as the highway gently curves to the east. After passing Main Street, which is unsigned MD 308, MD 313/MD 318 cross Marshyhope Creek. East of the creek, MD 313 turns south onto Reliance Road; the old alignment of MD 313 heads north toward downtown Federalsburg as Reliance Avenue. MD 318 continues east through an industrial area along Federalsburg Highway, which crosses the Seaford Line track again at-grade. The state highway crosses Tanyard Branch before meeting the other end of MD 315 (Liberty Road). MD 318 continues east as Bridgeville Road to the Delaware state line, where the highway heads toward the town of Bridgeville as DE 18 (Federalsburg Road).
## History
The portion of MD 318 between Linchester and Federalsburg was originally MD 319, which was constructed as a state-aid road from Federalsburg to about halfway to Hynson around 1919. The state highway was completed west to U.S. Route 213 (now MD 331)/MD 16 near Preston by 1930. MD 318 from Federalsburg to the Delaware state line was built between 1924 and 1926. MD 318 was extended west through Federalsburg and over the whole length of MD 319 in 1956. The state highway west of Federalsburg was widened around 1958 and extended west fully into Dorchester County to its present terminus when MD 16/MD 331 were relocated around Ellwood in 1960. MD 318 was placed on the Federalsburg Bypass when the highway was extended south and east around the town to the present intersection with MD 315 in 1964; MD 318 through the town was renumbered MD 315. The Federalsburg Roundabout was constructed in 1998. The Federalsburg Bypass bridge over Marshyhope Creek, which was originally built in 1962, was rehabilitated in 2012. During the project, which replaced the bridge's deck, alternating one-way traffic crossed the bridge directed by traffic lights at either end of the construction area.
## Junction list
MD 318 follows the Caroline–Dorchester county line between the intersection with MD 817 near Preston and a point between Lovers Road and MD 313 near Federalsburg. The county line portion is considered to be in Caroline County for maintenance purposes.
## See also
|
[
"## Route description",
"## History",
"## Junction list",
"## See also"
] | 1,068 | 23,161 |
27,769,981 |
Carancahua Bay
| 1,054,480,530 |
American bay
|
[
"Bays of Texas",
"Bodies of water of Jackson County, Texas",
"Bodies of water of Matagorda County, Texas"
] |
Carancahua Bay is a northern extension of Matagorda Bay located in Jackson and Matagorda counties in Texas, United States. It is oriented from the southeast to the northwest but meanders as it reaches the north to the confluence with Carancahua Creek. Generally slender, it is only about 1 mile (1.6 km) in width north of its circular mouth.
The bay serves as a nursery for shrimp and as an ecosystem for diverse species of birds and fish. Shrimp farms have been established inland to circumvent restrictions on the bay. The area close to shore is prone to flooding, and can sometimes accumulate large populations of mosquitos. As a consequence, no major settlements have been founded on the bay. However, the small communities of Port Alto and Carancahua have been established on the western and eastern shores, respectively.
## History
The name Carancahua derives from the term that formerly referred to the Karankawa Indians, who resided on its shores. Texas' Spanish Royal Governor, Martín de Alarcón was the first documented European to tour the bay while exploring Matagorda Bay with Tejas guides in 1718. During the expedition, two Karankawa Indians were spotted near the bay going about their daily lives and were frightened at the sight of Alarcón and his men. They quickly swam across the bay despite the guides' signal to them that Alarcón meant no harm. The next day, the Indians came ashore from a sixteen-passenger canoe (which could hold 4 men, 4 women and 8 children) and notified the Tejas guide that they wished for Alarcón and his men to leave. As a peace offering, Alarcón presented the Indians with tobacco and clothing on behalf of the Spanish crown, which they accepted. In exchange, the Indians offered Alarcón dried fish, and directed him toward the former French fort of St. Louis, believing Alarcón wanted to establish a colony on the bay. Alarcón declared the bay for Spain, but did not establish a permanent settlement.
Only a handful of settlements have been established on the bay. The town of Carancahua first formed as a small collection of cabins that were used in the 1880s as a stop for mail between Texana and Matagorda. However, the bay's propensity for flooding and malaria prevented growth. In fact, the bay was notorious for its swarms of mosquitos that would fly from the Colorado River delta, and documented by a late 19th-century rancher:
> A fairly strong easterly wind had been blowing for three days; on the evening of the third day, the mosquitos arrived, flying high, about fifty feet, and looking like a cloud of mist over Carancahua Bay. At the ranch, they set everything on fire that had blood in it, and all work was suspended by unanimous consent...little or nothing was done for nearly five days; by this time the main body had passed, though plenty remained to make everything uncomfortable for about two weeks. This migration was from east to west and the line was about three miles wide.
Approximately 50 people lived at Carancahua in 1915, but the population dwindled to 25 in the next decade. The town remains a community, but the current population is unknown. Across the bay, a settlement of about ten permanent residents, initially known as Persimmon Point, was renamed Port Alto in 1939. The town grew, attracting retirees and vacationers who contributed to a peak summer population of 205 in 1961. Hurricane Carla destroyed the town in September 1961, but it was rebuilt five years later. In 1970, a beachfront was constructed along the shoreline as the listed population reached 170 people. The 2000 census reported that 45 people lived in the town. The original Schicke Point was home to a small ranching and farm operation. The name derives from an original resident of the point (Clarence Schicke) who came from Illinois as a game hunter and fisherman for local restaurants. After Hurricane Carla destroyed the ranch home and operations, C. Schicke turned to commercial fishing and building small cabins in the area. Schicke Point is located near the mouth of Carancahua Bay at Carancahua Pass and is a location attractive to sports fishermen. The village has approximately 90 residents, including legendary anglers Roy Cross (1924-2009), Otto Mendel (1913-2008), and fishing spoon expert Robert Cross. Cape Carancahua is a gated residential community, located on the bay's northern shore.
## Features
The bay has two extensions near its mouth with Matagorda Bay at Carancahua Pass, including Redfish Lake to the southwest and Salt Lake, just above the former. On the bay's eastern shore, the mouth is headed by Schicke Point, which curves north to the Schicke Point Community, where several private piers are located. About one mile (1.6 km) inland from the community's shoreline are the Piper Lakes. North from the Schicke Point community, the El Campo Club community is found, with several residences on a straight line along the coast with docks stretched into the water. Further north, the bay takes a sharp turn to the west past a swampy area then heads north and becomes more slender as it passes from Calhoun into Jackson County. The shoreline continues north and passes several oil wells to the town of Carancahua, where a few piers are scattered along the shore. Just north of the town, a small inlet is formed, at the base of which, the Fivemile Draw is found, surrounded by swamps. To the north, several docks line the shore and continue until the bay winds to the west to a large swamp. Past the swamp, the width of the bay shrinks and continues southward along the shore of the Cape Carancahua community, surrounded by water on three sides. Past the cape, the bay turns to the north and is crossed by Texas State Highway 35. It then heads west and north again, while gradually becoming narrower until it reaches the marsh at the mouth of Carancahua Creek. The East and West Carancahua Creeks, which merge before their confluence, feed the bay. West Carancahua Creek runs 28 miles (45 km) south from its source near White Hall to meet with East Carancahua Creek, which runs southwest for 32 miles (51 km) from its source in southern Wharton County. Both streams are intermittent in their upper reaches. The western shore mimics the shape of the east. As it moves south of the Carancahua Creek mouth, Weedhaven is formed, south of which, the shore counters Cape Carancahua and heads northeast past several oil wells to a sharp point. The shoreline continues directly south until it reaches a large swamp. Past the swamp is the town of Port Alto, where several docks and piers are located.
## Ecosystem
Carancahua Bay is protected by the State of Texas and locally by the 300-member Carancahua Bay Protection Association. It is a nursery bay for shrimp, and is a habitat for shellfish including oysters. Finfish such as the redfish and black drum are commonly caught from the bay by recreational fishermen. Birds common to the bay include the wood ibis, roseate spoonbill, snowy egret, great-tailed grackle, Louisiana heron, willet, black-necked stilt, crested caracara and the black vulture.
During a 2004 assessment of Texas waterways, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality found higher than normal levels of bacteria at the mouth of Carancahua Creek and alkaline pH levels, symptomatic of algal bloom. The issues discovered by the Commission were common in the water bodies examined for the study, and they noted that such issues would be addressed.
## Industry
The bay is off limits to shrimping due to its legal status as a nursery, however shrimp farms have been established and approved along its shores. The harvest of shellfish, particularly oysters, is heavily regulated, but allowed at certain times and places. Whereas the main Matagorda Bay is an approved area for shellfish production, Carancahua Bay is divided between restricted and conditionally approved areas. The Texas Department of State Health Services described the areas conditionally approved as being from the mouth of the bay to a "beige house" on the eastern shore and cutoff across to a "grey barn" on the western shore, save for a small sliver of water that includes most of the shoreline of Port Alto, which is restricted. All areas north of the diagonal line are restricted as well.
Several oil and natural gas wells are scattered throughout the shoreline and a few are included in the waters of Carancahua Bay. The most notable include the wells of the Appling Field segment, a mile offshore from Port Alto, which is believed to contain 33 billion cubic feet (0.93 billion cubic meters) of natural gas. The field was first discovered in the 1950s, but later abandoned. Brigham Exploration is working with Royale Energy to develop ten reserves in the area, spotted during a seismic survey.
|
[
"## History",
"## Features",
"## Ecosystem",
"## Industry"
] | 1,894 | 527 |
6,700,090 |
USS Indianola
| 1,145,595,889 |
American casemate ironclad
|
[
"1862 ships",
"Ironclad warships of the Union Navy",
"Maritime incidents in February 1863",
"Naval magazine explosions",
"Ship fires",
"Ships built in Cincinnati",
"Ships of the Union Navy",
"Shipwrecks in rivers",
"Shipwrecks of the American Civil War",
"Steamships of the United States Navy"
] |
USS Indianola was a casemate ironclad that served as a river gunboat for the Union Navy during the American Civil War. A side-wheel steamer also equipped with two screw propellers, Indianola was built in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1862 by Joseph Brown before being taken by Union authorities while still incomplete, in response to a perceived Confederate threat to Cincinnati. After completion, the vessel briefly served on the Mississippi River and the Yazoo River before being sent downstream of Vicksburg, Mississippi in February 1863, to support the naval ram USS Queen of the West, which was operating against Confederate shipping.
After Queen of the West was disabled and captured by Confederate forces, Indianola briefly blockaded the Red River before retreating upriver after learning that the Confederates intended to attack her. On February 24, Indianola was attacked by the repaired Queen of the West and the ram CSS William H. Webb. After being rammed several times and badly damaged, Indianola ran aground and was captured. After learning that the Confederates were attempting to salvage the wreck, Union forces constructed and sent a dummy ironclad downriver, which bluffed the Confederates into destroying the wreck. The remains of Indianola were raised in January 1865 and sold later that month.
## Construction and characteristics
On April 30, 1862, shipbuilder Joseph Brown of Cincinnati, Ohio, signed a contract with the United States government to build Indianola for \$128,000. The vessel was named for the city of Indianola, Iowa. On September 1, Brown reported that Indianola was nearing completion. She was still under construction when Major General E. Kirby Smith's Confederate States Army troops occupied Covington, Kentucky. This movement was viewed as a threat to Cincinnati by Union Major General Lew Wallace, who appropriated the incomplete vessel to expedite its construction from Brown on September 2 and launched it on September 4. Fourteen days later, Acting Master Edward Shaw was appointed to command the ship, which had been placed into commission by September 27. While armed and prepared to defend Cincinnati by October 23, Indianola was still incomplete. She was returned to Brown once the threat posed by Smith was gone. By December, the ship was ready for general service, but the level on the Ohio River was too low at that time for Indianola to make it across the Falls of the Ohio. On January 23, 1863, the ship joined the Mississippi Squadron, having arrived at Cairo, Illinois. It had cost a total of \$182,662.56 to complete the ship.
Indianola was a casemate ironclad serving as a river gunboat. She was a side-wheel steamer propelled by two wheels and two screw propellers. The propellers required machinery that took up space that would have otherwise been used for crew quarters. Her length was 174 feet (53 m) or 175 feet (53 m) with a beam of 50 feet (15 m) or 52 feet (16 m) and a draft of 5 feet (1.5 m); she displaced 511 tons. Indianola had a speed of either 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) or 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph). The vessel was armed with four smoothbore Dahlgren guns: two 11-inch (28 cm) pieces and two 9-inch (23 cm). These guns were poorly positioned to only fire effectively to the fore and aft and had a slow rate of fire. The 11-inch guns were forward on the vessel and were mounted on pivots, while the 9-inch guns fired through ports. She was protected by 3 inches (7.6 cm) of iron plating serving as armor. Her complement was about 100 crew. Overall, the ship was similar to another Brown ship, USS Chillicothe, except for its propulsion system.
## Service history
Indianola originally served on the Mississippi River and the Yazoo River. During the Vicksburg campaign, Union Navy Rear admiral David Dixon Porter ordered the naval ram USS Queen of the West down the Mississippi to intercept Confederate shipping on the stretch of the river between Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Port Hudson, Louisiana. Queen of the West travelled downriver past the Vicksburg guns on February 2, 1863, and operated there until February 5. The ram later made a second trip, and entered the Red River on February 14. Indianola was now under the command of Lieutenant Commander George Brown. The day before, Indianola left her moorings at the Yazoo at 22:15 with two barges loaded with coal strapped to her sides and steamed south under fire from the Vicksburg defenses. She was to join Queen of the West in her operations downstream. After passing the Confederate positions, Indianola anchored below Warrenton, Mississippi for the night and resumed the movement south. She had been chosen for the operation because her engines would allow her to make a speed of 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) upstream against the current, which was much faster than Porter's other ironclads, meaning that Indianola would better be able to escape upriver in case of an emergency.
However, Queen of the West was disabled in a fight with Confederate shore defenses along the Red, and had to be abandoned, with her escaping crew occupying the captured packet steamer Era No. 5. They were pursued by the Confederate ram CSS William H. Webb, but managed to reach the safety of Indianola on February 16. While Era No. 5 headed backed towards Union positions near Vicksburg, Indianola moved against William H. Webb and sighted her that afternoon near Ellis Cliffs, Mississippi. Indianola fired, but was out of range, while the Confederate vessel escaped around a bend of the river in fog. Indianola then held a blockade of the junction of the Red and the Mississippi, but withdrew on February 21 after learning that William H. Webb, the captured and repaired Queen of the West, and two steamers filled with Confederate soldiers were moving to attack her.
Slowed by the two coal barges which she was still bringing with her in the belief that Porter might send down another vessel and the coal would be needed, Indianola was caught on the night of February 24 by William H. Webb and Queen of the West. The two Confederate vessels, under the command of Joseph Lancaster Brent, a major in the Confederate Army, could have reached Indianola earlier, but waited until nightfall for combat, in order to make it harder for the Union vessel to aim and to give the Confederate shore batteries at Grand Gulf, Mississippi a chance to fire on the ship. Near Davis Bend, Mississippi, Brown turned the prow of his ship towards the Confederate vessels and prepared for combat by positioning the ship so that one of the coal barges was between Indianola and the Confederates. After shots from the Union 11-inch guns missed, Queen of the West rammed Indianola on her port side and smashed one of the coal barges almost in half. The Union sailors cut away the stricken barge, and then suffered the shock of a head-on ramming from William H. Webb; the Confederate ship was damaged in the collision but made another charge and crushed the other coal barge. Queen of the West moved upstream to build momentum and then rammed the starboard side of Indianola, destroying the starboard rudder and wheelhouse. William H. Webb performed a similar maneuver, and damaged the stern of the Union vessel. Brown had ordered his ship to fire, but was only able to score either a single hit on the Queen of the West, which inflicted casualties but caused little structural damage or two hits on the Queen of the West that disabled cannons and a hit on William H. Webb. With the ship sinking and barely steerable, Brown had Indianola run aground onto the western bank and hauled down his flag, but the Confederates were able to pull the stricken ship over to the eastern bank, which they held. Indianola sunk in 10 feet (3.0 m) of water. During the fight, Indianola had been rammed seven times. While all but one Union sailor survived the battle, only three escaped the ship's capture to bring word to Porter; Brown and most of the others had been taken prisoner.
The Confederates detached a salvage crew to attempt to raise Indianola. The Union authorities knew that if the vessel was repaired and added to the Confederate fleet like Queen of the West, the result could be disastrous for the Union fleet on the Mississippi as the two captured vessels could potentially defeat and capture other Union ships. Porter did not have ships available to send on the risky mission to destroy the wreck of Indianola, so he ordered the construction of a hoax ironclad in order to bluff the Confederate salvage crew into abandoning the wreck. This was accomplished by lengthening an old coal barge with logs and adding a casemate, Quaker guns, and two smokestacks made out of pork barrels. The contraption, which was known by the name Black Terror, was sent downstream on February 26. It passed the Vicksburg defenses without taking major damage, and frightened Queen of the West into leaving the area of the wreck. The abandoned Confederate salvage crew, who may have been intoxicated, threw the 9-inch guns into the Mississippi, pointed the 11-inch guns at each other muzzle-to-muzzle and then fired them, before burning what remained to the waterline. On the morning of February 27, the Confederates realized that Black Terror had only been a hoax. Vicksburg fell to Union forces on July 4. The remains of Indianola's wreck were raised on January 5, 1865, and towed to Mound City, Illinois, where they were sold on January 17.
|
[
"## Construction and characteristics",
"## Service history"
] | 2,035 | 35,871 |
26,570,352 |
Joseph H. Allen
| 1,054,631,654 |
American infantryman, businessman, politician
|
[
"1821 births",
"1884 deaths",
"19th-century American politicians",
"American people of English descent",
"American people of Scottish descent",
"New York (state) Democrats",
"New York (state) Whigs",
"People from Alburgh, Vermont",
"People from Brunswick, New York",
"Union Army colonels"
] |
Joseph H. Allen (September 5, 1821 – April 24, 1884) was an industrial businessman, an officer in the Civil War, and a town supervisor of Brunswick, New York. Allen was born in Alburg, Vermont, to parents of British descent and left home at an early age. After several business ventures, he became successful in the auger and hoe business, selling mainly to the American South. He successfully ran for supervisor of the Town of Brunswick in 1856 and justice of the peace in 1861. At the beginning of the Civil War, his sales plummeted so he closed his business and enlisted in the Union Army. Allen was wounded multiple times during his service and ended his career at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He returned home to reopen his factory, which was instrumental to the industrial success of the hamlet of Eagle Mills in the mid to late 19th century. He died in 1884 at the age of 62.
## Early life
Allen was the son of John and Sarah Allen. His father was a native of Connecticut and of English origin, and his mother was originally from Vermont and of Scottish descent. He left home when he was eight years old "to carve out a fortune for himself", as Sylvester put it in his History of Rensselaer County, New York. He began work in an auger factory in Hamden, Connecticut, at an early age and continued until he was seventeen years old. At that time, he purchased a clock store, which he traded for horses in Vermont and Canada. He shipped his horses to the West Indies, but the ship was wrecked and his horses were lost, thus placing him badly in debt. However, he soon obtained credit, and again shipped a number of horses to the West Indies, this time successfully, enabling him to pay all his debts and even earning him a profit.
## Before the war
Allen soon resumed his place in the auger factory in Connecticut, where he remained until September 1, 1843, when he moved to Troy, New York. There he entered into partnership with O. W. Edson in manufacturing augers. The partnership continued until the following January when Allen purchased his partner's share and continued in this business until the factory burned down in 1850.
In January 1851, Allen purchased the Eagle flour mills, an historically important industrial building in the area, which eventually gave the hamlet of Eagle Mills its name. The factory had a long history of failed business attempts. It was built in 1821 by Daniel Sheldon to mill flour using wheat supplied from Troy. After brief success, the business closed and the building sat idle. It was sold to James Bumstead who reopened the building as a feed mill. He too had troubles and sold the building to James McChesney, who kept the building idle for some time before transferring the property to Catlin and Saxton, who began the manufacture of augers and bits. Also unsuccessful, Catlin and Saxton abandoned the business and James McChesney (whose name was still on the deed) sold the property to Groome and Shattuck, who began manufacturing monkey wrenches. This too failed and the property was sold to Paul Smith, a miller from nearby Cropseyville, who sold the property to Allen in 1851 because Smith later decided that he preferred to keep his mills consolidated in Cropseyville.
The factory was located on the rocky banks of the Poesten Kill, a creek that was commonly used for water power in the area. Allen had two new buildings erected and funneled creek water to them through tunnels in the bedrock underneath the buildings. He named his enterprise the Millville Manufacturing Company and converted the mill into an auger and bit factory. At one point, he experimented with producing cable chains and files, as well. But the company soon ran into legal difficulties and was dissolved.
Allen reopened the company in 1859, having added machinery for the manufacture of hoes, and opened a retail store on site. He found a successful market in the South, where demand was high. His company, newly named the Planters' Hoe Company, was a considerable success. However, as the nation came closer to civil war, demand dropped and sales in the South became impossible. The factory was closed in 1861, not only due to poor sales, but because Allen enlisted in the Union Army.
## Public and armed service
Allen's presence was noticeable within Brunswick. In March 1853, he presided over a meeting to incorporate the "Church of the Disciples of Christ at the village of Millville", now known simply as Church of the Disciples of Christ. That summer, a church building was erected at a cost of about \$1,200. In 1856 Allen became the supervisor of Brunswick, a position he was reelected to once and held until 1857; he ran as a Whig. He was also elected justice of the peace in 1861, but he did not finish his term because he decided to serve in the Civil War; this time he ran as a Democrat, and remained one for the rest of his life.
In early 1862, the 125th Volunteer Infantry Regiment had been put together in Brunswick and a call by President Lincoln for more troops was answered by Allen that September. He enlisted in Company C of the 169th New York Volunteer Infantry and was chosen captain, having organized the company within six days. Most of the infantrymen came from Brunswick, though some came from surrounding towns. Residents of the town raised the money necessary to cover various "bounties and expenses" incurred by Allen's soldiers while en route to war.
Allen participated in all the battles in which his regiment took part except a few minor ones, due to wounds he received in battle. During the Battle of Cold Harbor, the bones in his wrist were shattered, and he later incurred a flesh wound in the same wrist at the First Battle of Fort Fisher. He was also wounded in the leg near his ankle at Fort Fisher; the musket ball remained there until his death. While recovering from injuries, he was reassigned to New York to recruit new soldiers. He was promoted to the rank of major in June 1864, and, for "meritorious conduct" at Fort Fisher, he was recommended for promotion by President Lincoln and brevetted lieutenant colonel on March 13, 1865.
## Post war and personal life
Allen returned to Brunswick after the war and reopened the Planters' Hoe Company in association with George T. Lane. He ended the production of augers, which still made up a small percentage of production even after closing Millville Manufacturing. Allen put himself in charge of manufacturing and sales and he again secured a solid market share in the South. A prosperous trade resumed and was still strong at least until the 1880s. The company eventually expanded and began manufacturing lighter common hoes for the general public, adding to its heavy southern-style line of hoes. The Planters' Hoe Company was still a success as late as the 1890s, but it was extinct by the 1920s.
In addition to holding the offices of justice of the peace and town supervisor, it is also said that Allen was one of the foremost supporters of education in the town. On July 6, 1847, he married Sarah H. Payne, daughter of David H. and Catharine C. Payne, of Hamden, Connecticut. The couple had two children: Sarah and Cornelia May.
Allen died on April 24, 1884, and is buried in Eagle Mills Cemetery on Brunswick Road in Eagle Mills; his wife died in 1907 and is buried next to him. Based on insignia carved on his gravestone (specifically the Square and Compasses), Allen was a Mason.
|
[
"## Early life",
"## Before the war",
"## Public and armed service",
"## Post war and personal life"
] | 1,613 | 29,488 |
19,273,998 |
SS West Cheswald
| 1,136,443,651 |
American cargo ship
|
[
"1919 ships",
"Design 1013 ships",
"Scuttled vessels",
"Ships built in Portland, Oregon",
"Ships sunk as breakwaters",
"Shipwrecks of France",
"World War I cargo ships of the United States",
"World War II merchant ships of the United States",
"World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean"
] |
SS West Cheswald was a cargo ship for the United States Shipping Board (USSB) launched shortly after the end of World War I. The ship was inspected by the United States Navy for possible use as USS West Cheswald (ID-4199) but was neither taken into the Navy nor ever commissioned under that name. West Cheswald was built in 1919 for the USSB, as a part of the West boats, a series of steel-hulled cargo ships built on the West Coast of the United States for the World War I war effort, and was the 32nd ship built at Northwest Steel in Portland, Oregon.
She operated for several years as a merchant ship, and was involved in a court case that eventually reached the Supreme Court of the United States in 1928. She was laid up in New Orleans, Louisiana, until late 1940 when she was reactivated and refitted to carry American defense-related cargos to Africa and chromium and manganese ore to the United States.
Continuing in African service after the United States entered World War II, she was diverted in March 1942 for one round trip to the Soviet Union, enduring German attacks that earned her U.S. Navy Armed Guard a battle star. After her return, she sailed mainly between the United States and African and Caribbean ports. In March 1944, she sailed from the United States for one final time, and was scuttled in June as part of the "gooseberry" breakwater off Utah Beach during the Normandy invasion, earning a second battle star in the process.
## Design and construction
The West ships were cargo ships of similar size and design built by several shipyards on the West Coast of the United States for the USSB for emergency use during World War I. All were given names that began with the word West, like West Cheswald, the one of some 40 West ships built by the Northwest Steel of Portland, Oregon. West Cheswald (Northwest Steel yard number 32, USSB hull number 1421) was completed in September 1919.
West Cheswald was 6,187 gross register tons (GRT), and was 412 feet 1 inch (125.60 m) long (between perpendiculars) and 54 feet 6 inches (16.61 m) abeam. She had a steel hull with a hold that was 29 feet 9 inches (9.07 m) deep. She had a displacement of 12,200 t with a mean draft of 24 feet 1 inch (7.34 m). The ship had a single steam turbine that drove a single screw propeller, and moved the ship at up to 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h).
## Early career
West Cheswald was inspected by the 13th Naval District of the United States Navy after completion for possible use as a service collier and was assigned the identification number of 4199. Had she been commissioned, she would have been known as USS West Cheswald (ID-4199), but the Navy neither took over the ship nor commissioned her.
Information on West Cheswald's early career is lacking, but records of some of her movements and cargo are available. On 30 September 1920, West Cheswald took on a load of white sugar at Java and headed for the United States via the Suez Canal. While she was near Bermuda, West Cheswald was diverted from her original destination of New York to Philadelphia, to deliver her cargo in fulfillment of an order. Because the cargo had not been originally headed to Philadelphia, the purchasers refused to pay for it, believing that the voyage took too long. After litigation and various appeals, the case ended up before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1928 as Lamborn v. National Bank of Commerce, 276 U.S. 469 (1928). The court found that under the contract signed, the purchasers were obligated for the sugar regardless of whether or not the ship had originally been destined for Philadelphia. West Cheswald was also reported in Hawaiian service during 1920. The report of the Governor of Hawaii in the annual report of the United States Department of the Interior for the 1920–21 fiscal year, listed West Cheswald among the four USSB-owned ships sailed to Hawaii by the Pacific Steamship Company.
From 1922, West Cheswald operated to South America, often bringing coffee to the United States. In October 1922, for example, she delivered 22,700 pounds (10,300 kg) of coffee from Rio de Janeiro to New Orleans, Louisiana, and in March 1923, she delivered 105,400 bags to New Orleans and another 4,100 bags to Galveston, Texas. From 1923 to 1940, little is known about West Cheswald's activities. At some point during this period, she was laid up in New Orleans as part of the reserve fleet located there.
## World War II
In June 1940, as World War II raged in Europe, the United States Maritime Commission (USMC) (a successor to the USSB) announced bidding for the reconditioning of West Cheswald and nine other ships that were in the reserve fleet. The low bid for West Cheswald was by the Maryland Drydock Company of Baltimore, which priced the repairs at \$169,961. In February 1941, the USMC announced another round of bidding, this time for the operation of West Cheswald and three other ships on defense routes to southern and eastern Africa. The ships would carry defense cargo to African ports and return loads of chromium and manganese ore—both needed for the production of steel for armaments—to the United States. The American South African Line had the low bid for West Cheswald, offering to operate her for \$17,174 monthly.
With her reconditioning complete, West Cheswald arrived in New York from Baltimore on 23 March. Although she may have been scheduled to begin her African service as early as 29 March, she sailed from New York on 11 April for the Cape Verde Islands, and from there, to Cape Town, where she arrived on 15 May. Beginning the next day, West Cheswald visited Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, Mombasa, Tanga, and Zanzibar through 11 June. She returned to Tanga, then sailed from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar and back on 23 and 24 June. She next made her way to Lourenço Marques, where she arrived on 3 July. From Lourenço Marques, she sailed back to Durban and Cape Town, before she began her transatlantic journey to Trinidad on 18 July. After calling at that Caribbean port, she returned to New York to complete her first circuit on 18 August.
On 6 September, West Cheswald began another, similar voyage to Africa. In addition to calling at many of the same ports she visited on her first trip, she visited the port of Beira, Mozambique for the first time in early November. The ship was in transit from Cape Town to Trinidad on 7 December during the Attack on Pearl Harbor, and by the time she arrived at Boston on 27 December, the United States had joined the Allies of World War II in declaring war against the Axis powers.
## Arctic convoy
West Cheswald sailed from Boston for New York on 30 December, and spent nearly eight weeks at New York. Outfitted with armament and a Naval Armed Guard detachment, she sailed from Boston for Halifax with a load of tanks on 23 February 1942. After spending five days at Halifax, she sailed as part of Convoy SC 72 to Clyde on 28 February. After arriving at Clyde on 17 March, West Cheswald made her way to Oban on 22 March and sailed four days later for Murmansk as part of Convoy PQ 14. The convoy consisted of approximately 25 merchant ships, ten of which were American, and of the American ships, only two—West Cheswald and Yaka—possessed defensive weaponry manned by Naval Armed Guardsmen. Many ships turned back because of heavy fog and snow; West Cheswald, Yaka and several other ships from the convoy remained at Reykjavík from 31 March to 8 April. On 15 April, the convoy was tracked by a German aircraft, and convoy escort ships made contact with three German destroyers. The following day, the convoy commodore's ship was sunk by a submarine; at least two other torpedoes traveled through the convoy without hitting any ships. The convoy came under air attack on 17 April, but suffered no losses. As the convoy neared Murmansk, two Soviet destroyers with air cover joined the escort, and the convoy arrived without further incident on 19 April.
Though the convoy had arrived at its destination, the danger of attack was still present. The nearest German airfield was 35 miles (56 km) away—about 7 to 10 minutes flying time—which gave almost no advance warning of air raids. German dive bombers would silently glide in below Soviet anti-aircraft fire, drop their bombs, and fly away. West Cheswald was luckier than some. Her closest call occurred when a bomb fell 50 feet (15 m) away from the ship during an air raid on 23 April, destroying a 50-ton crane that had earlier finished unloading the ship; West Cheswald suffered no major damage in any of the attacks. Despite the fact that Murmansk had limited port facilities and typically slow unloading of cargo, West Cheswald was ready to sail in the next departing convoy, Convoy QP 11, on 28 April. West Cheswald's armed guardsmen received a battle star for their participation in Convoy PQ 14.
## Later voyages
After returning to New York on 31 May by way of Reykjavík and Halifax, West Cheswald made a brief trip to Philadelphia and back before she worked her way down the East Coast to Norfolk, Virginia, where she arrived on 17 June. Sailing the next day, the cargo ship began the first of two African trips, during which she made many of the same ports as in her two 1941 voyages. On the homeward leg of her second voyage, she called at Takoradi and Freetown on the western coast of Africa in March 1943. After returning to the Americas, West Cheswald visited Saint Thomas, San Juan, and Mayagüez in the Caribbean before returning to Philadelphia on 28 April.
West Cheswald's next sailing began on 6 June, when she left Boston for Halifax, sailing from the latter port on 16 June in Convoy SC-134 bound for Liverpool. Breaking off from the convoy for Loch Ewe, West Cheswald also visited Methil, Southend, and Oban, before returning to New York on 11 August. Sailing from there on 6 September, she began her final trip to Africa, in which she visited the West African ports of Bathurst, Freetown, Monrovia, and Takoradi before returning to Philadelphia via Trinidad on 27 January 1944. She sailed from Philadelphia ten days later, ending up in Boston.
## Final voyage
West Cheswald had been selected to become one of the blockships for the Allied invasion of France, then in the planning stages. Though the specific modifications performed on West Cheswald are not revealed in sources, modifications for other ships do appear. In November 1944, The Christian Science Monitor reported that blockships dispatched from Boston, like West Cheswald, had been loaded with "tons of sand and cement" and had been rigged with explosive charges before departing the port. Further, existing anti-aircraft weapons had been moved higher up on the ship and supplemented by additional guns. An account by Cesar Poropat, chief engineer aboard West Honaker, another blockship dispatched from Boston, mentions that transverse bulkheads aboard that ship were cut open to facilitate sinking.
West Cheswald departed Boston on 10 March and arrived at Halifax two days later. Departing from that port on 29 March, she sailed in Convoy SC-156 and arrived at Swansea on 14 April. She departed there on 30 April for Oban, where she joined the assembling "Corncob Fleet." The Corncob Fleet was the group of ships to be sunk to form the "gooseberries", shallow-water artificial harbors for landing craft. Poropat reports that once the ship crews were told of their mission while anchored at Oban, they were not permitted to leave the ships. After five weeks of isolation at anchor, West Cheswald headed south for Poole, to join the first corncob convoy.
West Cheswald sailed from Poole on 7 June in a convoy, consisting of what one author called the "dregs of the North Atlantic shipping pool", and reached the Normandy beachhead the next day, two days after the D-Day landings. Poropat reports that the corncob ships traveled under cover of darkness and, stripped of all unnecessary equipment, carried no radios, having only a signal lamp (with a spare bulb) for communication. Once at the designated location, the ships were put into position and scuttled over the next days, under heavy German artillery fire. Naval Armed Guardsmen manned the guns on all the gooseberry ships to protect against frequent German air attacks; West Cheswald's gunners were credited with downing one plane on 10 June. All the while, harbor pilots—about half of the New York Bar Pilots Association, according to one source—carefully positioned the ships. West Cheswald and West Nohno were the last two ships sunk off Utah Beach when they went down on 11 June. Even though she had been sunk, West Cheswald continued to serve as an antiaircraft platform manned by Navy gun crews until 19 June, and by Army crews after that date. West Cheswald's naval gunners were awarded a second battle star for participation in the Normandy Landings.
|
[
"## Design and construction",
"## Early career",
"## World War II",
"## Arctic convoy",
"## Later voyages",
"## Final voyage"
] | 2,901 | 11,035 |
50,240,944 |
Savior's Shadow
| 1,153,041,147 | null |
[
"2016 singles",
"2016 songs",
"Blake Shelton songs",
"Country ballads",
"Song recordings produced by Scott Hendricks",
"Songs written by Blake Shelton",
"Songs written by Jessi Alexander",
"Songs written by Jon Randall",
"Warner Records Nashville singles"
] |
"Savior's Shadow" is a song recorded by American country music artist Blake Shelton, taken as the second single from his tenth studio album, If I'm Honest (2016). It was released digitally on April 8, 2016, before being sent to Christian and country radio on April 11. The track was written by Shelton, Jessi Alexander and Jon Randall, while production was handled by Scott Hendricks.
A gospel song with Christian themes, "Savior's Shadow" served as a reminder that his faith was strong. Additionally, its lyrics detail losing faith during troubling times in his life, but ultimately result in him gaining more. It was generally well received by music critics, who applauded Shelton's change in musical genre. Some critics even positively noted his maturity through the track. A black and white music video was filmed for the track, and premiered on May 19, 2016. The singer performed it live for the first time on May 26, 2016 for Comic Relief's Red Nose Day 2016 on NBC.
## Background and composition
According to Shelton himself, the initial idea for "Savior's Shadow" came to him in his sleep in May 2015. Although the singer did not remember the exact dream, he recalled "four lines of lyrics and [the] melody", which drew him to "grab his smartphone and s[ing] the passage into the memo function before it was lost". He enlisted the help of married couple Jessi Alexander and Jon Randall to complete the track, who were ironically experiencing changes in their lives, much like Shelton. The finalized recording was done at Shelton's private home in Los Angeles, California in his bedroom's closet for "best effect". Alexander claimed that the track "came deep from Blake's soul" and demonstrated that his tenth studio album If I'm Honest would "be extremely personal". She remarked that the writing became more emotional, as the track was finished "just one month after his divorce from Miranda Lambert". When Shelton released the single on April 8, 2016 through Warner Bros. Nashville, he expressed gratitude from his fans, stating: "In all the years I've been doing this I've never experience this kind of reaction from a song. So proud."
"Savior's Shadow" was written by Shelton, Alexander, and Randall, while production was handled by longtime collaborator Scott Hendricks. It is composed in the key of D major using common time with a tempo of 96-100 beats per minute. His vocal range, which spanned from A3-E5, was accompanied by a piano, in addition to backup vocals. An "introspective" gospel song, it serves as "a guide" to demonstrate his faith "through trying times". The gospel section and string arrangements was imagined by Charlie Judge, while Russ Pahl helped Shelton in creating "bittersweet steel notes" for the production. Shelton sings: "I feel the rain, I hear the thunder / As He cries for me", demonstrating that Jesus was "a powerful source of strength" for the singer. The first verse displays Shelton's "longing and willingness to stand" with Jesus after his relationship struggles: "Though the devil tried to break me / My sweet Jesus won't forsake me / When I'm in my Savior's shadow where I'm supposed to be". Jeff Nelson of People claimed that the single offered some of Shelton's "most revealing lyrics", particularly the aforementioned lines. The song commences with the singer praying: "I'm standing in my Savior's shadow, following his footsteps there / Every mountain, every ocean, He hears my prayer".
## Reception
"Savior's Shadow" was well received by music critics. AXS's Lori Melton applauded Shelton for making "a huge creative departure" from his previous work. Keith Harris, writing for Rolling Stone enjoyed the single, and felt "that the good ol' boy's maturing into a man". Scott Stroud from The National appreciated the recording's honesty, in addition to it for containing "emotional sincerity". Entertainment Tonight's Sophie Schillaci declared it a "deeply heartfelt ballad" and lauded its lyrics contrasting the Devil and Jesus. Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times was more mixed in his review of the parent album; Wood was not impressed by the lyrics, summarizing that instead of being about religion and Christian faith, they are "mostly familiar images of thunder and rain, mountains and oceans".
For the week ending April 30, 2016, "Savior's Shadow" debuted at the bottom position of the Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at number 50. Additionally, the single was the week's forty-third best selling digital country song, selling approximately 7,000 copies in its first week available, which allowed it to chart at number 43 on the Country Digital Songs, and at number 4 on both the Christian Digital Songs and Christian/Gospel Digital Songs component charts. The single did not appear the following week on the Country Digital Songs chart, but lasted an additional seven weeks on the Christian Digital Songs and Christian/Gospel Digital Songs charts. On the Christian Songs chart, it debuted at number 17, for the week ending April 30, and managed to peak at number 14 two months later, for the week ending June 18.
## Promotion
A black-and-white music video for "Savior's Shadow" premiered on May 19, 2016 on Shelton's official YouTube account. For the entirety of the video's duration, it features the singer sitting on a stool and playing the guitar. He sits in front of a solid white background while close-ups of Shelton strumming the guitar occasionally appear. Shelton performed the song live for the first time as part of Comic Relief's Red Nose Day 2016 on May 26, 2016.
## Track listing
## Credits and personnel
Personnel
- Blake Shelton – lead vocals, songwriting
- Jessi Alexander – songwriting
- Scott Hendricks – production
- Charlie Judge – string arrangements
- Russ Pahl – additional instruments
- Jon Randall – songwriting
Credits adapted from the liner notes of If I'm Honest.
## Charts
## Release history
|
[
"## Background and composition",
"## Reception",
"## Promotion",
"## Track listing",
"## Credits and personnel",
"## Charts",
"## Release history"
] | 1,277 | 26,688 |
47,262,488 |
Western Area Command (RAAF)
| 1,117,593,545 |
Royal Australian Air Force command
|
[
"Military units and formations disestablished in 1956",
"Military units and formations established in 1941",
"Military units and formations of the Royal Australian Air Force in World War II",
"RAAF commands"
] |
Western Area Command was one of several geographically based commands raised by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during World War II. It was formed in January 1941, and controlled RAAF units located in Western Australia. Headquartered in Perth, Western Area Command was responsible for air defence, aerial reconnaissance and protection of the sea lanes within its boundaries. Its aircraft conducted anti-submarine operations throughout the war, and attacked targets in the Dutch East Indies during the Borneo campaign in 1945.
The area command continued to operate after the war, but its assets and staffing were much reduced. Its responsibilities were subsumed in February 1954 by the RAAF's new functional commands: Home (operational), Training, and Maintenance Commands. Western Area headquarters was disbanded in November 1956.
## History
### World War II
Prior to World War II, the Royal Australian Air Force was small enough for all its elements to be directly controlled by RAAF Headquarters in Melbourne. After war broke out in September 1939, the Air Force began to decentralise its command structure, commensurate with expected increases in manpower and units. Between March 1940 and May 1941, the RAAF divided Australia and New Guinea into four geographically based command-and-control zones: Central Area, Southern Area, Western Area, and Northern Area. The roles of these area commands were air defence, protection of adjacent sea lanes, and aerial reconnaissance. Each was led by an Air Officer Commanding (AOC) responsible for the administration and operations of all air bases and units within his boundary.
Western Area Command, headquartered in Perth, was formed on 9 January 1941 to control all RAAF units in Western Australia. These included No. 14 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron, No. 25 (General Purpose) Squadron and No. 5 Initial Training School at RAAF Station Pearce; No. 9 Elementary Flying Training School at Cunderdin; and the soon-to-be-raised No. 4 Service Flying Training School at Geraldton. RAAF Headquarters had maintained control of Western Australian units pending the area's formation. Western Area's inaugural AOC was Group Captain (acting Air Commodore) Hippolyte "Kanga" De La Rue. His senior air staff officer was Group Captain Alan Charlesworth. Headquarters staff numbered forty-one, including fifteen officers. No. 14 Squadron, operating Lockheed Hudsons, and No. 25 Squadron, flying CAC Wirraways, were responsible for convoy escort and anti-submarine patrol. Shortly after taking command, De La Rue lobbied RAAF Headquarters for a force of long-range Catalina flying boats to augment No. 14 Squadron's Hudsons, but none were made available.
By mid-1941, RAAF Headquarters had decided to form training units in the southern and eastern states into semi-geographical, semi-functional groups separate to the area commands. This led to the establishment in August of No. 1 (Training) Group in Melbourne, covering Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, and No. 2 (Training) Group in Sydney, covering New South Wales and Queensland. At the same time, Central Area was dissolved and its responsibilities divided between Southern and Northern Areas, and No. 2 (Training) Group. Western Area, uniquely among the area commands, retained responsibility for training, as well as operations and maintenance, within its boundaries. In November 1941, all available aircraft from Nos. 14 and 25 Squadrons, as well as eight Avro Ansons from No. 4 Service Flying Training School, took part in the search for HMAS Sydney after it was sunk by the German raider Kormoran; a Hudson and an Anson each located lifeboats bearing Kormoran'''s crew.
In January 1942, Northern Area was split into North-Western and North-Eastern Areas, to counter separate Japanese threats to Northern Australia and New Guinea, respectively, following the outbreak of the Pacific War. In May, a new area command, Eastern Area, was raised to control units within New South Wales and southern Queensland. Of geographical necessity, the operational responsibilities of the RAAF's southerly areas centred on maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare, while the northern commands concentrated on air defence and offensive bombing. Aircraft from Western Area made their first submarine attack on 2 March, but it was the USS Sargo, which had not identified itself; the American submarine was damaged but continued on to Fremantle. Identification of friendly vessels was an ongoing issue; RAAF patrols often had to depart without the latest naval intelligence reports on Allied shipping, and ships could in any case divert from their planned routes. It was often difficult for observers in fast-moving aircraft to make out Allied signal flags on a ship, and ships' crews did not always immediately recognise RAAF aircraft even when the latter employed their Aldis lamps to identify themselves.
No. 35 (Transport) Squadron, operating de Havilland Fox Moth and DH.84 Dragon aircraft, was raised under Western Area's control at Pearce on 4 March 1942. No. 77 Squadron, equipped with P-40 Kittyhawks, was formed at Pearce on 16 March; it was at this time the only fighter squadron available to defend Perth and Fremantle, and De La Rue worked assiduously to prepare it for operations. No. 6 Fighter Sector Headquarters, Perth, became operational on 2 May. The same month, the Air Board proposed raising No. 3 (Training) Group and No. 8 (Maintenance) Group to control training and maintenance units in Western Australia but, though approved by the Federal government, this did not take place. By 31 May, Western Area headquarters staff numbered 247, including 76 officers.
As of 20 April 1942, operational authority over RAAF combat infrastructure, including the area commands, was invested in the newly established Allied Air Forces Headquarters under South West Pacific Area Command (SWPA). Some fine-tuning of Western Area's boundaries occurred in August: North-Western Area, as well as controlling the Northern Territory, was given responsibility for the portion of Western Australia north of a line drawn south-east from Yampi Sound to the Northern Territory border. September 1942 saw the formation of RAAF Command, led by Air Vice Marshal Bill Bostock, to oversee the majority of Australian flying units in the SWPA. Bostock exercised control of air operations through the area commands, although RAAF Headquarters continued to hold administrative authority over all Australian units. In November, construction began on an airfield under Western Area's control at Corunna Downs, near Port Hedland. Australia's closest air base to Surabaya, it would serve as a staging post for Allied bombers bound for targets in the Dutch East Indies, allowing them to avoid Japanese fighter stations between the Northern Territory and Java. De la Rue handed over Western Area to Air Commodore Raymond Brownell in December 1942; by the end of the month, headquarters staff numbered 488, including 95 officers.
By April 1943, Western Area controlled four combat units: No. 14 Squadron, flying Bristol Beaufort reconnaissance-bombers out of Pearce; No. 25 Squadron, tasked with dive-bombing missions in Wirraways based at Pearce; No. 76 Squadron, flying P-40 Kittyhawks out of Potshot (Exmouth Gulf); and No. 85 Squadron, operating CAC Boomerang fighters from Pearce. The area command was also able to call on US Navy Catalinas of Patrol Wing 10, based at Crawley, for reconnaissance and anti-submarine missions. The Beauforts and Catalinas flew several hundred maritime patrols during 1943. In March 1944, Western Area went on high alert in response to concerns that a Japanese naval force would raid Western Australia. Perth was reinforced with Nos. 452 and 457 Squadrons, and Exmouth Gulf with Nos. 18, 31, and 120 Squadrons, but no attack ensued and the units were directed to return to their home bases. The US Navy withdrew Patrol Wing 10 mid-year, curtailing Western Area's ability to conduct long-range maritime reconnaissance; No. 14 Squadron's fifteen serviceable Beauforts had to fly patrols of up to twenty-two hours in duration to search for German submarines reported in the area. As of 31 May 1944, Western Area headquarters staff numbered 686, including 118 officers.
Having converted to Vultee Vengeance dive bombers in August 1943, No. 25 Squadron moved from Pearce to Cunderdin in January 1945 and re-equipped with B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. The Liberators were employed on anti-submarine patrol off Cape Leeuwin later that month, owing to No. 14 Squadron's Beauforts being fully committed to other tasks. Between April and July, No. 25 Squadron provided Western Area's contribution to the Borneo campaign, supporting the Allied invasions of Tarakan, Labuan–Brunei and Balikpapan. Staging through Corunna Downs, the Liberators bombed Japanese airfields in the Dutch East Indies that were within range of Tarakan, up until the day of the landings on 1 May. They attacked Malang near Surabaya at night prior to the landings at Labuan, and conducted daylight raids against Java in the lead-up to the Balikpapan operation that commenced on 1 July. No. 14 Squadron had ceased its regular anti-submarine patrols on 23 May following the end of hostilities in Europe, but remained on standby in case any U-boats were found to be still active. In July 1945, Brownell was appointed to command the newly formed No. 11 Group on Morotai; he handed Western Area over to his senior air staff officer, Group Captain Colin Hannah, who held temporary command for the remainder of the war.
### Post-war activity and disbandment
On 2 September 1945, following the end of the Pacific War, South West Pacific Area was dissolved and the Air Board again assumed full control of all its operational elements. Hannah handed over Western Area to Group Captain Douglas Wilson in October. The Air Force shrank dramatically with demobilisation; wartime units were scheduled for dissolution in several stages, including reconnaissance-bomber squadrons by the end of 1945, and other bomber units by September 1946. No. 14 Squadron was disbanded at Pearce in December 1945. No. 25 Squadron's Liberators repatriated former prisoners of war from the Dutch East Indies to Australia until January 1946; the unit was disbanded in July that year. Wilson was placed on the retired list in February 1946, and Hannah again assumed temporary command of Western Area until posted to Britain that October. Group Captain Bill Garing took over as Officer Commanding Western Area the following month, by which time headquarters staff numbered 117, including 31 officers.
In September 1946, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal George Jones, proposed reducing the five extant mainland area commands (North-Western, North-Eastern, Eastern, Southern, and Western Areas) to three: Northern Area, covering Queensland and the Northern Territory; Eastern Area, covering New South Wales; and Southern Area, covering Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. The Australian Government rejected the plan and the wartime area command boundaries essentially remained in place. No. 25 Squadron re-formed as a Citizen Air Force unit at Pearce in April 1948, operating P-51 Mustangs and, later, de Havilland Vampire fighters. As well as training reservists, the squadron was responsible for Western Australia's air defence. Garing handed over command in November 1948; by the end of the month, Western Area headquarters staff numbered fourteen, including seven officers.
Group Captain (later Air Commodore) Bill Hely took command of Western Area in October 1951. During Operation Hurricane, the British atomic test in the Montebello Islands in October 1952, Hely coordinated air support including supply and observation flights by Dakotas of No. 86 (Transport) Wing. He completed his term as AOC Western Area in September 1953, by which time headquarters staff numbered thirty-one, including fifteen officers.
Beginning in October 1953, the RAAF was reorganised from a geographically based command-and-control system into one based on function. In February 1954, the newly constituted functional organisations—Home, Training, and Maintenance Commands—assumed control of all operations, training and maintenance, respectively, from Western Area Command. Western Area remained in existence but only, according to the Melbourne Argus'', as one of Home Command's "remote control points". The area headquarters was disbanded on 30 November 1956.
## Order of battle
As at 30 April 1942, Western Area's order of battle comprised:
- RAAF Station Pearce
- No. 14 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron
- No. 25 (General Purpose) Squadron
- No. 35 (Transport) Squadron
- No. 77 (Fighter) Squadron
- No. 6 Fighter Sector Headquarters, Perth
|
[
"## History",
"### World War II",
"### Post-war activity and disbandment",
"## Order of battle"
] | 2,733 | 42,159 |
40,614,100 |
Edward of Angoulême
| 1,162,606,884 |
Son of Edward the Black Prince
|
[
"1365 births",
"1370 deaths",
"14th-century deaths from plague (disease)",
"Burials at Austin Friars, London",
"Children of Edward the Black Prince",
"English people of Belgian descent",
"English people of French descent",
"English people of Spanish descent",
"House of Plantagenet",
"Royalty who died as children"
] |
Edward of Angoulême (27 January 1365 – c. 20 September 1370) was second in line to the throne of the Kingdom of England before his death. Born in Angoulême, he was the eldest child of Edward, Prince of Wales, commonly called "the Black Prince", and Joan, Countess of Kent, and thus was a member of the House of Plantagenet. Edward's birth, during the Hundred Years' War, was celebrated luxuriously by his father and by other monarchs, such as Charles V of France.
Edward died at the age of five, leaving his three-year-old brother, Richard of Bordeaux, as the new second in line. After the Black Prince's death in 1376, Richard became heir apparent to Edward III and succeeded the following year. Richard later ordered a monument to be made for his brother's tomb, which he had re-located; he also possibly depicted his brother on the Wilton Diptych.
## Life
### Birth
Edward was born at the Château d'Angoulême, in Angoulême, then part of the Duchy of Aquitaine. His name, Edward of Angoulême, is a territorial designation referring to his birthplace; this was a common naming practice in 14th-century England. Through his father, Edward the Black Prince, he was a member of the House of Plantagenet and the second, but eldest surviving grandson of the reigning English monarch, Edward III. Edward was related to the reigning French royal House of Valois through his paternal grandmother, Philippa of Hainault. His mother, Joan, was his father's first cousin once removed, and was suo jure Countess of Kent.
Edward's date of birth has been a matter of debate. In the Dictionary of National Biography article for his father, Edward's birth year is given as 1363, 1364 or 1365, based on three contemporary chronicles, including that of Jean Froissart. A letter sent by Joan of Kent to Edward III on 4 February 1365 announces Edward's birth on 27 January; therefore, this is the date of birth most used. News of his birth was "so acceptable to his royal grandfather, that the king conferred upon the messenger, John Delves, an annuity of forty pounds per annum for life."
Edward was baptized at the Château d'Angoulême, in March 1365. The Black Prince enjoyed luxury and Edward's baptism was meant to show the natives of Aquitaine that they had a sovereign in the Black Prince: present were 154 lords and 706 knights and, supposedly, 18000 horses; over £400 were spent on candles alone. Edward's baptism was also celebrated with "splendid tournaments." One of his godparents was Bishop Jean de Crois. The name the Black Prince chose for his eldest son had been borne by three English kings and had already become a popular name with political implications by the time Edward and his brother, Richard (b. 1367), were born. In Yorkist times, these were the most popular names.
### Death
After prolonged suffering, Edward died of the bubonic plague; although the exact time of his death is not known, the date of January 1371 is commonly used. The Wigmore Chronicle of 1370 states that Edward died "around the feast of Saint Michael [29 September]"; this is probably the correct date.
The Black Prince found out about Edward's death after he returned from the siege of Limoges; "he was very grieved in his heart, but none can escape death." Edward's loss "was a bitter grief to [the Black Prince and Joan of Kent]" and only increased the severity of the Black Prince's illness. Edward had "already won a reputation for a Christ-like character," and in his infancy, "historians have been willing to see the seeds of those high qualities which distinguished his father and his grandfather, which were denied to his brother Richard II." The Black Prince returned to England with Joan and Richard in 1371, and died there in 1376 of a wasting disease that had been ravaging his body for many years.
Before the Black Prince and his family left for England, he left his brother, John of Gaunt, in charge of arranging Edward's funeral, which took place in Bordeaux and was attended by all of the barons of Gascony and Poitou. Edward's body was exhumed in 1388/9 and transported back to England by Robert Waldby, Bishop of Aire, who was acting under Richard II's orders. It was at this time that Edward was buried at "Chilterne Langley," also known as Children's Langley, a priory on the estate of Kings Langley. Between 1540 and 1607, the church at Kings Langley was ruined; and Edward had already been re-buried at the Church of the Austin Friars by 1598.
While Richard could not have remembered Edward well, he still "recalled [his brother] with pious affection." Thus, Edward is possibly featured on the Wilton Diptych, a small diptych which depicts Richard kneeling before the Virgin (possibly represented by Joan of Kent) and Child (possibly represented by Edward). The Diptych is held at the National Gallery of London.
### Legacy
Edward's early demise caused great pain to both Richard and his parents: historian Alison Weir states that, from the time the Black Prince returned to England after Edward's death, "he was a broken man." Edward's death also had a substantial impact on English history. Even during Edward's lifetime, fears that John of Gaunt would claim the throne existed; Parliament passed the Act of 1368, which permitted children born in the English domains in France to inherit the Kingdom of England, perhaps fearing that the Act of 1351, which established Edward and Richard's citizenship as English, would not be enough to ensure their succession. After Edward III's death and Richard's ascension, a regency led by John of Gaunt was avoided. Nonetheless, Gaunt maintained his influential position in the years that followed, and acted as de facto regent until January 1380.
Although Richard was only ten years old when he began his reign, towards the end of the 1390s, he began what historians consider to be a period of "tyranny". By the time of Edward's death, England was in the midst of fighting during the Hundred Years' War, which had been started by Edward III. Richard made efforts to end the war, but was unsuccessful due to opposition from his magnates and the French refusing to formally acknowledge their territorial losses by transferring land to the English. In 1399, Richard was imprisoned in the Tower of London and abdicated in favour of his cousin, the Earl of Derby. With Richard's death on 14 February 1400, the direct line of the House of Plantagenet was brought to an end.
## Ancestry
## Endnotes
|
[
"## Life",
"### Birth",
"### Death",
"### Legacy",
"## Ancestry",
"## Endnotes"
] | 1,451 | 25,998 |
42,185,266 |
Silba-class landing ship-minelayer
| 1,135,225,309 |
Class of landing ships
|
[
"Amphibious warfare vessel classes",
"Croatian Navy",
"Landing craft",
"Military of Serbia and Montenegro",
"Mine warfare vessel classes",
"Minelayers",
"Ships of the Yugoslav Navy"
] |
The Silba class (sometimes the Cetina class) is a class of three landing ships, also used as minelayers, built for the Yugoslav (JRM) and Croatian Navy (HRM) during the 1980s and 1990s. The ships were built at the Brodogradilište specijalnih objekata shipyard in Split with slight differences in armament configuration between the last two ships. By the time the Croatian War of Independence started, one ship was in service with the JRM while another was being completed.
The one in JRM service was relocated to Montenegro where it would be commissioned with the Navy of the new FR Yugoslavia. The second ship that was captured unfinished was completed by Croatian forces and entered service with the HRM, followed by a third that was laid down by Croatia in 1993. The two ships commissioned with the HRM remain in active service, providing assistance to civilian institutions aside from their regular military tasks. The first ship in the class is currently decommissioned and in reserve in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro.
## Development and building
The Silba class was developed by the Brodarski institut (BI) from Zagreb as a replacement for a large number of aging barge-like landing craft based on German World War II designs (Marinefährprahm and Siebel). All three ships were completed at the Brodogradilište specijalnih objekata (BSO) in Split, Croatia. The first one, Krk (DBM-241), was commissioned with the JRM sometime between 1986 and 1990. The keel for the second ship that was to be named Rab (DBM-242) was laid down in 1990. As the Croatian War of Independence started, unfinished Rab was captured by Croatian forces. It was completed and launched as Cetina (DBM-81) on 18 July 1992. A third and final ship was launched on 17 September 1994 as Krka (DBM-82).
## Description
These ferry-like ships feature a roll-on/roll-off design with two loading ramps located on the bow and the stern. Measuring 49.69 m (163 ft 0 in) in length, they have a 10.2 m (33 ft 6 in) beam with a 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) draft. Propulsion consists of two 1,140 kW (1,530 hp) Burmeister & Wain Alpha Diesel 10V 23L VO engines mounted on two shafts, enabling them a maximum speed of 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph) and a cruising speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph). Traveling at their cruise speed they have a range of 1,200–1,400 nautical miles (2,200–2,600 km; 1,400–1,600 mi) with a 12-day endurance. The ships are manned by a crew of 32.
The armament configuration differs between the first two ships and the last one; DBM-241 and DBM-81 are armed with two AK-230 CIWS mounted on the sides, a single quadruple 20 mm (0.79 in) M-75 gun on the stern and a single quadruple MTU-4 9K32M Strela-2M (SA-7b "Grail") anti-aircraft missile launcher. The interior, which features two mine rails, can be used to carry up to 152 different naval mines, six medium tanks or 300 troops with equipment, a total cargo capacity of 460 t (450 long tons). DBM-82 was completed with a different gun armament; in place of the AK-230, DBM-82 has two 20 mm M-71 guns on the sides and a single Bofors D70 40 mm (1.6 in) gun on the bow. The ship was also completed as an auxiliary water carrier with a capacity of around 230 t (230 long tons) of fresh water. The number of mines that DBM-82 can carry is a maximum of 114.
## Ships
## Service history
At the start of the Croatian War of Independence DBM-241 was relocated to Montenegro where it later entered service with the SR Yugoslav Navy. DBM-242, now redesignated as DBM-81 was launched as Cetina and entered service with the Croatian Navy 19 February 1992 with Ivo Raffanelli in command. For the remainder of the war, Cetina was engaged in transporting troops and equipment along the coast, including supply runs for Croatian forces during Operation Maslenica in 1993. The same year the ship participated in testing of the new MNS-M90 naval mine. DBM-82, the third and final ship of the class, was commissioned with the Croatian Navy on 9 March 1995 with Jerko Bošnjak in command.
According to publications and news reports, DBM-241 was reported operational as late as 2005. An article published in October 2012 reported that the Egyptian Navy bought DBM-241 a year earlier. Although the advance was paid, the official handover of the ship has not happened by the time the article was published. As of March 2014, the official website of the Armed Forces of Montenegro does not list DBM-241 among its fleet: the ship is currently in reserve in the Bay of Kotor, opposite Đenovići. The two Silba-class vessels in Croatian hands continue to see service the Navy Flotilla performing traditional naval tasks as well as support missions for civilian institutions such water supply and transporting firefighters.
In July 2006 Krka was damaged during an overhaul at the Šibenik Shipyard. While being lowered to the sea, the winch of the syncrolift pulled out of the concrete causing the ship to fall down, creating a hole in the hull and sinking the stern. Early reports of significant damage proved to be false and the ship was repaired soon after. Out of ten crew members that were on board at the time, only one sustained minor injuries.
In 2015, Krka and Cetina were tasked with transporting Croatian Army vehicles and personnel to Spain for the NATO "Trident Juncture" exercise. The ships departed the Lora Naval Base on 11 October 2015, loaded with four Patria AMVs, two trucks, one motor vehicle and 14 soldiers scheduled to take part in the exercise. On 13 October they arrived in Catania where they rendezvoused with Andrija Mohorovičić deployed in support of Operation Triton. The two ships made another stop at Cagliari before continuing to Spain, arriving in Sagunto on 18 October after spending seven days at sea. The ships returned to the Lora Naval Base on 13 November, concluding their month long deployment during which they traversed a total of 2,700 nautical miles (5,000 kilometres; 3,100 miles).
## See also
- List of active Croatian Navy ships
- List of ships of the Yugoslav Navy
|
[
"## Development and building",
"## Description",
"## Ships",
"## Service history",
"## See also"
] | 1,507 | 15,541 |
46,372,898 |
Liu Geping
| 1,111,664,046 |
Chinese politician
|
[
"1904 births",
"1992 deaths",
"Chairpersons of the National People's Congress Ethnic Affairs Committee",
"Chinese Communist Party politicians from Hebei",
"Delegates to the 1st National People's Congress",
"Delegates to the 3rd National People's Congress",
"Hui people",
"People of the Cultural Revolution",
"People's Republic of China politicians from Hebei",
"Political office-holders in Ningxia",
"Political office-holders in Shanxi",
"Politicians from Cangzhou"
] |
Liu Geping (Chinese: 刘格平; 8 August 1904 – 11 March 1992) was a Chinese communist revolutionary and politician of Hui Muslim heritage. He is best known as the founding Chairman of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and later for seizing power in Shanxi during the Cultural Revolution, where he made himself the top leader of the province.
Liu spent his early days as a communist agitator, leading peasant uprisings and building the party organization in rural areas. A political survivor, he was arrested several times during the Warlord Era and served two prison terms. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, he held important roles in the party and government but was branded a traitor in 1960. He later returned to work, only to be purged again several years later during the Cultural Revolution. He was rehabilitated after the Cultural Revolution and spent the rest of his life in ceremonial positions.
## Republic of China
### Warlord Era
Liu Geping was born on 8 August 1904 into a large landowning family of Muslim Hui ethnicity in Dadi East Village (大堤东村), Mengcun County, Hebei Province. He also used the names Liu Zimin (刘子敏) and Liu Xiangnong (刘襄侬). In 1918 he joined the army of Li Chun, a warlord of the Zhili Clique, and entered its military school in Nanjing. The next year he participated in the May Fourth Movement as an activist. He joined the Chinese Socialist Youth League in 1922, and returned home to spread revolutionary values. Instrumental in the founding of the first socialist youth cell in the area, in December 1925 he co-led an armed peasant uprising against the Beiyang government, the first of its kind in northern China.
In July 1926, Liu joined the Chinese Communist Party and then spearheaded a series of educational initiatives aimed at increasing the influence of the party in the Tianjin-Hebei region. After founding schools and party organizations in dozens of counties, he took part in the founding of a 300-strong "Southern Tianjin Revolutionary Army", which aimed to topple warlords and incite armed uprisings. In June 1928 he led a peasant uprising in Qingyun County, occupying the county seat and taking guns from the local police. He was arrested that year for his agitation and spent the next three years in prison. After he was released, the Communist Party sent him to Shaanxi to work for Yang Hucheng's army.
### Japanese invasion and Civil War
After the Mukden incident and subsequent Japanese incursions into China, Liu became a founding member of the "Hui People Against Japanese Invasion" organization. In 1932 he returned home to work on military operations and to coordinate underground party activities. He was again arrested on April 20, 1934, after organizing the Majia River (马颊河) uprising in Qingyun. He was held in Caolanzi Prison (草岚子监狱) in Beijing, along with 61 other Communist Party leaders including Bo Yibo, An Ziwen, and Liu Lantao (no relation). To secure their release, the Communist Party Central Committee advised them to sign an announcement denouncing communism. Most complied and were released by the Kuomintang government, but Liu Geping was among the few who refused and served his full sentence.
After his release in 1944, Liu took on more leadership roles within the Tianjin branch of the Communist Party. He then went to Shandong to found an organization for ethnic Hui to aid soldiers on the front lines of the Chinese Civil War. In March 1949, he went south with the People's Liberation Army to East China and served as vice-principal of the newly established East China People's Revolution University.
## People's Republic of China
### Early PRC
In September 1949, Liu Geping was selected as an ethnic minority representative to attend the first meeting of the Communist-led Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; he was ranked first among minority delegates. At the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949, he was selected to speak in Tiananmen Square as the official representative of China's minority peoples.
Liu joined the government and became deputy director of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission. In this capacity Liu frequently visited western areas with high minority populations. He was a delegate to the 1st National People's Congress in 1954. After the congress, Liu and the Tibetan communist Phünwang were assigned to accompany the 14th Dalai Lama, also a delegate, on his tour of Chinese cities, which had a great impact on the Dalai Lama.
In 1956, Liu was elected a member of the 8th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. In 1958, Liu began heading up the party organization of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on an interim basis. He became the first Chairman of the autonomous region government in October 1958. Because he took a moderate approach to policies toward ethnic minorities, he was branded an "ethnic splittist" in 1960. In September he was dismissed from all of his positions and sent back to Beijing to take part in "rehabilitation" at the Central Party School.
### Cultural Revolution
In December 1965, Liu regained favour and was named Vice-Governor of Shanxi province. At the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, having gained the support of leftist radicals in Beijing, Liu successfully overthrew his superior Wei Heng and became Chairman of the Shanxi Revolutionary Committee, the de facto top leader. Wei was imprisoned and committed suicide. Meanwhile, the Central Cultural Revolution Group, led by Kang Sheng and Jiang Qing, began to investigate the case of the 61 communist leaders who were instructed to denounce communism at Caolanzi Prison in the 1930s. The officials, notably Bo Yibo and An Ziwen, were branded as the "61 Renegades Clique" and persecuted. In contrast, Liu Geping was heralded as a hero for his refusal to sign the denunciation. He was invited to make speeches all over the country and was re-elected to the 9th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party in April 1969. However, Liu had also become involved in major disputes with the military leaders in Shanxi and was engaged in factional violence in the province. He was dismissed from office in July 1969, just three months after his re-election to the Central Committee. In 1970, he was sent to perform manual labour at a pottery factory in Tangshan. He was allowed to return to Beijing in 1975.
### Later life
After the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976 and the pivotal 3rd Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, the post-Mao Communist Party cleared Liu's name and declared that he "did not have any political problems." In 1983, he was named a member of the National Committee of the 6th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a ceremonial position.
Liu died in Beijing on 11 March 1992. He was given full funeral rites at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery. His body was taken back to his native village and buried according to Muslim Hui rituals.
|
[
"## Republic of China",
"### Warlord Era",
"### Japanese invasion and Civil War",
"## People's Republic of China",
"### Early PRC",
"### Cultural Revolution",
"### Later life"
] | 1,544 | 4,294 |
38,413,776 |
Electrick Children
| 1,120,044,136 | null |
[
"2010s American films",
"2010s English-language films",
"2012 directorial debut films",
"2012 films",
"American coming-of-age films",
"American independent films",
"Films about Mormonism",
"Films set in Utah",
"Films set in the Las Vegas Valley",
"Magic realism films",
"Mormon fundamentalism in fiction"
] |
Electrick Children is a 2012 American independent coming of age film written and directed by Rebecca Thomas and starring Julia Garner, Rory Culkin, and Liam Aiken. Garner plays Rachel, a 15-year-old girl from a fundamentalist Mormon community in Utah. After learning that she is pregnant, she believes she has conceived miraculously through listening to a song on a cassette tape.
In writing the script, Thomas drew inspiration from the story of the Virgin Mary, her research on fundamentalist Mormon communities, and her own upbringing. She originally intended to produce the film on a \$25,000-budget and hire her family and friends to work on the cast and crew, but when the budget was raised to \$1 million she was able to hire professional actors. Filming took place over 25 days in Utah and Nevada in late 2011.
Electrick Children premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 10, 2012, and was released in the United States on March 8, 2013. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and Thomas and Garner received several accolades for their work on the film.
## Plot
After her fifteenth birthday, Rachel McKnight, a member of a fundamentalist Mormon community in Utah, listens to a cassette recorder for the first time and hears a cover of "Hanging on the Telephone" by an obscure rock band on a blue cassette. Her brother, Mr. Will, takes it from her, stating that it is to be used only for God's purposes. When she discovers she is pregnant, she is convinced that she has conceived miraculously, like the Virgin Mary, through the medium of the cassette. After being questioned by her parents, Mr. Will is blamed for impregnating her, and is asked to leave the community, while Rachel is told she will be married the next day. Rather than undergo a shotgun marriage arranged by her father, Paul, she escapes to Las Vegas, along with Mr. Will, who is sleeping in the bed of the family's pickup truck.
In Las Vegas Rachel falls in with a group of skaters who live together and play in a band, after becoming intrigued by one of the boys who wears a shirt with a cassette on it. Mr. Will finds her and pleads with her to confess to having sex with someone else so that he can return to their community. Rachel becomes romantically involved with Clyde, one of the skaters, and one night he offers to marry her, saying that together they can look for the man on the tape, who Rachel thinks is the father of her child. When Clyde and Rachel break into his parents' house looking for food and money, Clyde's father calls the police and Mr. Will is arrested while Rachel flees. Remembering one of her mother's bedtime stories, she impulsively follows a red Mustang and discovers that its owner, Tim, is the man who recorded the tape, and is, in fact, her biological father.
Finally, Rachel decides to return to her community. Mr. Will is bailed out of jail by Tim, who is looking for Rachel. Together, he and Mr. Will drive out to the community, and on the way they discover Clyde, whose van has broken down on the highway. As Rachel is about to be wed, Tim, Mr. Will, and Clyde pull up in front of the church in the red Mustang and rescue her. Mr. Will returns to the community and is accepted back with a confession that Rachel has recorded on the blue cassette, although she still firmly believes that God has fathered her child. Some months later, Clyde and a visibly pregnant Rachel are living in a tent by the beach and hold hands as they walk through the waves.
## Cast
- Julia Garner as Rachel McKnight
- Rory Culkin as Clyde
- Liam Aiken as Mr. Will
- Bill Sage as Tim
- Cynthia Watros as Gay Lynn
- Billy Zane as Paul
## Production
Director Rebecca Thomas was raised as a Mormon. She first researched Mormon fundamentalism for a documentary, and the religious group portrayed in Electrick Children is based on this research. She wanted to write a film based on scripture and decided to adapt the story of the Virgin Mary. In writing the script, she drew from her own experience of growing up in Las Vegas and the conflict she perceived "between the traditions of Mormon culture in Utah and the bright lights of Las Vegas". She was also inspired by Pier Paolo Pasolini's "nonjudgmental approach" to religion in The Gospel According to St. Matthew. Thomas began writing the script in April 2011, after her second year of studying at the Columbia University School of the Arts.
Thomas and producer Jessica Caldwell, also a Columbia student, originally intended to make the film on a "microbudget" of \$25,000. To raise funds, they created a Kickstarter project which Caldwell showed to another producer, Richard Neustadter, who donated \$5000. After reading the script, he contacted Thomas and asked if he could help to produce the film with a larger budget. Thomas agreed and Neustadter went on to raise \$1 million for the film's production. Thomas had initially planned to recruit her friends and family to work on the film's cast and crew, but the larger budget allowed her to hire professional actors. She hired several of her Columbia classmates to work on film's crew.
Julia Garner was cast less than a week before filming began. Another actor, Peter Vack, had recommended her to Thomas, who said that Garner "was one of the only actresses I found who looked young enough, but also had a mature emotional depth". Electrick Children marked Garner's first lead role in a film, and Thomas thought that her inexperience in acting made her "very teen-like". Thomas sought out Rory Culkin to play Clyde, while Billy Zane was cast on the recommendation of the casting director, who was a friend of Zane.
The film was shot over 25 days in September–October 2011. The first part of production took place in Utah, where filming locations included Hurricane and the ghost town of Grafton, Utah. The latter half of filming was completed in Nevada, with locations including Las Vegas and Indian Springs, Nevada. An additional scene was also shot at San Onofre State Beach in California.
## Release
Electrick Children had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 10, 2012. It was screened at the South by Southwest Film Festival on March 15, 2012, and went on to be shown at the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema, the Deauville American Film Festival, the Miskolc International Film Festival, the Mumbai Film Festival, the Woodstock Film Festival, the BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth, the Camerimage Film Festival, the Palm Springs International Film Festival, and the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.
The film was distributed by Phase 4 Films in the United States. It was given a "day-and-date release" on March 8, 2013, meaning that it was released simultaneously in theaters and on video on demand. It was also released theatrically in the United Kingdom, Russia, New Zealand, France, Brazil, and Spain, grossing a total of \$137,126 outside of the U.S.
## Reception
The film received an 86% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with 19 "fresh" reviews out of a total of 22 and an average rating of 6.2/10. The site's critical consensus states, "A strong directorial debut for Rebecca Thomas, Electrick Children also features an outstanding performance from Julia Garner as a wild teenager from a conservative family." The film has a score of 60 on Metacritic, based on nine reviews—two positive and seven mixed.
The New York Times film critic Stephen Holden described Electrick Children as "neither comedy nor drama nor satire but a surreal mélange infused with magical realism". He criticised its lack of narrative continuity but said "the movie's underlying sweetness leaves a residual glow" and praised Garner's "radiant performance". Catherine Shoard of The Guardian awarded the film 3 out of 5 stars, describing it as overly quirky but "so deftly done it's three parts enchantment to one part irritation". She called Garner's performance "magnetic", and thought that the religious community was convincingly portrayed. Variety magazine's Leslie Felperin called the film "a sweet slice of indie quirk", and praised the direction and acting despite feeling that the script had been "overworked". Writing for The Hollywood Reporter, Justin Lowe highlighted Thomas's direction, Mattias Troelstrup's cinematography, and the performance of Garner, whom he described as "a revelation". Chuck Bowen of Slant Magazine described Thomas as "an exceptional stylist", commending her for avoiding clichés, and wrote that "Electrick Children is one of the most sensible and humane explorations of youthful curiosity and alienation I've seen in some time." The Los Angeles Times' Gary Goldstein, however, found the film to be "unevenly told and at times too fanciful for its own good".
### Awards and nominations
Electrick Children gained Thomas—at that time a fourth-year student at Columbia University School of the Arts—a nomination for the "Someone to Watch" award at the 2012 Independent Spirit Awards. It won her the FIPRESCI Award at the 2012 International Festival of Independent Cinema PKO Off Camera in Kraków, Poland, and a "Directors to Watch" award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Electrick Children won Best Film at the Tallinn Blacks Night Film Festival and Garner won Best Young Actress at the BUSTER Copenhagen International Film Festival for Children and Youth and Best Actress at the Mumbai Film Festival.
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Cast",
"## Production",
"## Release",
"## Reception",
"### Awards and nominations"
] | 2,011 | 8,513 |
38,377,533 |
Haley Farm State Park
| 1,168,285,356 |
Public recreation area in Groton, US
|
[
"1970 establishments in Connecticut",
"Groton, Connecticut",
"Parks in New London County, Connecticut",
"Protected areas established in 1970",
"State parks of Connecticut"
] |
Haley Farm State Park is a public recreation area that preserves Colonial-era farmland as open space in the town of Groton, Connecticut. The site of the state park once formed part of the lands granted to Governor John Winthrop and later became a dairy farm. The park's 267 acres (108 ha) are connected to the adjacent Bluff Point State Park by way of a pedestrian bridge over railroad tracks. Park activities are restricted to bicycling and walking. The park is managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
## History
Land containing the acreage for Haley Farm State Park was part of a larger parcel granted to John Winthrop, Jr., in 1649. Known as "John Winthrop the Younger," Winthrop was governor of the Saybrook Colony and is often recognized as "Connecticut's first governor." The land was later split up, with the piece containing Haley Farm designated as Fort Hill Farm. The farm was purchased by Starr Chester in 1789 and passed to Noyes Barber in 1833. The land was split again in 1852 with the farm being sold to Henry B. Lewis. Four hundred acres were sold to Caleb Haley in 1869 for the price of \$12,000. Haley farmed the land, built stone walls throughout the property and raced horses around "Racetrack Pond." The land passed to his son, Samuel Haley, after his death in 1924. Samuel Haley continued to operate the farm until his death in 1947, when it was passed to his daughter Juliet Haley. The farm produced cream and milk that was shipped to Noank, West Mystic and Mystic. In 1953, the farm was sold out of the Haley family to A. C. White who abandoned the farm to develop a gully called Mumford Cove and placed the 250-acre parcel of land containing Haley Farm for sale. In 1960, the homestead burned down and the other buildings eventually were demolished in 1973 after being documented for possible future reconstruction.
In 1963, efforts were made to purchase the land to prevent it from being developed. The town opposed re-zoning the site for multi-residential development. The land was sold from Alcor Inc. to O&G Construction Co. as a 250-acre parcel in 1966. A total of 198 acres of land was returned to White when O&G Construction "were in arrears on their payments and back taxes." In July 1970, the state acquired 198 acres of Haley Farm from A. C. White for a total of \$300,000, with federal funding accounting for \$150,000, state funding for \$100,000, and the remaining \$50,000 coming from the Groton Open Space Association, a local organization that completed raising the required funds in early 1970. At the time, the Park and Forest Commission said there were no plans to make it into a park. However, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection recognizes that Haley Farm was officially made a Connecticut State Park in July 1970.
In 1975, a bike trail from Mystic to Noank was established, part which goes through the Haley Farm State Park.
In 2001, the "Racetrack Pond" area was purchased from the Mumford Cove Association. In 2002, a total of 57 acres was added to the park through the purchase 49.95 acres from Guerra-DeAngelis Trustees and 7.14 acres from Bowen Briggs for a total purchase price of \$913,300. The funds for the purchase, which was 30 years in the making, were provided by the State of Connecticut's Recreation and Natural Heritage Trust Program.
## Vegetation
The park hosts a wide range of upland and wetland vegetation. Algae and intertidal plants can be found at the shore including salt meadow grass, sedge, and sphagnum moss; the park's swampy areas have red maple and tulip trees; the upland sections include cherry, hickory, and shrubs.
## Activities and amenities
The park offers trails for non-motorized uses: hiking, jogging, and cycling. The park is connected to Bluff Point State Park over a pedestrian bridge that crosses Amtrak railroad tracks, built atop the former Groton and Stonington Street Railway bridge. The park's 0.8-mile (1.3 km) bike trail forms part of a 7.5-mile (12.1 km) town-owned bikeway from Mystic to Groton.
|
[
"## History",
"## Vegetation",
"## Activities and amenities"
] | 933 | 36,437 |
27,556,031 |
German submarine U-64 (1939)
| 1,062,545,503 |
German World War II submarine
|
[
"1939 ships",
"German Type IX submarines",
"Maritime incidents in April 1940",
"Ships built in Bremen (state)",
"U-boats commissioned in 1939",
"U-boats sunk by British aircraft",
"U-boats sunk in 1940",
"World War II shipwrecks in the Norwegian Sea",
"World War II submarines of Germany"
] |
German submarine U-64 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was ordered by them in July 1937. Her keel was laid down by AG Weser in Bremen in December 1938. Following about nine months of construction, she was launched in September 1939 and formally commissioned into the Kriegsmarine in December.
U-64 had a very short career and sank no enemy vessels. Having left her home port of Wilhelmshaven for her first war patrol on 6 April 1940, she was intercepted by Allied aircraft seven days later off the coast of Norway during the invasion of that country and was sunk by a bomb from a Fairey Swordfish aircraft of HMS Warspite (03). Of her crew of 46, eight men died and 38 escaped from the sinking submarine.
## Construction and design
### Construction
U-64 was ordered by the Kriegsmarine on 16 July 1937 as part of Plan Z and in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Her keel was laid down on 15 December 1938 by AG Weser in Bremen as yard number 952. She was launched on 20 September 1939 and commissioned on 16 December under the command of Kapitänleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Schulz.
### Design
German Type IXB submarines were slightly larger than the original German Type IX submarines, later designated IXA. U-64 had a displacement of 1,051 tonnes (1,034 long tons) when at the surface and 1,178 tonnes (1,159 long tons) while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.50 m (251 ft), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h; 20.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 64 nautical miles (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 12,000 nautical miles (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-64 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.
## Service history
U-64 went to sea on 6 April 1940. For eight days, she roamed the North Sea in search of Allied convoys heading to Norway in support of the campaign centred around that country. During that time she encountered no enemy vessels. On 13 April, the eighth day of her first patrol, she was heaved-to in the waters off Bjerkvik in Norway, and was struck by a 350-pound bomb from a British Fairey Swordfish aircraft of HMS Warspite (03). Her deck was also riddled with machine-gun fire. The U-boat then sank to the bottom of the harbor, eight of her crew went down with her. The remaining 38 were able to escape the sinking vessel and were picked up by German mountain troops stationed ashore. They later formed the crew of .
|
[
"## Construction and design",
"### Construction",
"### Design",
"## Service history"
] | 962 | 31,373 |
47,539,985 |
Tropical Storm Bavi (2015)
| 1,160,435,700 |
Pacific tropical storm in 2015
|
[
"2015 Pacific typhoon season",
"March 2015 events in the United States",
"Tropical cyclones in 2015",
"Tropical cyclones in Kiribati",
"Typhoons in Guam",
"Typhoons in the Marshall Islands",
"Typhoons in the Northern Mariana Islands",
"Western Pacific tropical storms"
] |
Tropical Storm Bavi, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Betty, influenced the trade winds over the Pacific Ocean and was partially responsible for one of the strongest trade wind reversals ever observed. The system was first noted as a tropical disturbance during March 8, 2015, while it was located to the southeast of Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Over the next couple of days the system moved north-westwards through the Marshall Islands, before it was classified as a tropical depression during March 10. The system subsequently moved north-westwards and continued to develop further, before it was classified as the third tropical storm of the 2015 Pacific typhoon season and named Bavi by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) during March 11. After continuing its north-westwards movement, the system peaked as a tropical storm during March 14, before it started to weaken as it approached the Mariana Islands. The system subsequently passed over Guam during the next day, before continuing its west-northwestwards movement as it gradually weakened over the next few days. The system entered the Philippine area of responsibility, where it was named Betty by PAGASA during March 17 as the system weakened into a tropical depression. The system was subsequently last noted during March 21, as it dissipated over the Philippines.
Bavi and its precursor tropical disturbance impacted eastern Micronesia, with strong to gale-force winds of between 45–65 km/h (30–40 mph), reported on various atolls in the Marshall Islands. Considerable damage was reported on the islet of Ebeye, on the main atoll of Kwajalein, a small amount of tree damage was reported, while several old steel structures were made too dangerous to use. Overall damages in the Marshall Islands were estimated at US\$2.1 million, while a fishing vessel and its crew of nine were reported missing during March 12. Bavi and its precursor also had severe impacts in Kiribati. After impacting Eastern Micronesia, Bavi approached the Mariana Islands, with its circulation passing over Guam during March 15, where it caused the highest waves to be recorded on the island in a decade. Bavi also impacted the Northern Mariana Islands of Rota, Tinian and Saipan, where power outages were reported and five houses were destroyed. Total property damages within the Mariana Islands were estimated at around US\$150 thousand.
## Meteorological history
During the opening days of March 2015, a major westerly wind burst occurred, which subsequently contributed to the development of the 2014-16 El Nino event and the development of twin tropical cyclones in the Pacific Ocean on both sides of the equator. The first tropical cyclone became Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam within the South Pacific Ocean and impacted various parts of Melanesia including the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The second tropical cyclone was first noted by the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) as a tropical disturbance during March 8, while it was located about 500 km (310 mi) to the southeast of Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The disturbance consisted of a large area of atmospheric convection, which was starting to wrap into the system's developing low level circulation centre. The disturbance was also thought to be in a favourable environment for further development at this time, with low vertical wind shear and a good outflow towards the equator. Over the next couple of days the system moved north-westwards through the Marshall Islands and into a marginal environment for further development, with moderate vertical wind shear being partially offset by the system's outflow. During March 10, the Japan Meteorological Agency subsequently started monitoring the disturbance as a tropical depression, while it was located about 330 km (205 mi) to the northeast of Bairiki in Kiribati.
Over the next day, the system moved north-westwards and gradually developed further, before the JMA reported that the system had developed into a tropical storm and named it Bavi during March 11. Later that day as the system's low level circulation centre continued to consolidated and deep convection wrapped into it, the JTWC initiated advisories and designated the system as 03W. The system subsequently continued to gradually intensify as it moved westwards, around the southern periphery of a subtropical ridge of high pressure located to the northwest of the system. During March 14, the system peaked as a tropical storm with the JMA reporting 10-minute sustained winds of 85 km/h (50 mph), while the JTWC reported 1-minute sustained winds of 95 km/h (60 mph). By this time the system was approaching the Mariana islands and had started to weaken, with system's low level circulation becoming partially exposed and displaced from the atmospheric convection. As a result of this the system's low level circulation passed over Guam during March 15, while convection associated with the system passed over the Northern Mariana islands. Over the next couple of days the system moved westwards and continued to weaken, before it weakened into a tropical depression during March 17, as it moved into the Philippine area of responsibility where it was named Betty by PAGASA. The JTWC stopped monitoring Bavi during March 19, after the system had weakened into a tropical disturbance, however, the JMA continued to monitor the system as a tropical depression, until it dissipated within the Philippines, during March 21.
## Preparations and impact
Tropical Storm Bavi and its precursor were reported to have caused severe impacts in Kiribati.
Tropical Storm Bavi impacted various atolls within Micronesia, while the system's large wind field generated large waves, which were problematic in the Marshall Islands and the Mariana islands. The system also influenced the Pacific trade winds and with Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam, caused one of the strongest trade wind reversals that had been observed on record.
Bavi and its precursor tropical disturbance impacted eastern Micronesia between March 9–13, with gusty winds and high seas reported throughout the Marshall Islands. A pressure gradient between Bavi and an area of high pressure, generated strong to gale-force winds of between 45–65 km/h (30–40 mph) on various atolls. As a result, various tropical storm watches and warnings were issued for parts of the Marshall Islands, including the coral atolls of Ujae and Ailinglaplap. On the 15 islands that make up the atoll of Ujae, a significant period of strong winds were reported, which lead to breadfruit trees being destroyed and several houses blown over. Across the Kwajalein Atoll, total damages amounted to over US\$1 million, with considerable damage reported on the islet of Ebeye. On the main island of Kwajalein, a small amount of tree damage was reported, while several old steel structures were made too dangerous to use. At the missile defense test range on the island, a 3-day rainfall total of 10.65 in (271 mm) was reported between March 9–11. On the islet of Ebeye located about 3 km (1.9 mi) to the north of Kwajalein, high surf caused some coastal flooding while gale-force winds damaged structures with tin roofs and plywood walls. Bavis's large waves combined with the high tide caused flooding on various islets of the atoll of Majuro. Within the atoll a yacht struck a reef during March 10, while the fishing vessel Clearwater 2 and its crew of nine were reported missing during March 12, after they became overdue at their destination port. A search and rescue mission was subsequently launched with various good samaritan vessels and two aircraft from the United States Coast Guard and Navy helping to look for the vessel. The search effort subsequently found debris from the ship in various locations along the track taken by Bavi, including to the east of Majuro and southeast of Kwajalein. Total damages to property within the Marshall Islands were estimated at US\$2.1 million, while the total crop damage was estimated at US\$100 thousand.
After leaving Eastern Micronesia, Bavi continued to move westwardsand threatened to impact the Mariana Islands as a typhoon. As a result, the Guam Weather Forecast Office issued a typhoon watch and a tropical storm warning for Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan during March 13. The islands were also placed in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 1 by Governors Eddie Calvo, Eloy Inos and Rear Admiral Bette Bolivar. The Guam Waterworks Authority advised residents on the island stock up on water ahead of the system, in case Bavi disrupted the island's water service. United Airlines, Cape Air and United Express all cancelled flights that departed from Guam, while schools were shut on the island during March 15. However, as Bavi approached the islands, upper level wind shear caused the system to decouple and start to gradually weaken. Bavi's circulation subsequently passed over Guam during March 15, with winds on the island barely reaching gale force on the island. Within Guam, sporadic power outages and minor tree damage were reported, while waves on the uninhabited northeastern coast of Guam reached 20–30 ft (5–10 m) and were the highest waves recorded on the island in a decade. A band of showers associated with the system and a pressure gradient, between Bavi and an area of high pressure, brought winds of up to 105 km/h (65 mph) to Saipan and Tinian. As a result, several trees and power lines were brought down across the islands, which resulted in Saipan having sporadic power outages and temporarily losing all electric. Around 65 homes which were primarily constructed with wood and tin were affected by the winds, with 5 destroyed while a further 52 sustained some damage. The local Red Cross chapter subsequently provided tarpaulins, cleaning materials and over \$25,000 in assistance to 252 people, while total property damages within the Mariana Islands were estimated at around US\$150 thousand.
## See also
- Typhoon Dolphin (2008)
- Typhoon Pamela (1982)
|
[
"## Meteorological history",
"## Preparations and impact",
"## See also"
] | 2,102 | 101 |
5,758,444 |
James the Deacon
| 1,115,516,583 |
7th- and 8th-century missionary to Britain and saint
|
[
"7th-century Christian clergy",
"7th-century Christian saints",
"7th-century English clergy",
"7th-century English people",
"Gregorian mission",
"History of Yorkshire",
"Northumbrian saints",
"Roman Catholic deacons"
] |
James the Deacon (died after 671) was a Roman deacon who accompanied Paulinus of York on his mission to Northumbria. He was a member of the Gregorian mission, which went to England to Christianise the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism. However, when he arrived in England is unknown. After Paulinus left Northumbria, James stayed near Lincoln and continued his missionary efforts, dying sometime after 671, according to the medieval chronicler Bede.
## Life
James was presumably an Italian, like the other members of the Gregorian mission. The dates of his birth and his arrival in Britain are unknown. He went with Paulinus to Northumbria accompanying Æthelburh, sister of King Eadbald of Kent, who went to Northumbria to marry King Edwin. Traditionally this event is dated to 625, but the historian D. P. Kirby argues that the mission to Northumbria probably happened before 619.
Edwin died in battle at Hatfield fighting against Penda of Mercia and Caedwalla in 633. Edwin had been the main supporter of Paulinus' mission, and with his death, a pagan backlash set in. Paulinus fled to Kent, along with Æthelburg and Edwin and Æthelburg's daughter Eanflæd. James, however, remained behind in Northumbria and continued missionary efforts. James' efforts were centred in Lincoln, at a church that Paulinus had built there, the remains of which may lie under the church of St. Paul-in-the-Bail. This was in the dependent kingdom of Lindsey, where Paulinus had preached before Edwin's death, and it was reconquered by one of Edwin's successors, Oswald of Northumbria in the 640s.
Bede writes that James lived in a village near Catterick, which "bears his name to this day". He reports that James undertook missionary work in the area and lived to a great age. During the reign of King Oswiu of Northumbria, James attended the royal court, for he celebrated Easter with Oswiu's queen, Eanflæd, Edwin's daughter. James and Eanflæd celebrated Easter on the date used by the Roman church, which led to conflicts with Oswiu, who celebrated Easter on the date calculated by the Irish church. These dates did not always agree and were one of the reasons that Oswiu called the Synod of Whitby in 664 to decide which system of Easter calculation his kingdom would use.
According to Bede's account of events, James was present at the Synod of Whitby. Bede states that after the synod, and the return of Roman customs, James, as a trained singing master in the Roman and Kentish style, taught many people plainsong or Gregorian chant in the Roman manner.
James' date of death is unknown, but Bede implies that he was still alive during Bede's lifetime, which presumably means that he died after Bede's birth, sometime around 671 or 672. This would mean he was at least 70 years old at his death. It has been suggested that James was Bede's informant for the life of Edwin, the works of Paulinus, and perhaps the Synod of Whitby. The historian Frank Stenton calls James "the one heroic figure in the Roman mission". This reflects the fact that many of the Gregorian missionaries had a habit of fleeing when things went wrong.
After his death, James was venerated as a saint. His feast day is 17 August (Catholic General Roman Calendar) or 11 October (Church of England).
## See also
- List of members of the Gregorian mission
|
[
"## Life",
"## See also"
] | 772 | 437 |
58,525,752 |
German torpedo boat T14
| 1,122,094,171 |
German torpedo boat
|
[
"1939 ships",
"Type 37 torpedo boats"
] |
The German torpedo boat T14 was one of nine Type 37 torpedo boats built for the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) during World War II. Completed in mid-1941, she helped escort several commerce raiders passing through the English Channel in 1941 and 1942 in addition to blockade runners through the Bay of Biscay into the Atlantic. The boat remained in France until November 1943, during which time she laid several minefields, and was then assigned to the Torpedo School before beginning a lengthy refit in 1944. T14 was assigned to convoy escort duties in the Skagerrak around the beginning of 1945 and survived the war. The boat was allocated to the United States after the war, but she was transferred to France in 1947 and renamed Dompaire. Unused by the French Navy, the boat was stricken from the Navy List in 1951 and subsequently scrapped.
## Design and description
The Type 37 torpedo boat was a slightly improved version of the preceding Type 35 with better range. The boats had an overall length of 85.2 meters (279 ft 6 in) and were 82 meters (269 ft 0 in) long at the waterline. The ships had a beam of 8.87 meters (29 ft 1 in), a mean draft of 2.8 meters (9 ft 2 in) at deep load and displaced 888 metric tons (874 long tons) at standard load and 1,139 metric tons (1,121 long tons) at deep load. Their crew numbered 119 officers and sailors. Their pair of geared steam turbine sets, each driving one propeller, were designed to produce 31,000 shaft horsepower (23,000 kW) using steam from four high-pressure water-tube boilers which would propel the boats at 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph). They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 1,600 nautical miles (3,000 km; 1,800 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).
As built, the Type 37 class mounted a single 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 gun on the stern. Anti-aircraft defense was provided by a single 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 anti-aircraft gun superfiring over the 10.5 cm gun and a pair of 2 cm (0.8 in) C/30 guns on the bridge wings. They carried six above-water 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes in two triple mounts and could also carry 30 mines (or 60 if the weather was good).
### Modifications
Early-war modifications of the Type 37s were limited to the conversion of the foremast into a tripod mast, installation of a FuM 28 radar with fixed antennas angled 45° to each side and a 2 cm gun superfiring over the main gun. Boats participating in the Channel Dash in February 1942 were ordered to have their aft torpedo tube mount replaced by a quadruple 2 cm gun mount, but it is not certain if this was actually done. T14 had this mount installed in the superfiring position in June during a refit. In September 1944, installation of a single 3.7 cm gun was ordered in all surviving boats, either the Flak M42 or the Flak M43, in lieu of the aft torpedo tubes, but it is also uncertain if this was done. They all received twin 2 cm gun mounts that replaced the single mounts in the bridge wings. By the end of the war, T14 had lost her aft torpedo tubes and was equipped with one 3.7 cm gun on her forecastle, another amidships and a quadruple 2 cm mount and four twin 2 cm mounts. The boat was also equipped with twenty-one 8.6-centimeter (3.4 in) RAG anti-aircraft rocket launchers.
## Construction and career
T14 was ordered on 18 September 1937 from Schichau, laid down at their Elbing, East Prussia, shipyard on 5 November 1938 as yard number 1402, launched on 20 July 1939 and commissioned on 14 June 1941; construction was delayed by shortages of skilled labor and of raw materials. Working up until December, she was briefly transferred to the west. On 3 December T14 and the torpedo boats T4 and T7 rendezvoused with the commerce raider Thor and the torpedo boats T2 and T12 in the Schillig Roads. Later that day, they began to escort Thor through the English Channel. Delayed by heavy fog, the ships did not reach Brest, France, until the 15th, while Thor continued onwards into the Atlantic. T14 returned to Germany and had a brief refit in April–May 1942 before going back to France. On 20–22 July the 3rd Torpedo Boat Flotilla, consisting of T14, her sister T13, T4 and T10, laid two minefields in the Channel. The flotilla, now with T14, T10 and T13, laid another minefield in the Channel on 1–2 August. The same three boats escorted the replenishment oiler Ermland as she made an unsuccessful attempt to breakout into the Atlantic through the Bay of Biscay on 8–11 August. In September–October, T14, T13, and their sisters T18, T19 and T21, were some of the escorts for German blockade runners sailing from ports in the Bay of Biscay en route to Japan. The flotilla, now consisting of T14, her sister T19, and T4 and T10, made an unsuccessful attempt to escort the commerce raider Komet through the Channel on 13–14 October. They were intercepted by a British force of five escort destroyers and eight motor torpedo boats that sank the raider and severely damaged T10. T14, on the other hand, was struck by stray machine-gun fire from Komet that killed the flotilla commander and wounded several men.
In November 1943, the boat returned to Germany and was briefly assigned to the Torpedo School before she began a lengthy refit in February 1944 that lasted until 2 November. T14 was assigned to the 3rd Torpedo Boat Flotilla by the end of the year even though she still working up. Around that time the flotilla was assigned to escort convoys through the Skagerrak. The boat was allocated to the Americans when the Allies divided the surviving ships of the Kriegsmarine amongst themselves in late 1945. The United States Navy had no interest in her and she was transferred to France in September 1947. T14 was renamed Dompaire when she arrived at Cherbourg on 24 October. She was immediately placed in reserve until she was stricken on 8 October 1951 and subsequently scrapped.
|
[
"## Design and description",
"### Modifications",
"## Construction and career"
] | 1,463 | 31,316 |
12,537,456 |
Siege of Jerusalem (636–637)
| 1,173,137,385 |
636–637 CE siege of Byzantine Syrian city by the Rashidun Caliphate
|
[
"630s in the Byzantine Empire",
"636",
"637",
"Battles and conflicts without fatalities",
"Battles involving the Rashidun Caliphate",
"Battles of Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah",
"Battles of Khalid ibn Walid",
"Holy Land during Byzantine rule",
"Islam in Jerusalem",
"Muslim conquest of the Levant",
"Sieges of Jerusalem",
"Sieges of the Arab–Byzantine wars"
] |
The siege of Jerusalem (636–637) was part of the Muslim conquest of the Levant and the result of the military efforts of the Rashidun Caliphate against the Byzantine Empire in the year 636–637/38. It began when the Rashidun army, under the command of Abu Ubayda, besieged Jerusalem beginning in November 636. After six months, the Patriarch Sophronius agreed to surrender, on condition that he submit only to the Caliph. According to Islamic tradition, in 637 or 638, Caliph Umar (r. 634–644) traveled to Jerusalem in person to receive the submission of the city. The Patriarch thus surrendered to him.
The Muslim conquest of the city solidified Arab control over Palestine, which would not again be threatened until the First Crusade in 1099.
## Background
Jerusalem was an important city of the Byzantine province of Palaestina Prima. Just 23 years prior to the Muslim conquest, in 614, it fell to an invading Sassanid army under Shahrbaraz during the last of the Byzantine–Sasanian Wars. The Persians looted the city, and are said to have massacred its 90,000 Christian inhabitants. As part of the looting, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was destroyed and the True Cross captured and taken to Ctesiphon as a battle-captured holy relic. The Cross was later returned to Jerusalem by Emperor Heraclius after his final victory against the Persians in 628. The Jews, who were persecuted in their Christian-controlled homeland, initially aided the Persian conquerors.
After the death of the prophet Muhammad in 632, Muslim leadership passed to Caliph Abu Bakr (r. 632–634) following a series of campaigns known as the Ridda Wars. Once Abu Bakr's sovereignty over Arabia had been secured, he initiated a war of conquest in the east by invading Iraq, then a province of the Sassanid Persian Empire; while on the western front, his armies invaded the Byzantine Empire.
In 634, Abu Bakr died and was succeeded by Umar (r. 634–644), who continued his own war of conquest. In May 636, Emperor Heraclius (r. 610–641) launched a major expedition to regain the lost territory, but his army was defeated decisively at the Battle of Yarmouk in August 636. Thereafter, Abu Ubayda, the Rashidun commander-in-chief of the Rashidun army in Syria, held a council of war in early October 636 to discuss future plans. Opinions of objectives varied between the coastal city of Caesarea and Jerusalem. Abu Ubayda could see the importance of both these cities, which had resisted all Muslim attempts at capture. Unable to decide on the matter, he wrote to Caliph Umar for instructions. In his reply, the caliph ordered them to capture the latter. Accordingly, Abu Ubayda marched towards Jerusalem from Jabiyah, with Khalid ibn al-Walid and his mobile guard leading the advance. The Muslims arrived at Jerusalem around early November, and the Byzantine garrison withdrew into the fortified city.
## Siege
Jerusalem had been well-fortified after Heraclius recaptured it from the Persians. After the Byzantine defeat at Yarmouk, Sophronius, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, repaired its defenses. The Muslims had so far not attempted any siege of the city. However, since 634, Saracen forces had the potential to threaten all routes to the city. Although it was not encircled, it had been in a state of siege since the Muslims captured the towns of Pella and Bosra east of the Jordan River. After the Battle of Yarmouk, the city was severed from the rest of Syria, and was presumably being prepared for a siege that seemed inevitable. When the Muslim army reached Jericho, Sophronius collected all the holy relics including the True Cross, and secretly sent them to the coast, to be taken to Constantinople. The Muslim troops besieged the city some time in November 636. Instead of relentless assaults on the city, they decided to press on with the siege until the Byzantines ran short of supplies and a bloodless surrender could be negotiated.
Although details of the siege were not recorded, it appeared to be bloodless. The Byzantine garrison could not expect any help from the humbled Heraclius. After a siege of four months, Sophronius offered to surrender the city and pay a jizya (tribute), on condition that the caliph came to Jerusalem to sign the pact and accept the surrender. It is said that when Sophronius's terms became known to the Muslims, Shurahbil ibn Hasana, one of the Muslim commanders, suggested that instead of waiting for the caliph to come all the way from Madinah, Khalid ibn Walid should be sent forward as the caliph, as he was very similar in appearance to Umar. The subterfuge did not work. Possibly, Khalid was too famous in Syria, or there may have been Christian Arabs in the city who had visited Madinah and had seen both Umar and Khalid, remembering the differences. Consequently, the Patriarch of Jerusalem refused to negotiate. When Khalid reported the failure of this mission, Abu Ubaidah wrote to caliph Umar about the situation, and invited him to come to Jerusalem to accept the surrender of the city.
### Surrender
The date of the surrender of Jerusalem is debatable. Primary sources, such as chronicles from centuries closer or further removed from the time of the events, offer the year 638, for instance Theophilus of Edessa (695–785); or 636, 636/37, and 637. Academic secondary sources tend to prefer 638. Encyclopaedia Britannica mentions both options in different articles.
In early April 637, Umar arrived in Palestine and went first to Jabiya, where he was received by Abu Ubaidah, Khalid, and Yazid, who had travelled with an escort to receive him. Amr was left as commander of the besieging Muslim army.
Upon Umar's arrival in Jerusalem, a pact known as the Umariyya Covenant was composed. It surrendered the city and gave guarantees of civil and religious liberty to Christians in exchange for jizya. It was signed by caliph Umar on behalf of the Muslims, and witnessed by Khalid, Amr, Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, and Mu'awiya. Depending on the sources, in either 637 or in 638, Jerusalem was officially surrendered to the caliph. For the Jewish community this marked the end of nearly 500 years of Roman rule and oppression. Umar permitted the Jews to once again reside within the city of Jerusalem itself.
It has been recorded in the annals of Muslim chronicles, that at the time of the Zuhr prayers, Sophronius invited Umar to pray in the rebuilt Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Umar declined, fearing that accepting the invitation might endanger the church's status as a place of Christian worship, and that Muslims might break the treaty and turn the church into a mosque. After staying for ten days in Jerusalem, the caliph returned to Medina.
## Aftermath
Following the Caliph's instructions, Yazid proceeded to Caesarea, and once again laid siege to the port city. Amr and Shurahbil marched to complete the occupation of Palestine, a task that was completed by the end of the year. Caesarea, however, could not be taken until 640, when at last, the garrison surrendered to Mu'awiya I, then a governor of Syria. With an army of 17,000 men, Abu Ubaidah and Khalid set off from Jerusalem to conquer all of northern Syria. This ended with the conquest of Antioch in late 637. In 639, the Muslims invaded and conquered Egypt.
During his stay in Jerusalem, Umar was led by Sophronius to various holy sites, including the Temple Mount. Seeing the poor state of where the Temple once stood, Umar ordered the area cleared of refuse and debris before having a wooden mosque built on the site. The earliest account of such a structure is given by the Gallic bishop Arculf, who visited Jerusalem between 679 and 682, and describes a very primitive house of prayer able to accommodate up to 3,000 worshippers, constructed of wooden beams and boards over preexisting ruins.
More than half a century after the capture of Jerusalem, in 691, the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik commissioned the construction of the Dome of the Rock over a large outcropping of bedrock on the Temple Mount. The 10th-century historian al-Maqdisi wrote that Abd al-Malik built the shrine in order to compete in grandeur with the city's Christian churches. Whatever the intention, the impressive splendor and scale of the shrine is seen as having helped significantly in solidifying the attachment of Jerusalem to the early Muslim faith.
Over the next 400 years, the city's prominence diminished as Saracen powers in the region jockeyed for control. Jerusalem remained under Muslim rule until it was captured by Crusaders in 1099 during the First Crusade.
## Hadith
It is believed in Sunni Islam that Muhammad foretold the conquest of Jerusalem in numerous authentic hadiths in various Islamic sources, including a narration mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari in Kitab Al Jizyah Wa'l Mawaada'ah (The Book of Jizya and Storage):
Narrated \`Auf bin Mali: I went to the Prophet during the Expedition to Tabuk while he was sitting in a leather tent. He said, "Count six signs that indicate the approach of the End Times: my death, the conquest of Jerusalem, a plague that will afflict you (and kill you in great numbers) as the plague that afflicts sheep..."
The siege of Jerusalem was carried by Abu Ubaidah under Umar in the earliest period of Islam along with Plague of Emmaus. The epidemic is famous in Muslim sources because of the death of many prominent companions of Muhammad.
|
[
"## Background",
"## Siege",
"### Surrender",
"## Aftermath",
"## Hadith"
] | 2,138 | 35,736 |
25,973,580 |
Larry King (30 Rock)
| 1,148,294,391 | null |
[
"2009 American television episodes",
"30 Rock (season 3) episodes",
"Television episodes directed by Constantine Makris"
] |
"Larry King" is the twelfth episode of the third season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 48th overall episode of the series. It was written by supervising producer Matt Hubbard and directed by Constantine Makris. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on February 26, 2009. Salma Hayek, Ajay Naidu, Brian Stack, and Rip Torn guest star in "Larry King", and there are cameo appearances by Larry King and Meredith Vieira.
In the episode, Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) considers taking the next step in his relationship with his girlfriend Elisa Pedrera (Salma Hayek). Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) appears on Larry King Live and inadvertently triggers mayhem in New York City when responding to questions about the economy. In addition, Tracy's interview sends the crew members of the fictitious show TGS with Tracy Jordan—Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit), Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander), James "Toofer" Spurlock (Keith Powell), and J. D. Lutz (John Lutz)—on a search of the 30 Rock building for a treasure. At the same time, Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) loses her cellphone and must go with NBC page Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) to Queens to recover it where it is being held for ransom by a taxi driver (Naidu).
"Larry King" has received generally positive reviews from television critics. According to the Nielsen Media Research, the episode was watched by 6.4 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.9 rating/7 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic.
## Plot
Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) appears on Larry King Live. During his appearance on the program, a breaking story interrupts his interview with show host Larry King—it is being reported that the Asian stocks are falling. Larry King asks Tracy's opinion on this story, which results in Tracy giving chaos-inducting views, including, "New York as we know it will no longer exist tomorrow" and he calls for panic, sending the people of New York into madness. At the NBC studios, the TGS with Tracy Jordan staff, Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit), Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander), James "Toofer" Spurlock (Keith Powell), and J. D. Lutz (John Lutz), try looking for money that Tracy has hidden in the building after revealing this on Larry King Live. Pete calls the program asking Tracy where he stores the money. Tracy reveals that the safest place he has it hidden has "a hard top and soft bottom, no matter where it moves, the cash stays in the same place." This clue is of no help to Pete, Frank, Toofer, and Lutz.
Meanwhile, NBC page Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) escorts Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) to Queens to retrieve the cellphone she left in a cab. The taxi driver, Asif (Ajay Naidu), finds an adult picture of her and threatens to send it to everyone in her address book unless she pays him \$2,000. While on their way to get the phone, chaos is happening around them, which prompts Kenneth to want to turn back. Trying to change his mind, Liz lies to Kenneth, telling him that her phone has sentimental value, although she later tells Kenneth the real reasons she wants her phone back. Feeling betrayed by Liz, Kenneth abandons her and returns to 30 Rock. Liz arrives at the taxi depot and tells Asif that she does not have the money to pay him because rioting children took her handbag. Then Kenneth shows up and they watch Tracy reveal his secret to the whereabouts of his money, prompting Kenneth to realize that the money is stored in his blazer. Kenneth pays Asif and Liz's phone is returned.
Finally, Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) decides to be committed to his girlfriend, Elisa Pedrera (Salma Hayek), as Elisa wants to take their relationship to the next level. Jack persuades Elisa to cancel her annual trip to Puerto Rico so that the two can spend time together. As a result, Jack devotes a whole week to Elisa at exactly the same time as the economic crisis unfolds, forcing Jack to steer General Electric (GE) through the Asian market crash. After a video tape of GE CEO Don Geiss (Rip Torn) surfaces—taped in the event of a financial meltdown—Geiss says "it is the end, and love is all that matters", which makes Jack realize his love for Elisa. He proposes marriage to her, which she accepts. The day after, Elisa leaves Jack for Puerto Rico.
## Production
"Larry King" was written by 30 Rock supervising producer Matt Hubbard, and directed by Constantine Makris. This was Hubbard's sixth writing credit, and Makris' first directed episode. "Larry King" originally aired in the United States on February 26, 2009, on NBC as the twelfth episode of the show's third season and the 48th overall episode of the series.
In November 2008, it was reported that television talk show host Larry King had "quietly filmed an appearance" as himself on 30 Rock. This episode was actress Salma Hayek's fifth appearance as Elisa on the show. She first appeared in the episode "Señor Macho Solo" as a nurse for Jack Donaghy's mother and love interest for Jack. She made appearances in the episodes "Flu Shot", "Generalissimo", and "St. Valentine's Day". Her last guest spot was in the episode "The Ones" in which Elisa and Jack end their relationship. Actor Rip Torn made his seventh appearance on the series as GE CEO Don Geiss. "Larry King" would become Torn's final appearance on the show, as it is revealed in the fourth season episode "Future Husband" that his character has died. Comedian actor Brian Stack made his third appearance as Howard Jorgensen, a GE executive and associate of Jack's. Stack previously appeared in the episodes "Jack Meets Dennis" and "Succession". Actor Ajay Naidu played Asif, the taxi driver holding Liz's phone for ransom in "Larry King". "Larry King" was Today show co-host Meredith Vieira's second guest appearance as herself, having appeared in the November 8, 2007, episode "Greenzo" that aired during the show's second season. In the episode, the night after the economic crisis unfolded, Tracy appears on The Today Show. There, Vieira tells him that he is to blame for the panic that ensued around the city. She asks Tracy's opinion on the matter, only for Tracy to advertise TGS, the show he stars in, when and what time it airs.
## Cultural references
"I'm new to this country. Is that a real thing?", asks Asif, after Liz tells him that she would pay him on Opposite Day. While on Larry King Live, Tracy recounts the entire plot of the film Teen Wolf (1985). Tracy reveals that he was to appear in the movie Rush Hour, but was replaced by Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan. Liz lies to Kenneth that her phone has a recording of her deceased grandmother singing a lullaby, to which later Kenneth makes her sing the song and his realization that she was singing the song "99 Luftballons", a protest song from German singer Nena.
When Pete calls in on Larry King Live, Tracy believes Pete is Peter Frampton, a British musician. When Jack realizes his true feelings for Elisa, he decides to stop her from going to Puerto Rico, but when he sees her outside the 30 Rock building, he tells her, "I was about to do the whole run to the airport thing, like Ross did on Friends and Liz Lemon did in real life", a reference to the Friends television character Ross Geller doing this in the series finale episode "The Last One", and as Liz similarly does in the season two episode "Sandwich Day", where she heads to the airport to make things right with her ex-boyfriend, Floyd DeBarber (Jason Sudeikis).
## Reception
In its original American broadcast, "Larry King" was watched by 6.4 million households, according to the Nielsen Media Research. This episode earned a 2.9 rating/7 share in the 18 and 49 demographic, meaning that 2.9 percent of all people in that group, and 7 percent of all people from that group watching television at the time, watched the episode. This was a decrease from the previous episode, "St. Valentine's Day", which was watched by 7.6 million American viewers. Nonetheless, 30 Rock ranked number 7 among all primetime programs—during the original broadcasting of this episode—in adults aged between 18 and 34, averaging a 3.4 rating/10 share in that demographic.
Since airing, "Larry King" has received generally positive reviews from television critics. Bob Sassone of AOL's TV Squad wrote that "Larry King" was the "best of the season so far", saying that there was a "really nice balance" in the episode's plots. Sassone said that Hayek was "fine", but much preferred the Jack character single. Alan Sepinwall, television columnist for The Star-Ledger, complimented the episode, reporting that it was "much better" and perhaps the first episode he enjoyed "unreservedly." He added that the entire cast was used "well" and that it "gave us a Jack story that balanced comedy with some genuine emotion, got some good mileage out of a rare Liz/Kenneth story ... and employed the guest stars as well as they have all season." IGN contributor Robert Canning admitted in his recap that he was "thrilled" after reading the synopsis of the episode, regarding to Tracy causing mayhem in New York, but after the airing, "I was a bit disappointed" as it "wasn't as over-the-top", but overall, "this was still a fun and funny episode." Canning gave the episode an 8 out of 10 rating. Time contributor James Poniewozik enjoyed Liz and Kenneth's story as it "felt more emotionally real" and "allowed Kenneth to get to show a bit more spine than usual, standing up to Liz on their journey to darkest Queens". Poniewozik noted that it was "nice" to see the Pete character back, as Scott Adsit had not appeared on 30 Rock for quite some time.
Not all reviews were positive. Matt Mitovich from TV Guide wrote that "Larry King" was "pretty blah. Something about it just seemed drab and lifeless, as if the writers and cast were in a mad dash to break for Christmas." The A.V. Club's Scott Tobias believed that the episode was not up to "30 Rock's high standards" and commented that a "big problem" was Jack and Elisa's storyline. "The concept of rich, superficial, commitment-phobic workaholic Jack falling for his exact opposite isn't a bad one, but Hayek's run has been more or less a wash." Tobias further added that Alec Baldwin and Salma Hayek "are an odd couple" citing that they do not have much chemistry together.
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"## Cultural references",
"## Reception"
] | 2,356 | 17,480 |
29,513,691 |
Asher Levi
| 1,150,194,606 |
Fictional character in EastEnders: E20
|
[
"EastEnders: E20",
"Fictional Black British people",
"Fictional dancers",
"Fictional people from London",
"Television characters introduced in 2010"
] |
Asher Levi is a fictional character from EastEnders: E20, an Internet spin-off of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Played by Heshima Thompson, Asher is a main character in series two. He is a charismatic street dancer, who uses his talent to escape from his criminal past. As a father-figure to his younger brother Sol Levi (Tosin Cole), Asher occasionally resorts to stealing in order to provide for them both. He is willing to go to extreme lengths to protect Sol, including being stabbed by their schizophrenic mother. Over the course of the series, Asher betrays Sol by sleeping with his girlfriend, Naz Mehmet (Emaa Hussen). The two are ultimately able to reconcile, and Asher makes amends by encouraging his brother's dancing talent.
The character was created by the programme's team of thirteen writers, alongside the series' other main characters: Sol, Naz, and their friend Stevie Dickinson (Amanda Fairbank-Hynes). Thompson appreciated that the role allowed him to combine his love of acting and dancing. It brought him public recognition, and led fans of the series to hope that he and the other main characters would appear in the parent show, EastEnders.
## Storylines
After being evicted by their mother Caroline (Sandra Yaw), Asher and his younger brother Sol (Tosin Cole) move in with Walford resident Stevie Dickinson (Amanda Fairbank-Hynes). The brothers attend a dance audition, at which Asher is successful but Sol fails. Asher offers the judge a bribe on his brother's behalf, and is witnessed doing so by Fatboy (Ricky Norwood). He threatens him with a knife, revealing a stab wound on his abdomen, but disposes of the weapon when Fatboy leaves. While practicing dancing in the local community centre, Asher is mistaken for a Latin dance class instructor and steals the group's money. Though he attempts to find legitimate work, he is turned down due to having a criminal record, and again resorts to stealing.
When Sol begins a romantic relationship with his new friend Naz Mehmet (Emaa Hussen), Asher tells Naz's fiancé, Ekin Beg (Hemi Yeroham), that she is cheating on him. Ekin leads Sol to believe that Asher and Naz are an item, which causes Sol to insult them both. Annoyed, the two go clubbing together, and have sex after getting drunk and taking drugs. Naz later confesses the one-night stand to Sol, who punches his brother. He leaves Stevie's flat after Asher returns home drunk, having got into trouble selling stolen property. Asher later finds Sol with their mother, who has been hospitalised. It is revealed that she has schizophrenia, and that Asher's stab wound was caused by her. Asher apologises for sleeping with Naz, and tells Sol that she loves him. Finally, he encourages Sol to enter a dance competition. Though nervous, Sol is reassured by his brother and completes his routine to great acclaim.
## Other appearances
Asher appears in extra video content on the E20 website. In one video, he and Sol argue during filming of an advert for "SmasherDance"—a video in which they demonstrate various dancing styles—as Sol is more interested in getting food. The full SmasherDance advert is also on YouTube. In another video, the four friends play a drinking game in the local café, and in another he is an Elvis Presley impersonator marrying Naz and Ekin in Naz's nightmare.
## Creation, development and characterisation
Asher is one of the four main characters in series two of EastEnders: E20, alongside Sol, Naz and Stevie. They were created by the programme's team of thirteen writers. Actor and singer Heshima Thompson auditioned for the series, having learned about it from his agent. Part of the process involved a dance audition with Tony Adigun, the leader of dance group Avant Garde. Thompson was subsequently cast as Asher, and the character and his casting were announced on 28 July 2010. Deborah Sathe, the show's producer, expressed pride in the writers and stated, "[They] have created four new faces for [Albert] Square and their reaction to Walford life is really exciting." Thompson called E20 "a great project to be part of", and eagerly anticipated the dancing the role would entail. He later said in an interview with Daniel Kilkelly from entertainment news website Digital Spy that it was good to be able to combine his love of acting with his love of dance.
Asher is described on the E20 website as being charming and sexy, with the talent to make him a star. Thompson deemed his character "very confident" and a "bit of a bad boy". He is a hustler, who finds it difficult to refuse easy money, and seizes opportunities regardless of their legality. He has a criminal past, having recently been released from prison for theft prior to the start of the series. Thompson explained that Asher becomes a street dancer to help keep himself away from crime, which he commits in order to provide for Sol. He stated that Asher would "try his best to stay out of trouble", but may return to crime through learned behaviour.
Asher's life is complicated by his mother and brother. He has been a father-figure to Sol since a young age, and, as revealed in episode nine, has cared for him through their mother's schizophrenic episodes. Thompson assessed that Asher is not necessarily the best role model for Sol, but is willing to go to great lengths to protect him and ensure his success, such as being stabbed by his mother and giving away his father's Rolex watch to secure Sol a place in the dance group. Thompson said that looking after Sol has "taken a toll on [Asher]". Although he initially feels optimistic about moving to Walford, he loses perspective and makes a mistake by sleeping with Naz. Thompson deemed this out of character for Asher, as he loves his brother so much, but opined that despite his mistakes, Asher is still a good brother: "At heart, he's like anyone trying to do well. He wants to escape his old past and do well by his brother."
Aware of his own sex appeal, Asher's confidence and dance ability mean he has little difficulty in attracting women. Thompson characterises him as having youthful fun, rather than being "dirty". He feels he is easily intimidating, and intelligent enough to use his unpleasant façade to his advantage. This is demonstrated in the first episode, when he threatens Fatboy with a knife despite having no intention of using it.
## Reception
Appearing in EastEnders: E20 brought Thompson public recognition, from groups ranging from "screaming girls to proud parents". He has received comments on Asher's immoral behaviour, and compliments for his dancing. In October 2010, Thompson stated that many fans hoped Asher and the other E20 spin-off characters would go on to appear in EastEnders itself.
## See also
- List of EastEnders: E20 characters
|
[
"## Storylines",
"## Other appearances",
"## Creation, development and characterisation",
"## Reception",
"## See also"
] | 1,471 | 37,905 |
38,322,242 |
Paramount Theatre (Atlanta)
| 1,172,405,009 |
Movie palace in Atlanta, Georgia
|
[
"Buildings and structures demolished in 1960",
"Cinemas and movie theaters in Georgia (U.S. state)",
"Demolished buildings and structures in Atlanta",
"Former cinemas in the United States",
"Hentz, Reid & Adler buildings",
"Movie palaces",
"Renaissance architecture in the United States",
"Theatres completed in 1920",
"Theatres in Atlanta"
] |
The Paramount Theatre was a movie palace in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The building was designed by Philip T. Shutze and was completed in 1920 as the Howard Theatre, a name it kept until 1929. It was located at 169 Peachtree Street, in an area that soon became the location of several other major theaters, earning it the nickname "Broadway of the South". With a seating capacity of 2,700, it was at the time the second largest movie theater in the world, behind only the Capitol Theatre in New York City. In addition to functioning as a movie theater, the building hosted live performances, with several nationally renowned orchestras playing at the venue through the 1940s and Elvis Presley playing at the theater in 1956. By the 1950s, however, movie palaces faced increased competition from smaller movie theaters and the rise in popularity of television, and the Paramount was demolished in 1960.
## History
### Background and construction
The 1 acre (0.40 ha) of land in downtown Atlanta on which the theater would eventually be built traded hands several times throughout the late 1800s before it was sold to Asa Griggs Candler for \$97,000 on November 30, 1909. Candler sold the land on April 17, 1911, to brothers Forrest and George W. Adair Jr. for \$120,000. On March 28, 1919, the Adairs agreed to lease the land to C. B. and George Troup Howard, the latter of whom was a successful cotton merchant. The lease was granted on the condition that a theater be built on the property, which at this time had a valuation of \$625,000. The theater's value, including its equipment, was to be greater than \$250,000. At the end of the 25-year lease, the property, including the theater, would revert to the Adairs. Prior to the theater's construction, several one-story commercial stores were located on the property.
The design of this new building, to be called the Howard Theatre, was handled by the Atlanta-based architectural firm of Hentz, Reid & Adler, with Philip T. Shutze serving as the building's architect. He drew up the designs in 1919 and construction started shortly thereafter. Construction costs for the project reached roughly \$1 million, which was considered a monumental sum for a theater at this time. Upon completion, the building and its equipment were valued at over \$750,000, far exceeding the terms set in the lease. While an August 1920 issue of The City Builder (published by the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce) stated that the theater would be open by October 1, 1920, it was not open to the public until early December of that year.
### Theater in operation
Upon its opening, the theater was well received by the general public. Contemporary publications in the city called it one of the "show spots of the city" and the "wonder theater of the South", while historian Franklin Garrett later called the building "by far the most palatial movie house ever erected in the city". The construction of the Howard was considered the start of a major boom of movie palaces in the city, with the Metropolitan Theater, which had been under construction at the same time as the Howard, opening shortly afterwards. The Howard had been built along Peachtree Street near Loew's Grand Theatre, an area which soon became known as the "Broadway of the South" in reference to the numerous theaters there.
As a performing arts venue, the theater hosted the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra during their inaugural 1923 season, and the 35-piece orchestra was led by conductor Enrico Leide. In April 1921, the theater hosted actress Clara Kimball Young, who was promoting her new film Straight from Paris, and in August 1923, it hosted a memorial service for recently deceased United States President Warren G. Harding. In 1929, the theater was renamed the Paramount Theatre, and the following year Paramount Interests, which had become the owner of the theater, announced a \$100,000 renovation of the building. Over the next several decades, the theater remained a major venue for the city. In 1940, The Salvation Army held a meeting there that saw former General Evangeline Booth as the guest of honor, alongside other guests such as Clark Howell, the editor of The Atlanta Constitution, and Georgia Governor Eurith D. Rivers. Throughout the decade, the theater hosted numerous nationally renowned orchestras, and between June 22 and 24, 1956, Elvis Presley performed ten shows at the theater. However, by this time, the grand movie palaces in Atlanta, as in other cities across the United States, were facing increased competition from smaller movie theaters in suburban areas and from the rise in popularity of television. As a result, several of Atlanta's landmark movie theaters were demolished in the latter half of the 20th century. The Paramount was one of these, being demolished in 1960 and replaced by a 12-story building.
## Architecture
The theater building had dimensions of 90 feet (27 m) by 275 feet (84 m). It was located along Peachtree Street, near its intersection with Forsyth Street, and the building stretched the entire length of the city block it sat on, having a backside abutting Ivy Street. It was located next to the Hotel Aragon and was across the street from the Davison-Paxon-Stokes flagship department store. Both the Peachtree and Ivy sides of the building had a frontage of about 90 feet (27 m). The building was designed in the Italian Renaissance style, with a facade modeled after the Palazzo Chiericati designed by Andrea Palladio. This building marked one of the first designs by Shutze to incorporate Italian influences. The building's facade was composed entirely of limestone, and the main entrance consisted of an arched opening measuring 35 feet (11 m) tall and 35 feet (11 m) wide. A large marquee was on the Peachtree entrance, which also hosted several small shops.
The interior of the theater was designed in the Italian Baroque style. The building had a large open lobby with a grand staircase that led to a mezzanine level that had restrooms and smoking rooms. The staircase and columns in the lobby area were constructed of marble. The auditorium area had no columns that could block viewing of the stage, which could hold up to 50 musicians. The stage was designed to host both live performances and motion pictures. The theater had a seating capacity of 2,700, which made it the largest theater in Atlanta and the second largest movie theater in the world, behind only the Capitol Theatre in New York City.
|
[
"## History",
"### Background and construction",
"### Theater in operation",
"## Architecture"
] | 1,394 | 14,951 |
60,264,356 |
K-111 (Kansas highway)
| 1,054,633,089 |
Highway in Kansas
|
[
"State highways in Kansas",
"Transportation in Ellsworth County, Kansas"
] |
K-111 is an approximately 5.33-mile-long (8.58 km) state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its southern terminus is at F Street at the Kanopolis city limits, and the northern terminus is at K-156 northeast of the city of Ellsworth. Along the way it intersects K-140 north of Kanopolis. K-111 travels through mostly flat rural farmlands south of K-140, and small rolling hills covered with grasslands north of K-140. It is a two-lane highway its entire length.
Before state highways were numbered in Kansas, there were auto trails. The highway crosses the former Golden Belt at its junction with K-140. When K-111 was first designated a state highway on September 28, 1948, as a short spur between Kanopolis and U.S. Route 40 (US-40), which is modern K-140. On October 13, 1967, US-40 was rerouted to overlap the newly constructed section of I-70 from Dorrance to Salina. At that time K-111 was extended northward to US-156, which is modern K-156. Then on November 27, 1968, old US-40 from Ellsworth eastward to Salina was designated K-140. In an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) meeting on October 13, 1979, it was approved to remove US-156 as a U.S. highway. Then on April 4, 1981, US-156 was redesignated as K-156.
## Route description
K-111 begins at the Kanopolis city limits as a continuation of F Street. As the highway leaves the city it curves north and begins travelling through flat rural farmlands. It continues northward and soon crosses over an unnamed creek that is bordered by trees. The highway passes through more farmland for a little over 0.5 miles (0.80 km) before reaching an intersection with K-140, which heads west to Ellsworth and east to Salina. As K-111 advances north, the landscape transitions to rolling hills mixed with grasslands and some farmlands. After roughly 1.3 miles (2.1 km) the roadway begins to parallel to the east of East Spring Creek, a tributary of Spring Creek, which flows into Smoky Hill River. Roughly 0.7 miles (1.1 km) later the river then passes under the highway and continues to parallel it. K-111 continues north for roughly 1.4 miles (2.3 km) through rolling hills covered with grasslands then crosses East Spring Creek again. The highway continues another roughly 0.3 miles (0.48 km) before reaching its northern terminus at K-156, which heads west to Ellsworth and east to I-70 and US-40.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks the traffic levels on its highways, and in 2019, they determined that on average the traffic varied from 220 vehicles per day slightly north of the junction with K-140 to 495 vehicles per day slightly south of the junction with K-140. K-111 is not included in the National Highway System, but does connect to it at its northern terminus at K-156. The entire route is paved with partial design bituminous pavement.
## History
### Early roads
Before state highways were numbered in Kansas there were auto trails, which were an informal network of marked routes that existed in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century. K-111 intersects K-140, which follows the former Golden Belt, an auto trail that went from Denver east to Kansas City.
### Establishment and realignments
K-111 was first designated a state highway by KDOT, at the time State Highway Commission of Kansas (SHC), on September 28, 1948. At that time it ran from US-40 (modern K-140) southward and ended at the Kannapolis city limits. In July 1963, the city of Kanopolis made a request to the SHC to extend K-111 north from US-40 to K-45, to provide a direct link to I-70. In an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) meeting on July 4–5, 1966, it was approved to extend US-156 from Larned northwest through Great Bend and Ellsworth to I-70. By 1967, US-156 had been extended northeast from Larned along US-56 to Great Bend, then along K-45 to I-70 northeast of Ellsworth, at which time the K-45 designation was removed.
On October 13, 1967, US-40 was rerouted to overlap the newly constructed section of I-70 from Dorrance to Salina. At that time K-111 was extended northward 3.8 miles (6.1 km) to US-156, now K-156. Later in October, the SHC announced that old US-40 from K-141 east to Salina will remain a state highway and the section from Ellsworth east to K-141 would be maintained by the county. Ellsworth County objected to this because the average daily traffic was the same on both sections. Then on November 27, 1968, old US-40 from Ellsworth eastward to Salina was designated K-140. In an AASHTO meeting on October 13, 1979, it was approved to remove US-156 as a U.S. highway. Then in a resolution on April 4, 1981, US-156 was redesignated as K-156 by KDOT.
## Major intersections
|
[
"## Route description",
"## History",
"### Early roads",
"### Establishment and realignments",
"## Major intersections"
] | 1,209 | 4,705 |
1,883,426 |
General Dynamics F-16XL
| 1,173,076,293 |
US fighter prototype and research plane (1982–2009)
|
[
"1980s United States fighter aircraft",
"Aircraft first flown in 1982",
"General Dynamics aircraft",
"NASA aircraft",
"Relaxed-stability aircraft",
"Single-engined jet aircraft",
"Tailless delta-wing aircraft"
] |
The General Dynamics F-16XL is a derivative of the F-16 Fighting Falcon with a cranked-arrow delta wing. It entered the United States Air Force's (USAF) Enhanced Tactical Fighter (ETF) competition in 1981 but lost to the F-15E Strike Eagle. The two prototypes were shelved until being turned over to NASA for additional aeronautical research in 1988. Both aircraft were fully retired in 2009 and stored at Edwards Air Force Base.
## Development
### SCAMP
Shortly after winning the lightweight fighter program, General Dynamics Fort Worth began investigating possible F-16 derivatives with the goal of enhancing both air-to-air and air-to-ground mission capabilities while retaining parts commonality with the F-16A. Under the leadership of Harry Hillaker (designer of the original F-16), the Supersonic Cruise and Maneuver Prototype (SCAMP) project was started. Several wing designs were considered, including one using a forward-swept wing, but the large "cranked-arrow" wing (similar to that of the Saab 35 Draken) was pursued due to its much more efficient lift-to-drag ratio at supersonic speeds.
The company worked closely with NASA's Langley Research Center and invested significant R&D funds for wind tunnel testing. Over several years the design was refined which led to the final F-16XL design by late 1980.
### Enhanced Tactical Fighter competition
In 1980, the USAF signed on as a partner, providing the fuselages of the third and fifth production F-16s for conversion. These two fuselages became the only examples of the F-16XL.
In March 1981, the USAF announced the Enhanced Tactical Fighter (ETF) program to procure a replacement for the F-111 Aardvark. The concept envisioned an aircraft capable of launching deep interdiction missions without requiring additional support in the form of fighter escorts or jamming support. General Dynamics submitted the F-16XL, while McDonnell Douglas submitted a variant of the F-15 Eagle. Though the two aircraft were competing for the same role, they had fairly different design approaches. The F-15E required very few alterations from its base F-15B or D, while the F-16XL had major structural and aerodynamic differences from the original F-16. As such, the F-16XL would have required much more effort, time, and money to put into full production. Additionally, the F-15E had two engines, which gave it a much higher maximum takeoff weight and redundancy in the case of engine failure.
In February 1984, the USAF awarded the ETF contract to McDonnell Douglas. The two F-16XLs were returned to the Air Force and placed in storage at Edwards Air Force Base. Had General Dynamics won the competition, the F-16XL would have gone into production as the F-16E/F (E for single seat, F for two seats).
## Design
The wing and rear horizontal control surfaces of the base F-16A were replaced with a cranked-arrow delta wing 115% larger than the original wing. Extensive use of graphite-bismaleimide composites allowed the savings of 595 pounds (270 kg) of weight, but the F-16XL-1 and XL-2 were 4,100 pounds (1,900 kg) and 5,600 pounds (2,500 kg) heavier respectively than the original F-16A.
Less noticeable is that the fuselage was lengthened by 56 inches (140 cm) by the addition of two sections at the joints of the main fuselage sub-assemblies. With the new wing design, the tail section had to be canted up 3.16°, and the ventral fins removed, to prevent them from striking the pavement during takeoff and landing. The F-16XL-2 also received a larger inlet which would go on to be included in later F-16 variants.
These changes resulted in a 25% improvement in lift-to-drag ratio in supersonic flight while remaining comparable in subsonic flight, and a plane that reportedly handled smoothly at high speeds and low altitudes. The enlargements increased internal fuel capacity by 4,350 pounds (1,970 kg), or about 65%. The F-16XL could carry twice the ordnance of the F-16A and deliver it 50% farther. The enlarged wing and strengthened hardpoints allowed for a highly configurable payload:
- 16× 1,000 pounds (450 kg) wing hardpoints
- 5× 2,000 pounds (910 kg) wing hardpoints
- 4× semi-recessed AIM-120 AMRAAM stations under fuselage
- 2× wingtip stations
- 1× centerline station
- 2× wing "heavy/wet" stations
- 2× chin LANTIRN stations
## NASA testing
In 1988, the two aircraft were turned over to NASA Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility for supersonic laminar flow research for the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) program. The F-16XL was considered ideal for these tests because of its cranked-arrow wing and high-speed, high-altitude capabilities. The tests were carried out by a NASA and industry team and were intended to achieve laminar flow over the wings, validate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) design methodology, and test active suction systems. These tests involved the installation of either passive or active suction aerodynamic gloves. The active suction glove was intended to suck away turbulent airflow over the wings during supersonic flight, restoring laminar flow and reducing drag. The NASA Langley Research Center developed and coordinated F-16XL experiments.
F-16XL-1 was fitted with an active suction glove encasing the left wing. Designed and built by North American Aviation, it had laser-cut holes that were nominally 0.0025 inches (0.064 mm) diameter at a uniform 2,500 per square inch (390/cm<sup>2</sup>) spacing. The suction was provided by a Convair 880 air-conditioning turbocompressor where the 20mm cannon's ammunition had been. The glove covered over 5 square feet (0.46 m<sup>2</sup>) of the wing. Overall, F-16XL-1 completed 31 test flights for these tests from May 1990 to September 1992. Afterwards, it was used to test takeoff performance, engine noise, and sonic boom phenomena.
F-16XL-2 had its engine replaced with the more powerful General Electric F110-129. It achieved limited supercruise, a design goal of the F-16XL that was never attained in ETF testing, when it reached Mach 1.1 at 20,000 feet (6,100 m) on full military power. It was mounted with a passive glove on the right wing and an active suction glove on the left wing. The passive glove was fitted with instruments to measure the flow characteristics over the wing. The active suction glove was designed and fabricated by Boeing; it was made of titanium and had over 12 million laser-cut holes, each 0.0025 inches (0.064 mm) in diameter, spaced 0.010 to 0.055 inches (0.025 to 0.140 cm) apart. Suction was provided by a cabin-air pressurization turbocompressor from a Boeing 707, installed where the 20mm ammunition drum had been, which exhausted above the right wing. Overall, F-16XL-2 performed 45 test flights from October 1995 to November 1996.
While "significant progress" was made towards achieving laminar flow at supersonic speeds, neither aircraft achieved the requisite laminar flow characteristics at intended speeds and altitudes. Nonetheless, NASA officials considered the test program to have been successful. NASA briefly investigated using a Tupolev Tu-144 which would more closely resemble the high-speed civil transport aircraft to continue supersonic laminar flow research, but did not pursue the idea due to a limited budget.
At the conclusion of their test programs in 1999, both F-16XLs were placed into storage at NASA Dryden. In 2007, Boeing and NASA studied the feasibility of returning F-16XL-1 to flight status and upgrading it with many of the improvements found in the USAF's F-16 Block 40 in order to further test sonic boom mitigation technology. F-16XL-1 was taxi tested at Dryden and given systems checks. However, both F-16XLs were retired in 2009 and stored at Edwards AFB.
## F-16XL aircraft on display
- 75-0747 – Museum Air Park, Air Force Flight Center Museum, Edwards AFB, California
- 75-0749 – in storage at the Air Force Flight Center Museum, Edwards AFB, California
## Specifications (F-16XL number 2)
## See also
|
[
"## Development",
"### SCAMP",
"### Enhanced Tactical Fighter competition",
"## Design",
"## NASA testing",
"## F-16XL aircraft on display",
"## Specifications (F-16XL number 2)",
"## See also"
] | 1,866 | 8,122 |
11,888,143 |
Northern Lites
| 1,162,514,270 | null |
[
"1998 songs",
"1999 singles",
"Calypso songs",
"Creation Records singles",
"Super Furry Animals songs"
] |
"Northern Lites" is the ninth single by Super Furry Animals. It was the first single to be taken from the Guerrilla album and reached number 11 in the UK Singles Chart after its release on 10 May 1999. The song was written by singer Gruff Rhys and was inspired by the El Niño phenomenon. The track's title refers to the Aurora Borealis, a natural light display which the band were convinced they had seen prior to the song being written. Rhys wrote the melody for "Northern Lites" several years before it was completed but only decided on a calypso style after he wrote the lyrics. The steel drums on the track are played by keyboardist Cian Ciaran and were added on the spur of the moment after the group saw them "lying around" Real World Studios during recording.
Critical reaction was largely positive with the song being named "Single of the Week" in both the Melody Maker and NME, with the latter also listing the song at number 3 in their single of the year list for 1999. The music video for "Northern Lites" was directed by Super Furry Animals and Martin McCarthy and consists of stock footage of curling and Irish road bowling although Rhys has blamed the song's failure to chart higher on the fact that it "didn't have a video".
## Themes and recording
"Northern Lites" was written by singer Gruff Rhys about "the weather", and was particularly inspired by coverage of the "terrifying, worldwide, seven-year phenomenon" of the west Pacific El Niño climate pattern on "weather channels" in 1998. The song's title refers to the Aurora Borealis, a natural light display which can be observed particularly in the polar regions, and usually at night. The band were convinced that they had seen the lights before the track was written but, as no one else was present, they could not get confirmation that what they had witnessed was not simply a "Furry fantasy". Rhys has claimed that he would have called the song "Aurora Borealis" but "Latin song titles are out of the question". Although Rhys has said that the song is "about asking Jesus if he decides to seek his revenge on us, to get it over with as soon as possible and blow us away to the Northern Lights" he has also stated that, although some critics have interpreted the track as being about "questioning one's faith", it is really "just a song about the weather".
The melody of "Northern Lites" was written by Rhys several years before the track was released. The band experimented with reggae and "dirgy rock" styles before Rhys wrote the lyrics and, because they were inspired by adverse weather conditions affecting Latin America, tried playing along to a preset calypso rhythm track which was on his keyboard. The singer has stated that, although he does not think the band have "any right to make Latin-influenced" songs, they did not choose a calypso style for the track in a cynical attempt to "crack South America". The group are not "purists" and feel that Latin music is "part of [a] cultural esperanto".
The track was recorded in the middle of 1998 at Real World Studios, Box, Wiltshire, along with the rest of Guerrilla, and was produced by Super Furry Animals. The band allowed "the music to dictate itself" during recording sessions, choosing to add steel drums on the spur of the moment after seeing the instruments "lying around" Real World during recording. The steel drum parts were performed by keyboardist Cian Ciaran, despite the fact he did not know how to play them.
## Composition
"Northern Lites" is 3 minute and 31 seconds long and is in the key of E major. The song begins with an intro with steel drums, featuring a flanging effect, before a brass section enters after 6 seconds playing a melody line accompanied by a güiro, sparse drums and an acoustic guitar playing the chords F#m<sup>7</sup> and B. The melody line plays twice after which Gruff Rhys begins singing the first verse alongside the güiro, guitar and steel drums which no longer have a flange effect. Towards the end of the verse a distorted guitar melody line plays alongside Rhys's vocal and harmony backing vocals enter. The song's first chorus begins at 48 seconds with Rhys singing "There's a distant light, a forest fire burning everything in sight". During the second verse the brass section rejoins, playing the same melody line from the intro. After another chorus the song's extended "play-out" section begins at 2 minutes and 13 seconds with Rhys repeating the lines "Don't worry me, or hurry me, blow me far away to the Northern Lites" accompanied by harmony backing vocals. The track breaks down to just drums and vocals at 2 minutes and 40 seconds after which the band and brass section rejoin. A prominent lead guitar melody begins after 2 minutes and 47 seconds and plays alongside the vocals, acoustic guitar, brass and drums until the track fades out and ends at 3 minutes and 31 seconds.
## Release and critical reception
"Northern Lites" was released on CD, cassette and 7" on 10 May 1999 and reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. The cover features a model of a "three-eyed, four-armed, squid-headed Eskimo warrior" designed by artist Pete Fowler. The warrior is shown holding "two portable poles of latitude and longitude" and has "the heating regulator of the world" around his neck. The track was included on the band's greatest hits compilation album Songbook: The Singles, Vol. 1, issued in 2004.
"Northern Lites" received mostly positive reviews. The NME listed the song as the "Single of the Week" on its release, with reviewer Johnny Cigarettes stating that the track was "head and shoulders above anything released this or most other weeks". Cigarettes saw "Northern Lites" as indicative of the Super Furry Animals' "genius idiosyncrasy and elegantly eccentric class" and described the song as "somewhere between a Mexican cocktail bar, a '60s surf party, a Vegas lounge show and a really good acid trip". Cigarettes compared the vocal harmonies on the track to those of The Beach Boys and stated that the song has a "classic, Bacharach" quality" although he did criticise the indecipherable lyrics which he felt could prevent the record from "its deserved 23-week residence at Number One". In a later review of Guerrilla, the NME described the song as a "seamless fusion of tumbling xylophones and Caribbean brass". The magazine listed the track at number 3 in their single of the year list for 1999. "Northern Lites" was also awarded "Single of the Week" in the 15 May 1999 issue of the Melody Maker by guest reviewers Gay Dad, who described the song as "twisted and psychedelic". Echoing the views of Johnny Cigarettes, Gay Dad likened the song to the work of Bacharach and Hal David and complained that they could not fully understand Rhys's lyrics, as his vocals were too low in the mix.
Writing for Mojo, James McNair described "Northern Lites" as a mix of "Tijuana brass, steel drums, and itch-scratching Latin percussion" and claimed that the "great" song was "one of the most frothily inventive pop confections" since Super Furry Animals' 1998 track, "Ice Hockey Hair". In Q, reviewer Peter Kane stated that the song's combination of "cheesy calypso sway" and "Tijuana brass" were wonderful. Dave Simpson, writing in The Guardian, claimed that the song was "possibly the first hit to be massively influenced by Tito Puente." In The Independent, Tim Perry stated that the "undeniably brilliant" "Northern Lites" was one of the highlights of the Guerrilla album. In a 2005 review of the reissued Guerrilla, Pitchfork's Marc Hogan described the track as "horn-laden tropicalia"; in an earlier review of Songbook: The Singles, Vol. 1, he had called "Northern Lites" "'Deadweight'-era Beck tropicalia". Reviewing Songbook... for PopMatters, Zeth Lundy described "Northern Lites" as "Brazilian-infected", while Ian Wade, reviewing the album for the BBC, called the song an "indie/calypso crossover" and Alan Woodhouse, reviewing Songbook... for the NME labelled the track an "irresistible Caribbean-flavoured tune." Marc Hogan of Pitchfork claimed that the single's b-sides, including the "shiny, distorted mid-tempo number" "This, That and the Other", pale beside "Northern Lites" and the other tracks on Guerilla although they "do manage to scratch the itch for more SFA".
### Accolades
## Music video
A promotional music video, directed by Super Furry Animals and Martin McCarthy, was produced to accompany the release of "Northern Lites" as a single.
The video begins with a shot of Super Furry Animals' 'SFA' logo, which appears on the cover of "Northern Lites", displayed above the words "Public information service". This shot fades to show a full-screen translucent, fluorescent blue, image of the "warrior", also from the single's cover, which moves from the centre to the bottom right before shrinking and remaining stationary in the top right for the duration of the video. The SFA logo from the introduction is shown in the top left, opposite the "warrior" image, and also remains throughout the video. The island Ailsa Craig is briefly shown, the island where in 2004 when the single was released, 60 to 70% of all curling stones in use were made from granite from the island and is one of only two sources for all stones in the sport, the other being the Trefor Granite Quarry in Wales. Next, images of the sea and birds in flight are shown before footage of a bearded man, sitting on rocks beside the sea and singing along to the first verse is shown. This footage is intercut with shots of a man using a hammer and chisel on some boulders before walking away with a large rock. The rock is shown being spun and polished into a curling stone. A yellow handle is added to the stone and it is placed into a wooden box alongside another stone with a red handle. The box is closed and the word Nagano is seen printed on the lid. The video then cuts to shots of a Boeing 747 before wintery scenes of Nagano are shown, including a shot of people with umbrellas stood in the snow in front of a sign that reads "Nagano Olympics". Footage from curling events are then shown until 2 minutes and 40 seconds when the video cuts to show a man in a grey suit dropping a handful of grass on a road. The video then ends with shots of Irish road bowling–several men are shown throwing a bowl down a road surrounded by spectators alongside scenes of men with measuring sticks and men exchanging banknotes. In a 2008 interview with Uncut, Gruff Rhys stated that "Northern Lites" "didn't have a video" and suggested this as the reason the track was not a bigger hit than it was. The director who was originally scheduled to work on the video took up an offer of a Red Stripe commercial in Jamaica, leaving the band to collaborate with McCarthy. According to Rhys the group met the original director later and told him "We understand, we'd have done the same." Despite this, bassist Guto Pryce has described the "Northern Lites" music video as one of only a handful of the group's videos that he actually likes.
## Track listing
All songs by Super Furry Animals.
- CD (CRESCD314), MC (CRES314), 7" (CRE314)
1. "Northern Lites" – 3:30
2. "Rabid Dog" – 3:47
3. "This, That and the Other " – 5:59
## Personnel
- Gruff Rhys – vocals
- Huw Bunford – guitar
- Guto Pryce – bass guitar
- Cian Ciaran – keyboards, steel drums
- Dafydd Ieuan – drums
- Steve Waterman - trumpet
- A D Gibson - trumpet
- Andrew Robinson - trombone
- Euros Wyn - flute
- Kris Jenkins - percussion
## Singles chart position
|
[
"## Themes and recording",
"## Composition",
"## Release and critical reception",
"### Accolades",
"## Music video",
"## Track listing",
"## Personnel",
"## Singles chart position"
] | 2,655 | 28,807 |
8,312,530 |
Ao Man Long
| 1,161,477,701 |
Macau government official
|
[
"1956 births",
"2006 in Macau",
"Corruption in Macau",
"Government ministers of Macau",
"Living people",
"National Taiwan University alumni"
] |
Ao Man Long (Chinese: 歐文龍; born in December 1956) was the first Secretary for Transport and Public Works of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, from 20 December 1999 to 6 December 2006.
On 8 December 2006, Ao was arrested based on a case built by the Macau Commission Against Corruption, making him the highest-ranking official arrested in the history of Macau. Ao had allegedly offered preference in government works projects, and had amassed assets totalling 804 million patacas. On 30 January 2008, Ao was found guilty on 40 counts of bribe-taking, amongst others, and was sentenced to 27 years in prison. Ao was aided and abetted by four family members, who were also jailed for between 10 and 18 years for money laundering. On 31 May 2012, Ao was found guilty of taking bribes of more than 31.9 million patacas, and received a sentence of 29 years in prison. Joseph Lau and Steven Lo are both implicated and have been charged with offering tens of millions in bribes to Ao.
## Career
Ao is a graduate of Yuet Wah College, Macau. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in civil engineering at National Taiwan University in 1982, and a Master of Business Administration at the University of Macao. Ao joined the government in 1987. He was appointed as the first Secretary for Transport and Public Works after the handover of Macau from Portugal to the PRC on 20 December 1999.
## Arrest
On 6 December 2006, Ao was arrested for allegedly taking bribes and having engaged in irregular financial activities. The Macau Commission Against Corruption (CAC) alleged that between 2002 and 2006 Ao received MOP 187 million in bribes from three real estate and construction companies, two from Macau and one from the mainland, in return for which Ao had allegedly offered preference in 20 government works projects. Ao allegedly had assets not commensurate with his earnings: Ao and his wife earned 14 million patacas from their official posts between 2000 and 2006, yet had accumulated assets totalling 804 million patacas (US\$100m), equivalent to 57 times their earnings. Ao was charged with 76 counts, including corruption, bribe-taking, money laundering and abuse of power.
According to Article 50 of the Basic Law of Macau, the removal of ministers would require Central Government approval. Citing "irrefutable evidence" of improper behaviour, Chief Executive Edmund Ho asked Beijing to remove Ao from office.
## First trial
Ao Man-long stood trial in Macau on 5 November 2007, facing 30 years in prison. Given Ao's status of Government Secretary (equivalent to Minister), he was tried directly in the Court of Final Appeal of the Macau SAR. Over one hundred witnesses were called to testify.
Although it was an open trial, the 500-page indictment was not made public when Ao was tried. Media representatives petitioned for its release, but it was denied by judge Viriato Manuel Pinheiro de Lima, who said it would affect witnesses' thoughts and testimony. The prosecution charged Ao with having received millions of dollars in kickbacks for contracts, including those for the dome constructed for the 2005 East Asian Games, the Venetian and the Galaxy StarWorld Hotel, from Ho Meng-fai, Chairman of San Meng Fai Engineering and Construction Company.
Anti-corruption officers were aided unwittingly by Ao, who kept details of every illegal transaction and the kickbacks he received in a notebook. Ho Meng-fai – who had jumped bail – confessed in statements given to the CAC and the procurator's office that Ao offered to recommend his company to foreign investors in exchange for 2 to 3 percent of the winning tenders. Ho said between 2004 and 2006, he paid Ao about HK\$140 million in kickbacks, for private projects only. During the trial, 7 witnesses, including Ho, went missing.
Ao allegedly set up shell companies a network of secret bank accounts in Hong Kong and the British Virgin Islands with the help of friends and family members to launder bribe money. Ao's father Ao Veng-Kong, brother Ao Man-Fu, and sister-in-law Ao Chan Va-Choi were charged with setting up overseas bank accounts and shell companies for Ao Man-long to handle kickbacks. The total deposits in more than a dozen Hong Kong bank accounts under his father's name exceeded HK\$157 million as of December 2006. The three family members pleaded not guilty, claiming Ao Man-long opened the bank accounts for them. All family members were sentenced to prison terms by a decision of the Macau Court of Second Instance on 30 October 2008.
### Verdict and sentencing
On 30 January 2008, Ao was found guilty on 40 counts of bribe-taking, 13 counts of money laundering, two counts of abuse of power, one count of incorrect declaration of assets and one count of holding assets from unknown sources; Ao was sentenced to 27 years in prison. About MOP 252 million of his assets in Macau were seized. Ao decided not to appeal. There were concerns voiced in the Macau media that Ao was the fall-guy, as most Macanese were sceptical that corruption on such a scale could take place without anyone else knowing or being involved. During his trial, Ao hinted that contacts valued at in excess of 6 million Patacas required the approval of his superior in government, Edmond Ho.
In a separate trial, his wife was sentenced in absentia to 23 years in jail for her role in laundering money. Ao's four family members, each accused of six to 14 counts of money laundering activities, were also jailed for between 10 and 18 years. Ao's wife is believed to have absconded to the United Kingdom. Macau authorities were co-operating with the ICAC in Hong Kong to retrieve an estimated HK\$637 million (US\$81.7 million), which was reportedly deposited in 39 Hong Kong bank accounts in Ao's name and 92 overseas bank accounts opened in the name of his relative-accomplices.
### Appeals
Ao filed a motion before the Court of Appeal to un-freeze some of his personal bank accounts, on the grounds that those accounts were supposedly not linked to the corruption case, and were the actual accounts for receiving his salary. The motion was denied on 26 September 2008: according to the verdict of his corruption trial, all his money and personal possessions, even if purchased legally, now belonged to Macau.
## Second trial
In March 2008, reports emerged that a fresh set of criminal proceedings related to other acts of corruption were being investigated by the Macau Commission Against Corruption. In addition, the family members and the businessmen allegedly involved were appealing their convictions. A second trial took place before the Court of Final Appeal. The final decision was handed on 22 April 2009, and the total penalty was increased from 27 years of imprisonment to 28+1⁄2 years.
## May 2012 trial
On 31 May 2012, Ao was found guilty of taking bribes of more than 31.9 million patacas. Joseph Lau and Steven Lo are both implicated and have been charged with offering MCP20 million in bribes to Ao to secure five plots of land near the airport in Macau. The judge remarked that "no other officials involved in corruption in Asia and other countries can compare" to Ao. The maximum jail term is 30 years, according to the laws of Macau, thus the judge ordered Ao serve his 29-year term concurrent with his existence sentence.
## See also
- 2007 Macau transfer of sovereignty anniversary protest
|
[
"## Career",
"## Arrest",
"## First trial",
"### Verdict and sentencing",
"### Appeals",
"## Second trial",
"## May 2012 trial",
"## See also"
] | 1,628 | 37,343 |
54,097,170 |
2017 EFL League Two play-off final
| 1,170,272,843 | null |
[
"2017 English Football League play-offs",
"2017 sports events in London",
"Blackpool F.C. matches",
"EFL League Two play-off finals",
"Exeter City F.C. matches",
"May 2017 sports events in the United Kingdom"
] |
The 2017 EFL League Two play-off Final was an association football match played on 28 May 2017 at Wembley Stadium, London, between Blackpool and Exeter City. The match determined the fourth and final team to gain promotion from EFL League Two, English football's fourth tier, to EFL League One. The top three teams of the 2016–17 EFL League Two season gained automatic promotion to League One, while the teams placed from fourth to seventh in the table took part in play-off semi-finals; the winners of these semi-finals competed for the final place for the 2017–18 season in League One. Blackpool finished in seventh place while Exeter ended the season in fifth position. Luton Town and Carlisle United were the losing semi-finalists.
The match kicked off around 3 p.m in front of 23,380 spectators and was refereed by Darren England. Three minutes into the game, Potts put Blackpool ahead: Jack Payne made a long pass to Mark Cullen, who played it to Potts. He ran on and struck the ball first-time into the far corner of the Exeter goal. With five minutes of the half remaining, David Wheeler scored the equaliser with a lob over Sam Slocombe from just inside the Blackpool penalty area to make it 1–1 at half-time. In the 64th minute, Cullen put Blackpool back into the lead. Potts made a run into the Exeter penalty area and crossed the ball: Pym deflected it with his foot only for Cullen to finish it with an outstretched leg. Late pressure from Exeter failed to produce any goals, and despite five minutes of injury time, the match ended 2–1 to Blackpool who were promoted to League One.
Blackpool finished their following season in twelfth place in League One. In their next season, Exeter City finished in fourth position in League Two and qualified for the play-offs where they lost 3–1 against Coventry City in the final.
## Route to the final
Exeter City finished the regular 2016–17 season in fifth place in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system, two places ahead of Blackpool. Both therefore missed out on the three automatic places for promotion to EFL League One and instead took part in the play-offs to determine the fourth promoted team. Exeter City finished fourteen points behind Doncaster Rovers (who were promoted in third place), and sixteen behind Plymouth Argyle (promoted in second) and league winners Portsmouth. Blackpool ended the season two places and one point behind Exeter City.
Blackpool's opponents for their play-off semi-final were Luton Town with the first match of the two-legged tie being held at Bloomfield Road in Blackpool on 14 May 2017. Mark Cullen put the home side ahead after 19 minutes with a low shot but Luton replied, first through Dan Potts and then Isaac Vassell, to make it 2–1 at half-time. Two minutes into the second half, Cullen levelled the game with his second goal, a strike from around 25 yards (23 m). He completed his hat-trick midway through the half with a penalty and the match ended 3–2 to Blackpool. The second leg of the semi-final took place at Kenilworth Road in Luton four days later. Nathan Delfouneso opened the scoring for the visitors midway through the first half before Kelvin Mellor's own goal made it 1–1. Scott Cuthbert's header just before half-time made it 2–1 to Luton and twelve minutes after the break, Danny Hylton converted a penalty to increase his side's lead. Armand Gnanduillet's header made it 3–2 with less than 15 minutes remaining, and in the fifth minute of injury time, an own goal from Stuart Moore ensured the match ended 3–3. With an aggregate victory of 6–5, Blackpool progressed to the final.
Exeter City faced Carlisle United in their play-off semi-final, the first leg being played at Brunton Park in Carlisle on 14 May 2017. The visitors took the lead on 15 minutes when Joel Grant scored but Exeter's Jordan Moore-Taylor scored an own goal to level the match. Ryan Harley restored Exeter's lead just before half-time and David Wheeler made it 3–1 eleven minutes into the second half. John O'Sullivan's cross floated into the Exeter goal to make it 3–2 midway through the second half and Shaun Miller's header levelled the match which ended 3–3. The second leg of the semi-final was played St James Park in Exeter four days later. Ollie Watkins scored the only goal of the first half to put Exeter ahead on aggregate. With eleven minutes of the game remaining, Watkins scored his and Exeter's second, but Jason Kennedy pulled one back for the visitors two minutes later. O'Sullivan scored in the 90th minute to make it 2–2, but five minutes into injury time, Jack Stacey scored for Exeter to make it 3–2, and Exeter won the tie 6–5 on aggregate.
## Match
### Background
Blackpool had been relegated to League Two the previous season and were thus aiming for an instant return to League One. Exeter City had played in League Two since being relegated at the end of the 2011–12 season. During the regular season, Blackpool were undefeated in the two matches between the clubs, winning 2–0 at Bloomfield Road in August 2016 and drawing 2–2 at St James Park the following February. Blackpool's top scorers during the regular season were Potts with 12 (10 in the league, 1 in the FA Cup and 1 in the League Cup) followed by Vassell with 11 (all in the league). Exeter's leading marksmen were Wheeler who had 17 goals for the season (all in the league), followed by Reid with 14 (13 in the league, 1 in the FA Cup) and Watkins with 13 (all in the league).
Exeter City were allocated 20,000 tickets for the match. Blackpool supporters were allocated the east end of Wembley Stadium while Exeter City fans occupied the west end. Due to an ongoing dispute with Blackpool owner, Owen Oyston and his family, Blackpool Supporters' Trust called on the club to donate its share of its gate receipts to charity so they could attend the match without their money going towards the Oyston family.
The referee for the match was Darren England, who was assisted by James Bell and Lee Venamore. The fourth official was David Webb while the reserve assistant referee was Helen Byrne. Hawk-Eye was also in use for the final. Before the match, a minute's silence was held to commemorate the Manchester Arena bombing which had taken place six days prior to the final. Faryl Smith performed the national anthem before kick-off. Sky Sports was the exclusive live broadcaster for the final in the UK.
Watkins had been voted the EFL Young Player of the Season at the EFL Awards. Blackpool adopted a 3–5–2 formation while Exeter played as a 4–4–2. Exeter played in luminous yellow shirts, shorts and socks, while Blackpool's kit was tangerine and white shirts, white shorts and tangerine socks.
### Summary
Exeter kicked off the match around 3 p.m on 28 May 2017 in front of 23,380 spectators. Three minutes into the game, Potts put Blackpool ahead: Jack Payne made a long pass to Cullen, who played it to Potts. He ran on and struck the ball first-time into the far corner of the Exeter goal. In the 11th minute, Wheeler headed to Watkins whose shot from inside the penalty area was saved by Sam Slocombe. Seven minutes later, Jake Taylor's shot from 8 yards (7.3 m) was blocked by Blackpool's Tom Aldred. Lloyd James then struck a shot wide of Blackpool's goal from 25 yards (23 m). In the 31st minute, Blackpool were forced to make their first substitution of the match as Aldred was unable to continue with an ankle injury, and he was replaced by Bright Osayi-Samuel. With five minutes of the half remaining, Wheeler scored the equaliser. Woodman played a long ball towards him, which he controlled on the run. As Slocombe came out, Wheeler lobbed him from just inside the area to make it 1–1 at half-time.
Three minutes into the second half, Osayi-Samuel struck a shot wide of the Exeter goal. In the 50th minute, a half-volley from Vassell from a tight angle was saved by the Exeter goalkeeper Christy Pym. In the 57th minute Exeter's Grant was replaced by Reuben Reid before Troy Brown limped off, with Pierce Sweeney coming on as a substitute. In the 59th minute, Cullen received the first yellow card of the game. Pym then caught Mellor's header from a corner. Blackpool made their second substitution of the game in the 62nd minute when Ian Black came on for Payne. Two minutes later, Cullen put Blackpool back into the lead. Potts made a run into the Exeter penalty area and crossed the ball: Pym deflected it with his foot only for Cullen to finish it with an outstretched leg. In the 71st minute, Exeter made their final personnel change of the afternoon with Lee Holmes replacing Craig Woodman. Danns shot then flew over the Exeter crossbar and with fifteen minutes to go, Cullen was replaced by Jordan Flores. In the 78th minute, Reid's shot from the edge of the Blackpool box went just wide. Late pressure from Exeter failed to produce any goals, and despite five minutes of injury time, the match ended 2–1 to Blackpool who were promoted to League One.
### Details
## Post-match
The Blackpool manager said: "It was a massive team effort ... Exeter, a great footballing team, put us on the back foot." His counterpart Paul Tisdale said: "I'm disappointed, clearly. I'm disappointed that we probably didn't do our best in the last half an hour ... It's a tough environment to play in – the pressure – and the performance doesn't always get the result." Winning the final made Blackpool the most successful team in the history of the play-offs, having won five finals in eight attempts.
Blackpool finished their following season in twelfth place in League One. In their next season, Exeter City finished in fourth position in League Two and qualified for the play-offs where they lost 2–1 against Coventry City in the final.
|
[
"## Route to the final",
"## Match",
"### Background",
"### Summary",
"### Details",
"## Post-match"
] | 2,284 | 21,356 |
13,063,487 |
Metal corset
| 1,124,398,013 |
Type of corset or bodice
|
[
"Artworks in metal",
"Corsetry",
"Medical equipment"
] |
Metal corsets (also known as iron corsets) are a type of historical corset or bodice made entirely out of metal, usually iron or steel. The metal corset was popularly claimed to have been introduced to France by Catherine de' Medici in the 16th century, although this is now considered a myth. The idea that such garments were worn for fashionable purposes is debatable, with fashion historians now regarding such claims sceptically. Many of the original metal bodices that have survived are now believed to have been intended for medical purposes as orthopaedic support garments and back braces. Such garments were described by the French army surgeon Ambroise Paré in the 16th century as a remedy for the "crookednesse of the Bodie."
Some of the more extreme examples of metal corsets that have survived are now generally thought to be later reproductions designed to appeal to fetishists, rather than garments intended for fashionable wear.
Metal medical corsets were still being made in the 20th century, whilst, since the late 20th century, fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen and Issey Miyake have made contemporary metal bodices and corsets from wire and aluminium coils.
## Origins
Early fashion historians and writers have often attributed the introduction of fashionable corset-wearing to Catherine de' Medici, who is said to have brought metal corsets to France from Italy in the 16th century. The fashion historian Valerie Steele noted that after 19th-century writers catering to audiences for tightlacing and sexual fetishism played up the sadomasochistic idea of a "cruel, tortuous fashion" enforced by a dominant queen who demanded unrealistically small waists from her subjects, this mythical royal connection captured public imagination and became part of fashion mythology.
It is now widely believed that authentic metal corsets were intended as a form of orthopaedic brace to address spinal issues such as scoliosis. The 16th-century French army surgeon Ambroise Paré described metal corsets as intended "to amend the crookednesse of the Bodie," recommending that the iron should be perforated in order to make the garments lighter, and that they be made to fit and padded for comfort. Paré criticised the concept of corsetry as a waist-training device, warning that such a practice risked deforming the figure.
## 16th and 17th centuries
A steel corset in the Stibbert Museum, Florence, Italy, is dated to the mid-16th century, and thought to be similar to the metal stays recorded as having been made by a corazzaio mastro (master armour-maker) for Eleanor of Toledo, and delivered to her on 28 February 1549. However, as Eleanor's wardrobe records do not list any boned or stiffened corsets, it is thought that her steel bodice was designed for medical or therapeutic reasons rather than worn as a fashionable garment.
Although surviving metal bodices are usually dated to the late 16th and early 17th century, Steele has stated that some of the more extreme and elaborate examples are fakes created from the 19th century onwards to cater to fetishistic "fantasies about women imprisoned in metal corsets". For example, Herbert Norris claimed in Tudor Costume and Fashion (1938) that a misbehaving wife would be locked into a metal corset by her husband until she promised to behave. One such iron corset, with a 14 in (360 mm) waist, was acquired by the Fashion Institute of Technology Museum and described as dating from 1580–1600, but is now considered to be a forgery from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Steele noted suspicious similarities between this corset and an illustration first published in 1868 in The Corset and the Crinoline, a "fetishistic" book claiming to offer a historical overview of fashion, and draws parallels between such corsets and fake medieval chastity belts. Harold Koda, the former curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, states that the excessive, mechanically produced regularity of the garment's structure is evidence for its being a 19th-century fabrication. Koda's take on the significant percentage of extant 19th-century metal corsets made in emulation of purported 16th-century models is that they were created to cater to a specialist market, perhaps for inclusion in collector's cabinets.
The fashion historians Cecil Willett Cunnington and his wife Phillis, both medical doctors, also stated firmly that surviving "iron bodies". when not medical garments, were usually "fanciful 'reproductions'", with no proof of their having genuinely been worn. Despite the explicit scepticism of fashion historians such as Steele and the Cunningtons, scholars outside the field of dress history sometimes treat these corsets as legitimate fashion garments. The anthropologist Marianne Thesander concluded that because such bodices fit the fashionable silhouette of their alleged period, they were probably authentic, and served the same purpose as other corsets.
## 18th and 19th century
In Fashion and Fetishism, David Kunzle noted that in Peter Rondeau's 1739 French-German dictionary, the French term corps de fer is explained in German as Schnürburst, mit kleinen eisernen blechen, für übel gewachsenes Frauenzimmer ("A bodice, with small iron plates, for badly grown [i.e., deformed] girls"). He reads this as implying that the iron plates would have been part of a fabric corset, rather than an all-metal garment.
Kunzle has noted the absence of literary evidence for showing that metal corsets were also worn for fashion purposes. He has suggested that surviving metal garments, if not specifically medical in purpose, might have served the same masochistically-gratifying purpose as the deliberately uncomfortable, torturous hair shirt, combining a fashionable silhouette with penance, and as such, might have been worn in convents. To support his "pure speculation", Kunzle cites an 1871 newspaper report from The Times reporting that during the Paris Commune, the National Guard found two iron corsets, a rack, and other instruments in the Convent of the White Nuns in Picpus. The claim by the Mother Superior that the instruments were for orthopaedic purposes was dismissed at the time as "a superficial falsehood."
Metal corsets for medical purposes continued to be used in the 18th and early 19th century, although equivalent garments made from canvas were increasingly used in their place. In 1894, A.M. Phelps of the American Orthopaedic Association recommended an aluminium corset coated with waterproof enamel for sufferers of Pott disease or curvature of the spine. Made from a cast of the patient's body, the advantages of such a garment were that aluminium was lightweight, durable, thin enough to be worn beneath clothing, and could be worn while bathing. Such corsets were still being recommended in the early 20th century as cheaper and more durable in the longer run than plaster moulds, although their initial expense was greater.
## 20th and 21st centuries
Since the 20th century, metal corsets designed as fashionable garments have occasionally been made for contemporary wear, although such instances are rare. Steele notes that alongside a 1930s metal corset made for and worn by a fetish corsetiere called Cayne, the late 20th- and early 21st-century tight-lacer Cathie Jung had a silver corset-cover made to wear over her actual laced corset. Between 1933 and 1940 Mrs. Cayne advertised a booklet describing her 14 in (360 mm) waistline and offered other services in the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News.
As a medical garment, metal corsets endured well into the 20th century. The Mexican painter Frida Kahlo was a notable wearer of such medical corsets, following ongoing problems as a result of a serious road crash she experienced as a teenager. By 1944, Kahlo's doctors had recommended that she wear a steel corset instead of the plaster ones she had mainly worn since the accident; and Kahlo, whose paintings were heavily autobiographical, used the new corset as the basis for one of her best known self-portraits, The Broken Column. In the painting, Kahlo portrays herself weeping with agony, her torso split open revealing that her spine is a crumbling Ionic column, and her damaged body held together by the steel corset. A form of metal corset or orthopaedic brace used in the second half of the 20th century was the Harris brace, named after its inventor, R.I. Harris. Harris braces are designed to immobilise the waist whilst healing, and are made with two bendable metal bands worn above and below the waist, connected with rigid metal supports.
20th and 21st century designers have sometimes designed metal corsets and bodices as part of their fashion shows, including Alexander McQueen, Issey Miyake, and Thierry Mugler. One of McQueen's most famous pieces was a 1999 aluminium corset, called the Coiled Corset, created in collaboration with the jeweller Shaun Leane and the artist Kees van der Graaf. Built around a cast of the model Laura Morgan's torso, the garment had a 15 in (380 mm) waist and was composed of 97 stacked coils, which had to be screwed together onto Morgan's body. The Coiled Corset was inspired by the neck rings worn by Ndebele women, extended to encase the wearer's torso. In 2001, the corset formed part of a live presentation at the Victoria and Albert Museum showcasing McQueen and Leane's collaborations. Corsets and bustiers can also be made using wire, such as a 1983 aluminium wire bustier by Miyake, which was cuffed around the torso over a feathered garment, offering a pun on the theme of birdcages.
## In museums
Metal corsets are found in a number of museum collections around the world. Some museums, including the Museo Stibbert, and the Kyoto Costume Institute in Japan, present their metal bodices as fashionable late 16th-century garments. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London describes an iron corset in their collection (formerly owned by the painter Talbot Hughes) as dating from the 18th century and likely intended for orthopaedic purposes. Others, such as the iron corset in the Fashion Institute of Technology, are presented as fakes.
|
[
"## Origins",
"## 16th and 17th centuries",
"## 18th and 19th century",
"## 20th and 21st centuries",
"## In museums"
] | 2,172 | 37,472 |
16,930,268 |
Mello (Death Note)
| 1,171,891,909 |
Fictional character from Death Note
|
[
"Comics characters introduced in 2003",
"Death Note characters",
"Fictional English people",
"Fictional characters with disfigurements",
"Fictional criminals",
"Fictional gangsters",
"Fictional kidnappers",
"Fictional mass murderers",
"Fictional murderers",
"Male characters in anime and manga"
] |
Mihael Keehl (Japanese: ミハエル・ケール, Hepburn: Mihaeru Kēru), universally referred to by the mononym Mello (メロ, Mero), is a fictional character in the manga series Death Note, created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. Mello is introduced alongside Near as a potential substitute for L. Both Mello and Near were raised at Wammy's House, an orphanage established by Watari, L's assistant. However, Mello refuses to work with Near to capture a murderer dubbed "Kira". Over the course of the series, he joins the mafia, obtains a Death Note, causes the death of some people, and dies before he can expose Kira's identity. Mello has also appeared in other media from the series.
The character of Mello was created, along with Near, to break the endless cycle of confrontations between the detective L and Light Yagami, the man behind the persona Kira. Both Mello and Near were designed after L and were initially envisioned as twins and sons of L. Ultimately, this idea was dropped, with their designs switched compared to the original concept.
He is voiced in the Japanese anime series by Nozomu Sasaki and in the English adaptation by David Hurwitz. Merchandise has been created for the character, including plush dolls and action figures. Mello has received positive commentary from manga and anime publications.
## Appearances
### In Death Note
Mello, whose real name is Mihael Keehl, grew up in Wammy's House, an orphanage for intellectually gifted children, and is one of two potential successors to L—the best detective in the world. When L dies, it is proposed to him to work with Near, the other potential successor, to find L's murderer, a criminal dubbed "Kira". Mello rejects the proposal, citing their bad relationship and different personalities. Then, he leaves the orphanage and joins the Mafia. Aware of a Death Note—a book that allows anyone to murder individuals just by knowing their faces and names—in Japanese police's possession, Mello abducts its director; Kira, however, kills the director. Afterwards, Mello proceeds to kidnap Sayu Yagami, the daughter of the police's vice-director, Soichiro Yagami; Mello succeeds in obtaining the Death Note this time.
Light Yagami, the true identity of Kira, discovers the location of Mello's hideout. An indirect result of this is that Mello meets the Shinigami Sidoh, the original owner of Mello's Death Note. Sidoh reveals to him—in exchange for some of Mello's chocolate—that there are two extra fake rules (in addition to a number of real ones specified to each Death Note's owner). Mello begins to theorize that whoever Kira is, he probably used these spurious rules to fool the Japanese police into thinking he is innocent. However, Light launches a SWAT team led by Soichiro to raid the hideout. In order to escape, Mello detonates remote-controlled explosives, after one of his Mafia accomplices fatally wounds Soichiro. Mello is left with a scar on his face, and the failure of his Mafia scheme leaves his real name in Light's hands.
Mello invades SPK—an organization that aims to catch Kira—to retrieve a photograph of himself from Near. Before he leaves SPK, Mello tells Near about Sidoh and the fake rules, which sharpens Near's suspicions on Light. Mello then enlists the help of his friend Matt to spy on Misa Amane, suspecting she is helping Kira. After learning that Light is Kira and Near is going to attempt to apprehend him, Mello and Matt kidnap Kiyomi Takada, Kira's spokesperson. Matt pretends to attack Takada, and Mello offers to take her to safety. Takada agrees but then realizes his identity. Mello forces her to strip naked to get rid of any tracking devices. However, Takada uses a hidden piece of Death Note paper to kill Mello, as Light had told her his name and what to do in such a situation. Mello's actions ultimately lead to Light's downfall; Teru Mikami uses the hidden real Death Note to try to kill Takada, which leads to Near learning that the notebook Mikami had been using prior is fake and swapping the real Death Note with his own fake for the final confrontation with Kira.
### In the live-action drama
In the live-action television drama, a major change is made to this character; Mello is not a character on his own and rather is the other half of Near's split personality, living inside of Near's body. As such, he is interpreted by the same actress that takes the role of Near, Mio Yūki. In the first episode, this is not clear and he is first presented as a puppet in Near's hand. After knowing that L is killed, Mello possesses Near and teams up with FBI agent Shōko Himura. Mello takes Himura's help to kidnap Sayu Yagami in order to obtain the Death Note. Light Yagami makes Himura blow up Mello's hideout with the help of Death Note. Mello survives the bombing and, over the phone, vows to expose Light as Kira. Light plans another ambush with the task force and Japanese police in order to defeat Mello. Later, Light meets with Misa and Mikami and orders them to kill the task force and Mello respectively. During the ambush, Light confronts Mello in a warehouse, who reverts to his Near personality. Near reveals that he pretended to be taken over by Mello as part of a plan to expose Mikami as the current Kira.
### In other media
Aside from the initial manga, Mello appears in other media based on Death Note. He serves as the narrator of Nisio Isin's light novel Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases. He is featured in two video games; in Death Note: L o Tsugu Mono, he can serve as L, and in the Weekly Shōnen Jump-based fighting game Jump Ultimate Stars, he is a support character. Mello also appears in the animated special Death Note: Relight 2: L's Successors, which retells the second half of the anime. In it, his story is almost the same, the only exception is that Mello's involvement with the mafia is removed.
## Creation and conception
Tsugumi Ohba, Death Note's writer, introduced Near and Mello together because he felt L individually could not defeat Kira and that introducing only one new character would produce a "repeat" of the struggle between Light and L. Ohba asked Takeshi Obata, artist of the series, to make both characters look "a little 'L-ish.'" Ohba "wavered" in their ages and considered making the characters the sons of L. As Ohba wanted to "include a little L" in Near and Mello, Obata tried to keep "the weirdness and the panda eyes". Since L is an important character, Obata felt that he had made Near and Mello look too much like L. When he first heard about Near and Mello, Obata assumed that they would join as a team and work together, so he envisioned the two as twins, describing the creation of the character designs as "a major struggle". At first, he tried to depict Mello as having "more energy than Near". However, the designs for the characters became switched at a later phase; the final Mello had Near's design and vice versa. When Obata created the designs, his editor wrote the wrong names to accompany them; when Obata received approval for the designs, it was too late to point out that the labels were incorrect. Initially, for him, Mello was "more calm and feminine", but later he felt that "it's better" that the switch occurred.
Ohba did not initially develop Mello and Near's personalities as he wanted to "reveal" them through their actions. He added the chocolate trait because he believed that chocolate "represented all sweets" and that the trait would fit with the story arc in the United States. Obata designed Mello's clothing based on clothes he enjoys drawing, which includes "shiny" leather. At first, Mello's hair was cut straight across; Obata preferred Mello's hair becoming messy, which occurred later in the story. Obata became grateful when Ohba added the scar since he felt that he could draw Mello "looking cooler". Ohba added Mello's scar to the thumbnails as the trait would give him "more depth"; he further added Mello looks "more intense" and "more human" with the scar. After drawing Mello's updated appearance with the scar, Obata "finally [felt that he could draw Mello] really well". Obata said that the fact that Ohba and Obata did not regularly meet in person was for the best because if Obata had told Ohba about his satisfaction with Mello's new appearance, Ohba might not have killed Mello. However, Obata felt sad when Mello died in the story shortly afterward.
Ohba considered having Mello be the character who ultimately defeats Light. According to Ohba, after the disappearance of Sidoh, the writer "struggled" with Mello's role. Ohba's idea of Mello ultimately defeating Light and Near, being "the best", was strong in his mind, but once Mello had "learned too much about the Death Note", he had to kill him to "sustain the intensity of the story". As a result, Ohba did not give Mello a "large role" at the conclusion of Death Note and instead had Mello negatively affect Light "indirectly". Ohba gave Mello a "very plain" death, depicted in only one panel; he felt that if Mello had perished "dramatically" it would reveal the truth behind his death.
## Reception
Merchandise based on his character has been released, including action figures and plush dolls. Moreover, several publications for manga and anime have commented on Mello's character. Referring to Mello and Near's introduction, Julie Rosato of Mania.com said the "focus on both makes for a clash of attitudes and rough transitions". However, as they were introduced in the anime, IGN's Tom S. Pepirium noted how it is not explained "what Mello is doing and how it differs from Near's story". Writing for Active Anime, Holly Ellingwood stated they "truly represent – Light's newest and greatest enemies", while Briana Lawrence from Anime News Network said both could be "much better characters" if they were treated as individuals. Erin Finnegan from Pop Culture Shock praised Death Note: The Last Name for the absence of Mello and Near. Anime News Network'''s Casey Brienza stressed Mello's presence as a narrator in the light novel "makes things a bit too breathless in places and a bit too self-conscious in others". A. E. Sparrow from IGN praised how the introduction of Mello, "a man of action", "spiced things up a bit" as he brought "actually" action to the series. Manga News said Mello is "an interesting character" as he is "unpredictable" and also praised the action scenes he brings. As such, they mentioned his almost total absence in volume 11 as he is "one of the few to bring some new blood to the series".
After Mello's death, Pepirium wrote "Mello deserved more." On the other hand, Mello is "an unhinged character that only offers unpredictability", according to Chris Beveridge of Mania.com. AnimeLand and Manga News presented opposite opinions if whether or not Mello is charismatic character, with the former declaring he does not replace L.
Rose Bridges of Anime News Network was generally favorable to Mello's depiction in the 2015 live-action drama. She likened him to a Mr. Hyde's side of Near, saying this way "Mello is also more interesting [...] than the pretty bad boy he was in the anime". By the ninth episode, Bridges commended how Mello was developed into an "integral part of things and a much more threatening presence" in the drama in comparison to his "clear side-antagonist" role in the manga. However, in the following episode, she noted how the character was depicted as a "chaotic psychopath" who "seems to just like destroying things". Bridges commented that originally he was dedicated to creating his own method to capture Kira, while in the TV show he looks more like Ryuk considering his "guns blazing" attitude.
## See also
- List of Death Note'' characters
|
[
"## Appearances",
"### In Death Note",
"### In the live-action drama",
"### In other media",
"## Creation and conception",
"## Reception",
"## See also"
] | 2,672 | 13,373 |
5,317,467 |
New York State Route 446
| 1,076,517,238 |
State highway in the Southern Tier of New York, U.S.
|
[
"State highways in New York (state)",
"Transportation in Allegany County, New York",
"Transportation in Cattaraugus County, New York"
] |
New York State Route 446 (NY 446) is a state highway in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. The highway extends for 6.76 miles (10.88 km) on a northeast–southwest alignment from an intersection with NY 16 north of the hamlet of Hinsdale to a junction with NY 305 in the village of Cuba. It parallels the Southern Tier Expressway (NY 17 and Interstate 86 or I-86) very closely for its entire length. NY 446 was originally designated as part of Route 4, an unsigned legislative route, in 1908. The Hinsdale–Cuba highway received its first posted designation in 1924 when it was included as part of NY 17. It was renumbered twice, becoming part of NY 63 in 1930 and NY 408 in the 1940s, before gaining its current designation on July 1, 1974.
## Route description
NY 446 begins at an intersection with NY 16 in the Hinsdale hamlet of Maplehurst, located a quarter-mile (0.40 km) north of exit 27 on the Southern Tier Expressway (I-86 and NY 17) and roughly one mile (1.6 km) north of the larger community of Hinsdale. The route heads northeast through the town of Hinsdale along the base of a valley surrounding Oil Creek. While NY 446 follows the north bank of the creek, the Southern Tier Expressway and the adjacent Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad (WNYP) run along the southern bank.
Near the Cattaraugus–Allegany county line, Route 446, Oil Creek, and the WNYP all turn east toward Cuba; however, the expressway continues on a northeasterly alignment to bypass the village to the north. Upon entering Allegany County, NY 446 passes under the Southern Tier Expressway and becomes known as Water Street as it enters Cuba from the west upon traversing Oil Creek. The route continues eastward for three blocks to NY 305 (Genesee Street), where both Water Street and NY 446 terminate approximately a quarter-mile (0.40 km) south of exit 28 on the Southern Tier Expressway.
## History
All of modern NY 446 was originally designated as part of Route 4, a cross-state unsigned legislative route defined by the New York State Legislature in 1908. Route 4 continued south from Hinsdale on what is now NY 16 and east from the village of Cuba on County Route 20. The legislative route system was replaced by the modern state route system in 1924, at which time most of Route 4 was designated NY 17, including from Hinsdale to Cuba. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, NY 17 was moved onto a more southerly alignment (now NY 417) between Olean and Wellsville. Its former routing between Hinsdale and the Amity hamlet of Belvidere became the southwesternmost part of the new NY 63, which continued north from Belvidere to the Lake Ontario shoreline.
NY 63 was rerouted south of Mount Morris in the early 1940s to follow its current alignment to Wayland. The former alignment of NY 63 from Hinsdale to Mount Morris was redesignated as NY 408. In the early 1970s, construction began on the portion of the Southern Tier Expressway between Olean and Corning. From Hinsdale to Belvidere, the new highway closely followed NY 408. By 1974, the highway was open from Olean to Hinsdale and from Almond to Corning. The segment between Hinsdale and NY 19 in Belvidere was completed by January 1975, and the leg between Belvidere and Almond opened to traffic on January 30, 1975, completing the Olean–Corning portion of the expressway. The bypassed section of NY 408 between Cuba and Belvidere was subsequently transferred to Allegany County, and NY 408 was truncated to its current southern terminus in Nunda as a result. The portion of NY 408's former routing between Hinsdale and Cuba was retained as a state highway and renumbered to NY 446 on July 1, 1974.
## Major intersections
## See also
|
[
"## Route description",
"## History",
"## Major intersections",
"## See also"
] | 913 | 24,201 |
29,908,866 |
New Kidney in Town
| 1,164,461,442 | null |
[
"2011 American television episodes",
"Cultural depictions of Barack Obama",
"Family Guy (season 9) episodes",
"Television episodes about organ transplantation",
"Television episodes directed by Pete Michels"
] |
"New Kidney in Town" is the eighth episode of the ninth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on January 9, 2011. The episode follows Peter, after he drinks kerosene, causing him to suffer from immediate kidney failure. In need of a replacement kidney, Peter is unable to locate a match, until it is discovered that his anthropomorphic dog Brian is a match, but would require the donation of both his kidneys. Meanwhile, Chris is instructed by his English teacher to write an essay about hope, in preparation of United States President Barack Obama's appearance at their school. Unable to write anything inspiring, he decides to pick his sister Meg's brain and use her ideas.
The episode was written by Matt Harrigan and Dave Willis, and directed by Pete Michels. It received mostly positive reviews from critics for its storyline and many cultural references. According to Nielsen ratings, it was viewed in 9.29 million homes in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by Yvette Nicole Brown, Drew Carey, Gary Cole, Christine Lakin and Rachael MacFarlane, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. "New Kidney in Town" was one of five episodes submitted for consideration for an Emmy Award in the "Outstanding Comedy Series" category in 2011.
## Plot
Peter, Quagmire, and Joe are hanging out at the Drunken Clam. Peter is introduced to Red Bull by Quagmire at the bar. He ends up becoming highly addicted to it and it makes him operate at high speeds. Peter buys packs of Red Bull and introduces it to his family, though things get out of hand as soon as he starts performing everything too fast. One day, Peter comes home to find that Lois has dumped out the Red Bull in an attempt to make Peter give up his new addiction. This angers Peter, who in retaliation, attempts to make his own. Because of a misreading, Peter decides to put kerosene in his beverage believing that fuel causes the effect Red Bull caused him. Brian warns Peter that kerosene is dangerous, but Peter drinks the kerosene anyway. This causes him to collapse on the floor.
The family learns that Peter has been diagnosed with kidney failure due to the damage done and he is in need of a transplant. However, since they must wait a few months before they can get donors, Peter must undergo dialysis at regular intervals. Three weeks later, after undergoing constant dialysis procedures, Peter gets angry that the dialysis treatments have stolen him from the world and becomes tired of it taking up his life. After being convinced by Joe and Quagmire that skipping one treatment wouldn't hurt him at all, Peter eventually decides to skip an appointment, but is quickly proven wrong when he becomes jaundiced and vomits blood.
Back again at the hospital, the family learns that Peter's condition has a big chance of suddenly failing and thus killing him. They learn that the only other option aside from the daily procedures is that one must give up one of their kidneys to Peter. Lois volunteers to give up one of hers, but is informed that she isn't a match. Dr. Hartman suggested one of the kids, but Lois refuses to put them through surgery. Brian then volunteers, and they discover that he has the same kidney type as Peter. However, as dog kidneys are smaller than a human's, two would need to be donated to be successful, meaning the procedure would kill Brian. However, Brian decides to go along with the procedure to save Peter's life. Unwilling to lose Brian, Stewie kidnaps him and takes him to the local playground, in hopes of staying there for the rest of their lives. Brian convinces Stewie to let him go, stating that Stewie can live without a dog but not without a father. The next day, Brian and Peter prepare to undergo the kidney transfer. However, Dr. Hartman reveals that he himself is a match for Peter and has decided to donate one of his own kidneys. He also explains that the operation would likely have failed anyway with Brian's kidneys. Brian's life is spared and Peter is saved.
Meanwhile, at the same time during the kidney crisis, United States President Barack Obama has decided to visit Quahog, and Chris' entire English class is assigned to write an essay about hope. He consults his sister Meg for her opinion and she lists her personal opinion on the subject, which Chris plagiarizes. Meg is angry that he decided to take her words and call them his own, but she is eventually given credit for co-writing the speech, and she and Chris introduce Obama to the school. President Obama then enters the school's auditorium, and begins singing and playing the guitar as students swoon over his performance.
## Production and development
"New Kidney in Town" was co-written by Williams Street writers Dave Willis and Matt Harrigan, in their first official episode for the series. The two have also worked for Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, and Squidbillies, among others. The episode was directed by series regular Pete Michels, shortly after the conclusion of the eighth production season, in his first episode for the season. Series veterans Peter Shin and James Purdum, both of whom having previously served as animation directors, served as supervising directors for the episode, with Alex Carter, Andrew Goldberg, Elaine Ko, Spencer Porter and Aaron Blitzstein serving as staff writers for the episode. Composer Walter Murphy, who has worked on the series since its inception, returned to compose the music for "New Kidney in Town".
In addition to the regular cast, actress Yvette Nicole Brown, actor, comedian and game show host Drew Carey, actor Gary Cole, actress Christine Lakin and voice actress Rachael MacFarlane, sister of series creator and executive producer Seth MacFarlane, guest starred in the episode. Recurring guest voice actors John G. Brennan, actor Ralph Garman, writer Danny Smith and writer John Viener made minor appearances in the episode.
## Cultural references
In the opening scene of the episode, after complaining of being exhausted, Peter is introduced to the energy drink Red Bull by his friends, Quagmire and Joe. He then suddenly becomes extremely hyperactive, and begins singing the 1998 single "Ray of Light" by singer-songwriter Madonna in a parody of the high speed time-lapse of its video. Peter also goes on to appear on the American game show The Price Is Right, with actor and comedian Drew Carey appearing as host. He then begins playing the Showcase Showdown game, until the wheel suddenly spins off its axis and into the audience, running over several rows of people. After suffering from Red Bull withdrawal, Peter decides to create his own concoction, including kerosene. After drinking it, he suffers from immediate kidney failure, requiring constant dialysis. Deciding to go to The Drunken Clam with Quagmire and Joe, he is reluctant to go to his scheduled dialysis appointment, in order to watch the 1984 CBS series Charles in Charge.
In preparation for a special appearance at their school, James Woods High School, Chris is assigned to write an essay about "hope" to welcome United States President Barack Obama. After reading his essay to the entire school, along with his sister, Meg, President Barack Obama, dressed similarly to Conrad Birdie as portrayed in the film version of the musical, begins singing and playing guitar in the school's auditorium. Obama then performs the song "Honestly Sincere" from the stage musical and film Bye Bye Birdie.
## Reception
"New Kidney in Town" was broadcast on January 9, 2011, as a part of an animated television night on Fox, and was preceded by The Simpsons and the series premiere of the animated series Bob's Burgers, and followed by Family Guy creator and executive producer Seth MacFarlane's spin-off, The Cleveland Show. It was watched by 9.29 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings, despite airing simultaneously with Desperate Housewives on ABC, Undercover Boss on CBS and The Cape on NBC. The episode also acquired a 4.7 rating in the 18–49 demographic, beating Bob's Burgers and The Cleveland Show in addition to significantly edging out the latter in total viewership. The episode's ratings increased significantly from the previous episode, largely due to the lead-in provided by the NFL Wild Card game that preceded the "Animation Domination" line-up.
Television critics reacted mostly positive toward the episode, calling the storyline "heartfelt." In a simultaneous review of the episodes of The Simpsons and The Cleveland Show that preceded and followed the show, respectively, The A.V. Club's Rowan Kaiser wrote, "I spent the entire time expecting the rug to be pulled out and the whole thing revealed to be Seth MacFarlane just trying to manipulate my emotions." Kaiser went on to compliment series creator and executive producer Seth MacFarlane, stating "some of the more recent formal experiments that the show has done, such as the hour-long murder mystery in this season's premiere, indicate that MacFarlane and company agree with the criticism." He concluded his review by writing, "I have to give props to Family Guy for going outside their wheelhouse without winking excessively at their audience, but I think it may have been a little bit too far to be truly great." Kaiser ultimately gave the episode a B rating, the best rating of the night, beating The Cleveland Show episode "Ain't Nothin' But Mutton Bustin'" and The Simpsons episode "Moms I'd Like to Forget". In another positive review of the episode, Jason Hughes of TV Squad praised the episode's "funniest moments," which included the opening sequence involving Peter and the Red Bull, as well as the reference to The Price Is Right. Hughes went on to comment that the episode "taught us about the depths and bonds of love that make a family. Whether it's acceptance, hope or sacrifice, there's no limit to what we will do for family." Kate Moon of TV Fanatic also commented positively on the episode, writing in her review of the storyline, "Overall, I found the installment to be refreshing with everyone taking a part in Peter’s dilemma. It was actually sweet and emotional for a change." Moon also praised the scenes involving President Obama, and Stewie's attempt at saving Brian.
The episode was among four other episodes submitted by the Family Guy production team for consideration of an Emmy Award nomination, in the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series category. "New Kidney in Town" was submitted, along with "Halloween on Spooner Street", "Road to the North Pole", "And I'm Joyce Kinney" and "Trading Places". The series was successfully nominated in 2009, but failed to merit an award. Mark Hentemann, executive producer and showrunner of Family Guy said of the nominating process, "We had internal discussions in the writers' room, and it seemed like we were much more akin to the other primetime comedies than we were to children's shows in animation. We assumed we would not get anywhere, and so it was a great surprise when we got the nomination."
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production and development",
"## Cultural references",
"## Reception"
] | 2,311 | 13,080 |
3,318,766 |
Space Pilot 3000
| 1,173,518,238 | null |
[
"1999 American television episodes",
"American television series premieres",
"Cultural depictions of Leonard Nimoy",
"Cultural depictions of Richard Nixon",
"Fiction about suspended animation",
"Fiction featuring the turn of the third millennium",
"Fiction set in 1999",
"Fiction set in the 30th century",
"Futurama (season 1) episodes",
"New Year television episodes",
"Rip Van Winkle-type stories",
"Television episodes about suicide",
"Television episodes written by David X. Cohen",
"Television episodes written by Matt Groening"
] |
"Space Pilot 3000" is the pilot episode of the American animated television series Futurama. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 28, 1999. The episode focuses on the cryogenic freezing of the series protagonist, Philip J. Fry, and the events when he awakens 1,000 years in the future. Series regulars are introduced and the futuristic setting, inspired by a variety of classic science fiction series from The Jetsons to Star Trek, is revealed. It also sets the stage for many of the events to follow in the series, foreshadowing plot points from the third and fourth seasons.
The episode was written by David X. Cohen and Matt Groening, and directed by Rich Moore and Gregg Vanzo. Dick Clark and Leonard Nimoy guest starred as themselves. The episode generally received good reviews with many reviewers noting that while the episode started slow, the series merited further viewing after The Simpsons and followed by Family Guy.
## Plot
On December 31, 1999, a pizza delivery man named Philip J. Fry delivers a pizza to "Applied Cryogenics" in New York City, only to discover that the order was actually a prank call. Dejected and demoralized, he stops in the deserted lab to eat the pizza while outside the whole world is getting ready to celebrate the beginning of New Year, while sitting on a chair. At midnight, Fry’s chair is knocked over, and falls into an open cryonic tube and is frozen as it immediately activates. He is defrosted on Tuesday, December 31, 2999, in what is now New New York City. He is taken to a fate assignment officer named Leela, a purple-haired cyclops. To his misfortune, Fry is assigned the computer-determined permanent career of delivery boy, and flees into the city when Leela tries to implant Fry's career chip designating his job. He dodges an attack from Leela, and she falls into the cryonic tube that Fry fell into one thousand years ago. The timer sets itself to one thousand years. Fry escapes from Leela, but reduces the timer to five minutes so that she is not trapped for long.
While trying to track down his only living relative, Professor Farnsworth, Fry befriends a suicidal robot named Bender. As they talk at a bar, Fry learns that Bender too has deserted his job of bending girders for use in constructing suicide booths. Together, they evade Leela and hide in the Head Museum, where they encounter the preserved heads of historical figures. Fry and Bender eventually find themselves underground in the ruins of Old New York.
Leela finally catches Fry, who has become depressed that everyone that he knew and loved is dead, and tells her that he will accept his career as a delivery boy. Leela sympathizes with Fry—she too is alone, and hates her job—so she quits and joins Fry and Bender as job deserters. The three track down Professor Farnsworth, founder of an intergalactic delivery company called Planet Express. With the help of Professor Farnsworth, the three evade the police by launching the Planet Express Ship at the stroke of midnight amid the New Year's fireworks. As the year 3000 begins, Farnsworth hires the three as the crew of his ship. Fry inquires at what his job is, and learns that he will be traveling into space as a delivery boy. Fry, ironically, cheers at his new job, presumably because it will be for a space delivery company.
## Continuity
While the plot of the episode stands on its own, it also sets up much of the continuing plot of the series by including Easter eggs for events that do not occur until much later: as Fry falls into the freezer, the scene shows a strange shadow cast on the wall behind him. It is revealed in "The Why of Fry" that the shadow belongs to Nibbler, who intentionally pushes Fry into the freezer as part of a complex plan to save Earth from the Brainspawn in the future. Executive producer David X. Cohen claims that from the very beginning the creators had plans to show a larger conspiracy behind Fry's journey to the future. In the movie Futurama: Bender's Big Score, it is revealed that the spacecraft seen destroying the city while Fry is frozen are piloted by Bender and those chasing him after he steals the Nobel Peace Prize.
At the end of the episode, Professor Farnsworth offers Fry, Leela and Bender the Planet Express delivery crew positions. The professor produces the previous crew's career chips from an envelope labeled "Contents of Space Wasp's Stomach". In a later episode, "The Sting", the crew encounters the ship of the previous crew in a space beehive. When discussing this discontinuity in the episode commentary, writer of "The Sting" Patric Verrone states "we made liars out of the pilot".
This episode shows a fictional technology that allows preserved heads to be kept alive in jars, as in the earlier The Simpsons episode, "Bart Gets Famous." In Futurama, this technology makes it possible for the characters to interact with celebrities from the then-distant past, and is used by the writers to comment on the 20th and 21st centuries in a satirical manner.
## Production
In the DVD commentary, Matt Groening notes that beginning any television series is difficult, but he found particular difficulty starting one that took place in the future because of the amount of setup required. As a trade-off, they included a lot of Easter eggs in the episode that would pay off in later episodes. He and Cohen point these out throughout the episode. The scene where Fry emerges from a cryonic tube and has his first view of New New York was the first 3D scene worked on by the animation team. It was considered to be a defining point for whether the technique would work or not.
Originally, the first person entering the pneumatic tube transport system declared "J.F.K., Jr. Airport" as his destination. After John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s death in the crash of his private airplane, the line has since been redubbed on all subsequent broadcasts and the DVD release to "Radio City Mutant Hall" (a reference to Radio City Music Hall). The original version was heard only during the pilot broadcast and the first rerun a few months later, although the original line is still used on repeat broadcasts in the UK on Satellite channel Sky One. (The Region 2 DVD has the redubbed line). According to Groening, the inspiration for the suicide booth was the 1937 Donald Duck cartoon, Modern Inventions, in which Donald is faced with—and nearly killed several times by—various push-button gadgets in a Museum of the Future.
## Cultural references
In their original pitch to Fox, Groening and Cohen stated that they wanted the futuristic setting for the show to be neither "dark and drippy" like Blade Runner, nor "bland and boring" like The Jetsons. They felt that they could not make the future either a utopia or a dystopia because either option would eventually become boring. The creators gave careful consideration to the setting, and the influence of classic science fiction is evident in this episode as a series of references to—and parodies of—easily recognizable films, books and television programs. In the earliest glimpse of the future while Fry is frozen in the cryonic chamber, time is seen passing outside the window until reaching the year 3000. This scene was inspired by a similar scene in the film The Time Machine based on H.G. Wells' novel. When Fry awakens in the year 2999, he is greeted with Terry's catchphrase "Welcome to the world of tomorrow". The scene is a joke at the expense of Futurama's namesake, the Futurama ride at the 1939 World's Fair whose tag line was "The World of Tomorrow". Dick Clark made a cameo as a head in a jar, hosting Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 3000.
In addition to the setting, part of the original concept for the show was that there would be a lot of advanced technology similar to that seen in Star Trek, but it would be constantly malfunctioning. The automatic doors at Applied Cryogenics resemble those in Star Trek: The Original Series; however, they malfunction when Fry remarks on this similarity. In another twist, the two policemen who try to arrest Fry at the head museum use weapons which are visually similar to lightsabers used in the Star Wars film series; however, they are functionally more similar to nightsticks. The interaction between the characters was not overlooked. The relationship formed between Fry and Bender in this episode has been compared to the relationship between Will Robinson and the robot in Lost in Space.
Although both Futurama and The Simpsons were created by Matt Groening, overt references to the latter are mostly avoided in Futurama. One of the few exceptions to this rule is the appearance of Blinky, a three-eyed orange fish seen on The Simpsons, as Fry is going through the tube. A running gag of the series is Bender's fondness for Olde Fortran malt liquor, named after Olde English 800 malt liquor and the programming language Fortran. The drink was first introduced in this episode and became so closely associated with the character that he was featured with a bottle in both the Rocket USA wind-up toy and the action figure released by Moore Action Collectibles.
## Broadcast and reception
In its initial airing, the episode had "unprecedented strong numbers" with a Nielsen rating of 11.2/17 in homes and 9.6/23 in adults 18–49. The Futurama premiere was watched by more people than either its lead-in show (The Simpsons) or the show following it (The X-Files), and it was the number one show among men aged 18–49 and teenagers for the week.
In a review by Patrick Lee in Science Fiction Weekly based on a viewing of this episode alone, Futurama was deemed not as funny as The Simpsons, particularly as "the satire is leavened with treacly sentimental bits about free will and loneliness". The episode was rated as an "A- pick" and found to "warrant further viewing" despite these concerns. Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted that although the episode contained the same skewed humor as The Simpsons, it was not as smart and funny, and he attributed this to the large amount of exposition and character introduction required of a television series pilot, noting that the show was "off to a good start". Andrew Billen of the New Statesman found the premise of the episode to be unoriginal, but remained somewhat enthusiastic about the future of the series. While he praised the humorous details of the episode, such as the background scenes while Fry was frozen, he also criticized the show's dependence on in-jokes such as Groening's head being present in the head museum. In 2013, IGN ranked it as the 17th best Futurama episode, writing that it "deserves some recognition for successfully introducing us to a massive universe in just a scant 22 minutes, while also making it funny".
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Continuity",
"## Production",
"## Cultural references",
"## Broadcast and reception"
] | 2,303 | 8,194 |
42,057,902 |
Seeley G. Mudd Chemistry Building
| 1,171,636,475 |
American chemistry laboratory
|
[
"1980s architecture in the United States",
"Buildings and structures demolished in 2016",
"Demolished buildings and structures in New York (state)",
"Postmodern architecture in New York (state)",
"School buildings completed in 1984",
"University and college laboratories in the United States",
"Vassar College buildings"
] |
The Seeley G. Mudd Chemistry Building was a chemistry laboratory and classroom building on the campus of Vassar College in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York. The 42,000-square-foot (3,900 m<sup>2</sup>) postmodern building stood on the north end of a cluster of other science buildings on the site of the school's first chemistry laboratory. It was completed in 1984 at a cost of \$7.2 million after the college received money from a fund bequeathed to it in the will of California cardiologist and professor Seeley G. Mudd. The structure replaced Sanders Hall of Chemistry and included elements designed to be energy efficient, notably a large wall of glass blocks that designers hoped would passively heat the building. Reviews of the structure were positive when it opened with critics praising the way its form complemented nearby older buildings. By 2015, many aspects of the building had been evaluated as being in Fair or Poor condition and the building was demolished in April 2016 as part of the Science Center project, later replaced with an open green space.
## History
Vassar Brothers Laboratory was the first chemistry building on the campus of Vassar College in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, built in 1880, around 500 feet (150 m) from the college's Main Building. The Laboratory, which was the first free-standing chemistry structure at a women's college, stood until 1938, 29 years after the construction of its replacement, the Ewing & Chapelle-designed Sanders Hall of Chemistry.
In 1981, the Seeley G. Mudd Fund granted Vassar \$1.3 million for the construction of a new chemistry building. Mudd was a California-based cardiologist, professor, and trustee with the University of Southern California's School of Medicine as well as with a number of other West Coast schools. Over his lifetime, Mudd donated more than \$10 million to higher education institutions and upon his death in 1968, his will established a further \$44 million for building construction at universities and colleges, with the stipulation that institutions requesting a grant provide at least half the funds for their projects and that his name be prominently displayed on any buildings receiving the funding. While the cost of the building was originally reported to be \$4.5 million, this estimate grew to \$6.5 million by 1984 and would ultimately come to \$7.2 million once the project was completed. The College planned to cover the costs not paid for by the Mudd Fund with a \$100 million development fundraising program that spanned the entirety of the 1980s.
Ground was broken on the new building on October 8, 1982, in a ceremony presided over by Vassar president Virginia B. Smith. Smith had previously selected engineer Fred Dubin to aid the school in constructing a more environmentally friendly chemistry building. As design progressed, she identified the need to hire architects to design the building alongside Dubin, so Perry Dean Rogers Architects of Boston were selected. Named the Seeley G. Mudd Chemistry Building after its benefactor, the building was constructed on the site where Vassar Brothers Laboratory once stood. Dubin initially tried to have it placed on the south side of Sanders Physics Building, but that site was deemed unworkable in part because of its proximity to the school's Shakespeare Gardens. The building was instead placed southwest of Sanders Hall of Chemistry, which would be renamed Sanders Classrooms, and completed a quadrangle consisting of both Sanders buildings and the New England Building. Though built across from Sanders Physics, Mudd was actually 3 feet (0.91 m) out of alignment with it. Zaldastani Associates served as the project's structural engineers and W. J. Barney Corporation served as its general contractor.
In 2007, despite being Vassar's youngest completed academic building, a report by Platt Byard Dovell White Architects report found that many components of Mudd's structure were in either Fair or Poor condition. The structure was slated for demolition in spring 2016 as part of the college's Science Center project, which also included the construction of the new Bridge for Laboratory Sciences building and the renovations of the New England Building, Sanders Physics, and Olmsted Hall. The chemistry department began its move to the Bridge for Laboratory Sciences in summer 2015 and Mudd's demolition followed. Exterior facade elements, windows, and indoor walls were cut away before the building's frame was dismantled, concluding on April 22, 2016. The site was cleared and replaced with an open green space.
## Features
The Seeley G. Mudd Chemistry Building was designed in the postmodern style. The structure's exterior walls were constructed from limestone and brick that surround regular glass blocks, each about 4 inches (10 cm) thick with side lengths ranging from 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm). The brick and limestone walls faced the west, north, and east, while the southern face was primarily glass, a feature designed for efficient energy use; when sunlight hit the wall, air rose into the building and was heated, then pumped throughout where it aided in the operation of the structure's 46 fume hoods. The north wall, meanwhile, was designed to be resistant to cold air. The building was well insulated and its plain outer walls were as uninterrupted in material as possible to keep as much warm air inside the structure as possible in winters.
Encompassing 42,000 square feet (3,900 m<sup>2</sup>), the Seeley G. Mudd Chemistry Building stood three stories tall. The second and first floors (the latter of which lies partially below ground) contained laboratory space while the third floor consisted of communal and teaching spaces like classrooms and offices. Other offices on the first floor were lit via skylights. The stairwells in Mudd were designed with the purpose of discouraging students from passing through lab spaces to get from one side of the building to the other. In spite of this, Michael J. Crosbie reported in Architecture in 1986 that students had taken to passing through the building as a shortcut instead of going around it. Furnishings and carpeting in the building were deep blue and rust-colored.
The 2007 report by Platt Byard Dovell White Architects evaluating the condition and context for many of Vassar's buildings found Mudd to be "by far Vassar's most interesting and most important post-Modern building." A contemporary review in Architecture commented that Mudd "responds on a variety of levels to its context, but it does so without sacrificing its own unique and powerful identity." Margaret Gaskie also praised the building's placement and contextualization among its fellow structures in a 1986 issue of Architectural Record: "the scale of the structure beneath its outcroppings is sympathetic to the existing buildings in the quad, and its mass, though larger, [is] appropriate to its role as a gateway between them and the central campus". She went on to positively comment on the building's aesthetics, saying, "the eye can feast on the mingled sparkle and luminosity drawn from minimal outdoor exposures used to maximum effect. In more public areas, where crisp glass-block and lucent glass ignite clear deep-timbered tones and pretty pastels, the feast becomes a banquet." Crosbie in Architecture noted "some instances of shoddy drywall work and sloppy painting" but otherwise praised the building's "bare-bones" and "nuts and bolts" interior as functional and environmentally friendly. The Platt Byard Dovell White report found that Mudd's glass walls "seem to function particularly poorly" as a passive heat control system but otherwise noted that the structure's expressive postmodernist ambitions marked it as "a strong, compact if busy building [that] makes it more than a bit of a tour de force." Mudd was awarded first place in a 1988 competition run by Pittsburgh Corning for its design.
|
[
"## History",
"## Features"
] | 1,650 | 9,625 |
1,765,947 |
The Bart Wants What It Wants
| 1,162,884,258 | null |
[
"2002 American television episodes",
"Basketball animation",
"Television episodes set in Canada",
"The Simpsons (season 13) episodes"
] |
"The Bart Wants What it Wants" is the eleventh episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 17, 2002. In the episode, Bart befriends Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, Greta. While Greta falls in love with him, Bart only accompanies her because she owns a lot of entertaining things.
"The Bart Wants What it Wants" was written by John Frink and Don Payne while Mike Frank Polcino served as director. Although the episode's first draft was written by Frink and Payne, the idea for the episode was pitched by staff writer Matt Selman. Because the Simpsons visit Toronto in the episode, the Fox network wanted to promote it by having the city of Toronto declare February 17 "The Simpsons day", and award the Simpsons family a key to the city. Because the city does not allow for-profit companies to receive a key, the request was turned down.
"The Bart Wants What it Wants" also features guest stars Reese Witherspoon as Greta and Wolfgang Puck as himself. It also features references to Scrabble, Seinfeld and Whassup?, an advertisement campaign for Budweiser beer.
In its original broadcast, the episode was seen by approximately 6.4 million viewers, finishing in 27th place in the ratings the week it aired.
Following its broadcast, the episode received mixed reviews from critics.
## Plot
After Homer steals the Olympic torch because the television broadcast of the sporting event preempted his favorite shows for the last time, the Olympic administrators chase the Simpson family in a helicopter as they flee in their car. When Marge returns the torch, the sight of its flame causes the helicopter to crash. The administrators survive the crash, but the Olympic flame is extinguished.
On their way home, the family go to a private school-held fair, where Bart meets Greta, Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter. Greta develops a crush on the oblivious Bart and the family enjoys the royal treatment Rainier provides them. However, Lisa discovers Bart not taking Greta seriously after he skipped her school dance to watch Principal Skinner bomb at an open mic comedy night. Upon Lisa's advice, Bart breaks up with Greta, who does not take it well.
After losing her, Bart discovers he actually wanted to be with Greta and goes to her house to ask her to come back to him. To his surprise, Greta has started a new relationship with Milhouse. Greta goes to Canada with Milhouse during her father's movie shooting, and Bart follows them with his family. At the set, Bart confronts Milhouse and they fight, ruining everything. They end up in front of Greta and demand for her to choose between them. Greta turns both boys down due to a loss of interest in the two. The boys reconcile and join Canada's basketball team.
## Production
"The Bart Wants What It Wants" was directed by Mike Frank Polcino and written by John Frink and Don Payne. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 17, 2002. Although the episode was written by Frink and Payne, the idea for the episode was conceived by staff writer Matt Selman, who pitched an episode in which Bart likes a girl because she has "awesome things", while the girl likes him for his personality. Because the Simpsons visit Toronto in the episode, the Fox network decided to promote it as the episode's main focus, even though Canada is not mentioned before the third act. To help promote the episode, Fox requested that the city of Toronto declare February 17, 2002, the day the episode first aired, to be "The Simpsons Day" and award the Simpson family a key to the city. However, the request was turned down because the city does not allow for-profit companies to receive a key. According to executive producer and current showrunner Al Jean, Fox's request "upset" Canada, and a "sternly worded" editorial in The Toronto Star criticized the network's ways of promoting the episode. The newspaper also credited Canadian The Simpsons staff writers Joel H. Cohen and Tim Long for pitching the episode, but this was refuted in the episode's DVD commentary. While "The Bart Wants What It Wants" features the Simpsons' first travel to Canada, the family would return in two later episodes: season sixteen's "Midnight Rx", where Homer and Grampa visited Winnipeg so they could smuggle cheap medication; and season 21's "Boy Meets Curl", where Marge and Homer travel to Vancouver, so they can participate in the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The beginning of the episode shows the Simpsons being chased by Olympic employees. The scene was included because the staff knew that the episode would air during the 2002 Winter Olympics. In order to avoid a lawsuit from the International Olympic Committee, the animators slightly altered the design of the Olympic rings, which can be seen on Olympic employees' helicopters. At one point in the episode, the Simpsons visit the Springfield Preparatory School fair, where Lisa notices how much more developed the school is in comparison to Springfield Elementary School. Jealous, Springfield Elementary principal Skinner breaks in and steals some school equipment. Shocked, Lisa asks Skinner why he stole the equipment, to which he replies "welcome to Dick Cheney's America". Originally, he would say "welcome to George W. Bush's America", but because none of the series' regular cast members could do an impression of him, and because the staff found it to be in bad taste, they decided to change it. When Lisa scolds Bart for being oblivious to Greta's feelings, he replies "Hey, I didn't lead her on. I always played it light and breezy." The line was written by Frink and, according to Selman, it became very popular with the staff writers, having "stayed with [them] for years". The song that plays while the Simpsons visit the Skydome in Toronto is "Take Off" by the fictional comedy duo Bob and Doug McKenzie, the chorus of which was sung by Geddy Lee, the lead vocalist and bassist of the Canadian rock band Rush. The episode features American actress Reese Witherspoon as Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, Greta. Jean stated that Witherspoon was "brilliant", and noted that she was "very young-looking". The episode also features Austrian-American celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck as himself.
## Cultural references
When first meeting Greta, Milhouse greets her by saying Whassup?. The scene is a reference to an advertisement campaign for the American Budweiser beer, in which several characters are seen calling each other and saying "Whassup?". In Moe's bar, Wolfcastle receives several questions from bar customers, prompting him to send in his "authorized look-alike" to give answers. In the DVD commentary for the episode, Jean stated that the scene was written at a time when celebrity look-alikes were making "excellent livings". At one point in the episode, Bart and Greta are seen playing Scrabble, a word game manufactured by Hasbro. The music cue that plays before and after Skinner's comedy routine is based on the intro music from the American television sitcom Seinfeld. In one scene Bart breaking up with Greta in the Ice Cream Shop is a reference to the Reese Witherspoon movie Legally Blonde when Elle's Boyfriend breaks up with her in a diner.
The episode title is a reference to the common phrase "the heart wants what it wants".
## Release
In its original American broadcast, "The Bart Wants What It Wants" received a 6.1 rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, translating to approximately 6.4 million viewers. The episode finished in 27th place in the ratings for the week of February 11-17, 2002, making it the third most watched program on the network.
Later that year, the episode was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award in the Animation category, but it ultimately lost to the Futurama episode "Godfellas". On August 24, 2010, "The Bart Wants What It Wants" was released as part of The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season DVD and Blu-ray set. Al Jean, Matt Selman, Tim Long, John Frink, Don Payne, Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Joel H. Cohen, Pamela Hayden, Mike Frank Polcino, Steven Dean Moore and Bill Freiberger participated in the audio commentary of the episode.
Following its broadcast, "The Bart Wants What It Wants" received mixed reviews from critics.
Giving the episode a positive review, Ben Rayner of the Toronto Star wrote, "Fortunately, the episode is on par with this season's best, boasting a reasonably unscattered plotline and, where the main romantic storyline is concerned, a touch of the childlike sweetness Simpsons writers have brought to previous 'crush' episodes."
Casey Broadwater of Blu-ray.com gave a positive review as well, describing it as a "strong character-centric episode."
Although he enjoyed most episodes of the thirteenth season, Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide wrote that "Half-Decent Proposal" and "The Bart Wants What It Wants" "forces [him] to rethink that opinion." He continued, "Like 'Proposal', 'Wants' isn’t a bad program, but it feels stale and rehashed." He particularly disliked a joke about poor mileage, which he stated was "identical" to a gag from an earlier episode. He concluded his review by writing that the episode is "mediocre [...] at best."
Nate Boss of Project-Blu wrote that, while it featured Rainier Wolfcastle, which he considered to be "one of the funniest characters in Simpsons lore," the episode "doesn't tread ground that hasn't been tread a few times before." He continued, "Throw in Canada, and a few Mountie jokes, and bam, you have an episode."
411Mania's Ron Martin also found it to be unoriginal, describing the episode as a "yearly episode just with different tempters each time."
Hannah Sung, also of the Toronto Star, felt the episode was disappointing, writing that it "wasn't entirely bad, but the payoff didn't match the hype". She said that the third act in the city of Toronto was a disappointment and "really just a sloppy amalgamation of every Canadian joke we've ever been told by Americans that lose their punch after the millionth time."
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"## Cultural references",
"## Release"
] | 2,163 | 20,994 |
29,500,780 |
Komm, gib mir deine Hand / Sie liebt dich
| 1,115,690,234 | null |
[
"1964 singles",
"1964 songs",
"German-language songs",
"Number-one singles in Germany",
"Song recordings produced by George Martin",
"Songs published by Northern Songs",
"Songs written by Lennon–McCartney",
"Swan Records singles",
"The Beatles songs"
] |
"Komm, gib mir deine Hand" and "Sie liebt dich" (English: "Come, Give Me Your Hand" and "She Loves You") are German-language versions of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You", respectively, by the English rock band the Beatles. Both John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote the original English songs, credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership, while Camillo Felgen wrote the translated German lyrics. Felgen is credited under several of his pen names. In places, his translations take major liberties with the original lyrics. Odeon Records released the German versions together as a non-album single in West Germany in March 1964. Swan Records released "Sie liebt dich", along with the original "She Loves You" B-side "I'll Get You", as a single in the United States in May 1964. Capitol included "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" as the closing track of the 1964 North American-only album Something New.
The recording of "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" and "Sie liebt dich" came at a time when it was standard practice for artists to record unique versions of songs for foreign markets. Executives from Odeon insisted with George Martin and Brian Epstein that in order for them to penetrate the German market, the Beatles would need to record German versions of their biggest songs. The Beatles opposed the idea until Martin convinced them to record. On 29 January 1964, during their only group recording session outside of the United Kingdom, the Beatles recorded the songs at EMI's Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris, France. For "Komm, gib mir deine Hand", they overdubbed German vocals onto the original backing track of "I Want to Hold Your Hand". The two-track tapes of "She Loves You" from July 1963 were erased after the mono master was made, forcing the Beatles to record "Sie liebt dich" entirely from scratch. The English and German versions contain differences, the most prominent being Lennon's rhythm guitar; on the former he plays his Gibson J-160E while on the latter he plays his Rickenbacker 325 Capri.
The German versions reached number one and seven in the German charts, respectively. "Sie liebt dich" reached number 97 in the Billboard Hot 100. Following these recordings, the Beatles never again made foreign versions of their songs. Commentators have credited the band's subsequent practice of only releasing their songs in the original English with helping to spread the English language across Europe and the rest of the world.
## Background and development
The beginning of 1964 saw the Beatles reaching international levels of fame. On 14 and 15 January, the Beatles arrived in Paris for a 19-day residency at the Olympia Theatre. On 25 January 1964, after returning to the hotel from a show, Beatles manager Brian Epstein informed them that "I Want to Hold Your Hand" reached number one in the United States on the Cashbox Top 100 chart. On 1 February, it went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. From this point forward, Epstein focused on promoting the Beatles to the international market. Otto Demmlar, a producer of the German sub-label of EMI, Electrola Gesellschaft, conceived the Beatles recording songs in German. Odeon Records insisted with Epstein and Beatles producer George Martin that if they wanted to sell more records in West Germany, the band would need to rerecord their biggest songs in German. At that time, recording unique versions for foreign markets was a standard practice.
Odeon sent Luxembourger Camillo Felgen, a popular presenter from Radio Luxembourg, to make translations and meet Martin and the Beatles in Paris. Felgen initially translated both sides of the original "She Loves You" single, with the A-side becoming "Sie liebt dich" and the B-side "I'll Get You" becoming "Glücklich wie noch nie". Beatles writer John C. Winn translates this back to English as "Happy like never before". Because it was a more recent hit, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" replaced "I'll Get You" and became the prospective A-side of the single, with Felgen translating the title as "Komm, gib mir deine Hand". Beatles writer Kenneth Womack translates this back to English as "Come on, give me your hand" while Winn translates it as "Come, give me your hand". Felgen translated under several pen names, including Jean Nicolas, Heinz Hellmer and Lee Montague. The credits on "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" are Lennon–McCartney–Nicolas–Hellmer while the credits on "Sie liebt dich" are Lennon–McCartney–Nicolas–Montague.
Musicologist Walter Everett writes that both translations take great liberties. He singles out the chorus of "Sie liebt dich" in particular, which became, "Sie liebt dich / yeah, yeah, yeah / denn mit dir allein / kann sie nur glücklich sein." These lyrics translate to English as: "She loves you / yeah, yeah, yeah / for with you alone / can she only be happy." In his book Revolution in the Head, Ian MacDonald says, "The German rewrite didn't go so far as insisting on 'ja, ja, ja'." Womack writes a more direct translation of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" would be "Ich möchte deine Hand halten".
## Recording
On 24 January 1964 at EMI Recording Studios, engineer Norman Smith made a tape-to-tape copy of the basic rhythm track of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" from take 17 of the original 17 October 1963 session. The tape was brought by Martin and Smith during their travels to Paris, where they met with the Beatles. On 29 January 1964, the Beatles were due in the studio to record the German translations. In an interview for Mark Lewisohn's 1988 book The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, Martin recalled of the day:
> I fixed the session for late-morning. Norman Smith, myself, and the translator, a chap named Nicolas, all got to the studio on time, but there was no sign of the Beatles. We waited an hour before I telephoned their suite at the George V hotel. Neil Aspinall answered, "They're in bed, they've decided not to go to the studio". I went crazy – it was the first time they had refused to do anything for me. "You tell them they've got to come, otherwise I shall be so angry it isn't true! I'm coming over right now". So the German and I jumped into a taxi, we got to the hotel and I barged into their suite, to be met by this incredible sight, right out of the Mad Hatter's tea party. Jane Asher – Paul [McCartney]'s girlfriend – with her long red hair, was pouring tea from a china pot, and the others were sitting around her like March Hares. They took one look at me and exploded, like in a school room when the headmaster enters. Some dived onto the sofa and hid behind cushions, others dashed behind curtains. "You are bastards!" I screamed, to which they responded with impish little grins and roguish apologies. Within minutes we were on our way to the studio.
The Beatles recorded "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" and "Sie liebt dich", along with McCartney's new song "Can't Buy Me Love", at EMI's Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris. This was their first recording session outside Abbey Road and the band's only one outside of the United Kingdom. "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" was the first of three songs recorded that day. Martin produced it, being supported by engineers Smith and Jacques Esmenjaud. Smith recalled, "I found the studio very odd to work in, the equipment was alien to anything we were used to", and, "[There] was absolutely no atmosphere!" The original rhythm track was mixed down from four-track to two-track. The Beatles overdubbed German vocals and handclaps across 11 takes, as well as George Harrison's Country Gent. Takes five and seven were marked "best" and edited together, along with a handclap overdub. The original two-track tape of "She Loves You", recorded on 1 July 1963, had been erased after the mono master was finished, meaning the Beatles needed to record "Sie liebt dich" entirely from scratch. They recorded a new rhythm track in 13 takes. John Lennon's rhythm guitar distinguishes the German and English backing tracks from one another. In July 1963 on "She Loves You", he plays his Gibson J-160E, a guitar later stolen in early January 1964 during the Beatles' 1963–64 Christmas show. For "Sie liebt dich", he instead plays his Rickenbacker 325 Capri. The Beatles overdubbed German vocals in a single take – take 14. Smith recalled, "They were extremely pleased to get it over with ... we all were." The Beatles worked quicker than anticipated and so cancelled a second session booked for two days later on 31 January 1964. They used their remaining studio time to record four takes of "Can't Buy Me Love".
On 10 March 1964, while the Beatles filmed A Hard Day's Night, Martin, assisted by Smith, mixed "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" and "Sie liebt dich" for mono at EMI Recording Studios. He used the combined edit of takes five and seven for the former and take 14 for the latter. Two days after the initial mix, they mixed the songs for stereo, equalizing, compressing and adding echo as well. Copies of the mixes were sent to West Germany and the United States. Everett comments that the most noticeable differences between the mixes of "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand" are Lennon's compressed Capri guitar, which is heard more freely in the German version, and Harrison's Gent guitar, which has a different bass register.
## Release and impact
Odeon released the German single of "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" b/w "Sie liebt dich" across West Germany in March 1964. The songs reached number one and seven in the German charts, respectively. In Denmark, the single reached number 15. Sourced from the German release, Parlophone released the single in Australia during June 1964, though it failed to chart. Swan Records, a small Philadelphia-based record label mainly known for novelty records, obtained the US rights to "She Loves You" in September 1963. After the Beatles recorded "Sie liebt dich", Swan argued they likewise held the rights to that song. Swan released "Sie liebt dich" b/w "I'll Get You" in the US on 21 May 1964. The single was on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week, peaking at number 97. Capitol Records included "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" as the closing track on the Beatles' North American album Something New in July 1964. Beatles biographer Jonathan Gould refers to this as "an added curiosity". MacDonald ascribes the inclusion to Capitol being "newly anxious to exploit every last scrap of Beatles product ..." Both Everett and Winn write that the songs were released in the US because of the American public's desperation for new Beatles material. Following these recordings, the Beatles never recorded foreign versions of their songs again.
In The Beatles Anthology, Martin reflected of the songs: "They were the only things they have ever done in a foreign language. And they didn't need to anyway [...] The records would have sold in English, and did." By the end of 1963, the Beatles had already achieved hits in Sweden and Finland without needing to record translated versions. Peter Doggett credits the Beatles popularity with helping spread the English language throughout Europe, especially among young people. MacDonald offers similar sentiments, but goes further, asserting they helped spread English around the world.
Parlophone released both tracks for the first time in the UK on the 1978 compilation album Rarities. This was the first stereo release of "Sie liebt dich" anywhere. In addition, the release eliminates a stray English word ("coming") present on the original stereo version of "Komm, gib mir deine Hand". In the US, "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" remained readily available on re-releases of Something New. "Sie liebt dich" however fell out of print after its 1964 release. The song remained unavailable in the US until Capitol included the stereo version on the 1980 American compilation album Rarities. Both tracks were first released on compact disc for the 1988 compilation Past Masters, Volume One. The stereo and mono tracks were remastered and included on the 2009 releases Past Masters and Mono Masters.
"Komm, gib mir deine Hand" is featured in the 2019 World War II film Jojo Rabbit, directed by Taika Waititi, and its soundtrack. After initially being denied, the film's composer Michael Giacchino helped secure the rights to the song by contacting McCartney, with whom he had previously worked.
## Personnel
Komm, gib mir deine Hand
According to Everett, Winn and MacDonald:
- John Lennon – vocal, rhythm guitar, handclaps
- Paul McCartney – vocal, bass, handclaps
- George Harrison – lead guitar, handclaps
- Ringo Starr – drums, handclaps
Sie liebt dich
According to Lewisohn and MacDonald:
- John Lennon – vocal, rhythm guitar
- Paul McCartney – vocal, bass
- George Harrison – harmony vocal, lead guitar
- Ringo Starr – drums
## Charts
|
[
"## Background and development",
"## Recording",
"## Release and impact",
"## Personnel",
"## Charts"
] | 2,880 | 28,369 |
4,505,485 |
CMLL World Middleweight Championship
| 1,161,790,657 |
Professional wrestling world championship
|
[
"Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre championships",
"Middleweight wrestling championships",
"World professional wrestling championships"
] |
The CMLL World Middleweight Championship (Spanish: Campeonato Mundial de Peso Medio del CMLL) is a professional wrestling world championship promoted by the Mexican wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). While lighter weight classes are regularly ignored in wrestling promotions in the United States, with most emphasis placed on "heavyweights", more emphasis is placed on the lighter classes in Mexican companies. The official definition of the middleweight division in Mexico is a person between 82 kg (181 lb) and 87 kg (192 lb), but the weight limits are not strictly adhered to. As it is a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via legitimate competition; it is instead won via a scripted ending to a match or on occasion awarded to a wrestler because of a storyline.
The championship is currently held by Dragón Rojo, Jr., who defeated Soberano Jr. for the title on April 2, 2022, at 79 Aniversario Arena Coliseo. Dragón Rojo Jr. is the longest reigning champion in the history of the championship. Since its creation in 1991, there have been 20 individual championship reigns shared between 16 wrestlers. El Dandy is the only three-time champion; he also has the shortest reign of any champion at 63 days.
## History
The middleweight division was one of the first weight divisions in Mexican lucha libre to have a specific championship as the Mexican National Middleweight Championship was created in 1933. When the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre ("Mexican Wrestling Enterprise"; EMLL) was founded in September 1933, they became one of several Mexican promotions to promote the championship. EMLL later created the World Middleweight Championship to represent the highest level prize of the middleweight division, higher than the Mexican National Middleweight Championship. In 1952, EMLL joined the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and changed the title to the NWA World Middleweight Championship.
In the late 1980s, EMLL left the NWA over internal politics, and by 1991 they had changed their name to Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre ("World Wrestling Council"; CMLL) to distance themselves from the NWA. At first, they continued to use the name "NWA World Middleweight Championship" as the name had originated with EMLL, but they soon created a series of CMLL-branded world championships, including the CMLL World Middleweight Championship, which became the third middleweight championship in the company. CMLL held a one-night, eight-man tournament to determine the first middleweight champion on December 18, 1991. The tournament final saw Blue Panther defeat El Satánico to become the first new titleholder.
In June 1992, many wrestlers left CMLL to join the newly formed Asistencia Asesoría y Administración ("Assistance, Assessment, and Administration"; AAA), which significantly affected CMLL's middleweight championships. The Mexico City Boxing and Wrestling Commission allowed AAA to assume control of the Mexican National Middleweight Championship as the reigning champion Octagón had joined AAA. Meanwhile, the CMLL World Middleweight Championship was vacated after the departure of the champion, Blue Panther. CMLL held a 16-man battle royal match to reduce the field to two finalists. El Dandy and Negro Casas survived the match, and a week later El Dandy defeated Casas to become the second CMLL World Middleweight Champion. The championship has not been vacant since then.
The exodus from CMLL to AAA also meant that CMLL lost control of the Mexican National Middleweight Championship as then-reigning champion Octagón was among the wrestlers that left the promotion. The Mexico City Boxing and Wrestling Commission allowed AAA to take control of the Mexican National Middleweight Championship at that point in time. On August 12, 2010, CMLL returned the NWA World Middleweight Championship to the NWA, but immediately replaced it with the NWA World Historic Middleweight Championship to keep two "world" level championships in the middleweight division.
On May 3, 2010, Jushin Thunder Liger defeated Negro Casas to win the CMLL World Middleweight Championship. The match took place in Fukuoka, Japan, which was the first time the championship changed hands outside of Mexico and also marked the first time a non-Mexican wrestler held the championship.
## Reigns
Soberano Jr. is the current champion, having won the title on December 12, 2021 at CMLL Super Viernes. This is Soberano Jr.'s first reign as middleweight champion; he is the 20th overall champion. Dragón Rojo Jr. is the wrestler who has held the championship the longest, a total of . El Dandy holds the record for most CMLL World Middleweight Championship reigns with three and is one of only three wrestlers to hold the title more than once, the others being Negro Casas and Emilio Charles Jr. El Dandy also held the record for the shortest reignhis second lasted only 63 days.
## Rules
The official definition of the middleweight division in Mexico is from 82 kg (181 lb) to 87 kg (192 lb). In the 20th century, CMLL was generally consistent and strict about enforcing the actual weight limits, but in the 21st century the official definitions have at times been overlooked for certain champions. One example of this was when Mephisto, officially listed as 90 kg (200 lb), won the CMLL World Welterweight Championship, a weight class with an 82 kg (181 lb) upper limit.
With twelve CMLL-promoted championships labelled as "World" titles, the promotional focus shifts from championship to championship over time with no single championship consistently promoted as the "main" championship; instead CMLL's various major shows feature different weight divisions and are most often headlined by a Lucha de Apuestas ("Bet match") instead of a championship match. From 2013 until June 2016, only two major CMLL shows have featured championship matches: Sin Salida in 2013 and the 2014 Juicio Final show featuring the NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship. Championship matches usually take place under best two-out-of-three falls rules. On occasion, single-fall title matches have taken place, especially when promoting CMLL title matches in Japan, conforming to the traditions of the local promotion, illustrated by Jushin Thunder Liger winning the championship during New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Wrestling Dontaku 2010 in a single-fall match.
## Tournaments
### 1991
In 1991, CMLL held an eight-man, one-night tournament to crown the first ever CMLL World Middleweight Champion. In the end, Blue Panther won the championship by defeating El Satánico.
### 1992
Due to a large number of wrestlers leaving the company in the summer of 1992, the middleweight championship was vacated, forcing CMLL to hold a tournament. They opted to start out with a 16-man battle royal elimination match as a means to qualify for the final match the following week. Negro Casas and El Dandy outlasted a field of wrestlers that consisted of Guerrero Maya, Águila Solitaria, Ponzona, Guerrero del Futuro, Plata, Espectro de Ultratumba, Espectro Jr., Oro, Javier Cruz, Kung Fu, Kato Kung Lee, Ringo Mendoza, Bestia Salvaje and Último Dragón. The following week El Dandy defeated Casas to start his first of three championship reigns.
|
[
"## History",
"## Reigns",
"## Rules",
"## Tournaments",
"### 1991",
"### 1992"
] | 1,616 | 42,658 |
43,151,438 |
Riverview Theater
| 1,077,107,421 |
Movie theater in Minneapolis, US
|
[
"1948 establishments in Minnesota",
"Buildings and structures in Minneapolis",
"Cinemas and movie theaters in Minnesota",
"Culture of Minneapolis",
"Streamline Moderne architecture in Minnesota",
"Theatres completed in 1948"
] |
The Riverview Theater is a cinema in the Howe neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Designed by Liebenberg and Kaplan, the theater was built by theater owners Bill and Sidney Volk in 1948. After building a subsequent theater in a new ultramodern style, the Volks returned to the Riverview in 1956 and had its lobby area heavily renovated and updated. The Riverview remains one of several surviving single-screen cinemas in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area and typically showed second-run films until the COVID-19 pandemic, when it switched to showing first-run movies. Since the early 2000s, it has been consistently recognized by City Pages as one of the best movie theaters in the area.
## History
The Lithuania-born Volk brothers, Bill and Sidney, came to Minnesota in the early 1920s and got involved in the movie business by purchasing neighborhood theaters during the Great Depression. In 1946, the Volks initiated what the publication Greater Amusements called a "theater-building orgy" when they received a permit from the Minneapolis City Council to build the first new theater in Minneapolis in twelve years in spite of the protests of other theater managers. The Riverview was designed by architectural firm Liebenberg and Kaplan and built in 1948 in the Streamline Moderne style. It opened December 30, 1948, with a showing of June Bride. The single-screen theater utilized stadium seating, making it one of the earlier movie theaters to do so.
Three years later, the Volks again called on Liebenberg and Kaplan to construct the Terrace Theater in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, "one of the first ultramodern theaters in America", and considered by author Larry Millett to be "their masterpiece". Pleased with the results (and the industry-bucking receipts), the Volks turned back to the Riverview and had Liebenberg and Kaplan remodel it to reflect the successful Terrace model. This occurred in 1956, eight years after the theater's initial construction. The new lobby space was intended to reflect a living room and even included a separate TV lounge. Amenities were ample: "Dunbar tables, McCobb stools, Herman Miller divans and chairs, walnut panels imposed on light wood, graceful modern lamps, stunning draperies." Inside the theater space, however, little changed about the proscenium stage and seating.
The Riverview became one of the few remaining single-screen theaters in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area; by the end of the 1980s, it was one of only six left, and after 1998, it was one of only four left, with the Uptown and Parkway Theaters and the Oak Street Cinema, although since 1998, several new single-screen theaters–the Trylon Microcinema and the Heights Theater–have opened. The owners installed new seats in 1999 that allowed for greater leg room and more space between patrons.
## Contemporary status
The Riverview is located in Minneapolis's Howe neighborhood and seats 700 patrons. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the theater typically played second-run films for between \$2–3 per ticket and its concessions were also "much cheaper than at the suburban multiplexes". Upon reopening after the start of the pandemic, the theater shifted its model to playing first-run films.
Sometimes, other events are shown, including midnight movies, sporting events, film festivals, an annual screening of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and political events such as Barack Obama's first inauguration in 2009. Take Up Productions, operator of the nearby 100-seat Trylon Cinema, sometimes uses the Riverview for screenings too large for the Trylon to accommodate. The theater won City Pages' Best Budget Movie Theater award in 2000, 2004, and 2005, and the Best Movie Theater award every year from 2006 to 2014 except 2011 and 2012. The Riverview's lobby remains largely unchanged from its 1956 renovation.
|
[
"## History",
"## Contemporary status"
] | 818 | 24,029 |
43,498,045 |
Mac Marcoux
| 1,172,597,480 |
Canadian para-alpine skier
|
[
"1997 births",
"Alpine skiers at the 2014 Winter Paralympics",
"Alpine skiers at the 2018 Winter Paralympics",
"Alpine skiers at the 2022 Winter Paralympics",
"Canadian male alpine skiers",
"Living people",
"Medalists at the 2014 Winter Paralympics",
"Medalists at the 2018 Winter Paralympics",
"Medalists at the 2022 Winter Paralympics",
"Paralympic alpine skiers for Canada",
"Paralympic bronze medalists for Canada",
"Paralympic gold medalists for Canada",
"Paralympic medalists in alpine skiing",
"Paralympic silver medalists for Canada"
] |
Macmilton "Mac" Marcoux (born 20 June 1997) is a Canadian Paralympic alpine skier who won three titles at the IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup at the age of 15. With guide Robin Femy, he won three medals in alpine skiing at the 2014 Winter Paralympics, including gold in the men's visually impaired giant slalom. He also has numerous awards including being inducted into the Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame. He has an older brother and a younger sister. He also enjoys riding BMX and mountain bikes.
## Personal life
Mac Marcoux was born on 20 June 1997 in Haviland Bay, Ontario. He resides there with his parents and two siblings, an older brother and a younger sister. He started skiing at the age of four. He also rode BMX bikes and raced go-karts. In 2006, he started losing his sight due to Stargardt disease, a degenerative condition, and became legally blind in 2007. He said: "We've always been a racing family from the beginning. It's how I've grown up. Going fast was just a part of it. The faster you go the more fun it is".
After Marcoux had lost his vision, his brother Billy Joe (B.J.) Marcoux decided to put his college education on hold in order to assist him with skiing. Alpine Canada introduced them to a new kind of skiing called Para-Alpine. They were inspired by the McKeever brothers to do visually impaired para-alpine. Other than the Paralympics, his brother B.J. has been his sighted guide using radio communication ever since then; something they had never used before.
## Para-Alpine career
Marcoux is classified as a B3 (visually impaired) athlete. At the age of 15, he competed at the 2013 IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup in Mount Hutt, New Zealand, with B.J. as his guide, winning three medals. Later that year he won a silver medal in the giant slalom at the 2013 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in La Molina, Spain, and became the national Slalom and giant slalom champion at Sun Peaks, British Columbia.
### 2014 Winter Paralympics
The following year he competed in the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi as the youngest member of the Canadian Paralympic Team at the age of 16. With Robin Femy as his guide. He won bronze in both the Downhill and the Super-G, as well as a gold in the giant slalom by over two seconds. "It is the best moment of my life", he said after winning gold. "I can't even explain how amazing this is."
Mac and his brother B.J. were inducted into the Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame on 19 September 2014.
### Post-Sochi
At the 2017 World Championships he won gold in the downhill, giant slalom, slalom, and super-G. He also won silver in the super combined.
## Other interests
He raced BMX bikes and go-karts with his brother B.J. before he was blind. After he lost his sight, he fished and also rode mountain bikes at Whistler with a guide using the same kind of radio communication system.
## Awards
Marcoux and his brother BJ was presented the H.P. Broughton Trophy and was named into the Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame. In October 2014, the brothers were also inducted into the Sault Ste. Marie Sports Hall of Fame by mayor Debbie Amaroso.
## See also
- Canada at the 2014 Winter Paralympics
|
[
"## Personal life",
"## Para-Alpine career",
"### 2014 Winter Paralympics",
"### Post-Sochi",
"## Other interests",
"## Awards",
"## See also"
] | 779 | 22,841 |
5,507,821 |
New York State Route 350
| 1,165,030,256 |
State highway in Wayne County, New York, US
|
[
"State highways in New York (state)",
"Transportation in Wayne County, New York"
] |
New York State Route 350 (NY 350) is a north–south state highway in western Wayne County, New York, in the United States. It extends for 11.40 miles (18.35 km) from an intersection with NY 31 and NY 31F in the village of Macedon to a junction with NY 104 in the town of Ontario. NY 350 serves as the eastern terminus for three routes: the aforementioned NY 31F, NY 286, and NY 441, all of which originate in the Rochester area. Aside from the village of Macedon at its south end and the hamlet of Ontario Center at its north terminus, NY 350 serves mostly rural areas dominated by farmland. NY 350 was assigned c. 1932 to the portion of its routing south of Cator Corners, the north junction with NY 31F. It was extended northward to its current terminus in the 1940s.
## Route description
NY 350 begins at an intersection with NY 31 in the village of Macedon near the former Mobil Chemical and Tyco plant. The junction also serves as the eastern terminus of NY 31F, which overlaps NY 350 north from the intersection on Ontario Center Road. The conjoined routes cross over the Erie Canal and an industrial railroad spur off of the CSX Transportation-owned Rochester Subdivision before exiting the village and entering the surrounding town of Macedon. NY 31F and NY 350 pass through forested areas up to an overpass carrying the Rochester Subdivision line over the road, at which point the wooded areas give way to open fields. The two routes split roughly 1.75 miles (2.82 km) north of Macedon at a junction named Cator Corners. While NY 31F heads west through Macedon Center toward Monroe County, NY 350 continues east as Ontario Center Road.
As NY 350 departs Cator Corners, it curves back to the north, leaving Macedon Center Road—the east–west roadway that NY 31F follows from Cator Corners west to the county line—to continue east as a county road. NY 350 continues across rolling farmland to the town of Walworth, where it meets the eastern terminus of NY 441 at a four-way intersection with Walworth–Penfield Road west of the hamlet of Walworth. The route continues on, entering a slightly more forested area as it heads toward a junction with NY 286 at Atlantic Avenue. Like NY 31F and NY 441 before it, NY 286 serves as an east–west connector between NY 350 and the eastern suburbs of the city of Rochester 15 miles (24 km) to the west.
Past NY 286, the wooded areas become more sporadic as NY 350 turns to travel in a more northwesterly direction across farmlands and fields. It soon enters the town of Ontario, where development along the road increases as it heads into the hamlet of Ontario Center. Here, it passes Wayne Central High School of the Wayne Central School District prior to intersecting Ridge Road in the center of the community. This junction once served as Ontario Center's main business district; however, it has been replaced in purpose by the adjacent four-lane NY 104, located just 200 yards (183 m) north of Ridge Road. NY 350 ends upon intersecting the NY 104 divided highway; however, Ontario Center Road continues north of the east–west commercial strip for 3 miles (5 km) to Lake Road near the Lake Ontario shoreline and the R. E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant.
## History
The portion of modern NY 350 that overlaps with NY 31F was originally designated as part of Route 20, an unsigned legislative route, by the New York State Legislature in 1908. Route 20 continued east from here on what is now NY 31 and west on current NY 31F. On March 1, 1921, Route 20 was altered to follow modern NY 31 and NY 250 between Macedon and Fairport, bypassing current NY 350 entirely. Even though it was no longer part of a legislative route, the Macedon–Cator Corners highway was taken over by the state of New York by 1926. At the time, it was the only portion of what is now NY 350 that was state-maintained.
In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, the segment of current NY 350 between Atlantic Avenue and Ridge Road became part of an extended NY 35, which had ended at a junction west of the village of Avon in Livingston County prior to 1930. The extension took NY 35 northeastward through Monroe and Wayne Counties to a new terminus in the town of Ontario. NY 35 entered Wayne County on modern NY 286 (Atlantic Avenue) and followed Atlantic Avenue and Ontario Center Road north to NY 3 (Ridge Road; later U.S. Route 104 or US 104). By the following year, the portion of Ontario Center Road from Cator Corners to NY 33 (Walworth–Penfield Road; now NY 441) was designated as part of NY 33B. The Macedon–Cator Corners segment of former legislative Route 20 was designated as NY 350 c. 1932.
NY 35 was split up into two routes in the early 1940s. The portion of old NY 35 west of Ontario Center Road became NY 383 while the Ontario Center Road section became part of an extended NY 350. The extension created an overlap between NY 350 and NY 33B from Cator Corners to NY 33. NY 33 was truncated on its east end to downtown Rochester on January 1, 1949. As a result, NY 33B was redesignated as NY 31F. The easternmost leg of the route still overlapped NY 350; however, it now followed NY 350 south to NY 31 in Macedon. NY 350 was extended a short distance northward in the mid-1940s to meet the new super two highway carrying US 104 between Union Hill and Sodus.
## Major intersections
## See also
|
[
"## Route description",
"## History",
"## Major intersections",
"## See also"
] | 1,291 | 8,838 |
8,403,952 |
Mi Tierra
| 1,161,896,100 | null |
[
"1993 albums",
"Albums produced by Emilio Estefan",
"Epic Records albums",
"Gloria Estefan albums",
"Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album",
"Spanish-language albums"
] |
Mi Tierra (My Homeland) is the third studio album by Cuban-American recording artist Gloria Estefan, released on June 22, 1993, by Epic Records. Produced by husband Emilio Estefan, it is a Spanish-language album and pays homage to her Cuban roots. The album features Cuban musical genres, including boleros, danzón and son music. Recorded at Crescent Moon Studios in Miami, Florida, Mi Tierra features notable Latin musicians such as Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval, Cachao López, Chamin Correa and Paquito D'Rivera.
The album was an international success, selling over five million copies worldwide. In the United States it was the first record to reach number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, spending 58 weeks at \#1 (longest running \#1 album on the chart ever). It also peaked at number twenty-seven on the Billboard 200 chart. Mi Tierra has sold over one million copies in the US and Spain. The album received favorable reviews from critics, who praised the album's production, songs and Estefan's vocals. Its success won the singer a Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album. Mi Tierra spawned seven singles: "Mi Tierra", "Con Los Años Que Me Quedan", "Tradición", "Montuno", "¡Sí Señor!...", "Mi Buen Amor" and "Ayer".
## Background
Gloria Estefan had wanted to record a Spanish-language album reflecting her Cuban heritage since the beginning of her musical career. Before recording in English, Estefan and her band performed at Latin nightclubs; she also remembered her grandmother teaching her old Cuban songs. Music had an important role in Estefan's family; her paternal grandmother was a poet, and an uncle played the flute in a salsa band. The singer's desire to record an album in Spanish was also influenced by her son, Nayib; she wanted him to recognize his Cuban heritage.
## Recording and production
Mi Tierra was produced by Estefan's husband, Emilio Estefan, and fellow Miami Sound Machine members Clay Ostwald and Jorge Casas. It features notable Latin musicians, including Nestor Torres, Cachao López, Paquito Hechavarría, Chamin Correa, Paquito D'Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, Luis Enrique and Tito Puente. Additional performers include Sheila E. and the London Symphony Orchestra. The album was recorded at Crescent Moon Studios in Miami, Florida. Celia Cruz was invited to perform, but was unable to do so because of her touring schedule. The album's cover features Estefan in a black-and-white photo at a Havana nightclub before the Cuban Revolution.
## Musical style and songs
The opening track on the album, "Con los Años Que Me Quedan" ("With the Years I Have Left"), is a Cuban bolero song. Three other bolero tracks on Mi Tierra are "Mi Buen Amor" ("My True Love"), "Volverás" ("You'll Be Back"), and "Hablas de Mí" ("You're Talking About Me"). The title track details the passion of Estefan's homeland in a salsa arrangement. In "Ayer" ("Yesterday") the singer finds a flower given to her by a lover and yearns for him to return, since life is short. Its music combines bolero and son music. "No Hay Mal Que Por Bien No Venga" ("Out of All Bad, Some Good Things Come") is a danzón recalling a brief love affair.
"¡Sí Señor" ("Yes Sir!") is another son track featured on the album. The bolero "Volverás" was later covered by Mexican recording artist Alejandro Fernández on his album Me Estoy Enamorando (1997), also produced by Emilio Estefan. "Montuno" takes its name from the musical genre of the same name. "Hablemos El Mismo Idioma" ("Let's Speak The Same Language") is an anthem, reaching out to other Spanish-speaking groups, telling them that since they speak the same language they should leave their differences behind. The album closes with "Tradición" ("Traditional"), which is performed as a guaguancó.
## Critical reception
Jose F. Promis of AllMusic awarded the album four stars out of five, calling it "one of [Estefan's] most satisfying." Mi Tierra was "a breezy, sunny album with moments of melancholy," and "one of her most consistent albums to date." Achy Obejas of the Chicago Tribune gave the album four out of four stars, praised it as "dispensing with the brash sound of more contemporary salsa" and lauded Emilio Estefan for the album's production. Anne Hurley of Entertainment Weekly said that Mi Tierra "will whirl you through an intoxicating landscape of traditional Cuban rhythms and aromatic flavors," and applauded the guest musicians on the album.
Parry Gettelman of the Orlando Sentinel gave Mi Tierra four out of five stars, commending the album as "uncompromising, offering up songs and arrangements firmly rooted in Cuban traditions." He compared it to Estefan's earlier recordings with the Miami Sound Machine, including her musical style and songwriting: "She ditches the synths and employs the London Symphony Orchestra's strings to graceful effect...abandoning melodrama for real color and emotional shading." John Lannert described Mi Tierra for the Sun-Sentinel as "Estefan's Latin 'unplugged' album" and her "most satisfying effort to date."
### Accolades
At the 36th Grammy Awards, Mi Tierra was the Best Tropical Latin Album. At the 6th Lo Nuestro Awards Estefan received two awards in the tropical category, for Female Artist of the Year and Album of the Year. The singer was Female Artist of the Year at the first Billboard Latin Music Awards, and Mi Tierra was Album of the Year in the tropical-salsa category. At the 1994 Spanish Ondas Awards, Mi Tierra was the Best International Album and Estefan the Best International Artist. It was recognized as the best-selling Latin album of the year with a 1993–94 NARM Best Seller Award. In 2015, Billboard listed Mi Tierra as one of the Essential Latin Albums of Past 50 Year stating that "Through son, she transports us to a magical place in the '50s where time stood still on her beloved island".
## Commercial performance
### Album
In the United States, Mi Tierra peaked at number twenty-seven on the Billboard 200 chart. It was the first number-one album on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, established when it was released. The album spent a total of fifty-eight weeks atop the chart, until it was displaced by Selena's album Amor Prohibido the week of June 11, 1994. It was more successful on the Billboard Tropical Albums chart, where it spent ninety-one weeks on top. Mi Tierra debuted at number one on the Billboard Latin Pop Albums chart the week of July 10, 1993, but it was removed from the chart following week since it did not meet its criteria.
Mi Tierra ended 1994 as the best-selling Latin album of the year in the United States. The album was certified 16× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America by Latin standards, for shipments of 1.6 million copies in the U.S. As of October 2017, it sold 1,232,000 copies in the U.S., making it the sixth bestselling Latin album in the country. According to Billboard, most purchasers did not speak Spanish. In Latin America, the album was certified double platinum in Argentina and triple platinum in Mexico. It sold over 30,000 copies in Chile.
In Europe, Mi Tierra peaked at number fifty-nine in Germany, number nine in the Netherlands, number one in Spain, number twenty-five in Switzerland and number eleven in the United Kingdom. The album was certified 10× platinum in Spain (for shipping one million copies) and certified gold in Switzerland. It also sold 200,000 in England. Mi Tierra was the 60th-best-selling album of the 1990s, and sold over five million copies worldwide (four million outside the U.S.).
### Singles
"Mi Tierra" was the first single released from the album. In the United States, it reached number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and number five on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart. In Europe, the song peaked at number seventy-seven on the Media Control charts in Germany, twenty-seventh on the Mega Single Top 100 chart in Netherlands and thirty-sixth on the UK Singles Chart. The second single, "Con Los Años Que Me Quedan", also reached number one on the Hot Latin Songs chart in the United States. An English version, "If We Were Lovers", was released as a single and peaked at number forty on the UK Singles Chart. The third single, "Tradición", reached number one the Hot Dance Clubs chart in the United States.
"Montuno" was the fourth single released from the album, peaking at number fifty-five on the UK Singles chart. The fifth single, "¡Sí Señor!..." peaked at number forty-four on the Mega Single Top 100 chart in the Netherlands. The sixth, "Mi Buen Amor", reached number one on the Hot Latin Songs chart in the United States. The last single released from the album was "Ayer", which peaked at number five on the Hot Latin Songs chart.
## Track listing
- Official translations provided by Allmusic and by Gloria Estefan on the Mi Tierra liner notes.
## Personnel
Credits adapted from Allmusic and the Mi Tierra liner notes.
### Performers
- Randy Barlow – arranger, trumpet, background vocals
- Rafael "Felo" Barrio – timbales
- Cachao – arranger, bajo sexto, bass guitar
- Jorge Casas – arranger, bajo sexto, bass guitar, background vocals, twelve-string guitar, producer, très
- Alejandro Correa, Alfredo Correa – background vocals
- Chamin Correa – guitar, requinto, background vocals
- Paquito D'Rivera – saxophone
- Luis Enrique – bass guitar, percussion, timbales
- Emilio Estefan Jr. – arranger, producer
- Gloria Estefan – arranger, background vocals, lead vocals
- Estéfano – arranger
- Nelson González – bass guitar, percussion, très
- Paquito Hechavarría – piano
- Sebastian Krys
- London Symphony Orchestra – strings
- Juanito Márquez – guitar
- Teddy Mulet – arranger, trombone, trumpet, background vocals
- Alfredo Oliva – viola
- Jorge Orbon, Robert Basso, Max Teppich, Alexander Prilutchi – violin
- Clay Ostwald – arranger, piano, producer, timbales
- Rafael Padilla – bass, percussion
- Tito Puente – congas, timbales
- Cheíto Quinonez – trumpet, background vocals
- Serena Radaelli – estilista
- Roberto Luis Rodriguez, Arturo Sandoval – trumpet
- Jon Secada – background vocals
- Sheila E. – congas, timbales
- Jorge Sicre – cello
- Debbie Spring – charango, cuerda, viola, violin
- Néstor Torres – flute
### Technical
- Mike Couzzi – mixing
- Nancy Donald – art direction
- Charles Dye – engineer
- Pablo Flores – mixing
- Geoff Foster – assistant
- Noel Harris – assistant
- Mark Krieg – assistant
- Patrice Wilkinson Levinsohn – engineer
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
- Frank Miret – engineer
- Lance Phillips – assistant
- Phil Ramone – mixing
- Andrew Roshberg – assistant
- Eric Schilling – engineer, mixing
- Ron Taylor – engineer
- Alberto Tolot – photography
- Francesca Tolot – make-Up
- Christine Wilson – design
- Javier Vacas – assistant
## Charts
### Weekly charts
### Year-end charts
## Certifications and sales
## See also
- 1993 in Latin music
- List of best-selling albums in Mexico
- List of best-selling albums in Spain
- List of best-selling Latin albums
- List of best-selling Latin albums in the United States
- List of number-one Billboard Latin Pop Albums from the 1990s
- List of number-one Billboard Top Latin Albums from the 1990s
- List of number-one Billboard Tropical Albums from the 1990s
- List of number-one albums of 1993 (Spain)
- List of number-one albums of 1994 (Spain)
- Music of Cuba
|
[
"## Background",
"## Recording and production",
"## Musical style and songs",
"## Critical reception",
"### Accolades",
"## Commercial performance",
"### Album",
"### Singles",
"## Track listing",
"## Personnel",
"### Performers",
"### Technical",
"## Charts",
"### Weekly charts",
"### Year-end charts",
"## Certifications and sales",
"## See also"
] | 2,709 | 25,916 |
69,558,159 |
The Blue Bird (Stanford)
| 1,172,405,770 |
1910 part song by Charles Villiers Stanford
|
[
"1910 compositions",
"Compositions by Charles Villiers Stanford",
"Songs based on poems"
] |
The Blue Bird is a partsong (Op. 119 No. 3) composed by Charles Villiers Stanford in 1910. It is set to the words of L'Oiseau Bleu, a poem by Mary Elizabeth Coleridge, which depicts a bluebird in flight over a lake. It is written for soprano, divided altos, tenor and bass. "The Blue Bird" is the third of Stanford's Eight Part Songs which are all settings of texts by Coleridge. It was widely performed by choral societies in England during Stanford's life and is considered one of the best English partsongs ever written. It has been recorded by ensembles including The Cambridge Singers, Oxford Camerata, Tenebrae, and the Gabrieli Consort.
## Context
Before composing "The Blue Bird", Charles Villiers Stanford had already established himself as an accomplished writer of partsongs. He began by writing three collections of them in an Elizabethan style, the first of which (Op. 47, 1892) was praised by the Musical Times as being among the best of their kind. He then turned to setting arrangements of Irish folk songs, followed by Op. 119 and Op. 127, published by Stainer & Bell, which are settings of poetry by Mary Elizabeth Coleridge, whose father Arthur Duke Coleridge was a friend of Stanford's. "The Blue Bird" comes from the Op. 119 collection of partsongs and is one of Stanford's most famous examples of the form. The form first became influential in England when partsongs by Felix Mendelssohn were translated into English, and the genre grew in part due to the popularity of early 19th century choral societies.
## Song
### Music and verse form
Partsongs are often strophic and written for multiple voices in a homophonic texture, with occasional rhythmic variation between the upper and lower voices. They are intended to be sung in intimate settings. "The Blue Bird" is in the key of G-flat major and is scored for an SAATB ensemble. A typical performance lasts around four minutes, varying for each conductor.
The piece is strophic with two stanzas which have similar harmonic treatment. The first four bars are repeated at the end, acting as a short coda. The harmony frequently emphasises secondary sevenths and closely-spaced intervals, such as the major second which features frequently in the piece. The final chord is a seventh based on the supertonic (A-flat), while the soprano's final "blue" is suspended. This deliberate absence of resolution creates, in the words of Jeremy Dibble, "an inimitable version of the eternal."
"The Blue Bird" uses harmonic, rhythmic and other elements of the music to depict the imagery of the poem. The soprano part plays an important role in illustrating the blue bird itself. Dibble interprets the wide range of the soprano line as illustrating "the bird's free flight across the lake", and the repeated instances of the word "blue" on an E-flat as the bird "hovering". As for other imagery, Paul Rodmell writes that the slowly-moving nature of the music (larghetto tranquillo, or rather slow) depicts "a perfect picture of a still, hot day". He also compares the nature of the work to Vaughan Williams's The Lark Ascending (1914), a piece for violin and orchestra in which the music also depicts a bird in flight and natural scenery.
### Text
Coleridge's poem was originally published in 1897 with the French title L'Oiseau Bleu. It was published under the pseudonym "Anodos", which is taken from the novel Phantastes by George MacDonald and can be interpreted to mean "Wanderer". "The Blue Bird" was one of many poems published posthumously under Coleridge's own name in 1908, after she died prematurely the previous year aged 45.
> The lake lay blue below the hill.
> O'er it, as I looked, there flew
> Across the waters, cold and still,
> A bird whose wings were palest blue.
>
> The sky above was blue at last,
> The sky beneath me blue in blue.
> A moment, ere the bird had passed,
> It caught his image as he flew.
## Reception and legacy
According to musician and writer Walter Bitner, "the poem's great beauty lies in its direct expression of natural beauty and its power to evoke a strong impression in the imagination of the reader ... The poet carefully identifies the subject of the poem as 'I' so that as each of us reads or hears it, we see this image in our mind's eye as if we ourselves are the witness of the event ... It is pure impressionism." In Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Dibble notes that "The Blue Bird" demonstrates Stanford's expertise in sophisticated and refined diatonic harmonic language along with a "lyrical flair".
Stanford contributed to the repertoire of English choral music in the nineteenth century and the music sung within choral societies. In an address at Stanford's centenary, the composer Herbert Howells remarked how "The Blue Bird" in particular was widely performed among choral societies across the country, and how it formed an "essential beauty in the hearts of unnumbered singers." Musicologist Jeremy Dibble, who specialises in Stanford and his works, describes "The Blue Bird" as "perhaps one of the greatest English part-songs ever written." In his biography of Stanford, musicologist Paul Rodmell compares "The Blue Bird" within the context of Eight Partsongs (Op. 119), remarking that while most of the Eight Partsongs are "inconsequential", "The Blue Bird" stands out as an exception and is "deserving of its renown". Charles Reid, in Choral Music, describes the partsong as "a rounded a perfect miniature", which can be considered one of the best in its field.
## Selected discography
The Blue Bird is usually included in an album of part-songs from different composers, or a collection of Stanford's music. The piece is featured in the record There is Sweet Music (Collegium Records COLCD 104, 1986; CSCD 505, 2002), performed by the Cambridge Singers under John Rutter. It is also part of Choral Music - English Madrigals and Songs from Henry VIII to the 20th Century (Naxos 8.553088, 1996) performed by the Oxford Camerata under Jeremy Summerly. This record includes all eight songs of Stanford's Op. 119. Other records which feature The Blue Bird features include: One Day Fine - Choral Music from Ireland (RTÉ Lyric CD131) performed by the National Chamber Choir of Ireland under Paul Hillier; Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (The British Music Collection, Decca 470 384-2, 2006) performed by Choir of New College Oxford; Music of the Spheres. Part Songs of the British Isles (Signum SIGCD904, 2016) performed by Tenebrae under Nigel Short; Silence & Music (Signum SIGCD490, 2017) performed by the Gabrieli Consort under Paul McCreesh; and In Paradisum (Aparté Music AP228, 2020) performed by Schola Cantorum of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School.
|
[
"## Context",
"## Song",
"### Music and verse form",
"### Text",
"## Reception and legacy",
"## Selected discography"
] | 1,530 | 29,482 |
8,139,077 |
New York State Route 171
| 1,135,013,906 |
State highway in Herkimer County, New York, US
|
[
"State highways in New York (state)",
"Transportation in Herkimer County, New York"
] |
New York State Route 171 (NY 171) is a state highway running east to west through Herkimer County, New York, in the United States. It connects the hamlet of Gulph in the town of Frankfort to the village of Frankfort by way of the Frankfort Gorge. Its western end is at the junction of County Route 145 (CR 145) and CR 185 southeast of Gulph. The eastern end is 5.69 miles (9.16 km) to the east at an intersection with Main Street in Frankfort village. NY 171 is a narrow, two-lane highway for its whole length.
NY 171 is the only signed state highway in New York that does not intersect any other signed New York state routes. However, this was not always the case. When it was originally assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, Main Street in Frankfort was part of NY 5S. A new freeway alignment for NY 5S was constructed between Utica and Ilion in the late 1960s, isolating NY 171 from the remainder of the state highway system. Frankfort's interchange with NY 5S is now at Cemetery Street, 0.75 miles (1.21 km) to the west.
## Route description
NY 171 begins at an intersection with CR 145 (Ball Road) and CR 185 (Gulph Road) southeast of the hamlet of Gulph. The route heads eastward, passing through a dense forest in the town of Frankfort. The forest surrounds NY 171 for a substantial distance, separating it from more developed areas of the town. The highway eventually turns to the northeast, following a winding, curve-filled route that leads through the Frankfort Gorge towards the village of Frankfort. As it heads through the valley, NY 171 intersects with CR 13, known locally as Furnace Road. CR 13 and NY 171 parallel for a short distance as CR 13 climbs the north face of the gorge and then turns northward at its top.
The route then passes under a series of power lines, loosely paralleling the more northerly CR 96 (Higby Road) to the outskirts of the village of Frankfort. Here, NY 171 intersects with several roads of local importance before crossing over the NY 5S freeway to enter the village itself. On the eastern side of the highway, NY 171 becomes South Litchfield Street and passes through areas that are mostly residential. It continues to the village's central business district. State maintenance of the route ends at a junction with Canal Street. but the route continues as a village-maintained highway for one more block to an intersection with Main Street.
## History
Most of what is now NY 171 was improved to state highway standards as part of a project contracted out by the state of New York on July 12, 1916. The work covered the 5.10 miles (8.21 km) of the route outside of the Frankfort village limits. The reconstruction was completed in the 1920s, and the Frankfort Gorge road was added to the state highway system as unsigned State Highway 1346 (SH 1346) by 1926. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, SH 1346 became part of NY 171, which continued northeast to Main Street in Frankfort on several state and locally maintained streets. At the time, Main Street was part of NY 5S, another route assigned as part of the renumbering.
In the late 1960s, a limited-access highway was constructed between Utica and Ilion alongside NY 5S. The new highway became part of a rerouted NY 5S in the early 1970s. As a result, NY 171, which does not interchange with the highway, no longer connects to any other signed state routes. NY 171 is the only signed state highway in New York that is completely isolated from the remainder of the state highway system.
## Major intersections
## See also
|
[
"## Route description",
"## History",
"## Major intersections",
"## See also"
] | 849 | 21,510 |
6,737,426 |
The Punisher (1993 video game)
| 1,150,371,149 |
1993 arcade game
|
[
"1993 video games",
"Arcade video games",
"CP System Dash games",
"Cancelled Capcom Power System Changer games",
"Cancelled PlayStation (console) games",
"Capcom beat 'em ups",
"Censored video games",
"Cooperative video games",
"Multiplayer and single-player video games",
"Organized crime video games",
"Sega Genesis games",
"Side-scrolling beat 'em ups",
"Video games based on Punisher",
"Video games developed in Japan",
"Video games scored by Yoko Shimomura",
"Video games set in Arizona",
"Video games set in Florida",
"Video games set in New York City",
"Video games set in the 20th century"
] |
The Punisher (Japanese: パニッシャー, Hepburn: Panisshā) is a 1993 beat 'em up arcade game developed and released by Capcom. It stars the Marvel Comics' antihero the Punisher (Frank Castle) and co-stars S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury as the second player's character as they embark on a mission to kill the crime lord the Kingpin and bring down his organization. While following the same general formula as Capcom's previous beat 'em ups, the game has a range of usable weapons and a comics-style presentation.
The Punisher gained significant popularity in arcades and is widely regarded as one of the best titles in the beat 'em up genre as well as one of the best video game adaptations of comic books. A Mega Drive/Genesis port was developed by Sculptured Software and published by Capcom to mixed reviews and commercial failure.
## Gameplay
The Punisher follows the same side-scrolling beat'em up formula Capcom established in Final Fight (1989) and Captain Commando (1991) as the protagonists engage ordinary foes and stage bosses. As in most beat'em up games of this kind, progression through the game is achieved by systematically dispatching all varieties of henchmen to proceed onward to either right or left, and defeating the ringleaders whom the player(s) encounter at the boss stage of each level. Much like the limited roster of playable characters in Street Fighter (1987), the size, abilities and tactics of both player characters (the Punisher and Nick Fury) are essentially interchangeable; they both use the same basic moves, such as punches, kicks and throws, which can be chained into combos, as well as similar special attacks. Basic attacks can be combined to cause extra damage to enemies. The game is presented in a comic book-like style, including featuring on-screen onomatopoeias such as "BLAM!" for gunshots.
Various melee (including baseball bats and Japanese swords) and thrown weapons (including knives and shuriken) as well as improvised weapons (such as lead pipes, car tires and a crude flamethrower) can be picked up during regular combat. Weapons can be dropped by killed enemies or obtained from smashing various containers throughout the stages. When the player is armed with a weapon, its durability will be displayed alongside the player's health, showing how much it can be used until it breaks apart. Treasure can also be found in containers, awarding the player with bonus score points once collected (jewelry also appears after defeating female enemies). Health can be replenished by picking up food, which can also give bonus points. The game distinguished itself by the relatively high level of violence in a video game of the era, as well by the frequent use of firearms, including an Ingram and an M16. There are several sections of the game when gun-wielding enemies appear to which the characters draw their handguns, enabling the player to shoot them. Player characters can also pick up and collect hand grenades that can be deployed at a moment of choice.
## Plot
In the game's intro, U.S. Marine Captain Frank Castle enjoys a picnic with his family in Central Park. The Castle family accidentally discovered a mob killing. Fearing any witnesses, the killers gunned down the family. To avenge them and all others like them Frank becomes The Punisher. The game begins in an illegal casino and the streets of the New York City, with the merciless vigilante Frank "the Punisher" Castle (optionally partnered with S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury) in pursuit of the Mafia enforcer Bruno Costa who ordered the killing of Castle's family; the chase ends with a fight against Chester Scully (a minor villain from the comics). Frank "interrogates" Scully, gets the information he needs, and then promptly shoots him. Still on track of Bruno, the Punisher infiltrates the mob's Pantaberde resort in Florida via a water duct. He breaks into a hotel and corners Bruno, who is suddenly killed by a robot called Guardroid, who tells Frank the Kingpin has programmed him to terminate him, which the Punisher must then take on.
The Punisher then raids a major drug-smuggling ring at the local harbor, which ends with him confronting Bonebreaker in a waterfront warehouse. After that, the Punisher attacks the Kingpin's poppy field at a cave in Arizona. The Punisher boards and destroys a freight train which is commanded by Bushwhacker.
At that point, the Kingpin decides that he has lost enough henchmen and money to the Punisher's actions. He puts a hefty contract out on him, and he is chased by assassins from his hideout and through a forest. After defeating another Guardroid, the Punisher in turn assaults the King Building skyscraper. He fights his way through Jigsaw and other enemies to the final showdown against the Kingpin himself. After the Kingpin is defeated, the entire tower collapses, but the Kingpin is not found among the many dead criminals in the rubble.
## Development and release
### Arcade
The Punisher for the arcades was released in April 1993, marking the beginning of the partnership between Marvel Comics and Capcom, which led to the series Marvel vs. Capcom. The game used a new arcade system, allowing over 10 enemies to appear on screen at the same time without slowdowns. A pre-release version included some cut content such as rocket launchers. A version for the Capcom Power System Changer was planned and previewed but never released. Artworks from the game were featured in the 2012 art book Marvel vs. Capcom: Official Complete Works by Udon Entertainment. In 2019, the game was announced as one of the titles to be included in the Marvel Arcade1Up arcade cabinet.
### Genesis
A console port of The Punisher was released for the Genesis in North America in 1994 and for the PAL region Mega Drive in April 1995. This version, while still published by Capcom, was developed by the independent American company Sculptured Software. In addition to the worse graphics and sound, lesser variety of enemies, and a smaller number of objects on screen than in the original, many of the previously breakable background objects were rendered unbreakable due to the limitations of the Genesis' hardware.
This version also contains some content censorship, including removing the most explicit violence as well as the animation of Fury smoking his cigar, and female ninja enemies with skimpy outfits becoming fully clothed. The port also comes with three difficulty settings, but the Easy setting ends after only three stages and the game can be properly completed only on Normal or Hard. A PlayStation version was reported in works by Crystal Dynamics, but was never completed.
## Reception
### Arcade
Upon its release, Play Meter listed The Punisher as one of the most popular arcade games at the time. Game Machine also listed it on their July 1, 1993 issue as being the eight most-popular arcade game at the time. GamePower gave the arcade version of The Punisher a perfect partial score for the game's "fun factor". Its action was praised by GamePro, who remarked that "this game's outstanding feature is its gorgeous graphics, which capture the dark, somber mood of the Punisher comic books". GameFan reviewer wrote The Punisher "proved to be everything I dreamed of in a traditional Final Fight-style game", having previously described it as "definitely the greatest side scrolling fighting game ever" as well as "the bloodiest, goriest fighting game since Mortal Kombat" in his preview.
### Genesis
Reviewing the Genesis conversion, VideoGames called it "a decent exercise in vigilante mayhem" that is "surprisingly fun, yet fairly standard game". A preview by Mean Machines Sega opined it "looks good" and features "fantastic weaponry", but EGM criticized the characters for being too small on the screen, also stating that there was little to no skill involved in defeating the bosses. EGM praised the number of weapons and moves available but nonetheless concluded that "the whole game comes across as routine and bland". Mega Play reviewers especially criticized the port's removal of gore and the "drab" and "dull" color palette, issuing it four scores of between 67 and 72%.
GamePro outright panned the port, commenting that the special moves are too difficult to pull off, the sound effects are weak, the gameplay is generic and unimaginative beat 'em up fare, and "the graphics never come close to the coin-op game that this cart is based on". It was also lambasted by Next Generation, who stated that "not much good can be found" in the game and "the person responsible for putting out The Punisher deserves a good spanking". Hyper even had The Punisher as the worst rated game of the month, describing it as "almost like an 8 bit game: scrappy graphics, stilted animation, sloooowww scrolling and only two (yes, two) buttons on the controller used". The game sold poorly, resulting in it becoming one the rarest PAL region titles for the platform.
### Retrospective
Notwithstanding the flawed home port and limited commercial success, the arcade original has achieved a cult game status. Sega Saturn Magazine and Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine both wished for The Punisher to be included in Capcom's arcade compilation releases for the Sega Saturn and the PlayStation, respectively. According to GamesTM in 2005, "Capcom's The Punisher was a brutally violent fighter that perfectly captured the antihero it was based on. Featuring buckets of blood, some nasty moves and hordes of enemies, action came thick and fast, and so did the excitement". The magazine too expressed a wish for it to be included in a compilation re-release for a more modern gaming system, in this case the PlayStation Portable, but noted that the chances of this are slim due to a long-expired license.
Retro Gamer called it "a forgotten gem in Capcom's back catalogue" that "is bursting with character and is extremely enjoyable", surmising the game did not sell well because the market was already flooded with beat 'em up games. Some media outlets also singled out for a special praise the game's particular elements, such as with Complex regarding its arcade cabinet and Cracked.com regarding its game over sequence. Crunchyroll's Patrick Macias wrote: "I'll confess my heart skipped a beat when I read The Punisher arcade game, the legacy of a misspent youth and countless tokens whittled away at Chuck E. Cheese".
Some critics regard The Punisher as among the best of the beat 'em up genre, as well as among the best video game adaptations of comic books, especially of Marvel titles. In 2010, it was ranked as the tenth top greatest superhero game by IGN's News & Features Team, and as the fifth top Marvel arcade game by iFanboy's Josh Richardson. Nerdist Industries included it among the top ten most iconic Marvel video games in 2013, calling it "one of the few games that benefits from its cheesiness" and stating that in 1993 the two-player experience "was pretty much what Army of Two wishes it was today". That same year, it was also listed as one of top beat 'em up games of all time by Heavy.com's Elton Jones, as well as being included amongst the best looking beat 'em up games from the 16-bit era by Kotaku Australia's Gergo Vas. David Hawkins of WhatCulture! declared it number one best comics-based arcade game in a 2011 ranking, being "above and beyond all other arcade adaptations of comic books and their heroes", and Jon Ledford of Arcade Sushi opined that "in terms of pure enjoyment, ingenuity, control, and graphics, The Punisher is the Best Retro Beat 'Em Up of all time".
PlayStation Portable magazine Go Play reviewed the game alongside Willow and Cadillacs and Dinosaurs calling them "some of the best CPS1 games you're unlikely to ever play on a Capcom compilation".
|
[
"## Gameplay",
"## Plot",
"## Development and release",
"### Arcade",
"### Genesis",
"## Reception",
"### Arcade",
"### Genesis",
"### Retrospective"
] | 2,477 | 24,728 |
40,818,982 |
My Transsexual Summer
| 1,173,790,768 |
British reality TV series
|
[
"2010s British LGBT-related television series",
"2010s LGBT-related reality television series",
"2011 British television series debuts",
"2011 British television series endings",
"Channel 4 documentaries",
"Channel 4 reality television shows",
"Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios",
"Transgender in the United Kingdom",
"Transgender-related television shows"
] |
My Transsexual Summer is a British documentary-style reality series about seven transgender people in different stages of transition. For five weekends in the summer of 2011, they stay together in a large holiday home in Bedfordshire, where they meet and help each other with some of the struggles that transgender people face. Between these weekend retreats, they go back to their lives and real-world challenges.
In the early 2010s, Channel 4 resolved to improve the accuracy and depth of their representation of transgender people. My Transsexual Summer was the first transgender programme they created after making this resolution. Channel 4 broadcast the series in November 2011. It was rebroadcast in the UK on More4 in 2012, and on ABC2 in Australia in 2013. Also in 2013, two of the show's participants themselves started making documentary short films and videos about being transgender.
## Background
In April 2010, non-profit organisation Trans Media Watch published a study called "How Transgender People Experience the Media", which found that there is "an endemic problem with negative and inaccurate representations [of transgender people in British media stories], and observed that this leads to considerable real-life suffering".
The following September, the Westminster Media Forum hosted a keynote seminar on the representation of LGBT people in British mass media. Two speakers in particular addressed the subject of transgender representation: Stuart Cosgrove, Director of Creative Diversity at Channel 4; and Tim Davie, chairperson of the BBC Working Group on Portrayal and Inclusion of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Audiences. They noted a general absence of transgender people in British broadcasting, and reported that "transgender storylines... are frequently lacking in breadth and substance." In a later interview, Cosgrove added that there are "high levels of inaccuracy" in British media reports about transgender people.
In an effort to improve this situation, Trans Media Watch drafted and published a memorandum of understanding for media companies: signatories of the memorandum agree to "work toward... increasing positive, well-informed representations of transgender people in the media." In March 2011, Channel 4 became the first company to sign the memorandum. "Our editorial independence always come first; but it is part of our remit to reflect the diversity of the UK", said Cosgrove.
After signing, Channel 4 engaged journalist/activist Paris Lees of Trans Media Watch to be a production consultant for the show; Lees served as consultant for the duration of production.
### Production
Channel 4 gave the programme the working title Girls Will Be Boys and Boys Will Be Girls. Mark Raphael, the commissioning editor for documentaries, contracted a British production company called Twenty Twenty Productions to make the series. Twenty Twenty was at the time a subsidiary of Shed Media. Former commissioning editor for documentaries Meredith Chambers served as executive producer for Channel 4, and Sam Whittaker was executive producer for Twenty Twenty. The series producer and director was Helen Richards.
Filming began several weeks after the signing of the memorandum, and continued over a period of four months. My Transsexual Summer aired on Channel 4 in November 2011.
## Participants
The participants in the programme are four trans women and three trans men from different parts of England. They range in age from 22 to 52; five of the participants are under 30.
Drew-Ashlyn Cunningham
Drew-Ashlyn, a 22-year-old trans woman from Wakefield, has been living as a woman for more than four years. Her family are supportive, but before the show she had never met another trans person—let alone trans people near her own age.
Fox Fisher
Fox (age 30) is a screen printing artist from Brighton. Since starting HRT six months ago, Fox is all-too aware that the hormones are slow to manifest visible changes.
Karen Gale
Karen, from Essex, worked for many years as a police officer, and later as a lorry driver. She divorced in 1985, and wants to be able to see her daughter again. At age 52, she is about to undergo vaginoplasty.
Lewis Hancox
Lewis (age 22) is from St Helens, Merseyside. Like Drew, he says he has never knowingly met another trans person before. He decided at age 18 to transition, and he has been living as a man for three years.
Sarah Savage
Sarah (age 29) is from Jersey. She has only recently begun presenting as a woman full-time; during the course of the show, she comes out to her mother.
Donna Whitbread
Donna is a 25-year-old from Norwich. She and Drew have both been on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for two years.
Maxwell Zachs
Max is a 25-year-old trans man from Tottenham. He is Reform Jewish, and hopes to become a rabbi. Max was living in New Zealand when he began preparing to undergo mastectomy. After seeking help locally, he had the procedure done in Thailand instead.
## Episodes
## Response
Before the first episode aired, journalist Patrick Strudwick asked, "Channel 4, why call your new documentary My Transsexual Summer? It sounds like gender tourism, a fun little trip to the other side." Sarah Dean, an entertainment editor for The Huffington Post UK, called the title "sensationalist". Although Sarah Lake of Trans Media Watch found the title contentious, she defended it by pointing out that transition is a temporary process like coming of age; even so, she believed the title to be "only slightly better" than the "dire and totally inappropriate" working title, Girls Will Be Boys and Boys Will Be Girls. Her overall assessment was that "although the programme makers undeniably made some compromises to draw in viewers, millions will have enjoyed the company of these seven, shared in their lives and learned a lesson in diversity.... They will now have an entry point to broadening their understanding of the rich and joyful diversity of gender experience, something which has always existed but of which they were previously unaware."
Politician and activist Zoe O'Connell described some of the wording in the narration as "cringeworthy", but felt that "it’s more than just a step in the right direction, it’s a programme that pretty accurately reflected how many trans people carry on with each other in private."
Musician, activist, and writer CN Lester listed some ways in which the show perpetuated misconceptions or otherwise fell short, but still saw it as a turning point in the representation of transgender people on television: "It felt like a game changer. The overall feel of it—of hope, of warmth—that felt totally new to me. And hats off to the seven trans people... for putting that across."
When the second episode aired, transgender journalist Juliet Jacques posted her thoughts to the New Statesman'''s politics blog, The Staggers: "At this point... the limited level of improvement in trans representation on TV shown by My Transsexual Summer is probably the best we can expect." She felt the major barriers to better representation to be "producers' prejudices about what viewers will accept or understand" and extremely narrow bandwidth for "minority subjects".
After seeing the first three episodes, Maxwell Zachs called the series "a disappointment". One reason for this, he says, is that although "we see... lovely, endearing transsexuals" portrayed in the show, "what I don’t see is anything that is going to make people think or feel any differently about what gender is or how it limits us all in one way or another." He lamented that their expressions of nuance in gender identity and discussions of genderqueerness were absent from the broadcast edit of the show.
After the final episode aired, Juliet Jacques wrote a follow-up article for Time Out. She concludes: "Perhaps in 30 years' time, My Transsexual Summer will look as dated as [the 1980 documentary] A Change of Sex does now. If so, this will be because it has, for all its faults, taken trans-related television in a more positive direction."
## Participants' lives after the show
### Karen, Drew, Max and Donna
Less than a month after the final episode of My Transsexual Summer aired, Karen Gale delivered part of Channel 4's alternative Christmas message on Christmas Day, 2011. The theme of the broadcast was "Just Be Yourself". In February 2016, Karen's local newspaper, the Romford Recorder, interviewed her about what life was like before she transitioned.
Drew-Ashlyn Cunningham made speaking appearances at schools, universities, and youth groups. She became a supporter of Gendered Intelligence (a nonprofit organisation that aids trans youth), and a celebrity patron of the 2012 and 2013 National Diversity Awards. In 2012 she became a make-up artist for Illamasqua, and also wrote for Gay Star News. In late 2012, she began to train in professional wrestling, as this was a childhood dream of hers; by September 2013 she was preparing for her first match. Her wrestling name is Harley Ryder. By April 2013, she was also working part-time for Gaydio, an LGBT FM radio station in the UK. In January 2014, she reported that she was continuing to work with make-up and to wrestle, that she was still making appearances at schools, and that she was writing an autobiography. Drew-Ashlyn has since left Illamasqua to go on her own. Drew-Ashlyn underwent facial surgery in 2016 which consisted of a nose job, jaw and chin contouring as well as a trachea shave. She was voted number 1 of the 24 Instagram makeup artists to follow for Halloween in 2017 by ELLE magazine. She continues to do volunteer work. She also wrote a chapter in the book To My Trans Sisters by Charlie Craggs.
Maxwell Zachs is a writer, Judaic studies scholar, and trans activist. Since 2011 he has written for various publications on subjects pertaining to gender and Judaism. In 2012, he started a petition calling on the WHO to delist transsexualism from the International Classification of Diseases. After a period of charity work, he moved to Stockholm to study at Paideia, the European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden, on a one-year fellowship. In 2013, while living in Stockholm, he published some of his plays, as well as a dystopian novella called The People's Republic of Nowhere.
Donna Whitbread is a stage and festival performer. In 2014, she joined the cast of cabaret act Ladyboys of London—a company of three trans women plus four male dancers, with choreography by Kamilah Beckles. They debuted at the Hippodrome Casino in London's West End on the 29th of December, and Donna opened the show with a fire breathing act. One year later she announced that she had a role in John Cameron Mitchell's film How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017). In 2017 BBC News videotaped her for Gay Britannia, television programming that marked the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act 1967. She answered questions written by cisgender people about trans women.
### Sarah, Lewis and Fox
After her time with her new friends at the retreat, Sarah Savage was optimistic. "I left the retreat with a different outlook on life, I could feel my confidence growing, slowly." She appeared on chat shows ITV Breakfast and Live with Gabby in 2011, and returned to television in March 2013 as a guest on The Alan Titchmarsh Show. She took a job in Brighton, and has a blog that she started during the production of My Transsexual Summer. In the spring of 2013, she started HRT. 2013 was also the inaugural year of Trans\* Pride Brighton, the first transgender pride festival in the UK, and she and Fox Fisher served on the organisation committee. In 2015 Sarah and Fox published a picture book, Are You a Boy or are You a Girl?, which Sarah wrote and Fox illustrated. "Before I started transitioning, I never wrote, I never... did anything creative," said Sarah in a 2013 interview. "For some reason... living in a female role has allowed me to be more creative."
Lewis Hancox' fundraising events attracted donations from TV viewers; among those who gave to the cause were Stephen Fry and Graham Norton. Later that year, Lewis began preparing for a more complicated gender-confirmation surgery: metoidioplasty. Lewis moved to London to study Digital Film and Video at London South Bank University. In 2013, he and Fox Fisher started the My Genderation project, in which they make short documentaries about transgender people and gender variance. Their production company is called Lucky Tooth Films. The Independent on Sunday placed Lewis and Fox on their Pink List for 2013 (a list of "101 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people that make a difference"), and on the Rainbow List in 2015. (The Pink List was renamed to Rainbow List in 2014). In 2014, The Guardian included Lewis on their "30 under 30" list of "top young people in digital media".
Fox Fisher (aka Raphael Fox) continued to work as a freelance screen printer and visual artist. In addition to their creative projects with Lewis and Sarah, Fox wrote a few pieces for The Huffington Post. Like Sarah, they felt a new creative freedom from transitioning: "It's easier to make art now because I feel like I've got a huge chunk of my life out of the way." In 2014, Fox spoke at TEDxBrighton, and was nominated for the alumnus award at the University of Brighton, where they were a Master of Arts student. Fox completed a Master's degree in Sequential Design and Illustration in 2015. In July 2017, the university granted them an honorary doctorate "in recognition of their major contribution to raising the profile, both nationally and internationally, of issues affecting trans people and the promotion of arts in the media". Fox is active in the media as a trans spokesperson, consultant, actor, and filmmaker. They have spoken about trans issues on Good Morning Britain, Inside Out, and This Morning''.
## See also
|
[
"## Background",
"### Production",
"## Participants",
"## Episodes",
"## Response",
"## Participants' lives after the show",
"### Karen, Drew, Max and Donna",
"### Sarah, Lewis and Fox",
"## See also"
] | 2,941 | 4,390 |
24,547,163 |
Suillus spraguei
| 1,159,697,785 |
Species of mushroom
|
[
"Edible fungi",
"Fungi described in 1872",
"Fungi of Asia",
"Fungi of Europe",
"Fungi of North America",
"Suillus",
"Taxa named by Miles Joseph Berkeley"
] |
Suillus spraguei is a species of fungus in the family Suillaceae. It is known by a variety of common names, including the painted slipperycap, the painted suillus or the red and yellow suillus. Suillus spraguei has had a complex taxonomical history, and is also frequently referred to as Suillus pictus in the literature. The readily identifiable fruit bodies have caps that are dark red when fresh, dry to the touch, and covered with mats of hairs and scales that are separated by yellow cracks. On the underside of the cap are small, yellow, angular pores that become brownish as the mushroom ages. The stalk bears a grayish cottony ring, and is typically covered with soft hairs or scales.
Suillus spraguei grows in a mycorrhizal association with several pine species, particularly eastern white pine, and the fruit bodies grow on the ground, appearing from early summer to autumn. It has a disjunct distribution, and is found in eastern Asia, northeastern North America, and Mexico throughout the range of the host tree. The mushroom is edible; opinions about its quality vary. The mushroom bears a resemblance to several other Suillus species, including the closely related S. decipiens; the species can be differentiated by variations in color and size.
## Taxonomy, phylogeny, and naming
Suillus spraguei has had a complex taxonomic history. The first specimen was originally collected in New England in 1856 by Charles James Sprague, and a formal scientific description was published in 1872 when Miles Joseph Berkeley and Moses Ashley Curtis called it Boletus spraguei. In a publication that appeared the following year, American mycologist Charles Horton Peck named the species Boletus pictus. Berkeley and Curtis had also described what they believed to be a new species—Boletus murraii—although this was later considered by Rolf Singer to be merely a younger version of their Boletus spraguei. Peck's description appeared in print in 1873, but the date stamp on the original publication revealed that he had sent his documents to the printer before the appearance of the 1872 Berkeley and Curtis publication, thus establishing nomenclatural priority under the rules of fungal naming. In 1945 Singer reported that the name Boletus pictus was illegitimate because it was a homonym, already being used for a polypore mushroom described by Carl Friedrich Schultz in 1806. The name was officially switched to Suillus spraguei in 1986 (Otto Kuntze had previously transferred the taxon to Suillus in 1898).
A 1996 molecular analysis of 38 Suillus species used the sequences of their internal transcribed spacers to infer phylogenetic relationships and clarify the taxonomy of the genus. The results indicate that S. spraguei is most closely related to S. decipiens. The species S. granulatus and S. placidus lie on a branch sister to that containing S. spraguei. These results were corroborated and extended in later publications that assessed the relationships between Asian and eastern North American isolates of various Suillus, including S. spraguei. The analysis supported the hypothesis that Chinese and U.S. S. spraguei and S. decipiens were each other's closest relatives, and the clade that contained them could be divided into four distinct subgroups: S. decipiens, U.S. S. spraguei, China (Yunnan) S. spraguei, and China (Jilin) S. spraguei.
The specific epithet spraguei is an homage to the collector Sprague, while pictus means "painted" or "colored". Suillus spraguei is commonly known as the "painted slipperycap", the "painted suillus", or the "red and yellow suillus". It is also called the "eastern painted Suillus" to contrast with the "western painted Suillus" (Suillus lakei).
## Description
The cap of the fruit body is 3 to 12 cm (1.2 to 4.7 in) in diameter, and depending on its age, is either conic to convex, to somewhat flattened at maturity. The cap margin is initially rolled downward before straightening out, often with hanging remnants of partial veil (appendiculate). The cap surface is covered with densely matted filaments that are rough and scale-like. The scales are pink to brownish red, fading to a pale brown-gray or dull yellow in maturity. Under the scales, the cap surface is yellow to pale yellow-orange. While many other Suillus species have a sticky or slimy cap, S. spraguei is dry. The flesh is yellow.
The pores on the underside of the cap are yellowish and angular, measuring 0.5 to 5 mm (0.02 to 0.20 in) wide, and formed by tubes that extend 4 to 8 mm (0.2 to 0.3 in) deep. These pores have a slightly decurrent attachment to the stem (extending down its length). Young specimens have a whitish fibrous partial veil that protects the developing pores; as the cap expands it rips the veil, which remains as a grayish ring on the stem. The stem is 4 to 12 cm (1.6 to 4.7 in) long, and 1 to 2.5 cm (0.4 to 1.0 in) thick, roughly cylindrical in shape, or sometimes with a bulbous bottom so as to be somewhat club-shaped. The stem surface is tomentose, with scales at the top, and a ring on the upper half of the stem. Below the ring the stem is fibrillose, covered with a mat of soft hairs. Its color at the top is yellow, but with wine-red to reddish-brown scales below, underlaid with a pale yellow to grayish color. The stem is usually solid, rarely hollow. The tissue of all parts of the fruit body—cap, pores, and stem—will turn brownish shortly after being bruised or injured.
In deposit, such as with a spore print, the spores of S. spraguei appear olive-brown in color; this changes to clay or tawny-olive after drying. Microscopically, the spores have smooth surfaces, measuring 9–11 by 3–4.5 μm; in side profile they have asymmetrical sides and a suprahilar depression (a surface indentation formed where the spore attaches to the basidia), while in face view they appear oblong. The spores are not amyloid, meaning that they do not absorb iodine when stained with Melzer's reagent. The basidia (the spore-bearing cells in the hymenium) are thin-walled, four-spored, and have dimensions of 17–19 by 5–7.8 μm. In the presence of potassium hydroxide, they appear hyaline (translucent), and they become pale yellow to nearly hyaline in Melzer's reagent.
Various parts of the mushroom display characteristic color reactions to chemical tests commonly used in mushroom identification. The cap cuticle will turn a blackish color with the application of a drop of potassium hydroxide (KOH), iron sulfate (FeSO<sub>4</sub>) solution, or ammonia solution. The mushroom flesh turns grayish-green to greenish black with a drop of FeSO<sub>4</sub>, and olive to greenish black with KOH or NH<sub>4</sub>OH.
### Edibility
Suillus spraguei is an edible mushroom. Its taste is not distinctive, and the odor has been described as "slightly fruity". It turns a blackish color when cooked, and some consider it choice, and "among the better edibles in the genus Suillus". In contrast, another source on mushrooms of Québec described the mushroom as a poor edible ("comestible médiocre"), and warned of a slightly acidic taste and disagreeable flavor. Michael Kuo's 2007 book 100 Edible Mushrooms rates the taste as mediocre, suggesting "its sluglike consistency has all the palatability of unflavored gelatin." The book recommends frying the thinly sliced mushroom in butter or oil until it acquires a crispy texture.
### Similar species
S. spraguei is a popular edible among novice mushroom hunters as it is readily identifiable due to both its appearance and its association with white pine. This renders it unlikely to be confused with other species, but it shares similar characteristics with several other Suillus species. S. spraguei bears some resemblance to the rosy larch bolete (S. ochraceoroseus), but the latter species has a darker spore print, a thicker stem, and grows in association with larch. S. cavipes, another associate of larch trees, is more brownish and has a hollow stalk. S. lakei is less brightly colored than S. spraguei, has a shorter stalk, and usually grows with Douglas fir. S. decipiens has a less intensely red cap when young, but the color of older specimens fade and can resemble S. spraguei. S. decipiens generally has a smaller stature, with a cap ranging from 4 to 7 cm (1.6 to 2.8 in) in diameter, and stem that is typically 4–7 cm (1.6–2.8 in) long by 0.7–1.6 cm (0.3–0.6 in) thick. Further, its pores are irregular in shape, measuring 0.5–1 mm in diameter at maturity, and stain a shade of hazel rather than reddish to brownish. It is found in the southeastern United States, from New Jersey south to Florida and west to Texas.
## Ecology, habitat and distribution
In nature, Suillus spraguei forms ectomycorrhizal relationships with five-needled pine species. This is a mutually beneficial relationship where the hyphae of the fungus grow around the roots of the trees, enabling the fungus to receive moisture, protection and nutritive byproducts of the tree, and affording the tree greater access to soil nutrients. S. spraguei produces tuberculate ectomycorrhizae (covered with wart-like projections) that are described as aggregates of ectomycorrhizal roots encased in a fungal rind, and rhizomorphs that are tubular fungal cords with a hard outer sheath. The fungus has ecological host specificity, and in natural soils can only associate with white pine, a grouping of trees classified in subgenus Strobus of the genus Pinus. Under controlled pure culture conditions in the laboratory, S. spraguei has also been shown to form associations with red pine, pitch pine, and loblolly pine. Asian populations have been associated with Korean pine, Chinese white pine, Siberian dwarf pine and Japanese white pine. In North America, fruit bodies appear earlier than most other boletes, as early as June (bolete fruit bodies generally begin to appear in July–September), but they may be found as late as October. Mushrooms can be parasitized by the fungus Hypomyces completus. In the asexual stage of H. completus, it appears initially as patches of whitish mold on the surface of the cap or stem that rapidly spread to cover the entire mushroom surface and produce conidia (asexual spores). In the sexual stage, the mold changes color, progressing from yellow-brown to brown, greenish-brown and eventually black as it makes perithecia, asci-containing sexual structures that produce ascospores. The perithecia are pimply and give the surface a roughened texture.
A Japanese field study found that S. spraguei was the dominant fungus in a 21-year-old stand of Korean pine, both in terms of ectomycorrhizae (measured as percentage of biomass present in soil samples) and by fruit body production (comprising over 90% of dry weight of total fruit bodies collected of all species). The production of S. spraguei fruit bodies averaged about one per square meter, without much variance during the four-year study period. The mushrooms appeared mostly from August to November, tended to grow in clumps, and the spatial distribution of clumps was random—the location of the clumps was not correlatable with appearances in previous years. The density of mushrooms along a forest road was higher than average, suggesting a preference for disturbed habitat. The results also suggested that S. spraguei prefers to produce fruit bodies in areas with low litter accumulation, a finding corroborated in a later publication. This study also determined that the fungus propagates mainly by vegetative growth (extension of underground mycelia), rather than by colonization of spores.
Suillus spraguei has a disjunct distribution and is known from several localities in Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. In North America, its range extends from eastern Canada (Nova Scotia) south to the Carolinas, and west to Minnesota. It has also been collected in Mexico (Coahuila and Durango). Furthermore, the species has been introduced to Europe (Germany, Lower Saxony; Netherlands).
## See also
- List of North American boletes
|
[
"## Taxonomy, phylogeny, and naming",
"## Description",
"### Edibility",
"### Similar species",
"## Ecology, habitat and distribution",
"## See also"
] | 2,791 | 41,082 |
72,128,351 |
Grand station (CTA Logan Square branch)
| 1,145,447,546 |
Rapid transit station in Chicago, 1895–1951
|
[
"1895 establishments in Illinois",
"1951 disestablishments in Illinois",
"Defunct Chicago \"L\" stations",
"Railway stations closed in 1951",
"Railway stations in the United States opened in 1895"
] |
Grand was a rapid transit station on the Chicago "L"'s Logan Square branch, one of the several branches of the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad. Located on Grand Avenue, the station was constructed by the Metropolitan in the early 1890s and began service on May 6, 1895.
The Metropolitan, one of four companies that would build what became the Chicago "L", had many branches to serve Chicago's west side, including the Logan Square branch on which Grand lay. With some interruptions and financial issues, it operated these lines until 1911, when it handed operations to Chicago Elevated Railways, and formally merged into the Chicago Rapid Transit Company (CRT) in 1924. The "L" was taken over by the publicly-held Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) in 1947.
A subway had been planned since the late 1930s to reach downtown in a more direct way than the portion of the Logan Square branch where Grand stood. This subway was originally intended to supplement the old elevated Logan Square branch, but the CTA sought to simplify its routing and saw no need for the old branch's continued existence. The subway opened on February 25, 1951, with a station of its own on Grand Avenue; the old Grand station was then closed along with the others on the affected part of the branch. The station and its trackage remained in non-revenue service until it was demolished and the property sold off in 1964.
Grand was typical of the Metropolitan's stations, with two wooden side platforms and a brick station house at street level. For most of its existence it connected with a streetcar route that reached Navy Pier; both the "L" and streetcar had owl service. After the late 1910s it was also the lowest-ridership station on the Logan Square branch, and one the least-patronized on the entire "L".
## History
The Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad Company was granted a 50-year franchise by the Chicago City Council on April 7, 1892, and began securing right of way shortly thereafter. As designed, the Metropolitan's operations would comprise a main line that went west from downtown to Marshfield, where three branches – one northwest to Logan Square, one due west to Garfield Park, and one southwest to Douglas Park – would diverge and serve various parts of Chicago's west side. A further branch to Humboldt Park would proceed due west from the Logan Square branch just past Robey Street. Unlike the competing South Side and Lake Street Elevateds, the Metropolitan never used steam traction; although intending to and building much of its structure with locomotives in mind, it decided in May 1894 to have electrified tracks instead, opening as the first revenue electric elevated railroad in the United States. The Metropolitan's tracks on the Logan Square branch were finished up to Robey by the middle of October 1894, and were given power in April 1895 for test and inspection runs. The Metropolitan began service at 6 a.m. on Monday, May 6, 1895, between Robey on the Logan Square branch and Canal on the main line. Eleven stations opened that day, one of which was on Grand Avenue.
The Metropolitan's lines were originally operated by the West Side Construction Company, which had been responsible for constructing them, and would be transferred to the Metropolitan on October 6, 1896. The backers and officers of the two companies were largely identical, however, so this transfer of ownership was nominal. The expenses incurred in constructing the Metropolitan's vast trackage would come back to haunt the company, which entered receivership in 1897; the similarly-named Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railway Company was organized in January 1899 and assumed operations on February 3 of that year. The new Metropolitan, along with the other companies operating "L" lines in Chicago, became a part of the Chicago Elevated Railways (CER) trust on July 1, 1911. CER acted as a de facto holding company for the "L" – unifying its operations, instituting the same management across the companies, and instituting free transfers between the lines starting in 1913 – but kept the underlying companies intact. This continued until the companies were formally merged into the single Chicago Rapid Transit Company (CRT), which assumed operations on January 9; the former Metropolitan was designated the Metropolitan Division of the CRT for administrative purposes. Although municipal ownership of transit had been a hotly-contested issue for half a century, the publicly-owned Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) would not be created until 1945, or assume operation of the "L" until October 1, 1947.
### Closure and demolition
Plans for Chicago to have a subway system to relieve the severe congestion of, if not replace, its elevated trackage dated back to the early 20th century, but the city lagged in building subways. Chicago petitioned the Public Works Administration (PWA) for construction funds for a subway on State Street in 1937. Originally included in the petition was a proposal for two downtown east-west streetcar tunnels. Harold L. Ickes, the administrator of the PWA and a longtime Chicagoan, vetoed the streetcar tunnel plan and insisted instead on a second subway that would go under Dearborn Street and Milwaukee Avenue, which would provide a more direct route from Logan Square to downtown. Although this idea engendered considerable local opposition, especially from mayor Edward Joseph Kelly, Ickes's influence in the federal government led to the Dearborn plan being adopted in 1938. A 1939 plan also introduced the idea of replacing the Metropolitan's main line and Garfield Park branch with a section of rapid transit operating through a proposed Congress superhighway (the eventual Interstate 290). These sections of transit would be connected, allowing for the area's rapid transit to be routed through downtown rather than adhere to a trunk-and-branch model.
The subway's approval did not immediately imply the end of the old Logan Square branch; plans in 1939 included another proposed subway to connect the branch with the Ravenswood branch to the north and through-routing it with the Douglas Park branch to the south into a subway on Ashland Avenue to form a crosstown route. Damen Tower, serving the Humboldt Park branch divergence, was rebuilt with the expectation that it also would switch trains between the subway and the elevated, in the same manner as the State Street subway supplementing the earlier elevated North Side main line, and as late as 1949 commuters were promised such a setup that would have preserved the old Logan Square trackage. However, the CTA had no interest in operating either the old Logan Square elevated or the Humboldt Park branch; the new Damen Tower would never be installed with switching equipment, and the Logan Square branch south of Damen would be closed after the subway opened.
World War II interrupted the construction of the subway; although the federal government allowed the continued construction of the State Street subway, it did not do so for the Dearborn subway despite its being 82 percent complete in 1942. After the war ended, work resumed on the Dearborn subway and it opened at the midnight beginning Sunday, February 25, 1951. The subway was predicted to reduce the travel time between Logan Square and downtown from 28 minutes to 15. Since construction had not started on the Congress Line, trains in the subway turned back at its southern terminus at LaSalle. Despite this incomplete state, and complaints from riders no longer given a direct trip to the Near West Side, the new subway had over 60 percent higher ridership than the old Logan Square branch by the end of the year. The subway contains a station of its own on Grand Avenue.
The old Logan Square branch trackage south of its entrance to the subway became known as the Paulina Connector, connecting the branch with the rest of the "L" system now that it no longer had revenue service to the Loop. Construction on the Congress Line began in 1954, leaving the Douglas branch with the issue of how to connect with the Loop in the meantime. The Paulina Connector south of Washington Boulevard (about one-half mi (0.80 km) south of Grand) was reopened for the purpose, but the Metropolitan's old tracks north of Washington were replaced in revenue service by a direct connection to the Lake Street Elevated's trackage known as Washington Junction. This connection was used until the Congress Line was completed in 1958, after which the Douglas branch connected directly with it to use the Dearborn Street subway to go downtown, creating the "West-Northwest Route" that was renamed the Blue Line in 1992.
Wooden parts from the old stations on the Connector, including Grand, were removed to reduce fire hazards, as were the lowest flights of stairs to deter trespassing. North of Washington Junction, the old northbound track was removed in 1957 while the southbound track continued non-revenue operations. The portion of the Connector north of Kinzie Street, including where Division, Chicago, and Grand stations stood, was demolished in 1964 and the right of way sold to adjacent landowners.
## Station details
Grand had two wooden side platforms at its tracks and a station house at street level. The station house, made of red pressed brick and white limestone trim with a stone sill and foundation, was designed similarly to other stations on the Logan Square branch, surviving examples of which are at California and Damen, with a corniced and dentiled front bay containing dual doors specifically marked "Entrance" and "Exit" and prolific use of terra cotta. Its platforms had hipped roof tin canopies in the center and decorative cast-iron railings with diamond designs. Unlike elsewhere on the "L", station houses on the Metropolitan had central heating and a basement. The Metropolitan's tracks and stations were constructed by the West Side Construction Company, a company with the same officers as the Metropolitan itself and the chief engineer of E. W. Elliot, with steel and iron from the Carnegie Steel Company.
### Operations and connections
As originally opened, the Metropolitan's trains ran every six minutes between 6 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and every ten minutes during the night; the average speed was 16 mph (26 km/h). Unlike the Lake Street Elevated, which offered smoking and non-smoking cars, all of the Metropolitan's cars allowed smoking. Smoking was banned by the city across the "L" and in streetcars in response to a 1918 influenza outbreak, a prohibition that has remained in force ever since.
The fare across the "L" was legally mandated to be a nickel (5 cents, \$ in 2021) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This fare continued until temporarily increased by a cent to \$0.06 (\$ in 2021) in 1917 before stabilizing to a dime (10 cents, \$ in 2021) in 1920. Starting in 1922, fares were usually marketed in packs of three for 25 cents, or 8+1⁄3 cents per ride (\$ in 2021), but individual fares remained 10 cents each. At the same time, a weekly pass was introduced, the first in a major American city, for \$1.25 (\$ in 2021) for rides outside of Evanston and Wilmette. Fare control was usually by a station agent posted 24 hours a day, but conductors were used instead during night and off-peak hours from 1931 to 1934, and during 1936 and 1937.
As of 1912, Grand Avenue had two streetcar routes, one of which, an express from Harlem Avenue to downtown, was in the area of the station. The other route, a local, was extended to Western Avenue in 1914, bringing it in the station's vicinity. The express car was discontinued on June 8, 1916, but half of the local cars were extended to Harlem to compensate for it; Navy Pier was then made the line's eastern end. By 1928, the local route had owl service between 1 and 5 a.m., wherein cars ran once every thirty minutes; during the day, streetcar lines in Chicago typically had intervals of between eight and fifteen minutes per car. Service was cut back from Navy Pier on September 28, 1941, and buses began supplementing streetcars on December 4, 1949, and replaced them altogether on April 1, 1951, shortly after the station was abandoned. Streetcars were typically one car each in Chicago, but two-car streetcars ran on Grand Avenue on occasion – motor-trailer trains ran between July 13, 1922, and May 4, 1923, and multiple-unit trains ran between November 18, 1926, and January 3, 1928.
### Ridership
Grand's ridership peaked in 1902 at 634,530 passengers. Between 1900 and 1913, the station was consistently in the middle of the Northwest branch's rankings, surpassing the stations of Lake and Madison to its south but trailing Robey, Division, and Chicago to its north. By the late 1910s, the station was the lowest-ridership station on the branch except for the Metropolitan's portion of the Lake Street Transfer station, the successor to Lake and a station whose ridership the Metropolitan shared with the Lake Street Elevated, giving a combined ridership higher than that of Grand; in any event, Grand's ridership also trailed every station on the Logan Square branch proper. Ridership last exceeded 600,000 passengers in 1907, 500,000 in 1910, 400,000 in 1912, 300,000 in 1924, and 200,000 in 1929. During the 1930s, ridership dropped below six figures, bottoming out at 83,003 patrons in 1933. In the last year ridership records are available, 1948, Grand served 128,950 passengers, a 23.27 percent decrease from the 168,006 in 1947. In 1948, it was the 196th-most ridden of the 223 stations on the Chicago "L" at the beginning of the year where ridership was recorded; in 1947, it had been the 193rd-most ridden of 222 such stations.
|
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"## History",
"### Closure and demolition",
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25,874,606 |
Today Was a Fairytale
| 1,165,974,698 |
2010 single by Taylor Swift
|
[
"2010 singles",
"2010s ballads",
"Big Machine Records singles",
"Canadian Hot 100 number-one singles",
"Song recordings produced by Chris Rowe",
"Song recordings produced by Nathan Chapman (record producer)",
"Song recordings produced by Taylor Swift",
"Songs written by Taylor Swift",
"Taylor Swift songs"
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"Today Was a Fairytale" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, it was released digitally on January 19, 2010, by Big Machine Records as a single from the corresponding soundtrack for the 2010 film Valentine's Day, in which she acted. Swift had previously written the song and offered it to producers for the film's soundtrack. Musically, "Today Was a Fairytale" is country pop-influenced and, lyrically, speaks of a magical date.
Some critics deemed "Today Was a Fairytale" the best song on the Valentine's Day soundtrack, but some others deemed it bland. The song peaked at number one in Canada, number two in the United States, and number six in Australia. Swift included the track on a revised set list for the continuation of her Fearless Tour in 2010. The song was re-recorded and released as "Today Was a Fairytale (Taylor's Version)", as part of Swift's 2021 re-recorded album, Fearless (Taylor's Version).
## Background and release
Swift solely penned "Today Was a Fairytale" in the summer of 2008 and stored it away for a while. After being cast as Felicia Miller on Valentine's Day, Swift offered the song to the film producers for the soundtrack as she did not believe it fit on her upcoming album. "When this movie opportunity came about, I reached back into my pocket and thought, 'I think this is perfect for the soundtrack. I hope it's perfect for the soundtrack'", Swift told The Tennessean. "Today Was a Fairytale" was released as a single from the Valentine's Day soundtrack on January 19, 2010, exclusively through the iTunes Store. The single was re-released on February 15, 2011. Swift released a re-recorded version, "Today Was a Fairytale (Taylor's Version)", as the twentieth track on her re-recorded album Fearless (Taylor's Version), on April 9, 2021.
## Composition
"Today Was a Fairytale" has a length of four minutes and two seconds. It is set in common time and has a ballad tempo of 80 beats per minute. It is written in the key of G major and Swift's vocals span a little more than one octave, from G<sub>3</sub> to C<sub>5</sub>. It follows the chord progression G–C–Em–D. Jody Rosen and Jonas Weiner of Slate magazine noted that although Swift typically sings country pop, "with the possible exception of that woodsy acoustic guitar" in the song's introduction "Today Was a Fairytale" displays no aspects of country music in either its instrumentation or vocals. "Taylor's vowels have gotten flattened and Yankee-ified," commented Rosen, though Weiner pointed out that Swift's pop-heavy music was the primary reason for her success. Hannah Mylrea from NME, meanwhile, described it as a country song. Melanie Bertoldi of Billboard believed Swift's vocals displayed a newfound maturity. There are two different versions of the song's intro: the first one having much more electronic production while the second one is only accompanied by an acoustic guitar.
The song's lyrics describe a magical date. Like many of Swift's songs, the lyrics invoke princess imagery with lines such as "Today was a fairytale/You were the prince/I used to be a damsel in distress." Bertoldi said the lyrics were "driven more by sweeping emotion than [...] specific, youth-focused imagery". Occasionally, Swift does interrupt the fairytale construct with modern day, real world details like the time her date arrives or the color of his shirt.
## Critical reception
The song received generally positive reviews from contemporary critics. Melanie Bertoldi of Billboard compared the song's lyrics to those of Swift's previous singles "You Belong with Me" and "Fifteen"; she was convinced that "Today Was a Fairytale" would "help [Swift] reach an even broader audience." Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly did not see a departure from Swift, recalling lyrics to be familiar of those of "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me". However, she ended with "What do we know? The song sounds Taylor-made (oh, the wit!) for her fans, and we’re just happy she's still sweet, neat, and [...] age-appropriate." An uncredited review from People magazine said the track led the Valentine's Day soundtrack. Brittany Talarico of British magazine OK! called the song's refrains "catchy" and described the overall feel as "sweet." Andrew Leahey of AllMusic said that there was special attention placed on Swift's tracks on the soundtrack, particularly on the song. Jody Rosen of Slate magazine declared "Today Was a Fairytale" "track of the week", highlighting its imagery that, according to her, "sharpen the focus instead of softening it." Jonah Weiner, also of Slate, wrote, "This song is a funny mix: some of her tightest songwriting to date, but some of her laziest lyrics." He mentioned that in the lyrics, Swift mainly "invoke[d] the cliché and hope[d] it [did] her heavy lifting for her." In June 2022, Insider ranked "Today Was a Fairytale" as Swift's second worst soundtrack song.
## Commercial performance
On the week ending February 6, 2010, "Today Was a Fairytale" debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 (blocked from number one by Kesha's "Tik Tok"). This was due to the sales of 325,000 digital downloads, which broke the record for largest first-week download sales by a female artist previously set by Britney Spears' "Womanizer". In the succeeding week, the song descended to number 22. It spent a total of 18 weeks on the chart. "Today Was a Fairytale" additionally peaked at number one on the Digital Song Sales chart, number 20 on the Mainstream Top 40 chart, number 21 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and number 41 on the Hot Country Songs chart. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for the sales of over one million units. As of November 2014, "Today Was a Fairytale" had sold 1.6 million digital downloads in the United States.
"Today Was a Fairytale" was Swift's first song to peak at number one on the Canadian Hot 100. The song peaked at number six in Australia and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for sales of 70,000 units. It peaked at number 29 in New Zealand, number 41 in Ireland, number 57 in the United Kingdom, and number 63 in Japan.
## Live performances
Swift performed a medley, which included the song, at the 52nd Grammy Awards. Wearing casual white blouse and black skinny jeans, Swift performed "Today Was a Fairytale", where she took center stage with a wooden acoustic guitar strapped to her shoulder. After performing the track, she announced. "It's a fairy tale and an honor to share the stage with Stevie Nicks". Following, the two performed a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon" (1976). Swift and Nicks then jumped into the third and final part in her medley, a twangy version of "You Belong with Me". Eric Ditzian of MTV News was disappointed at Swift's and Nicks' harmonies, but said the two "made for a compelling twosome". The performance followed much backlash in regards to Swift's off key singing, which caused Scott Borchetta, CEO of Big Machine Records, to issue a statement defending the performance.
Swift annexed "Today Was a Fairytale" to a revised set list for the continuation of her Fearless Tour in 2010. During the performances, which was the penultimate of each concert, Swift was usually costumed in a black cocktail dress with a v-neck cut and black, leather boots. She performed with a rhinestoned acoustic guitar center-stage as a forest was projected on the stage; concluding the performance, clips from Valentine's Day were depicted and, following its completion, confetti dropped from the ceiling. At the May 22, 2010 concert at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Jane Stevenson of The Toronto Sun said that Swift wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey "didn't hurt [her] popularity either in this hockey-mad town." Molly Trust of Billboard noted the performance at the tour's final concert on June 5, 2010 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts "sported a touch of a hometown feel, as Swift literally and figuratively played to the crowd in a Patriots shirt." Swift later performed the song on select dates on the Red Tour (2013–2014) in place of "I Almost Do"; and during the Eras Tour (2023–2024) as a surprise song for the second Houston show.
## Chart performance
### Weekly charts
### Year-end charts
## Certifications
## Release history
## See also
- List of Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles in 2010
- List of number-one digital songs of 2010 (U.S.)
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2010 (Canada)
|
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"## Chart performance",
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"### Year-end charts",
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4,320 |
Binary search tree
| 1,171,901,618 |
Rooted binary tree data structure
|
[
"Articles with example C++ code",
"Articles with example Python (programming language) code",
"Binary trees",
"Search trees"
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In computer science, a binary search tree (BST), also called an ordered or sorted binary tree, is a rooted binary tree data structure with the key of each internal node being greater than all the keys in the respective node's left subtree and less than the ones in its right subtree. The time complexity of operations on the binary search tree is directly proportional to the height of the tree.
Binary search trees allow binary search for fast lookup, addition, and removal of data items. Since the nodes in a BST are laid out so that each comparison skips about half of the remaining tree, the lookup performance is proportional to that of binary logarithm. BSTs were devised in the 1960s for the problem of efficient storage of labeled data and are attributed to Conway Berners-Lee and David Wheeler.
The performance of a binary search tree is dependent on the order of insertion of the nodes into the tree since arbitrary insertions may lead to degeneracy; several variations of the binary search tree can be built with guaranteed worst-case performance. The basic operations include: search, traversal, insert and delete. BSTs with guaranteed worst-case complexities perform better than an unsorted array, which would require linear search time.
The complexity analysis of BST shows that, on average, the insert, delete and search takes $O(\log n)$ for $n$ nodes. In the worst case, they degrade to that of a singly linked list: $O(n)$. To address the boundless increase of the tree height with arbitrary insertions and deletions, self-balancing variants of BSTs are introduced to bound the worst lookup complexity to that of the binary logarithm. AVL trees were the first self-balancing binary search trees, invented in 1962 by Georgy Adelson-Velsky and Evgenii Landis.
Binary search trees can be used to implement abstract data types such as dynamic sets, lookup tables and priority queues, and used in sorting algorithms such as tree sort.
## History
The binary search tree algorithm was discovered independently by several researchers, including P.F. Windley, Andrew Donald Booth, Andrew Colin, Thomas N. Hibbard. The algorithm is attributed to Conway Berners-Lee and David Wheeler, who used it for storing labeled data in magnetic tapes in 1960. One of the earliest and popular binary search tree algorithm is that of Hibbard.
The time complexities of a binary search tree increases boundlessly with the tree height if the nodes are inserted in an arbitrary order, therefore self-balancing binary search trees were introduced to bound the height of the tree to $O(\log n)$. Various height-balanced binary search trees were introduced to confine the tree height, such as AVL trees, Treaps, and red–black trees.
The AVL tree was invented by Georgy Adelson-Velsky and Evgenii Landis in 1962 for the efficient organization of information. It was the first self-balancing binary search tree to be invented.
## Overview
A binary search tree is a rooted binary tree in which nodes are arranged in strict total order in which the nodes with keys greater than any particular node A is stored on the right sub-trees to that node A and the nodes with keys equal to or less than A are stored on the left sub-trees to A, satisfying the binary search property.
Binary search trees are also efficacious in sortings and search algorithms. However, the search complexity of a BST depends upon the order in which the nodes are inserted and deleted; since in worst case, successive operations in the binary search tree may lead to degeneracy and form a singly linked list (or "unbalanced tree") like structure, thus has the same worst-case complexity as a linked list.
Binary search trees are also a fundamental data structure used in construction of abstract data structures such as sets, multisets, and associative arrays.
## Operations
### Searching
Searching in a binary search tree for a specific key can be programmed recursively or iteratively.
Searching begins by examining the root node. If the tree is , the key being searched for does not exist in the tree. Otherwise, if the key equals that of the root, the search is successful and the node is returned. If the key is less than that of the root, the search proceeds by examining the left subtree. Similarly, if the key is greater than that of the root, the search proceeds by examining the right subtree. This process is repeated until the key is found or the remaining subtree is $\text{nil}$. If the searched key is not found after a $\text{nil}$ subtree is reached, then the key is not present in the tree.
#### Recursive search
The following pseudocode implements the BST search procedure through recursion.
The recursive procedure continues until a $\text{nil}$ or the $\text{key}$ being searched for are encountered.
#### Iterative search
The recursive version of the search can be "unrolled" into a while loop. On most machines, the iterative version is found to be more efficient.
Since the search may proceed till some leaf node, the running time complexity of BST search is $O(h)$ where $h$ is the height of the tree. However, the worst case for BST search is $O(n)$ where $n$ is the total number of nodes in the BST, because an unbalanced BST may degenerate to a linked list. However, if the BST is height-balanced the height is $O(\log n)$.
#### Successor and predecessor
For certain operations, given a node $\text{x}$, finding the successor or predecessor of $\text{x}$ is crucial. Assuming all the keys of the BST are distinct, the successor of a node $\text{x}$ in BST is the node with the smallest key greater than $\text{x}$'s key. On the other hand, the predecessor of a node $\text{x}$ in BST is the node with the largest key smaller than $\text{x}$'s key. Following is pseudocode for finding the successor and predecessor of a node $\text{x}$ in BST.
Operations such as finding a node in a BST whose key is the maximum or minimum are critical in certain operations, such as determining the successor and predecessor of nodes. Following is the pseudocode for the operations.
### Insertion
Operations such as insertion and deletion cause the BST representation to change dynamically. The data structure must be modified in such a way that the properties of BST continue to hold. New nodes are inserted as leaf nodes in the BST. Following is an iterative implementation of the insertion operation.
The procedure maintains a "trailing pointer" $\text{y}$ as a parent of $\text{x}$. After initialization on line 2, the while loop along lines 4-11 causes the pointers to be updated. If $\text{y}$ is $\text{nil}$, the BST is empty, thus $\text{z}$ is inserted as the root node of the binary search tree $\text{T}$, if it is not $\text{nil}$, insertion proceeds by comparing the keys to that of $\text{y}$ on the lines 15-19 and the node is inserted accordingly.
### Deletion
The deletion of a node, say $\text{Z}$, from the binary search tree $\text{BST}$ has three cases:
1. If $\text{Z}$ is a leaf node, the parent node of $\text{Z}$ gets replaced by $\text{NIL}$ and consequently $\text{Z}$ is removed from the $\text{BST}$, as shown in (a).
2. If $\text{Z}$ has only one child, the child node of $\text{Z}$ gets elevated by modifying the parent node of $\text{Z}$ to point to the child node, consequently taking $\text{Z}$'s position in the tree, as shown in (b) and (c).
3. If $\text{Z}$ has both left and right child, the successor of $\text{Z}$, say $\text{Y}$, displaces $\text{Z}$ by following the two cases:
1. If $\text{Y}$ is $\text{Z}$'s right child, as shown in (d), $\text{Y}$ displaces $\text{Z}$ and $\text{Y}$'s right child remain unchanged.
2. If $\text{Y}$ lies within $\text{Z}$'s right subtree but is not $\text{Z}$'s right child, as shown in (e), $\text{Y}$ first gets replaced by its own right child, and then it displaces $\text{Z}$'s position in the tree.
The following pseudocode implements the deletion operation in a binary search tree.
The $\text{BST-Delete}$ procedure deals with the 3 special cases mentioned above. Lines 2-3 deal with case 1; lines 4-5 deal with case 2 and lines 6-16 for case 3. The helper function $\text{Shift-Nodes}$ is used within the deletion algorithm for the purpose of replacing the node $\text{u}$ with $\text{v}$ in the binary search tree $\text{BST}$. This procedure handles the deletion (and substitution) of $\text{u}$ from $\text{BST}$.
## Traversal
A BST can be traversed through three basic algorithms: inorder, preorder, and postorder tree walks.
- Inorder tree walk: Nodes from the left subtree get visited first, followed by the root node and right subtree. Such a traversal visits all the nodes in the order of non-decreasing key sequence.
- Preorder tree walk: The root node gets visited first, followed by left and right subtrees.
- Postorder tree walk: Nodes from the left subtree get visited first, followed by the right subtree, and finally, the root.
Following is a recursive implementation of the tree walks.
## Balanced binary search trees
Without rebalancing, insertions or deletions in a binary search tree may lead to degeneration, resulting in a height $n$ of the tree (where $n$ is number of items in a tree), so that the lookup performance is deteriorated to that of a linear search. Keeping the search tree balanced and height bounded by $O(\log n)$ is a key to the usefulness of the binary search tree. This can be achieved by "self-balancing" mechanisms during the updation operations to the tree designed to maintain the tree height to the binary logarithmic complexity.
### Height-balanced trees
A tree is height-balanced if the heights of the left sub-tree and right sub-tree are guaranteed to be related by a constant factor. This property was introduced by the AVL tree and continued by the red–black tree. The heights of all the nodes on the path from the root to the modified leaf node have to be observed and possibly corrected on every insert and delete operation to the tree.
### Weight-balanced trees
In a weight-balanced tree, the criterion of a balanced tree is the number of leaves of the subtrees. The weights of the left and right subtrees differ at most by $1$. However, the difference is bound by a ratio $\alpha$ of the weights, since a strong balance condition of $1$ cannot be maintained with $O(\log n)$ rebalancing work during insert and delete operations. The $\alpha$-weight-balanced trees gives an entire family of balance conditions, where each left and right subtrees have each at least a fraction of $\alpha$ of the total weight of the subtree.
### Types
There are several self-balanced binary search trees, including T-tree, treap, red-black tree, B-tree, 2–3 tree, and Splay tree.
## Examples of applications
### Sort
Binary search trees are used in sorting algorithms such as tree sort, where all the elements are inserted at once and the tree is traversed at an in-order fashion. BSTs are also used in quicksort.
### Priority queue operations
Binary search trees are used in implementing priority queues, using the node's key as priorities. Adding new elements to the queue follows the regular BST insertion operation but the removal operation depends on the type of priority queue:
- If it is an ascending order priority queue, removal of an element with the lowest priority is done through leftward traversal of the BST.
- If it is a descending order priority queue, removal of an element with the highest priority is done through rightward traversal of the BST.
## See also
- Search tree
- Join-based tree algorithms
- Optimal binary search tree
- Geometry of binary search trees
- Ternary search tree
|
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"## Overview",
"## Operations",
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"#### Recursive search",
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"### Deletion",
"## Traversal",
"## Balanced binary search trees",
"### Height-balanced trees",
"### Weight-balanced trees",
"### Types",
"## Examples of applications",
"### Sort",
"### Priority queue operations",
"## See also"
] | 2,595 | 26,727 |
45,355,899 |
1886 Navy Midshipmen football team
| 1,170,577,516 |
American college football season
|
[
"1886 college football season",
"1886 in sports in Maryland",
"Navy Midshipmen football seasons"
] |
The 1886 Navy Midshipmen football team represented the United States Naval Academy in the 1886 college football season. The team marked the second time that the school played a multiple-game season. The squad was captained by halfback Clarence Stone. The year began with consecutive wins over rivals St. John's College and , but then regressed with a loss to the former and a close victory over the latter. The year concluded with shutout losses to the Princeton reserve squad and Gallaudet. The season was the program's longest until 1890, when that year's team played seven games.
## Prelude
According to Ellsworth P. Bertholf's biographer C. Douglas Kroll, the first evidence of a form of football at the United States Naval Academy came in 1857, but the school's cadets lost interest in the game shortly afterward. The Naval Academy fielded its first official football program in 1879, headed by William John Maxwell. The team played one match (a 0–0 tie), after which the program went on hiatus for two years. It returned with the 1882 season under the guidance of player-coach Vaulx Carter. That season and the following two years of football, were single-game seasons played against rival Johns Hopkins; Navy won two of the three years. The 1885 season was the first the school participated in a multi-game year, playing three games, including the first against nearby St. John's College. The season ended in what was generally considered a disappointment, ending in a record.
## Schedule
## Season
The season began with a game against St. Johns, one of the first contests in what would become a heated rivalry. Navy won the game with relative ease, 12–0. The following game was against Johns Hopkins, played on November 13. The contest was an irregularity in the schools' rivalry; all previous and most following games were played on Thanksgiving Day, as a part of the Naval Academy's Thanksgiving athletic carnival. Although the score was close, a 6–0 win for the Naval Academy, Hopkins was never a threat to the cadets. After this point, the Academy's luck shifted. The squad was upset 4–0 in a rematch with St. Johns, and barely defeated Johns Hopkins in a 15–14 contest, played as a part of the athletic carnival. The Baltimore American covered the Johns Hopkins game in detail:
Early in the first half, by much rushing, forcing, snap-backs and vigorous bully-ragging Riggs, the huge Hopkins quarterback, crashed over the goal line for 4 points. Paul Dashiell converted. Riggs repeated his performance but Dashiell missed conversion. Navy then adopted the Hopkins rushing tactics and Stone went over for the first score.
With Hopkins backed up against her own goal line, Dashiell broke through the entire Navy team for a touchdown. Goal was missed and the score was 14 to 6 against Navy. With the game fast coming to a close The Tars formed a closely knit ball with the halfback in center.
Navy hit pay-dirt but the referee found something illegal and called the ball back, much to the consternation of the Cadet rooters. But on the next play, George Hayward kicked a field goal, making the score 14 to 11. Just before the game ended, a double pass, Bill Cloke to captain Clarence Stone, carried to ball over the Hopkins goal for the 4 points that won the game.
Just two days after the second Hopkins game, on November 27, the Naval Academy challenged the Princeton Tigers reserve squad and was easily shutout, 30–0. The Academy never came close to scoring on the reserves. The Naval Academy hosted Gallaudet in its final game of the season sometime in December, a contest that the visitors won in a shutout, 16–0.
## Players
The 1886 Navy football team was made up of twelve players at five unique positions. The squad consisted of five rushers, one snap-back, two fullbacks, two halfbacks, and two quarterbacks. Three of the players (both halfbacks and a rusher) had played the previous season. The age of the players ranged several years due to the academy's admission policy; the school allowed for men between the ages of 14 and 18 to be admitted, which future player John B. Patton remarked made it "just a boys' school".
Rushers
- Carlo Brittain
- George Hayward
- John Patton
- Bill Rowan
- Elliott Snow
Snapback
- Gerge Fermier
- James Alexander
Halfbacks
- Bill Cloke
- Clarence Stone (capt.)
Full-backs
- Henry Allen
- Lou Anderson
Quarterbacks
- Creighton Churchill
- William Williams
## Postseason and aftermath
The first postseason college football game would not be played until 1902, with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses' establishment of the Tournament East-West football game, later known as the Rose Bowl. The Midshipmen would not participate in their first Rose Bowl until the 1923 season, when they went and tied with the Washington Huskies 14–14 in the match. As a result of the lack of competition, there were no postseason games played after the 1886 season. According to statistics compiled by Billingsly, Houlgate, the National Championship Foundation, Parke H. Davis, and the Helms Athletic Foundation, Princeton and Yale were declared the 1886 season national co-champions.
Paul Dashiell, the Johns Hopkins player who nearly single-handedly beat the Naval Academy, later served as the team's head coach, leading the program to a 25–5–4 record between 1904 and 1906. The 1886 season kept Navy's overall win–loss record at an even 6–6–1. It also brought the Academy's record against Johns Hopkins to a 4–2 lead, from which Hopkins never recovered. The season marked the first time a team for the Naval Academy would play a multiple-game season. The 1886 schedule was the longest for the Naval Academy until 1891, when that year's squad played seven matches. Navy finished the 1880s with four winning seasons, and an overall record of 14–12–2. The school outscored their opponents 292–231, and would go on to finish the 19th century with an overall record of 54–19–3.
|
[
"## Prelude",
"## Schedule",
"## Season",
"## Players",
"## Postseason and aftermath"
] | 1,340 | 16,619 |
43,361,355 |
Mushishi (film)
| 1,153,916,786 | null |
[
"2000s Japanese films",
"2000s Japanese-language films",
"2006 fantasy films",
"2006 films",
"Films directed by Katsuhiro Otomo",
"Funimation",
"Japanese fantasy films",
"Japanese nonlinear narrative films",
"Live-action films based on manga"
] |
Mushishi (Japanese: 蟲師), also known in English as Mushi-Shi: The Movie and Bugmaster, is a 2006 Japanese fantasy film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, based on the manga of the same name. It stars Joe Odagiri as Ginko, a traveler who dedicates himself to protecting the populace from supernatural creatures called Mushi. Otomo began work on the film in 2005 after declining a jidaigeki project. He was interested in creating a mix of live action and animation and felt the manga gave him an appropriate creative vehicle.
The film debuted at the Venice International Film Festival in 2006 and was screened at several other festivals prior to its theatrical release on March 24, 2007, in Japan. The DVD was released in Japan in 2007, in the United Kingdom in 2008, and in North America in 2009. The film has received a mixed response from film critics. Many praised Odagiri's performance and its visual but critiqued the plot and mythology as confusing. Mushishi received nominations and awards at film festivals and was among the 100 highest-grossing films of 2007 in Japan.
## Plot
Mushishi opens with Yoki and his mother walking along a mountain when a cliff suddenly collapses. This is followed by a nonlinear narrative that moves between the past and the present. A series of flashbacks reveal that only Yoki survived, coming under the care of Nui, who is a Mushishi (or Bugmaster)—an expert in Mushi, which are supernatural bug-like creatures that are invisible to most humans. She lives near a pond where there are two types of Mushi: a fish-like Ginko who swims in the darkness-like Tokoyami. Because Nui spent too long looking at the Ginko, one of her eyes and the color of her hair were altered by the shadow of Tokoyami. Eventually, Nui is swallowed by the Tokoyami. When Yoki tries to help her, he is also swallowed. Only by sacrificing one of his eyes and his memories is Yoki able to survive. He then renames himself Ginko because it is the only name he can remember.
In the present, Ginko, to escape a blizzard, finds a village inn. After revealing himself as a Mushishi, he is asked to help several locals suffering from hearing loss. After he helps the locals, Ginko is asked by the innkeeper to look at her granddaughter, Maho, who is deaf, has horns on her forehead, and hears strange noises. Maho's mother had the same symptoms and was cremated after her death. Maho, however, kept her mother's horns, which turned out to be a disguised Mushi and the cause of her illness. Ginko heals the girl and then continues on his journey.
Ginko receives a letter requesting his presence from Tanyu, a woman infected with a Mushi that demands her to write about Mushi to expel it. On the way, he meets Koro, a Mushishi who is trying to capture a rainbow-like Mushi. They go to the house of Tanyu, where her nanny, Tama, says that a white-haired woman told them about the Tokoyami. When Tanyu tried to write about it, she was afflicted by paralysis and gangrene. Ginko then asks to read about the Tokoyami; while he is reading, the Tokoyami from the writings leave them and return to Tanyu, further exacerbating her condition.
Ginko faces the Tokoyami itself in the writings warehouse, while Tama and Koro try to remove the Tokoyami by bloodletting. The newly healed Tanyu accompanies Tama and Koro to the warehouse, where they find a collapsed Ginko. Tanyu begins to remove the writings from Ginko's body and reattach them to the parchments. After Tanyu removes the writings, Ginko awakens and continues on with Koro. The pair finds the rainbow-like Mushi. After this, they part ways, and Koro goes back to his hometown to build bridges. Ginko faces a Tokoyami-possessed Nui and carries her to the River of Light (or Koumyaku), a stream of glittering Mushi called Kouki—the origin of Mushi life.
## Cast
- Joe Odagiri as Ginko
- Makiko Esumi as Nui
- Nao Ōmori as Koro
- Yū Aoi as Tanyu
- Lily as innkeeper
- Reisen Lee as Tama
- Reia Moriyama as Maho
- Makiko Kuno as Maho's mother
- Hideyuki Inada as Yoki
- Baku Numata as Nui's husband
## Production
In November 2005, Katsuhiro Otomo announced that he would direct a live-action film based on Mushishi, a Kodansha manga by Yuki Urushibara, which would star Joe Odagiri and Makiko Esumi and would be released in 2006. Japan Digital Content Trust planned to raise \$2.2 million (¥260 million) of the film's projected \$8.5 million (¥1 billion) budget. Its filming lasted three months, and production of the film took two years.
Initially, producer Satoru Ogura came up with the idea of making a jidaigeki in collaboration with the team that worked on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Otomo was not confident in working on "a project of that size" as he had only directed one live-action film in 1991, titled World Apartment Horror. He instead suggested adapting Mushishi as he felt it would be "an opportunity to mix live action and computer graphics, to create a hybrid of the natural and the virtual".
Otomo felt that the concept of Mushishi was sufficiently unique to interest him creatively. He found the episodic nature of the work challenging but was able to fashion a cohesive screenplay by combining elements of the different stories present in the manga. Although he sent his script to Urushibara for review, she gave him complete creative autonomy. Otomo describes the film as "a kind of fable", and as such, he chose the Meiji era as its setting because he felt it offered the best framing for the story, as he considered the sudden disappearances of certain characters were also consistent with the nature of that historical period.
## Release
The worldwide premiere of Mushishi took place at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival, which ran from August 30 to September 9, 2006. The film was shown at the "Visions" section of the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2006 under the title of Bugmaster. It was later screened in January at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival in the "Spectrum" section. It opened in Japanese theaters on March 24, 2007, after the release of a novelization by Naoki Tsujii on February 23, a soundtrack album by Avex on March 14, and a book with details about the film's production by Kodansha on March 22. In October of the same year, it was shown at the 2007 Sitges Film Festival.
In Japan, the film was released in DVD format by Tohokushinsha Film on October 26, 2007. Revolver Entertainment licensed it in January 2008 and was released on DVD in the United Kingdom on February 25. In September 2008, Funimation announced that it had acquired the distribution rights of the film to North America. A Blu-ray version was released in Japan on February 20, 2009, while Funimation released its DVD version on August 25, 2009, calling it Mushi-Shi: The Movie.
## Reception
In its opening weekend in Japan, Mushishi ranked eighth at the box office. In total, it grossed \$4,194,890, making it the 81st best gross of a film released in Japan in 2007. It was nominated at the Venice Film Festival in the best film category and at the Sitges Film Festival in the best film, best special effects, and best soundtrack categories, winning in the latter two. On its exhibition at the Sundance Film Festival, all tickets were sold out, and some people watched it standing because they did not buy reserved seats.
Critical response was mixed. Todd Brown, writing for Twitch Film, characterized the film as "long, slow, fairly pedestrian in its visual style, confusing for the newbies, [and] over-familiar for the existing fan". Anime News Network's Bamboo Dong praised its visuals but noted that the film could be confusing for viewers who are unfamiliar with the manga series and that Ginko "looks more like a cosplayer". Tony Sullivan of Eye for Film said it is "beautifully acted, shot and scored" but cited the "lack of oomph" as a reason why "the movie is rather dull". Mark Schilling from The Japan Times praised Odagiri but criticized the film for being "a text too tangled and murky for the uninitiated to easily penetrate or parse". The cast performance was praised by Variety reviewer Derek Elley who declared its "longueurs and narrative obscurities consign this 'Bug' to highly specialized outings". Sullivan, Schilling, and Elley criticized its soundtrack, especially the use of didgeridoos.
Sally Foster from Film Threat praised its visuals and "a few good Japanese-style creep-out scenes" but described the storyline as "incomprehensible" due to "the overabundance" of information about its mythology. John Sinnott of DVD Talk asserted the film could not reach the quality of the manga; he cited the lack of explanation about Ginko's background as one of the reasons. Sinnott criticized its slow pace considering its duration and said that "there isn't much mystery or suspense." Anthony Enticknap from Den of Geek said its plot is "complex at times, and often drifts into the realms of the incomprehensible". Although he criticized the film's "pedestrian" pace, Enticknap praised Omori's performance as well as the film's cinematography and use of CGI. While praising Odagiri's acting and deeming the film's visuals an "A-game", DVD Verdict's Adam Arseneau said it "feels disjointed and fragmented".
While he preferred the anime version, Mania.com's Chris Beveridge praised the film as "a soothing and atmospheric movie that captures everything that it should", singling out Otomo's direction and Odagiri's acting. Scott Green from Ain't It Cool News wrote that he "didn't find it as breathtaking as Otomo's anime spectacles or as effecting as earlier version of Mushi-Shi", but did "find it a fascinating movie to watch and consider". Joseph Luster from Otaku USA called it "fantastic" though declared Mushishi would not be "nearly as strong without him [Odagiri] in the lead". Kevin Kelly, writing for Cinematical.com, dubbed it "a film not for everyone" because of its storyline's complexity and "unusual type of mythology and storytelling". Kelly concluded, "if you like Japanese cinema, fantasy storytelling, and interesting characters, you'll love this film." Similarly, Justin Howe of Tor.com declared it is "a bit too inert for most people's tastes" but said "Mushishi is a fantasy film that's worth seeing. It's more eerie than scary, often haunting, and occasionally beautiful."
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Cast",
"## Production",
"## Release",
"## Reception"
] | 2,420 | 30,684 |
33,787,171 |
Mrs. California
| 1,130,158,510 | null |
[
"2011 American television episodes",
"The Office (American season 8) episodes"
] |
"Mrs. California" is the ninth episode of the eighth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 161st episode overall. "Mrs. California" aired on NBC in the United States on December 1, 2011. The episode was written by consulting producer Dan Greaney, marking his first writing credit for the series, and was directed by Charlie Grandy.
The series—presented as if it were a real documentary—depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. In the episode, Robert California (James Spader) brings his wife (Maura Tierney) into the office for a job, and tells Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) behind her back not to give her one. Meanwhile, Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) opens a gym in the building and tries to get Darryl Philbin (Craig Robinson) to join it.
Tierney was brought in to play the role of California's wife because showrunner Paul Lieberstein stated that he was "a big fan of hers". "Mrs. California" received mixed responses from television critics. According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode received 5.74 million viewers and received a 2.9 rating/7% share among adults between the ages of 18 and 49, staying even with the ratings from the previous episode, "Gettysburg". The episode also ranked at first in its time slot.
## Synopsis
While Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) is having a meeting with Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) in his office, Robert California (James Spader) appears at the window and frantically says that his wife Susan (Maura Tierney) is looking for a job in the office, and that Andy must not give her one. When Susan arrives, Andy compliantly tells her that they have no openings, but Robert insists that they have a look around before coming to any conclusions. Susan looks at the different departments, and decides on accounting. Andy again claims the office is already fully staffed, but Robert insists that he give her a job, even pressuring Andy by reminding him of his power as CEO. Confused by Robert's mixed messages, Andy relents and gives her a job, but Robert later calls Andy on the phone to berate him for hiring Susan. Andy asks everyone in the office to treat her poorly to drive her out, which makes everyone uncomfortable as they like her, but end up doing so nevertheless.
When Susan notices their behavior, she complains to Robert, who asks Andy to discuss the issues with Susan in the conference room and leaves. Susan eventually realizes it was Robert's idea to drive her away. When they call Robert out, he vehemently denies it. Andy tells them Jim also heard him say he did not want her working at the office, which Jim overhears, prompting him to flee the office, not wanting to be part of the drama. Robert finds out Jim has fled, and orders security to close the gate, preventing Jim from leaving. Jim then runs all over the building (at one point encountering Creed Bratton (Creed Bratton) flying a toy helicopter on the roof), but Andy and Robert find him and take him back to the office. After trying unsuccessfully to deflect their questions about what Robert told Andy, Jim blurts out that he is baffled at Robert's attitude, since Jim enjoys working in the same place as his wife Pam Halpert (Jenna Fischer) and misses her while she is on maternity leave. Andy and Jim leave the conference room and after a short while, Robert and Susan leave. In the parking lot, Andy apologizes to Susan and after brief small talk, Susan asks Andy out on a date, leaving him surprised.
In the episode's b-plot, Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) opens a gym in the building, which intrigues Darryl Philbin (Craig Robinson), who has been looking to lose weight. However, Dwight's gym is only filled with his farming equipment as exercising equipment. Darryl says he needs actual equipment, which Dwight finally gets, but sees that Darryl is barely using it, in part due to Dwight's insistence they focus on working the pelvic bowl. Dwight asks more employees to join to help motivate Darryl to exercise harder, getting only Gabe Lewis (Zach Woods) to join. During a bench-press, Dwight refuses to spot Darryl unless he says his motivation to work out. Darryl finally says it is to impress the new female warehouse worker Val, though Dwight believes he is referring to Val Kilmer.
## Production
"Mrs. California" was written by consulting producer Dan Greaney, his first writing credit for the series after joining the writing staff in the eighth season. Greaney had previously worked with executive producer Greg Daniels on The Simpsons. It was directed by co-executive producer and frequent Office writer Charlie Grandy, the first episode he has directed for the series after previously directing The Podcast webisodes. "Mrs. California" features a guest appearance from Maura Tierney, who played Robert California's wife, Susan California. Showrunner Paul Lieberstein stated that he was "a big fan of hers" and said he was excited for her guest appearance. The episode also marks the third appearance of Lindsey Broad who plays Cathy, Pam's replacement during her maternity leave. She is currently set to appear in a recurring role for the season. Due to Jenna Fischer's actual pregnancy Pam did not appear in the episode. The Season Eight DVD contains a number of deleted scenes from this episode. Notable cut scenes include more office workers joining Dwight's gym, Andy and Jim trying to get out of Mr. and Mrs. California's difficulties, and more scenes of Jim running away.
## Cultural references
Ryan mentions his desire to found the "Dream for a Wish Foundation," a play on the actual Make-A-Wish Foundation. During Dwight and Darryl's gym scenes, Darryl sardonically corrects Dwight by telling him that the pronunciation for LeBron James is actually "LeJon Brames." Later, Dwight attempts to get Darryl to stretch his pelvic bowl by telling him that The Fonz did it to become cool. Near the end of the episode, Darryl admits that he is attempting to impress Val from the warehouse, but Dwight believes he is talking about male actor Val Kilmer.
In addition, several films are mentioned or alluded to. Erin makes a reference to the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. Darryl comments that Dwight's gym looks like "a scene out of Saw V." Finally, Andy mentions that he "was watching a movie, and a bunch of apes took over San Francisco."
## Reception
### Ratings
In its original American broadcast on December 2, 2011, "Mrs. California" was viewed by an estimated 5.74 million viewers and received a 2.9 rating share among adults between the ages of 18 and 49. This means that it was seen by 2.9% of all 18- to 49-year-olds, and 7% of all 18- to 49-year-olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. The episode stayed even with the ratings from the previous episode, "Gettysburg". Despite this, the episode ranked first in its timeslot, beating Bones which received a 2.8 rating/7% share in the 18–49 demographic, CMA Country Christmas which received a 2.2 rating/6% share, a rerun of Person of Interest which received a 1.6 rating/4% share and a rerun of The Secret Circle which received a 0.4 rating/1% share, although the former three shows received more total viewers. Added with DVR viewers, who viewed the episode within three days of the original broadcast, the episode received a 4.2 rating in the 18–49 demographic, adding a 1.3 rating to the original viewership. For the week of November 28 – December 4, 2011, "Mrs. California" placed nineteenth in the ratings among all prime-time broadcasts in the 18–49 demographic.
### Reviews
"Mrs. California" received mixed responses from critics. The A.V. Club reviewer Myles McNutt said the episode had the possibility of being a great episode of The Office, but that it did not live up to that possibility. He suggested that the writers could tell jokes, but could not successfully "break a story anymore". He also called the subplot a mixed bag for featuring Dwight as a caricature of his former self, but complimented the character development for Darryl which started in "Lotto". He gave the episode a C+. Hannah Lawrence of Hollywood.com called the episode a large improvement over "Gettysburg" and also called it possibly her "favorite episode of the season so far". Chris Plante of New York called Robert California the worst part of The Office and said that he kept Andy from being more of a lead character for the series. TV Guide writer Bruce Fretts criticized the episode for under using guest star Maura Tierney. He also said that the episode suffered without former series star Steve Carell to serve as the comic foil. IGN writer Cindy White said the episode did not feel like The Office and called it "the exact opposite". Despite this, she went on to compliment Susan asking Andy on a date and the pairing of Darryl and Val as a couple, saying that the latter had possibilities. She ultimately gave the episode a 7.5/10. Joseph Kratzer from What Culture? gave the episode three out of five stars and wrote, "I'm going to go out on a bit of a limb here and say that while 'Mrs. California' was of course not a return to form for The Office, it was a good example of how the series might define itself in this new Michael-less era." M. Giant of Television Without Pity gave the episode a B+. After viewing "Mrs. California," Washington Post writer Hank Stuever named The Office one of the ten best TV shows of 2011 and said that the episode proved the series could still deliver cringe humor without Carell. Multiple critics complimented the cold open to the episode.
|
[
"## Synopsis",
"## Production",
"## Cultural references",
"## Reception",
"### Ratings",
"### Reviews"
] | 2,130 | 10,982 |
50,035,703 |
White House Passover Seder
| 1,122,597,267 |
2009–2016 annual White House dinner
|
[
"Food and drink in Washington, D.C.",
"Jewish-American history",
"Jews and Judaism in Washington, D.C.",
"Kosher style",
"Passover seder",
"Presidency of Barack Obama",
"White House"
] |
The White House Passover Seder was an annual private dinner held at the White House on the Jewish holiday of Passover during the presidency of Barack Obama. Obama initiated it in 2009 for his family, staff members, friends, and their families. The gathering recited the Passover Haggadah, discussed the themes of the Passover Seder and their relation to current events, and partook of a holiday-themed meal. Obama hosted and attended the Seder each year from 2009 to 2016. It was the first Passover Seder to be conducted by a sitting U.S. president in the White House.
## Background
A Passover Seder is a ritual meal held by Jews on the first two nights of the Passover holiday (first night only in Israel). The Seder is traditionally conducted in the home by the family and their invited guests, although it may also be held by any group of Jews, such as members of a synagogue, condominium complex, student group, army base, etc. At the Seder, participants read the Haggadah, a ritual text recounting the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. The reading is accompanied by visual aids in the form of the symbolic foods on the Passover Seder Plate. A festive meal is part of the ritual. While religious Jewish law places certain restrictions on a non-Jew eating at a Seder, non-traditional Jews often invite non-Jews to their Seders, and non-Jews also conduct Seders of their own, although the latter practice is highly controversial.
## History
The White House Passover Seder had its origins in an informal Passover Seder conducted on April 19, 2008, by three junior staff members of then-presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign. At the time, Obama and his campaign team were in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in advance of the Pennsylvania primary, and the Jewish staffers realized they would not be able to go home to be with their families on Seder night. The three staffers – Eric Lesser, Herbie Ziskend, and Arun Chaudhary – obtained a "Passover kit" with wine, matzo, macaroons, and Haggadahs from the Hillel House at the University of Pennsylvania and were conducting a late-night Seder in a meeting room of the Sheraton Hotel in Harrisburg when Obama walked in. "Hey, is this the Seder?" Obama asked. He and a group of aides, all non-Jews, joined in to recite the Haggadah. Obama was familiar with the ritual, having attended Passover Seders for the previous nine years. At the end of the Seder, when the assembled said the traditional wish, "Next year in Jerusalem", Obama added, "Next year in the White House".
The following year, with Obama elected president and his junior staffers working in the White House, Obama encouraged the group to hold the Seder again. The 2009 event was the first time that a sitting U.S. president conducted a Passover Seder in the White House. The White House switchboard was reportedly swamped with callers seeking a dinner invitation. The White House Seder was scheduled for the second night of Passover to allow Jewish staffers to spend the first Seder on the first night of Passover with their families. About 20 guests sat around a table in the Old Family Dining Room reading the Haggadah and sampling the traditional Seder foods. Malia and Sasha Obama, being the youngest in attendance, recited the Four Questions and engaged in the search for the afikoman.
Obama hosted the White House Passover Seder for all eight years of his administration. Among the annual traditions for the White House Seder were Obama's imitation of Pharaoh, Chaudhary's speech on the Hillel sandwich, and the hiding of the afikoman under the watchful eye of a Secret Service member. The Seder convened in the Old Family Dining Room and lasted for two hours. During Obama's last year in office in 2016, the Seder was held on April 26, the sixth day of Passover, due to Obama's previously scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia on the first and second nights of Passover.
## Themes
During a visit to Israel in 2013, Obama stated that he brought the Passover Seder to the White House to acquaint his daughters with the story of the Exodus, whose themes resonated with his personal beliefs. He said:
> To African Americans, the story of the Exodus was perhaps the central story, the most powerful image about emerging from the grip of bondage to reach for liberty and human dignity – a tale that was carried from slavery through the Civil Rights Movement into today. For me, personally, growing up in far-flung parts of the world and without firm roots, the story spoke to a yearning within every human being for a home.
The White House Seder participants, many of them African Americans, were cognizant of the similarities between the story of the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt and the American civil rights movement. The themes of social justice, struggle, and freedom were often evoked during discussion at the meal. At the point in the ritual when the prophet Elijah is welcomed to the meal, the guests recited the Emancipation Proclamation.
The choice of serving pieces was also symbolic. In 2009, the group used silverware from the Truman administration, remembering Truman as the first President to recognize Israel. In 2013, Israel First Lady Sara Netanyahu gave as a gift a Seder Plate, which was used each year at the dinner. Those in attendance read from the Maxwell House Haggadah, which is widely used in Jewish homes.
## Menu
The menu at the White House Passover Seder featured traditional American Jewish Passover cuisine such as gefilte fish, charoset, chicken soup with matzah balls, brisket, potato kugel, and macaroons. Salads and vegetable side dishes completed the menu. Lesser brought handmade shmurah matzah from the Chabad-Lubavitch center in Springfield, Massachusetts. Family recipes were emphasized: in 2015, these recipes included matzo ball soup from Ziskend's grandmother, carrot soufflé from Lesser's mother, and Raspberry Ganache Marjolaine from Chaudhary's mother. Recipes covered foods from both the Ashkenazic and Sephardic traditions. The food was not strictly kosher, but kosher style. In 2014, the White House Passover Seder began inviting a guest chef to coordinate the menu with the White House executive chef.
## Guest list
Unlike the White House Hanukkah Party, Obama's White House Passover Seder was not a political event. The guest list did not include rabbinical figures, Jewish lobbyists, members of Congress, or Israeli representatives. The guest list of approximately 20 remained basically the same each year. Attendees included the president and his family, members of the president's and first lady's staff and their families, and friends of the Obamas, with a mix of Jews and non-Jews.
## Other White House Seders
In April 1993 staffers of President Clinton conducted a Passover Seder in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, in the absence of the President.
On April 10, 2017, the first night of Passover, several Trump Administration staffers conducted a Seder in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, but unlike during the Obama Administration, neither President Trump nor his family members attended the ritual.
## See also
- White House Hanukkah Party
|
[
"## Background",
"## History",
"## Themes",
"## Menu",
"## Guest list",
"## Other White House Seders",
"## See also"
] | 1,571 | 23,706 |
19,845,261 |
Tales of a Third Grade Nothing
| 1,173,732,034 | null |
[
"2008 American television episodes",
"Family Guy (season 7) episodes"
] |
"Tales of a Third Grade Nothing" is the sixth episode and mid-season finale in the seventh season of American animated television series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 16, 2008. The episode follows Peter (voiced by show creator Seth MacFarlane) as he goes back to school to finish the third grade in order to get a promotion at work. It also follows Brian (also voiced by MacFarlane) and Frank Sinatra Jr. (voiced by himself) as they buy a club and give it to Stewie (MacFarlane) so that he can remodel it.
The episode was written by Alex Carter and directed by Jerry Langford, their firsts for the Family Guy series. Besides Sinatra, the episode featured guest performances by Bob Barker, James Burkholder, Max Burkholder, Chace Crawford, Elisha Cuthbert, Kaylee DeFer, Andy Dick, Carrie Fisher, Caitlyn Jenner (then Bruce), Phil LaMarr, Debbie Reynolds, Sinbad, Billy Unger and Mae Whitman, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. The episode was seen by 8.52 million viewers, and it received mostly positive reviews from television critics.
## Plot
Peter is sent upstairs by his boss to deliver shipping reports to the CEO. On his way to deliver the reports, he decides to go into the executive bathroom. When he discovers how lavish the bathroom is, he becomes motivated to do well at work so that he can become an executive so he can use the executive bathroom. But while trying to impress his boss Angela by blowing up a competitor's billboard, he inadvertently blows up part of a children's hospital. Nevertheless, she is impressed by his improvement at work and recommends an open executive spot for him. However, Human Resources tells him he must first complete the third grade in order to qualify.
Peter does badly at school and offends his teacher Mrs. Wilson by telling an inappropriate story about her (forgetting that Mrs. Wilson was also Peter's teacher when he was a third grader), and makes fun of top student Omar. Mrs. Wilson allows Peter to attend the spelling bee after spelling out "buttlickers" which even Omar can't spell; she tells him that he will pass third grade if he succeeds. Omar fails the spelling bee because he misspelled "coagulate", but Peter succeeds after correctly spelling "lesbians". When Peter returns to work, however, Angela tells him that instead of being promoted, he will go to jail for the hospital explosion. Fortunately for him, he receives only one week in prison and is told he will be released the following Sunday night at 9:00 (Family Guy's usual time slot).
Meanwhile, Frank Sinatra Jr. comes back to town to perform with Brian at the Quahog Cabana Club. Since the club owner is looking to sell, Brian and Frank buy the establishment and they let Stewie transform it into a hip, modern nightclub called pLace. At first, Frank and Brian feel uncomfortable, but their feelings change once they get into the club life themselves. However, the club swiftly loses its popularity once Andy Dick bursts in, causing all the partygoers to flee. Once the club has emptied, Frank and Brian perform another song.
## Production
"Tales of a Third Grade Nothing" was written by newcomer Alex Carter. It was directed by former Mission Hill and The Oblongs director Jerry Langford, who had joined the show's directing staff that season making this his first Family Guy episode, he would direct the episode "Stew-Roids" later that season. Series regulars Peter Shin and James Purdum served as supervising directors. Composer Walter Murphy, who has worked on the series since its inception, returned to compose the music for "Tales of a Third Grade Nothing".
Actress Carrie Fisher, who was most famous for her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars, returned to voice Peter's boss, Angela, as she first did in the fourth season episode "Jungle Love". Fisher was given high praise for her portrayal of the character, with The Hollywood Reporter calling it one of her "5 Most Iconic Roles." Singer Frank Sinatra Jr. also returned to voice himself, as he did in another fourth season episode "Brian Sings and Swings".
In addition to Fisher, Sinatra and the regular cast, former game show host Bob Barker, actor James Burkholder, actor Max Burkholder, actor Chace Crawford, actress Elisha Cuthbert, actress Kaylee DeFer, comedian Andy Dick, athlete Caitlyn Jenner (then Bruce), voice actor Phil LaMarr, actress Debbie Reynolds, who was Fisher's mother, actor Sinbad, child actor Billy Unger, and voice actress Mae Whitman guest starred in the episode. Recurring voice actors Lori Alan, Alexandra Breckenridge, writer Steve Callaghan, Ralph Garman, writer Danny Smith, writer Alec Sulkin, writer John Viener, and writer Wellesley Wild made minor appearances.
## Cultural references
"Tales of a Third Grade Nothing" makes several media references. The name of the episode itself is a reference to Judy Blume's children's book Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, whose narrator-protagonist is likewise named Peter. The first few minutes feature a parody of the film Jurassic Park where Peter enters the executive bathroom and inside there is a helicopter that takes Peter to an island; John Hammond, who is inside the helicopter, welcomes Peter, and the music playing while the helicopter flies above the island is that which was used in the movie. Peter using the restroom and commenting on how peaceful everything is also a reference to a far different scene in the movie when a lawyer was eaten by a Tyrannosaurus rex after attempting to hide in a bathroom stall. Yosemite Sam (voiced by Seth MacFarlane), one of the classic Looney Tunes characters, is seen trying on skinny jeans in Barney's. The Emperor from the Star Wars movies requests that the song "On the Dark Side" by John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band be played at Brian and Frank's club. A video of John Madden analyzing a wedding video like a football play is shown.
Stewie references singer Michael Jackson and how his dance styles appeared to be violent to his own genitalia. Stewie claims that whenever Andy Dick (who voiced himself) shows up at a club, he gets a worse reputation than John Wilkes Booth; the episode cuts to Booth at Ford's Theater while being annoyed by an obnoxious Abraham Lincoln. A cutaway gag featuring Stewie as a grape stomper references a news reporter who was doing the same thing, fell, got her wind knocked out and reacted hysterically. Near the end of the episode, Frank and Brian perform a duet of a song called "Take Me Out to pLace Tonight," which uses Billy May's orchestral arrangement of "On the Road to Mandalay," as featured on Frank Sinatra Sr.'s 1958 album, Come Fly with Me.
## Reception
In its original broadcast in the United States on November 16, 2008, "Tales of a Third Grade Nothing" was watched by 8.52 million homes and acquired a 4.2 Nielsen rating, the audience measurement systems developed to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States.
The episode received positive reviews. Ahsan Haque of IGN praised "Tales of a Third Grade Nothing", writing that it had "a convoluted storyline that actually has some kind of logical flow, and more than a fair share of genuinely funny and outrageously offensive jokes.". He graded the episode 8.5 out of 10. Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club wrote that the episode was an above average episode, and graded it B. In contrast, Robin Pierson of The TV Critic gave the episode a negative review, saying that while it was funnier than the usual episodes of the show it was still "plotless ramblings".
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"## Cultural references",
"## Reception"
] | 1,641 | 34,701 |
25,605,208 |
Port Charlotte High School
| 1,172,919,383 | null |
[
"1980s architecture in the United States",
"1982 establishments in Florida",
"Educational institutions established in 1982",
"High schools in Charlotte County, Florida",
"Public high schools in Florida",
"School buildings completed in 1982"
] |
Port Charlotte High School (PCHS) is a four-year, comprehensive, U.S. public high school located in Port Charlotte, Florida. The school opened in 1981, graduated its first class in 1984, its mascot is the pirate, and the school motto is "Yes, I am a Pirate." It is operated by Charlotte County Public Schools.
At one point in time, Port Charlotte High School was the largest high school in Charlotte County, with 2,082 students enrolled in grades Grades 9 through 12. Enrollment was traditionally based on students' geographic locations, but is now by choice under the more recently created open enrollment program.
The school has grown much, and it survived Hurricane Charley in 2004 and Hurricane Ian in 2022. The school's main feeders are Murdock Middle School, Port Charlotte Middle School, and Punta Gorda Middle School. The school's top athletic rivals are Charlotte High School and Lemon Bay High School. PCHS has educated two National Football League players and one Major League Baseball player who also played in the 2008 Summer Olympics.
## History
PCHS has experienced growth through its twenty-five years of existence. The campus structure has grown with the population. The school was originally built in 1981, and opened its doors that year for 9th and 10th graders. For each of the next two years, a class was added, and PCHS graduated its first class in 1984. The original "G" and "B" buildings were completed in 1983. The auditorium was built in 1984. The science building, also known as A building, was built in 1987. The BB building was built in 1990. A swimming pool was added in 1991. The "C building", which houses the library and some classrooms, was built in 2001. In 2003, the new "B building", the two story academic classroom building, was finished. In 2007, the new gym was finished. The new gym did not replace the older one, but rather, was an addition.
### Hurricane Charley
In August 2004, Hurricane Charley brought devastation to the Port Charlotte region. Although Port Charlotte High School suffered only minor damage from the hurricane, other regional high schools suffered significant damage. In the aftermath, Port Charlotte High School shared its facility with the students of Charlotte High School, with Port Charlotte High School students attending morning class and Charlotte High School students attending in the evening. Later in September, Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Ivan prompted Charlotte County Schools to be closed once again. In total, the three hurricanes caused students to miss 13 days of school during the 2004–2005 school year, requiring make-up days that infringed on student and staff days-off.
### Recognition
In 2009, Port Charlotte High School was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of America's best high schools and a "Bronze Medal School" for academic excellence. PCHS was one of 1,189 schools nationwide to receive a bronze medal.
### COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Charlotte County Public Schools system reopened, albeit delayed, for the 2020–2021 school year after closing in spring during the 2019–2020 school year at the order of Governor Ron DeSantis. The school reported the first case of the virus among the school system during the pandemic on September 8, a day after school reopened. The school went on to record at least 75 cases of the virus in students and staff, more than any other school in the county. Unlike the previous school year, in which graduation ceremonies were thrown into turmoil due to the pandemic, Port Charlotte High School hosted a graduation ceremony at Charlotte Sports Park, and it served as a test for other Charlotte County schools to do the same.
In the subsequent school year, still amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Charlotte County Public Schools system reopened once again, this time during a surge of the virus throughout the state, including in Charlotte County. Unlike the beginning of the previous school year, some teachers and students would be vaccinated against the disease, but not all. In total, 276 cases of the virus were reported among students and staff from the day the school reopened on August 10, with the first case being reported the very day the school reopened.
While COVID-19 cases were initially reported for the 2022–2023 school year, the dashboard which Charlotte County Public Schools ran was eventually phased out.
### Hurricane Ian
In late September 2022, Hurricane Ian brought considerable wind as well as flooding and storm surge damage to the Port Charlotte region. All schools and ancillary facilities in the Charlotte County Public Schools system received considerable injury from Ian. However, Port Charlotte High School was one of the 19 schools in Charlotte County able to re-open 3 weeks after the schools had been forced to close due to the storm. The school was closed for another day due to Hurricane Nicole in early November, which passed northeast of the school and brought tropical storm conditions to the area. In total, 16 school days were missed because of the systems during the 2022–2023 school year.
## Academics
Port Charlotte High School currently has 15 English teachers, 17 math teachers, 8 intensive reading teachers, 14 science teachers, 15 social studies teachers, 8 foreign language teachers, 14 vocational teachers, 5 exceptional student education (for students with disabilities) teachers, and 1 ESOL teacher. There are seven periods in a school day. The school has a student/teacher ratio of 23.39. The curriculum is based on the Sunshine State Standards. Because of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the school's grade for the 2019-2020 school year was not calculated by the Florida Department of Education.
- These grades are based on FCAT and FSA testing.
## Athletics
The PCHS athletic department operates programs in football, basketball, baseball, softball, track, cheerleading, golf, wrestling, soccer, volleyball, bowling, swimming, lacrosse, diving, cross country, and weightlifting. Athletics at PCHS are regulated by the Florida High School Athletic Association under classification 4A, district 11.
## Extracurricular activities
Port Charlotte High School has many clubs and groups, including Academic Team Challenge (A-Team), Beta Club, Book Club, Creative Writing Club, Dance Team, DECA, Environmental Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), French Club, Games Club, Interact Club, Key Club, Mock Trial Team, Model United Nations (MUN), Mu Alpha Theta, National Art Honor Society, National Honor Society, Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corp (NJROTC), Pirate Crew, Pride of Port Charlotte Marching Band, Recruitment & Educational Assistance for Careers In Health (REACH), Red Cross Club, Scholars Club, Silver Cord, Spanish Club, Student Government Association, Thespian Society, Tri-M Music Society, Water Polo, and Yearbook Team. Key Club, an organization for high school students, is operated by the Kiwanis Club.
### Model United Nations
Port Charlotte High School's Model United Nations Academic Team was ranked by the BEST DELEGATE website as the number five best Model UN team in America for the 2010–2011 school year.
The school's Model United Nations (MUN) is the most successful competitive team of any kind in Charlotte County history. For almost two decades, the PCHS Model United Nations Academic Team has been recognized as one of the very best Model UN teams in the country or its winning performances at conferences at both the national and international levels. In 2012, PCHS MUN was ranked the fourth best Model United Nations team in the United States by Best Delegate, a Model United Nations Database recognized all over the world.
The team has won coveted Best Large School and Best Small School Awards at many national and international conferences, like Harvard (HMUN), Yale (YMUN), the University of Pennsylvania (ILMUNC), McGill University in Montreal, Canada (SSUNS), as well as multiple awards at other noteworthy conferences such as University of Chicago (MUNUC), Brown University (BMUN), Northwestern University (NUMUN, Georgia Tech (GTMUN), The College of William and Mary (WMHSMUN), Duke University, and the Southwest Florida/FGCU (SWFLMUN).
The team also does significant community outreach work. For the past 16 years team members have operated their award-winning International Market. They import and sell arts and crafts created by struggling indigenous artisans from all across the planet. They work closely with the Fair Trade Federation to ensure that all of the artists they work with are treated fairly and paid top wages for their creations. The team has sold well over \$100,000 worth of arts and crafts. Their efforts keep people in the developing world solvent and ancient art forms alive.
Team members also put on a yearly Mini-Mun conference for students from local public and private middle schools. They also present six-week-long public speaking/debate seminars at several local elementary schools. The seminars culminate in a public debate between teams from the elementary schools. The event is attended by over 200 friends and relatives.
### Naval Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Naval Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NJROTC) is a program allowing high school students to participate in the academic and physical training aspect of naval service, while also providing leadership opportunities to those involved in the program. It does not require a commitment to military service following high school graduation. Port Charlotte's NJROTC program was established in the early 1990s; since then, it has grown significantly. The company of cadets are overseen and instructed by two retired United States Navy personnel, who are in turn overseen by the United States Navy itself through the form of Area Managers. Port Charlotte's unit is a member of NJROTC Area Seven, and is known for service to its community.
The Pirate NJROTC unit has received many awards over the years, including, but not limited to the "Distinguished Unit Award," which it has been awarded over seven consecutive academic years - 2001–2007. The unit is a part of Area 7, which consists of units in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.
The unit has seven "teams" within its infrastructure that allow participating cadets to receive extracurricular training and experience of their choice: an armed and unarmed Drill Team, Color Guard, honor guard, academic team, orienteering team, marksmanship team and a physical training ("PT") team. The teams compete against other Area Seven units at colleges, universities, military installations, and other high schools. The teams also compete with other units across the United States.
### Pride of Port Charlotte Bands
As of 2008, Port Charlotte High School's "Pride of Port Charlotte" Bands have consistently ranked among the top bands in the state of Florida for several years. The Pride of Port Charlotte Marching Band has participated at many famous events, such as the Fiesta Bowl, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the New York City Saint Patrick's Day Parade, the New Year's Day Parade in London, England, and the Cotton Bowl Parade in Dallas, Texas among many others. The Pride Concert and Jazz Bands are also extremely successful, consistently receiving superior ratings from the Florida Bandmasters Association.
### Gay-Straight Alliance
Port Charlotte High School has a Gay-Straight Alliance club. The club was not well received by all of the students or the residents of largely conservative Charlotte County. When the club attracted protestors from Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, the club's leader failed to rally support from the student population, and some of the students even laughed at the situation. Not long after the protests, the club was disbanded. As of the 2020–2021 school year the club once again exists in the school.
## Demographics
As of the 2021–22 school year, Port Charlotte High School hosted 1,559 students. Of the student body, 827 of the students were male and 732 were female. 434 were in ninth grade, 397 were in tenth grade, 368 were in eleventh grade, and 360 were in twelfth grade. 872 students were white, 341 were Hispanic, 205 were black, 98 were "two or more races," 29 were Asian, 9 were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 5 were American Indian or Alaska Native.
## Notable alumni
- Vinnie Fiorello — co-founder of spa punk rock band Less Than Jake, professional drummer, and businessman
- Shaun Grief — roadie and former bassist for Less Than Jake
- Chris DeMakes — co-founder, guitarist, and singer for Less Than Jake
- John Hall, (class of 1991) — professional football player in the NFL
- Anthony Hargrove, (class of 2001) — professional football player in the NFL
- David Holmberg, (class of 2009) —professional baseball pitcher in MLB and AAPB
- Matt LaPorta — professional baseball player in MLB; attended PCHS his freshman year
- Asher Levine, (class of 2006) — fashion designer and business owner
## Notable faculty
- Doug Dunakey, professional golfer who became the golf coach for PCHS following his retirement.
- Mark Ivey, college football coach who previously coached the freshman offensive and defensive line at PCHS.
## See also
- Charlotte County, Florida
|
[
"## History",
"### Hurricane Charley",
"### Recognition",
"### COVID-19",
"### Hurricane Ian",
"## Academics",
"## Athletics",
"## Extracurricular activities",
"### Model United Nations",
"### Naval Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps",
"### Pride of Port Charlotte Bands",
"### Gay-Straight Alliance",
"## Demographics",
"## Notable alumni",
"## Notable faculty",
"## See also"
] | 2,808 | 12,622 |
37,508,314 |
Sejm of the Estates
| 1,055,161,493 |
Parliament in the first half of the 19th century
|
[
"1775 establishments in Europe",
"1848 disestablishments in Europe",
"Government of Galicia and Lodomeria",
"Sejm"
] |
The Sejm of the Estates (Polish: sejm stanowy) or Estates of Galicia (Polish: stany galicyjskie) were the parliament in the first half of the 19th century Galicia region in Austrian Empire. The body existed from 1775 to 1845. In the history of the Polish parliament, it succeeded the general sejm and local sejmiks on the territories of the Austrian partition. The Estates were disbanded following the Kraków Uprising of 1846. In 1861 they were succeeded by the Sejm of the Land (Polish: sejm krajowy).
The estates in question were primarily clergy and szlachta (nobility), with a token townsfolk representation. Peasantry was not represented.
## History
### Postulate Sejm
Parts of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Lesser Poland territories were included in the Austrian partition as early as the First Partition of Poland in 1772. In order to reduce dissent, the Austrian Empire in 1775 allowed the Polish nobility (szlachta) of the newly acquired territories to continue their tradition of holding local parliament-like meetings, and gave the permission for an advisory body, the Postulate Sejm (Polish: sejm postulatowy), to be held every year. The implementation of the Postulate Sejm was delayed, and eventually it held only four sessions, all in Lviv (Lwów, Lemberg): in 1782, 1784, 1786 and 1788. The body had no real power; it could only write petitions to the monarch, who had no obligation to act on them. Polish legal scholar Stanisław Grodziski noted that while the Sejm, on the surface, continued the Polish parliamentary tradition, the real goal of the powerless body, as intended by the Austrian court, was to drive a wedge between the various groups of Polish nobility, reducing their unity and influence. The Postulate Sejm was composed of wealthy nobility and two deputies from the city of Lviv. The sessions lasted a few days each. The 1788 session was the last one; parts of the Austrian-held Commonwealth territories were briefly included in the Duchy of Warsaw following the Polish–Austrian War in 1806, and the populace represented at the Sejm of the Duchy of Warsaw, but this was short lived, as the territories in question were restored to Austria following the Duchy's occupation and the terms of the Congress of Vienna in 1815.
### Estates of Galicia
Soon afterward, in 1817, Francis I of Austria called for a new sejm, now named the Estates of Galicia (Polish: Stany Galicyjskie), which met again in Lviv. Most scholars, like Jacek Jędruch, see this body as a continuation of the Postulate Sejm, and discuss both of them together. The Austrian Emperor decreed that the members have to wear a special uniform; this made it the only Polish parliament-like body in the history of Polish politics with a dress code requirement.
Excepting the establishment of the Ossolineum as a center for Polish cultural study, the Sejm reflected the conservative attitudes of the body's unelected members from the nobility. From the late 1830s an influx of new members, such as Leon Sapieha, Władysław Badeni, and Governor Wacław Michał Zaleski, Agenor Gołuchowski made the body more progressive and representative. In the 1840s the Sejm saw much debate on the subject of the abolition of serfdom. The Estates last met in 1845, when they voted, 116 to 10, on the proposal to abolish serfdom; however they lacked the power to implement it and had to wait for the Emperor's decision. The Estates were disbanded following the Kraków Uprising of 1846, a mostly peasant rebellion aimed, ironically, at many of the nobles who were supportive of the abolition of serfdom. In 1848, during the Spring of Nations unrest, when the Emperor tried to convene the Estates, the members refused, demanding a more representative composition, and increased powers; the Emperor turned down their demand. In 1861 the Estates were succeeded by the Country Sejm (Polish: sejm krajowy).
## Composition and organization
The number of the members was not fixed; it varied from over 200 (with 289 in 1782 and 213 in 1817) to as low as 41 (in 1834); in most years the Sejm had averaged 60 to 80 deputies. They were composed of clergy, nobility (either titled or above a certain, relatively high, income level), two deputies from the city of Lviv representing the burghers and later, Chancellor of the University of Lwów. The members were not elective, holding the mandates due to their offices, titles or wealth. This made the Sejm not representative, and rather conservative.
The Estates met for a few days each year, with some exceptions: they were not convened in the years 1831 and 1832 (time of the November Uprising in the neighboring Polish statelet, the Congress Kingdom).
The Estates had no dedicated location to meet. To evade Emperor's limitation on the proceedings duration and topics to be discussed, the members met before each session at various locations. While in session, they met at the former monastery buildings, owned by the University of Lwów.
## Competences
Just like the preceding Postulate Sejm, the Estates had very limited competences: they met to hear the Emperor decrees, distribute tax assessments, grant Galician titles of nobility to individuals who already held similar titles elsewhere in the Austrian Empire, prepare petitions and appeals to be heard by the Emperor. Polish 19th-century historian, Henryk Schmitt, wrote that the role of the Estates was to listen to the government decisions, and file petitions, which often waited for the royal reply for several years; he thus notes that the Estates were powerless, a "comedy", their only purpose being to fulfill the Congress of Vienna requirement of having some form of "national representation" on the lands of the Austrian partition.
## See also
- Landtag
|
[
"## History",
"### Postulate Sejm",
"### Estates of Galicia",
"## Composition and organization",
"## Competences",
"## See also"
] | 1,306 | 32,907 |
30,856,828 |
Volvopluteus gloiocephalus
| 1,144,513,300 |
Species of mushroom
|
[
"Edible fungi",
"Fungi described in 1815",
"Fungi of Asia",
"Fungi of Australia",
"Fungi of Central America",
"Fungi of Europe",
"Fungi of North America",
"Fungi of South America",
"Pluteaceae",
"Taxa named by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle"
] |
Volvopluteus gloiocephalus, commonly known as the big sheath mushroom, rose-gilled grisette, or stubble rosegill, is a species of mushroom in the family Pluteaceae. For most of the 20th century it has been known under the names Volvariella gloiocephala or Volvariella speciosa, but recent molecular studies have placed it as the type species of the genus Volvopluteus, newly created in 2011. The cap of this mushroom is about 5–15 cm (2–6 in) in diameter, varies from white to grey or grey-brown, and is markedly sticky when fresh. The gills start out as white but they soon turn pink. The stipe is white and has a sack-like volva at the base. Microscopical features and DNA sequence data are of great importance for separating V. gloiocephalus from related species. V. gloiocephalus is a saprotrophic fungus that grows on grassy fields and accumulations of organic matter like compost or woodchips piles. It has been reported from all continents except Antarctica.
## Taxonomy
This taxon has a long and convoluted nomenclatural history. It was originally described as Agaricus gloiocephalus by Swiss botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1815 and later sanctioned under this name by Elias Magnus Fries in 1821. The French mycologist Claude Gillet transferred it in 1878 to the genus Volvaria erected by Paul Kummer just a few years earlier in 1871. The name Volvaria was already taken, as it had been coined by De Candolle for a genus of lichens in 1805. The generic name Volvariella, proposed by the Argentinean mycologist Carlos Luis Spegazzini in 1899, would eventually be adopted for this group in 1953 after a proposal to conserve Kummer's Volvaria against De Candolle's Volvaria was rejected by the Nomenclature Committee for Fungi established under the principles of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature.
Despite the generic name Volvariella being adopted in 1953 the name Volvariella gloiocephala did not exist until 1986, when the placement of the species in that genus was formally proposed by mycologists Teun Boekhout and Manfred Enderle. The reason for this long interval is that most 20th-century mycologists working on Volvariella (e.g. Rolf Singer, Robert L. Shaffer, Robert Kühner, Henri Romagnesi) considered the epithet "gloiocephalus" to represent a variety with dark basidiocarps of another species of Volvariella, viz. Volvariella speciosa, that has white basidiocarps, and therefore would use the name Volvariella speciosa var. gloiocephala to refer to this taxon. Boekhout & Enderle showed that white and dark basidiocarps can arise from the same mycelium, and that the epithets "gloiocephalus" proposed by De Candolle in 1815 and "speciosa" proposed by Fries in 1818 should be considered to represent the same species with the former having nomenclatural priority. In 1996 Boekhout and Enderle designated a neotype to serve as a representative example of the species.
The phylogenetic study of Justo and colleagues showed that Volvariella gloiocephala and related taxa are a separate clade from the majority of the species traditionally classified in Volvariella and therefore another name change was necessary, now as the type species of the newly proposed genus Volvopluteus.
The epithet gloiocephalus comes from the Greek terms gloia (γλοία = glue or glutinous substance) and kephalē (κεφαλή = head) meaning "with a sticky head" making reference to the viscid cap surface. It is commonly known as the "big sheath mushroom", "rose-gilled grisette" or the "stubble rosegill".
## Description
The cap of Volvopluteus gloiocephalus is between 5 and 15 cm (2 and 6 in) in diameter, more or less ovate or conical when young, then expands to convex or flat, sometimes with a slight central depression in old specimens. The surface is markedly viscid in fresh basidiocarps; the color ranges from pure white to grey or greyish brown. The gills are crowded, free from the stipe, ventricose (swollen in the middle), and up to 2 cm (0.8 in) broad; they are white when young but turn pink with age. The stipe is 5–22.5 cm (2–9 in) long and 0.7–2.5 cm (0.3–1.0 in) wide, cylindrical, broadening towards the base; the surface is white, smooth or slightly pruinose (covered with fine white powdery granules). The volva is 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) high, sacciform (pouch-like), white and has a smooth surface. The flesh is white on stipe and cap and it does not change when bruised or exposed to air. Smell and taste vary from indistinct to raphanoid (radish-like) or similar to raw peeled potatoes. The spore print is pinkish brown.
The basidiospores are ellipsoid and measure 12–16 by 8–9.5 μm. Basidia are 20–35 by 7–15 μm and usually four-spored, but sometimes two-spored basidia can occur. Pleurocystidia are 60–90 by 20–50 μm with variable morphology: club-shaped, fusiform, ovoid, and sometimes with a small apical papilla. Cheilocystidia are 55–100 by 15–40 μm with similar morphology to the pleurocystidia; they completely cover the gill edge. The cap cuticle (pileipellis) is an ixocutis (parallel hyphae wide embedded in a gelatinous matrix). Stipitipellis is a cutis (parallel hyphae not embedded in a gelatinous matrix). Caulocystidia are sometimes present, measuring 70–180 by 10–25 μm; they are mostly cylindrical. Clamp connections are absent from the hyphae.
### Edibility
Volvopluteus gloiocephalus is edible, although considered watery and poor in quality. It was once sold in markets in Perth, Australia. Mature fruit bodies, collected in sufficient quantity, can be used to prepare soup, or added to dishes where wild mushrooms are used, such as stews and casseroles. The mushrooms are best used fresh as they do not preserve well. Young specimens of Volvopluteus gloiocephalus have white gills so it is possible to mistake them for an Amanita and vice versa. In the United States, there have been several cases of Asian immigrants collecting and eating death caps (Amanita phalloides), under the mistaken assumption that they were Volvariella. A Greek study determined the nutritional composition of fruit bodies: protein 1.49 g/100 g fresh weight (fw), 18.36 g/100 g dry weight (dw); fat 0.54 g/100 g fw, 6.65 g/100g dw; carbohydrates 5.33 g/100g fw, 65.64 g/100 g dw.
### Similar species
Molecular analyses of the internal transcribed spacer region clearly separate the four species currently recognized in Volvopluteus, but morphological identification can be more difficult due to the sometimes overlapping morphological variation among the species. Size of the fruit bodies, color of the cap, spore size, presence or absence of cystidia and morphology of the cystidia are the most important characters for morphological species delimitation in the genus. V. earlei has smaller fruit bodies (cap less than 5 cm (2 in) in diameter), has no pleurocystidia (usually), and the cheilocystidia usually have a very long apical excrescence (outgrowth). In V. asiaticus the majority of the pleurocystidia have an apical excrescence up to 10–15 μm long and the cheilocystidia are predominantly lageniform (flask-shaped). V. michiganensis has smaller basidiospores, on average less than 12.5 μm long. Volvariella acystidiata, known from central Africa (Zaire) and Italy, somewhat resembles Volvopluteus gloiocephalus. It can be distinguished from the latter by its smaller fruit bodies, with caps up to 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter, and, microscopically, by the complete absence of cheilo- and pleurocystidia.
## Ecology, habitat, and distribution
Volvopluteus gloicephalus is a saprotrophic mushroom that grows on the ground in gardens, grassy fields, both in and outside forest areas, and on accumulations of vegetable matter like compost or woodchips piles. It has also been reported fruiting in greenhouses. In China, it grows in bamboo thickets. It usually fruits in groups of several basidiocarps but it can also be found growing solitary. It is not unusual for a season of "spectacular" fruiting to be followed by several years with no appearance of the mushroom.
This species has been reported from all continents except Antarctica, usually under names such as Volvariella gloiocephala or Volvariella speciosa. Molecular data have so far corroborated its occurrence in Europe and North America but records from other continents remain unconfirmed.
|
[
"## Taxonomy",
"## Description",
"### Edibility",
"### Similar species",
"## Ecology, habitat, and distribution"
] | 2,101 | 19,100 |
1,856,635 |
M-20 (Michigan highway)
| 1,166,530,552 |
State highway in Michigan, United States
|
[
"State highways in Michigan",
"Transportation in Bay County, Michigan",
"Transportation in Isabella County, Michigan",
"Transportation in Mecosta County, Michigan",
"Transportation in Midland County, Michigan",
"Transportation in Newaygo County, Michigan",
"Transportation in Oceana County, Michigan",
"U.S. Route 10"
] |
M-20 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs from New Era to Midland. It crosses through rural Lower Peninsula forest land between the two ends. The highway serves the college towns of Big Rapids and Mt. Pleasant, home of the main campuses of Ferris State University and Central Michigan University, both located near the trunkline.
The original July 1919 routing took M-20 farther north along a corridor now used by US Highway 10 (US 10). The M-20 designation was shifted south to the current corridor in 1926. The eastern end was truncated from Bay City to Midland in 1960, following the opening of a freeway between the two cities. The western end was rerouted from Muskegon to New Era in 1969.
## Route description
M-20 starts near Lake Michigan at the US 31 freeway in New Era where it runs east through the Manistee National Forest, crossing the North Branch of the White River near Ferry and the South Branch near Hesperia on the way to White Cloud. There it turns south along M-37 and then east along a new routing following Baseline and Newcosta roads north of the Hardy Dam to meet the US 131 freeway at exit 131 near Stanwood. M-20 turns north, running concurrently along the US 131 freeway to Big Rapids and joins Business US 131 (Bus. US 131) at exit 139. The section along the freeway is listed on the National Highway System (NHS), a system of highways important to the nation's economy, defense and mobility. Together Bus. US 131/M-20 runs along the Perry Street commercial corridor to State Street near the main campus of Ferris State University. The business loop turns north by the campus and at Maple Street, M-20 turns eastward to cross the Muskegon River in downtown Big Rapids, north of the campus. M-20 zig-zags southeast of town bypassing the Canadian Lakes area and turns due east through rural Remus in Mecosta County and the Isabella Indian Reservation in neighboring Isabella County.
In Mt. Pleasant, M-20 runs near the campus of Central Michigan University crossing the Chippewa River, and the trunkline joins Bus. US 127 along the Mission Street business area to Pickard Road. The highway turns east on Pickard and passes under the US 127 freeway near the Soaring Eagle Casino. From Mt. Pleasant to Midland, M-20 is designed as a four–lane highway with a continuous center turn lane passing through rural forest land. M-20 picks up inclusion on the NHS from this point east.
Once M-20 reaches Midland on Jerome Street, it crosses the Tittabawassee River north of the Tridge, a three-legged bridge over the confluence of the Tittabawassee and Chippewa rivers. There it joins Business US 10 (Bus. US 10) on a pair of one-way streets: Indian Street (westbound) and Buttles Street (eastbound). The two streets pass by Dow Diamond, home to the Great Lakes Loons, the city's minor league baseball team. Bus. US 10/M-20 then passes some Dow Chemical Company buildings and curves into a freeway stub connecting with the US 10 freeway on the east side of town. This short section of business loop freeway has two interchanges before terminating at one final interchange. At this junction, both Bus. US 10 and M-20 have a common eastern terminus. Traffic headed eastbound on the business loop defaults onto eastbound US 10, and traffic destined for the business loop is fed from the westbound direction of the freeway only.
## History
### Previous designation
On July 1, 1919, M-20 was routed from Ludington to Bay City, Michigan by way of Reed City and Clare. This routing was redesignated as US 10 on November 11, 1926. M-20 would be moved to a new routing.
### Current designation
The M-20 designation was moved to a new alignment, roughly today's current routing from Midland through Mt. Pleasant, Big Rapids and White Cloud continuing to Muskegon. The western terminus was extended to end at Muskegon State Park in 1932. The last paving would be completed along M-20 in 1957 in Newaygo County.
The eastern end of M-20 was converted to freeway between Midland and Bay City in 1958. The former alignment along Midland Road, from Midland, going through Auburn, and ending at Euclid Avenue in Bay City, at the junction of what was then US 23, was returned to local control at the time. US 10 was rerouted along this freeway section and the Interstate 75/US 23 freeway in 1960. M-20 was truncated back to Midland with the US 10 rerouting. The west end was rerouted through Muskegon to end at US 16 in 1961. The former routing connecting to Muskegon State Park became a new state route designated M-213. M-213 was ultimately removed from the trunkline system in 1970. M-20 was completely rerouted on the west end in 1969 from White Cloud replacing M-82 to US 31 in New Era.
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) swapped jurisdiction of M-20 and B-88 with Mecosta and Newaygo counties. The swap was finalized on October 1, 1998. M-20 was rerouted south from Big Rapids, along US 131 from exit 139 to exit 131 at Stanwood. There M-20 replaced B-88 westward to M-37.
## Major intersections
## See also
|
[
"## Route description",
"## History",
"### Previous designation",
"### Current designation",
"## Major intersections",
"## See also"
] | 1,198 | 6,730 |
1,796,138 |
GhostRider (roller coaster)
| 1,167,406,024 |
Ride at Knott's Berry Farm in California
|
[
"Roller coasters in California",
"Roller coasters introduced in 1998",
"Roller coasters operated by Cedar Fair",
"Western (genre) amusement rides"
] |
GhostRider is a wooden roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. It is located in the Ghost Town section of the park, south of the main entrance. Manufactured by Custom Coasters International, GhostRider is the tallest and longest wooden coaster on the West Coast of the United States, measuring 4,533 feet (1,382 m) long and 118 feet (36 m) tall. The ride follows an L-shaped double out and back pattern, with a station themed to a mining building. There are three trains, each themed to a different precious metal, though only two are in use at any given time.
GhostRider was announced in August 1997 as part of an expansion of Knott's Berry Farm. The coaster cost \$24 million and opened on December 8, 1998, earlier than originally scheduled. After it opened, GhostRider became one of Knott's most popular rides. Between 2015 and 2016, Great Coasters International conducted a major renovation of the ride, replacing the track and the trains. Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards has consistently ranked GhostRider among the world's top wooden roller coasters.
## History
By 1997, the Knott family, which operated Knott's Berry Farm amusement park in Buena Park, California, planned to add a wooden roller coaster to the park. Knott's already had several major attractions, including the Calico Mine Ride, a prototype Corkscrew coaster, a looping shuttle roller coaster named Montezooma's Revenge, and a water ride named Bigfoot Rapids. According to historian Eric Lynxwile, who wrote a book about Knott's Berry Farm, a wooden roller coaster was the only major attraction type that was absent from the park. The Knott family had begun planning for a wooden coaster almost five years before GhostRider was ultimately completed in 1998. Knott's officials hoped that the construction of a wooden coaster would increase the park's annual attendance to 4 million.
### Development
A new wooden coaster was announced in August 1997 as part of an expansion of Knott's Berry Farm. The expansion project would cost an estimated \$35 million, of which the coaster cost \$24 million. The ride would be the park's fifth roller coaster, as well as the first attraction to be built in Knott's Ghost Town section since 1969. The ride would cross over Grand Avenue, which separated the main section of the park from one of its parking lot, and would occupy a portion of that parking lot. It would replace the Pan for Gold attraction and a decorative volcano built by the park's founder, Walter Knott. Knott's vice president for maintenance and construction at the time, Robin Hall, said he wanted the project to serve as a "billboard" for the park on Beach Boulevard, along the park's eastern boundary; the project would also allow Knott's to relocate warehouses in the attraction's path.
Custom Coasters International (CCI) was hired to manufacture the coaster, while Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) provided the trains. The project lasted two years. The first phase of the project involved clearing land and relocating the warehouses, which took about a year and comprised much of the ride's budget. The ride would be the Knott family's last investment in the park, as Cedar Fair acquired Knott's Berry Farm in October 1997. At the time, land was still being cleared for the new ride. Cedar Fair's CEO Dick Kinzel briefly considered canceling the ride because of its high cost, but Cedar Fair ultimately continued to develop the new coaster. By March 1998, the ride was being referred to as "Ghost Rider".
Construction of the ride itself took 11 months. Hall said that park officials wanted the ride to be taller than Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain, which Hall had also designed. As a result, the ride's height was revised from 112 to 118 ft (34 to 36 m) so it would be taller than Colossus. Labor union members protested outside Knott's Berry Farm in April 1998 over the fact that the park did not hire unionized workers to build GhostRider, prompting the park to file a lawsuit to stop the protests.
### Operation
GhostRider was originally scheduled to open in early 1999, but it opened on December 8, 1998, ahead of schedule. Jack Falfas, the general manager of Knott's, had advocated for an accelerated opening date. During a preview event on the roller coaster's opening day, one hundred members of nonprofit group American Coaster Enthusiasts rode GhostRider. At the time of its opening, GhostRider was advertised as the longest wooden roller coaster on the West Coast of the United States. As of January 2023, it remains the longest wooden roller coaster on the American West Coast as well as the Pacific Coast of the Americas. Park officials also claimed that GhostRider was the fastest wooden coaster on the West Coast; however, Colossus traveled at a maximum speed of 62 mph (100 km/h), compared to GhostRider's 56 mph (90 km/h).
After it opened, GhostRider became one of Knott's most popular rides, and Knott's officials predicted that the ride would increase the park's annual attendance from 3.4 million to 4 million. During the second quarter of 1999, attendance at Knott's increased more than 10 percent quarter-over-quarter, at a time when other amusement parks in Southern California were experiencing decreased attendance. The ride was temporarily closed for repairs in August 1999 after an incident that injured five people.
By 2015, GhostRider had gained a reputation as a rough ride. That August, Knott's officials announced that they would refurbish GhostRider for Ghost Town's 75th anniversary. The ride temporarily closed in September 2015 so Great Coasters International (GCI) could refurbish the attraction. Including the planning process, the project lasted for two years; the renovation itself only took nine months to complete. Buena Park officials had to ensure that the renovation plans complied with building codes and that the ride was resistant to earthquakes. Most of the track was replaced and re-profiled, with banked turns and airtime hills being added. Additionally, the mid-course brake run was removed, and the trains were replaced with Millennium Flyer trains. GCI also replaced the chain lift, added magnetic brakes, and removed steel in the ride's structure as part of the project. GhostRider was originally planned to reopen on May 27, 2016, but the ride ultimately reopened on June 11, 2016.
## Ride experience
The ride is located in the Ghost Town section of Knott's Berry Farm, near the main entrance and the California Marketplace section of the park. The ride's official backstory involves a former Union Army soldier who moved to a California mining town in pursuit of gold during a gold rush. According to this backstory, the soldier rode his horse into the mine one day and was never seen again; local residents sometimes reported seeing a ghost riding a horse, hence the ride's name.
### Queue
The ride's station is three stories high and is themed as a mining company's building. Riders approach the ride near the entrance to Ghost Town. The queue begins in a mining tunnel and features an area where guests can pan for gold while waiting in line. At the end of the tunnel, the queue enters the lower level of the fictitious GhostRider Mining Company. The queue ascends to the upper level, where riders board the trains. There is a storage track underneath the upper level of the station.
### Layout
The train is propelled out of the station using drive tires. There is a small left turn and initial descent into a ravine, which is followed by a gradual sweep to the right. The train passes through the transfer track (which leads to the storage track under the station) and climbs the lift hill. Riders descend 108 ft (33 m) into a drop covered by a metal canopy. The train then turns left and rises over an airtime hill before making a sweeping left-hand turnaround. After the turnaround, riders descend again and rise into a gradual right-hand climb before descending into the structure of the lift hill and making a left-turn chicane. Originally, riders then turned into a midcourse brake run. This was removed in 2016.
The turnaround starts in the second half of the ride. Diving off a straight section of track, riders descend a steep drop, making a left-hand turn, rising over an airtime hill, before making a right-hand turnaround underneath the turnaround in the first half. After rising over another airtime hill, the trains enter a 450-degree downward helix to the right, before rising over a final hill and hitting the final brake run.
## Characteristics
The track measures 4,533 ft (1,382 m) long, The ride rises 118 ft (36 m) above ground, and its 51-degree first drop is 108 ft (33 m) tall. The ride was constructed with around 2.5 million board feet of Southern yellow pine from North Carolina and Alabama, as well as 50,000 lb (23,000 kg) of nails. Knott's officials used yellow pine to match the park's Old West theme. During the 2016 renovation, the top layers of the original track were replaced with Ipe wood. It also uses 250 short tons (220 long tons; 230 t) of steel, 1,410 cu yd (1,080 m<sup>3</sup>) of concrete, and 1,000 short tons (890 long tons; 910 t) of nuts and bolts. The ride lasts for about two minutes and forty seconds.
The ride follows an L-shaped double out and back pattern. Most of the attraction is within the parking lot near the marketplace. The ride crosses over Grand Avenue (which connects southbound Beach Boulevard to the parking lots) four times. The track is banked at angles of up to 42 degrees. Trains travel up to 56 mph (90 km/h), subjecting riders to a maximum g-force of 3.14. On straight segments of track, which comprise about 40 percent of the ride's length, the track is made of wooden planks measuring 2 in (51 mm) thick and 8 to 10 in (200 to 250 mm) wide. Curved segments of track, comprising the remaining 60 percent of the ride's length, use smaller boards; after 1999, these boards were bound using metal straps. Because the wooden track tends to expand and compress throughout the year, mechanics conducted daily inspections of the track when it opened, tightening bolts once a year.
The ride uses three trains, although only two are in use at any time. The trains each contain 12 cars; every car seats two guests in a single row. The original trains, manufactured by PTC, were each painted a different color representing a mining metal (gold, silver, and copper). Originally, each car had both a front axle and a rear axle, which added extra weight to each train. After the 2016 GCI refurbishment, the trains were redesigned with a wood-grain motif. The front car of each train retained both axles, but the remaining cars only contained a rear axle. This was done to allow each train to move smoothly, as the previous trains would whip around the course with both axles. Five mechanics maintain the ride and completely reconstruct each of the trains every year.
## Incidents
On August 24, 1999, an unsecured piece of wood from the track was lifted by a passing train and thrown into another car that was passing below. Five riders were injured, including a tourist who was hit on the head and required stitches. Knott's officials said that GhostRider was inspected every morning before the park opened, including the day of the accident; during these inspections, workers secured loose bolts and replaced weakening wood. In the aftermath of the accident, CCI recommended that the boards be secured, and park officials installed metal safety devices on GhostRider. The ride reopened on August 30, 1999, after modifications.
Between 2007 and 2012, guests filed two lawsuits against Knott's Berry Farm in relation to the ride. During this period, two other attractions also prompted two lawsuits each; these three rides were the subject of more lawsuits than any other ride at the park.
## Awards
|
[
"## History",
"### Development",
"### Operation",
"## Ride experience",
"### Queue",
"### Layout",
"## Characteristics",
"## Incidents",
"## Awards"
] | 2,596 | 676 |
34,488,106 |
A Ball for Daisy
| 1,173,468,937 |
Children's picture book by Chris Raschka
|
[
"2011 children's books",
"American picture books",
"Caldecott Medal–winning works",
"Children's books about dogs",
"Wordless books"
] |
A Ball for Daisy is a 2011 children's wordless picture book written and illustrated by Chris Raschka. The book tells the story of a dog named Daisy, who has a beloved ball destroyed and then replaced. Raschka won the 2012 Caldecott Medal for his illustrations in the book. The creation of the book took years but was praised for its ability to evoke emotion in the reader. A sequel, Daisy Gets Lost, was released in 2013.
## Background and publication
Author and illustrator Chris Raschka first thought about the idea for A Ball for Daisy 10 years before writing it, after seeing how upset his son got after he lost a ball thanks to a dog. Prior to creating the book he sketched various combinations of balls and dogs. Raschka described the process of creating the book as a difficult one. He had wanted to write a wordless picture book so that "a child could read the book without knowing how to read.'' The challenge lay in conveying the emotions the way he wanted to, but without any words.
The book was published May 10, 2011 and was followed by a sequel, Daisy Gets Lost, in 2013.
## Plot
A Ball for Daisy is a wordless children's picture book that tells the story of a small white dog named Daisy and her favorite red ball. Daisy is so obsessed with the ball that she takes it everywhere with her, sleeps with it, and overall has to be near it constantly. As her owner takes Daisy out for a walk one day, her ball gets snatched by a brown dog wanting to play. Daisy tries her hardest to get the ball back, but the other dog insists on playing with it and accidentally pops it. Daisy's owner then throws the ball in the trash and takes Daisy home. For a while, Daisy acts distraught over her loss. Later, Daisy's owner takes her for another walk, and on the walk they see the same dog that popped Daisy's ball, but this time that dog has a shiny new blue ball. The other dog gives the blue ball to Daisy, which makes her very happy.
## Writing and illustrations
The story centers on an idea and theme that is relatable to for children and could help build emotional resiliency. Many reviewers commented on Raschka's strength in depicting emotions so well. He uses colors to help depict the changing moods in the story.
Raschka illustrated the book using watercolors. Several reviewers also commented on Raschka's skill with broad brushstrokes. The illustrations give the appearance of having been drawn without revision and combine watercolor and comic book drawing techniques. Its Caldecott win was part of a trend of wordless picture books being honored, which began with David Wiesner's honor book Free Fall and part of Rashka's ability to "take risks" with each of his books.
## Reception and awards
The book was well reviewed, gaining starred reviews from The Horn Book Magazine, which praised the book as "noteworthy for both its artistry and its child appeal"; Kirkus Reviews, which wrote of how "rarely, perhaps never, has so steep an emotional arc been drawn with such utter, winning simplicity"; and School Library Journal, which noted how it matched the illustrator's other work, "Raschka continues to experiment with what is essential to express the daily joys and tribulations of humans and animals." The book was a New York Times Best Seller and was named by it as one of the best books of 2011.
The book was awarded the 2012 Caldecott award. "Chris Raschka’s deceptively simple paintings of watercolor, gouache and ink explore universal themes of love and loss that permit thousands of possible variants", said Caldecott Medal Committee Chair Steven L. Herb. The Wall Street Journal agreed with its choice as a Caldecott Medal recipient. Raschka had never dreamed that he might win the Caldecott and was on his way to his studio when the committee called to tell him of his win.
|
[
"## Background and publication",
"## Plot",
"## Writing and illustrations",
"## Reception and awards"
] | 830 | 6,286 |
45,224,073 |
Black Creek (Susquehanna River tributary)
| 1,094,160,619 |
River in Pennsylvania, United States of America
|
[
"Rivers of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania",
"Rivers of Pennsylvania",
"Tributaries of the Susquehanna River"
] |
Black Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 2.6 miles (4.2 km) long and flows through Conyngham Township. The creek's watershed has an area of 3.85 square miles (10.0 km<sup>2</sup>). It is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. The creek is ephemeral and loses its flow to underground mines. Varying concentrations of many alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and transition metals occur in water in the creek's watershed. The watershed typically experiences relatively mild temperatures. It is mainly accessible via U.S. Route 11, Pennsylvania Route 239, and a local road.
Black Creek is situated within the Coal Region of Pennsylvania. Rock formations in the watershed include the Mauch Chunk Formation, the Pottsville Formation, and the Llwellyn Formation. Coal beds in the watershed include the Lower Red Ash bed, the Upper Red Ash bed, the Lower Ross bed, the Upper Ross bed, and the Baltimore Bed. Ridges of mine waste also occur in the creek's drainage basin. Mining was done in the watershed as early as the winter of 1836-1837, but it stopped in 1955. The creek and the surrounding areas were the subject of a joint study by several federal and state organizations in the 1960s.
## Course
Black Creek begins in a valley in Conyngham Township. It flows west-northwest for nearly a mile, passing through a large pond or small lake, before turning north for several hundred feet. The creek then turns west for a short distance and enters a broader and much shallower valley before receiving an unnamed tributary from the right. It then turns southwest for more than a mile before turning south-southwest and flowing through a deep and narrow valley to the northern border of Mocanaqua. The creek then turns west for a few tenths of a mile, following the border of Mocanaqua to its confluence with the Susquehanna River.
Black Creek joins the Susquehanna River 171.90 miles (276.65 km) upstream of its mouth.
### Tributaries
Black Creek has no officially named tributaries. However, an 1887 book stated that the creek had two tributaries. One was unnamed and flowed from a point 0.5 miles (0.80 km) west of the DuPont Drift to the creek at the Golden Drift. The other was referred to as Turkey Pond Creek and was sometimes nearly dry, but could have a substantial flow during spring rains.
## Hydrology and climate
Black Creek is an ephemeral stream. It used to drain an area between Turtle Creek and the Susquehanna River, but now loses its flow to underground mines via broken bedrock. Its channel is also disrupted by strip mines and rock piles. The waters of Black Creek are acidic.
Anions in the waters of the Black Creek drainage basin include sulfate and bicarbonate. The concentrations of aluminum in the mine pools in the area are typically very low or nonexistent. However, some mine waters in the watershed can have aluminum ion concentrations of over 70 milligrams per liter, forming 6 percent of total dissolved solids in the water, as measured by weight. The concentration of manganese ions in the waters can be over 100 milligrams per liter and calcium also occurs in groundwater in the watershed. Magnesium occurs in the non-polluted groundwater in the watershed in concentrations of 1 to 5 milligrams per liter and occurs in polluted groundwater at concentrations of 4 to 440 milligrams per liter.
Sodium and potassium occur in water in the Black Creek watershed, with sodium being considerably more common than potassium. Potassium concentrations are around 20 milligrams per liter, while sodium concentrations are less than 10 milligrams per liter. Lithium and rubidium also have been observed in the watershed, with concentrations of 0.02 to 0.2 and 0.04 milligrams per liter, respectively.
Barium occurs in the water of the Black Creek watershed, typically at concentrations of less than 0.07 milligrams per liter. Beryllium is about as common, with a concentration of less than 0.06 milligrams per liter. Strontium is much more common, with a concentration of up to 4.4 milligrams per liter.
The concentration of titanium in the waters of the Black Creek watershed is less than 0.17 milligrams per liter and the concentration of zirconium is less than 0.055 milligrams per liter. Small amounts (less than 0.01 milligrams per liter) of vanadium, chromium, and molybdenum also occur in the water. The cobalt concentration in mine waters in the watershed ranges from 0.07 to 0.93 milligrams per liter and the nickel concentration ranges from 0.09 to 1.2 milligrams per liter. Copper, silver, tin, and lead also occur in the watershed.
The concentration of chloride ions in the watershed of Black Creek ranges from 0 to 14 milligrams per liter.
A 1971 report described the climate in the watershed of Black Creek as "mild". Temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) are rare in the area, but temperatures below 32 °F (0 °C) are common. At the United States Weather Bureau station in Wilkes-Barre, the highest recorded temperature between 1945 and 1966 was 101 °F (38 °C) and the lowest was −15 °F (−26 °C). Killing frosts have been recorded as early as October and as late as May.
## Geography
The elevation near the mouth of Black Creek is 482 feet (147 m) above sea level. The elevation of the creek's source is between 840 and 860 feet (260 and 260 m) above sea level. The lowest elevations in the watershed are approximately 500 feet (150 m) above sea level and they occur near the Susquehanna River. The highest part of the watershed is a ridge in the northern part of the watershed; this area has an elevation of 1,275 feet (389 m) above sea level. The highest level of topographic relief in the watershed is 775 feet (236 m) and local relief can be as high as 740 feet (230 m), but is typically less than 500 feet (150 m).
The watershed of Black Creek is situated at the southwestern end of the Coal Region. The watershed is also part of a "long, narrow, complexly deformed" synclinorium, with complex folds and faults. The watershed of the creek is within the filled-in valley of the preglacial Susquehanna River. The watershed contains three downwarped coal basins: the West Basin, the East Basin, and the Priscilla Lee Basin. A tunnel runs between the West Basin and the East Basin at an elevation of 567 feet (173 m) above sea level.
There are a number of pits in the area of Black Creek, some of which are up to 100 feet (30 m) deep. Some are former entrances to mines, while others are strip mining pits. There is standing water in the underground mine workings in the creek's vicinity. It drains a coal sheet known as Mine Sheet No. 1. The creek once flowed over a ledge of conglomerate of the Pottsville Formation 2,000 feet (610 m) upstream of its mouth. An 1887 book described this as "producing an effect especially interesting in the study of creek erosion".
Black Creek accumulates drift to some degree as it flows along its course. However, due to the high speed of its waters, it does not deposit significant amounts of drift along its course.
## Geology
The bedrock in the watershed of Black Creek consists of several rock formations. The oldest is the Mauch Chunk Formation of the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian eras. Younger rock formations in the watershed include the Pottsville Formation and the Llwellyn Formation, both of which date to the Pennsylvanian era. There are anthracite beds in the watershed and these beds occur within the Llwellyn Formation. The Mauch Chunk Formation was originally 1,200 feet (370 m) thick in the watershed.
Most of the surficial geology in the watershed of Black Creek consists of bedrock. However, glaciofluvial deposits and mining waste also occur in some areas. To the west of the Lee Shaft, there are ridges of mine waste up to 70 feet (21 m) thick and there are a number of "finger-shaped" ridges with a thickness of 120 feet (37 m) in the West Basin.
There are five beds of coal that have been mined in the watershed of Black Creek: the Lower Red Ash bed, the Upper Red Ash bed, the Lower Ross bed, the Upper Ross bed, and the Baltimore Bed. The Lower Red Ash coal bed has a thickness of up to 14 feet (4.3 m) at the West End Mine in the watershed and the Upper Red Ash coal is up to 12 feet (3.7 m) thick.
The bedrock is exposed on the ridges in the Black Creek watershed. The exposure is due to glaciofluvial deposits disappearing due to erosion and mining. There are many faults in the watershed's rocks.
## Watershed
The watershed of Black Creek has an area of 3.85 square miles (10.0 km<sup>2</sup>). The mouth of the creek is in the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Shickshinny. However, its source is in the quadrangle of Nanticoke.
The Susquehanna River watershed is immediately north and west of the watershed of Black Creek, while the watershed of Turtle Creek is located immediately south of the watershed. The eastern edge of the watershed (the part that was studied during the 1960s study of the watershed) includes a barrier pillar between the West End Mine and the Glen Lyon Mine. A body of water known as Stump Lake is in the creek's watershed.
As of the 1960s or early 1970s, the only human inhabitants of the watershed of Black Creek reside either in the village of Mocanaqua in the southwestern part of the watershed or the small community of Lee. The watershed can be accessed from US Route 11, Pennsylvania Route 239, and a local road that runs from Mocanaqua to Glen Lyon.
Historically, there was a swamp at the headwaters of Black Creek. As late as the 1910s, the waters of the creek were described as coming from mountain springs and a swamp.
## History
Black Creek was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1169696.
Coal mining was done in the watershed of Black Creek as early as the winter of 1836–1837. Several people operated in the area until 1865, when it was leased to the E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company for 99 years. However, the mining was stopped by a strike in 1872 and for some time thereafter mining was done by several smaller companies. The mine in the watershed was run by the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad between 1901 and 1921. The Glen Alden Corp. then operated it until 1938, at which point underground mining in the watershed stopped. Strip mining was already underway there and it continued until 1955, when all mining stopped. During World War II, coal waste in the watershed was rerun through a coal processing plant to recover coal. In 1971, the land was owned by the Blue Coal Company. A total of 22 million tons of coal have been mined in the area.
In the early 1900s, mine water and culm were discharged into Black Creek.
Between 1965 and 1967, the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration, the United States Bureau of Mines, the United States Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, the United States Geological Survey, and the Pennsylvania Department of Mines and Mineral Industries conducted a joint study on the watershed of Black Creek. The purpose of the study was to deal with water pollution due to acid mine drainage. Geological field work was carried out in the area between October 1965 and December 1965. Core and rock cuttings were done between October 1966 and June 1967. However, this study was ended before all of the necessary scientific investigations were completed.
## Biology
The entire drainage basin of Black Creek is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery.
## See also
- Turtle Creek (Susquehanna River), next tributary of the Susquehanna River going downriver
- Paddy Run, next tributary of the Susquehanna River going upriver
- List of rivers of Pennsylvania
|
[
"## Course",
"### Tributaries",
"## Hydrology and climate",
"## Geography",
"## Geology",
"## Watershed",
"## History",
"## Biology",
"## See also"
] | 2,720 | 30,710 |
4,173,672 |
Stuart Milner-Barry
| 1,149,516,519 |
British codebreaker, civil servant, and chess player
|
[
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"1995 deaths",
"20th-century English businesspeople",
"20th-century chess players",
"Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge",
"Bletchley Park people",
"British chess players",
"British chess writers",
"British male writers",
"British non-fiction writers",
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"Chess theoreticians",
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"English stockbrokers",
"Foreign Office personnel of World War II",
"Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order",
"Male non-fiction writers",
"Officers of the Order of the British Empire",
"People educated at Cheltenham College",
"People from Hendon"
] |
Sir Philip Stuart Milner-Barry (20 September 1906 – 25 March 1995) was a British chess player, chess writer, World War II codebreaker and civil servant. He represented England in chess both before and after World War II. He worked at Bletchley Park during World War II, and was head of "Hut 6", a section responsible for deciphering messages which had been encrypted using the German Enigma machine. He was one of four leading codebreakers at Bletchley to petition the then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill directly for more resources for their work. After the war he worked in the Treasury, and later administered the British honours system. In chess, he represented England in international tournaments, and lent his name to four opening variations.
## Early life and education
Born in Hendon, London, Philip Stuart was the second of six children to a schoolteacher, Edward Leopold Milner-Barry, who died in 1917, and his wife, Edith Mary. A talented chess player, he won the first British Boys' Championship in 1923. He was a pupil at Cheltenham College, and won a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he obtained firsts in classics and moral sciences. He represented Cambridge in chess. At Cambridge, he befriended another chess player, C.H.O'D. (Hugh) Alexander, and composed a number of chess puzzles. Between 1929 and 1938 he was a city stockbroker, although he was unhappy with the work. From 1938, he was the chess correspondent for The Times, succeeded in 1945 by Harry Golombek.
### Early chess contributions
He made his debut in international-class chess at the strong London 1932 tournament, which World Champion Alexander Alekhine won. Milner-Barry's best results in international competition were achieved in three straight years at the Margate tournaments from 1937 to 1939, and at Hastings 1938. In all four events he finished just above the middle against strong fields, with performance ratings (as calculated by Chessmetrics) between 2538 and 2565. This places him at a solid Grandmaster standard, although he never received this title. He reached as high as No. 65 in the world between June and August 1941, according to Chessmetrics, which ranks historical chess performances retrospectively, using modern algorithms.
He represented England in chess, and played in the international Chess Olympiads of 1937 and 1939. The latter tournament, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, coincided with Britain's declaration of war on Germany in September 1939. Milner-Barry, with teammates who included Hugh Alexander (at that time the British chess champion) and Harry Golombek, abandoned the tournament unfinished, and returned to Britain. His full Olympiad results are listed later in the article.
## Bletchley Park
Upon their return, all three soon joined the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) at Bletchley Park. Milner-Barry was recruited by mathematician Gordon Welchman, who had been his contemporary at Trinity College; in turn Milner-Barry recruited Hugh Alexander. Arriving in early 1940, he joined Welchman's "Hut 6" section, whose task was to solve the Enigma cipher machine as used by the German Army and Air Force.
In 1993, Milner-Barry wrote that "to this day I could not claim that I fully understood how the machine worked, let alone what was involved in the problems of breaking and reading the Enigma cipher". Nonetheless, with his knowledge of the German language, he made a study of the decrypts and found that they contained stereotyped patterns and forms of address that could be exploited as "cribs" – reliable guesses for the plain language message that matched a given piece of encrypted text. Finding reliable cribs was a critical task for Hut 6, as Enigma was broken primarily with the aid of "bombes", large electromechanical machines which automatically searched for parts of the correct settings. Bombes were reliant on a suitable crib in order to succeed. In autumn 1940, Milner-Barry was put in charge of the "Crib Room".
He was billeted with Alexander, who was working in Hut 8, the counterpart to Hut 6 working on German Naval Enigma. Their close friendship let them easily resolve the competing needs of their sections for the limited available bombe time. By October 1941, he was deputy head of Hut 6 under Welchman. At this time, Bletchley Park was experiencing a shortage of clerical staff which was delaying the work on Enigma, and the management of GCCS appeared unable to obtain the resources needed. This affected both Hut 6 and Hut 8, which was run by mathematician Alan Turing with Hugh Alexander as his deputy. Together, Welchman, Milner-Barry, Turing and Alexander bypassed the chain of command and wrote a memorandum directly to the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, outlining their difficulties. It fell to Milner-Barry to deliver the message to 10 Downing Street in person, on 21 October 1941. The next day, Churchill responded, "Action this day: Make sure they have all they want on extreme priority and report to me that this has been done." Within a month their needs were being met.
In autumn 1943, Milner-Barry took over as head of Hut 6, which by that time had grown to over 450 staff, Welchman having been appointed the Assistant Director of Mechanisation at Bletchley Park. He remained in charge until the end of the war, presiding over a number of technical challenges presented by the introduction of extra security devices to the German Enigma, including the Enigma Uhr and a rewireable "reflector" rotor. His entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography notes that, "although he increasingly felt that Hut 6 was on the verge of losing the ability to decode Enigma, it held on until the end of the war, and this was due in no small part to his gifted leadership." The official history of Hut 6, written immediately after the end of World War II, comments on his early "most vital technical achievement" in finding cribs, and on his "administrative and diplomatic talents" in his later role as head of the section.
## After World War II
Milner-Barry joined the Treasury in 1945 with the grade of Principal. In 1947, he married Thelma Tennant Wells, with whom he had a son and two daughters. The same year, he was promoted to Assistant Secretary, and Under-secretary in 1954. Apart from a stint in the Ministry of Health from 1958 to 1960, he remained with the Treasury until 1966, when, aged 60, he had reached the normal retirement age for the civil service. He was persuaded instead to carry on as a ceremonial officer administering the honours system. In this role, he supported the knighthoods of P. G. Wodehouse and Noël Coward. Milner-Barry eventually retired in 1977. He was appointed OBE in 1946 for his work in World War II, CB in 1962, and KCVO in 1975.
## Later chess contributions
He had also continued to play chess, competing in the 10th Chess Olympiad and 12th Chess Olympiad in 1952 and 1956. The 1956 Olympiad trip to Moscow was risky, since Britain and the USSR, which had been allies during World War II, were by then locked into the Cold War, and Milner-Barry's wartime codebreaking knowledge would have been of great interest to the Soviets; the very fact that Britain had broken German codes on a massive scale was kept secret until 1974, when Frederick Winterbotham's book The Ultra Secret was published. He placed second in the British Chess Championship at Hastings 1953 (finishing behind only Daniel Yanofsky), with a score of 8/11; this would be his best result in British Championships.
He was president of the British Chess Federation between 1970 and 1973, competed in the British Championship as late as 1978, and was still competing in club and county-level tournaments and matches into his 80s. His obituary in The Independent recalled his "savagely effective attacking style, honed to perfection through a series of 'serious friendly games' against his old rival Hugh Alexander". In 1972, George Koltanowski wrote that, "his style was very pleasing to spectators because he was always looking for dangerous continuations and quite often he found them!" His name is associated with four chess opening variations:
- Milner-Barry Variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defence (ECO E33): 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 Nc6
- Milner-Barry Gambit in the French Defence (ECO C02): 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bd7 8.0-0!? Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Nc3
- Milner-Barry Variation in the Petroff Defence (ECO C42): 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Qe2 Qe7 6.d3 Nf6 7.Bg5 Nbd7
- Milner-Barry Variation in the King's Gambit (ECO C31): 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.Nc3
### Olympiad results
Milner-Barry's detailed results while competing for England in chess Olympiads are as follows:
- Stockholm 1937: board 3, 3/9 (+2−5=2)
- Buenos Aires 1939: board 3, 4/5 (+3−0=2)
- Helsinki 1952: board 3, 51⁄2/12 (+2−3=7)
- Moscow 1956: board 4, 6/12 (+5−5=2)
Overall, he scored (+12−13=13), 181⁄2/38, for 48.7 per cent.
## Final years
In 1985, Milner-Barry fiercely defended the reputation of Gordon Welchman, who had come under posthumous criticism for publishing details about the wartime work of Hut 6. In 1992, echoing his wartime visit to 10 Downing Street, Milner-Barry was a member of a party who delivered a petition to the Prime Minister calling on the government to help preserve Bletchley Park, which was then under threat from demolition.
He died on 25 March 1995 in Lewisham Hospital, London. A memorial service was held for him at Westminster Abbey on 15 June.
There is a conference room named after him at the Civil Service Club, 13 – 15 Great Scotland Yard, London SW1A 2HJ.
|
[
"## Early life and education",
"### Early chess contributions",
"## Bletchley Park",
"## After World War II",
"## Later chess contributions",
"### Olympiad results",
"## Final years"
] | 2,369 | 17,907 |
46,392,096 |
Number 1 to Infinity
| 1,172,429,001 | null |
[
"2015 compilation albums",
"Compilation albums of number-one songs",
"Epic Records compilation albums",
"Mariah Carey compilation albums"
] |
1. 1 to Infinity is the sixth greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter and producer Mariah Carey. It was released by Sony Music Entertainment on May 15, 2015. It features Carey's then eighteen US number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. A new recording called "Infinity" was released as the only single on April 27, 2015. In January 2015, the singer announced that she had signed a residency deal to perform at The Colosseum at the Caesars Palace hotel in Las Vegas in May and July 2015, (later extended into 2016 and 2017) and would perform all of her number ones. As a result, she decided to re-release her first compilation, 1998's \#1's, with an updated list of subsequent chart toppers. Carey promoted the album with her \#1 to Infinity residency and with live performances at the Billboard Music Awards, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Live! with Kelly and Michael.
## Background
Following the release of Mariah Carey's fourteenth studio album, Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse, in May 2014, she parted ways with her record label Def Jam Recordings, her publicist Cindi Berger and her manager Jermaine Dupri. She signed a new record contract with L.A. Reid at Epic Records (who co-executively produced Carey's tenth album The Emancipation of Mimi in 2005), sought a new publicist with Chris Chambers of the Chamber Group and hired new managers Stella Bulochnikov and Brian Sher. Writers Shirley Halperin and Andrew Hampp of Billboard attributed Carey's decision to seek a new label and management to the low sales of Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse, which at a total of 117,000 units since its release, is Carey's lowest selling album in the United States. Carey secured a multi-album record deal with Epic in January 2015, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, meaning that \#1 to Infinity would be her first album since her seventh studio album Rainbow in 1999 to be released with Sony.
Following the release of Rainbow, Carey left Sony and signed an \$80 million, four-album contract with EMI's Virgin Records, wishing to sever all ties with Sony and its chairman, her former husband Tommy Mottola. Halperin and Hampp believe that following a prolonged period of absence from Sony and re-signing with them is a positive situation for Carey: "Doug Morris, current chairman/CEO of Sony Music, brought Carey to Island Def Jam in 2003 when he was running Universal Music Group. Reid, then head of Island Def Jam, oversaw her Mimi-powered 2005 comeback. Joey Arbagey, a collaborator of Carey's during the making of the six-times platinum The Emancipation of Mimi, is now executive vp A&R at Epic." Furthermore, Carey released seven studio albums, a live EP and four compilation/greatest hits albums with Sony, which have sold a total of 54 million units in the US combined. Although Halperin and Hampp note that "Carey's legacy is undisputed, her recent stumbles have not gone unnoticed," with regard to her divorce from Nick Cannon, the low sales of Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse and its failure to garner a top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 and hiring and firing three managers: Dupri, Randy Jackson and Kevin Giles (the last of whom Carey has kept as a consultant). As a result, several record labels were reluctant to offer Carey a contract. According to Billboard, many other critics felt that reuniting with Reid is Carey's best chance of re-establishing herself on the charts.
## Content
In January 2015, Carey announced that she would re-release \#1's (1998) with an updated version featuring her songs that had in the meantime reached number one: "Heartbreaker" featuring Jay-Z (1999), "Thank God I Found You" featuring Joe and 98 Degrees (2000), "We Belong Together" (2005), "Don't Forget About Us" (2005/06) and "Touch My Body" (2008). The North American track listing of \#1 to Infinity features Carey's then eighteen US number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and one new recording called "Infinity". Instead of including the original studio version of her third number one "Someday" (1991), the live recording from her MTV Unplugged EP (1992) features instead. Carey explains in the liner notes of \#1 to Infinity that she felt the studio version was overproduced. The Bad Boy Fantasy remix of her ninth number one "Fantasy" featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard was included instead of the original solo version. Carey describes the remix as a "turning point" in her career.
"Someday", "I Don't Wanna Cry" and "Thank God I Found You" were omitted from the international track listing. They were replaced with Carey's cover of Badfinger's song "Without You" (number one in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and several European territories), her "Endless Love" duet with Luther Vandross (number one in New Zealand) and "Against All Odds" featuring Westlife (number one in the United Kingdom). "Thank God I Found You" was also omitted from the Japanese track listing, and replaced with "All I Want for Christmas Is You", which remains her best-selling single in the country. For the album artwork, Carey launched a social media campaign on April 12, 2015, whereby fans had to share a link to her website in order to reveal the cover which was concealed by a curtain. Using the hashtag "RevealMariah", the more shares the link received, the quicker the cover was revealed. Fans unlocked the final image a day later on April 13.
## Singles
"Infinity" was released as the only single from the album, and was the only new recording to be included on the track list. It is a mid-tempo R&B song written by Carey, Eric Hudson, Priscilla Renea, Taylor Parks and Ilsey Juber. Lyrically, the song is about Carey freeing herself and emancipation, however many critics speculated that the lyrics were specifically about her separation from her second husband, Nick Cannon. In response, Carey said that the song was not a reflection of her personal life, but even if it was, she would not publicly confirm who it was written about. Critical response to the song was positive, with many critics praising Carey's vocals and her comical songwriting, specifically with regard to the reference about Fritos. "Infinity" reached number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her forty-seventh entry since her debut in 1990.
## Promotion
On January 15, 2015, Carey appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to announce that she signed a contract to take up residency at The Colosseum at the Caesars Palace hotel in Las Vegas in May and July 2015; it is called \#1 to Infinity. During the interview, Carey confirmed "I'm going to do my first ever residency in Vegas at Caesars." "This is a special event for me. And again, I have to hope that the fans will enjoy this cause I'm gonna be performing, which was kind of inspired by my album \#1's, and this is now the updated version with eighteen of them. Hopefully other people will enjoy this. I've never done this before." The confirmation of Carey's residency came after Canadian megastar Celine Dion announced that she had postponed dates of her residency at Caesars Palace to care for her husband, René Angélil, who was suffering from cancer. Aside from singing "Infinity" at her residency, Carey performed a medley of her 1990 debut single "Vision of Love" followed by "Infinity" at the Billboard Music Awards on May 17, 2015; it was her first performance at the ceremony in seventeen years. Andrew Hampp for Billboard described the performance as "octave-leaping" and one of the most memorable of the night. Other promotional appearances included Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Live! with Kelly and Michael. For the latter, Carey wore an Aurora-inspired dress from the Disney film Sleeping Beauty and performed on Main Street, U.S.A. in Disney World.
## Reception
Jamieson Cox, from Time, wrote that "if you needed a reminder of just how thoroughly Mariah Carey dominated the 90s, or a refresher on the staggering force of the numbers she’s put up throughout her career, \#1 To Infinity will do just fine", but also pointing out that most of the songs were released from 1990 to 1995, just 20% of Carey's entire recording career, as well as criticizing the lack of material released from 2005 onwards; "in 2015, we're as far away from 'We Belong Together' as that song was from 'Fantasy', and that lost decade is the root of this compilation’s greatest tragedy [...] the great majority of the fine work Carey’s done in the last decade might as well not exist". Nonetheless, he praised the compilation for highlighting "the sheer athleticism and skill that propelled Carey’s early work. She took very simple songs—both in terms of arrangements and theme—rooted in pop, gospel, and R&B and turned them into feats of strength, granting them dynamism and drama with a voice that juggled power, clarity, and agility with ease".
## Commercial performance
1. 1 to Infinity debuted at number 29 on the US Billboard 200 chart on June 6, 2015, selling 15,000 copies in its first week, marking the ninth highest debut of the week and the twentieth best-selling album of the week. It became her twentieth album to make the chart. Her eponymous album had debuted at number 80 twenty-five years prior in 1990 and later became her first of six number-one albums in 1991. \#1 to Infinity peaked at number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and R&B Albums chart, respectively. As of November 2018, the album has sold 86,000 copies in the United States. In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 8 on May 24, 2015, remaining on the chart for 5 weeks. On the UK R&B Albums Chart, the compilation reached number 1. Similarly, the album peaked at number 18 on the Australian Albums Chart, but reached number 2 on the Urban Albums Chart.
## Track listing
Notes
- "Someday" is included as the live performance version from MTV Unplugged in place of the original studio recording
- "I'll Be There" featuring Trey Lorenz is a cover, originally performed by The Jackson 5
- "Without You" is a cover, originally performed by Badfinger
- "Endless Love" with Luther Vandross is a cover, originally performed by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross
- "Against All Odds" with Westlife is a cover, originally performed by Phil Collins
Sample credits
- "Fantasy"(Bad Boy Fantasy Remix) contains a sample of the Tom Tom Club's song "Genius of Love", written by Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, Adrian Belew and Steven Stanley
- "Honey" contains samples of "Hey DJ" performed by The World's Famous Supreme Team, written by Stephen Hague, and "The Body Rock" performed by the Treacherous Three, written by Bobby Robinson, Larry Price and Malcolm McLaren
- "Heartbreaker" contains a sample of "Attack of the Name Game" performed by Stacy Lattisaw, written by Shirley Ellis and Lincoln Chase
- "We Belong Together" contains samples of Bobby Womack's "If You Think You're Lonely Now", written by Bobby Womack, Patrick Moten and Sandra Sully, and The Deele's "Two Occasions", written by Darnell Bristol and Kenneth Edmonds
## Charts
### Weekly charts
### Year-end charts
## Certifications and sales
## Release history
|
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"## Background",
"## Content",
"## Singles",
"## Promotion",
"## Reception",
"## Commercial performance",
"## Track listing",
"## Charts",
"### Weekly charts",
"### Year-end charts",
"## Certifications and sales",
"## Release history"
] | 2,551 | 34,749 |
26,869,726 |
Action of 5 May 1794
| 1,145,362,410 |
Minor naval engagement during the French Revolutionary Wars
|
[
"Conflicts in 1794",
"Naval battles involving France",
"Naval battles involving Great Britain",
"Naval battles of the French Revolutionary Wars"
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The action of 5 May 1794 was a minor naval engagement fought in the Indian Ocean during the French Revolutionary Wars. A British squadron had been blockading the French island of Isle de France (now Mauritius) since early in the year, and early on 5 May discovered two ships approaching their position. As the strange vessels came closer, they were recognised as the French frigate Duguay Trouin, which had been captured from the East India Company the year before, and a small brig. Making use of a favourable wind, the British squadron gave chase to the new arrivals, which fled. The chase was short, as Duguay Trouin was a poor sailor with many of the crew sick and unable to report for duty. The British frigate HMS Orpheus was the first to arrive, and soon completely disabled the French frigate, successfully raking the wallowing ship. After an hour and twenty minutes the French captain surrendered, Captain Henry Newcome of Orpheus taking over the captured ship and bringing his prize back to port in India.
## Background
Britain joined the French Revolutionary Wars in February 1793, but the news did not reach the Indian Ocean for four months. The immediate priority of the British squadron under Commodore William Cornwallis in British India was the capture of the French colonies in India, especially their main port of Pondicherry. Once the British had completed this operation at the end of August 1793, the squadron returned to Europe. This left British commerce in Eastern waters badly exposed, and privateers and warships operating from Isle de France captured a number of merchant vessels, including the large East Indiaman Princess Royal, which three privateer corvettes seized on 27 September in the Sunda Strait.
Princess Royal was a well-armed ship, carrying twenty-six 12-pounder cannon and a number of smaller calibre guns on the maindeck. The French Navy immediately took her into service as the 34-gun frigate Duguay Trouin and attached her to the Isle de France squadron of the frigates Prudente and Cybèle, and the brig Vulcain under Captain Jean-Marie Renaud. This force skirmished inconclusively with a squadron of East India Company ships in the Sunda Strait in January 1794, before returning to Isle de France with the captured East Indiaman Pigot.
By the early spring of 1794, three vessels had come out from Britain – 32-gun frigate HMS Orpheus under Captain Henry Newcome, the 50-gun fifth rate HMS Centurion under Captain Samuel Osbourne, and the 44-gun HMS Resistance under Captain Edward Pakenham to replace Cornwallis's squadron. These ships passed the French bases on Isle de France en route to India, and briefly blockaded the port with some success against French merchant vessels: Orpheus alone sent three officers and twenty men to India in captured merchant ships. The French too had ships at sea during this period, Duguay Trouin and Vulcain cruising together in the Indian Ocean during the spring before returning to Isle de France.
## Battle
As the French vessels approached the island on 5 May they were sighted by lookouts on the British squadron. The British captains then waited for the French to get closer, launching a chase in the mid-morning when they held the weather gage so that the wind was behind them. This allowed them to rapidly close with the French vessels whose efforts to escape were hampered by Duguay Trouin's poor sailing qualities. At 11:45, Orpheus was the first to reach the French frigate, firing on Duguay Trouin from long range. Within ten minutes the British ship had pulled closer to the former East Indiaman and although Duguay Trouin briefly returned fire, Orpheus was soon positioned across the starboard quarter of the French ship, allowing Newcome to pour raking fire into the Duguay Trouin without reply.
By 13:15, Duguay Trouin was a battered wreck, with the hull significantly damaged, the bowsprit shot away and heavy casualties among the crew. With his ship unmanageable and Centurion and Resistance now 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) away and approaching rapidly, the French captain struck his colours and surrendered. The brig Vulcain had taken the opportunity to escape as Duguay Trouin and Orpheus fought and later reached Isle de France. Newcome lost one midshipman killed and one officer and eight men wounded in the exchange from a crew of 194. Losses on Duguay Trouin were far more severe: the French ship recorded 21 men killed and 60 wounded from a nominal complement of 403.
## Aftermath
Newcome initially took his prize to Mahé in the Seychelles, where he demanded fresh supplies, particularly water, for his prisoners. The French governors of the islands refused, and Newcome stormed and seized the town, taking all of the supplies and military stores. The wounded and sick prisoners were disembarked, and the contents of a small French brig were turned over to the inhabitants to replace the seized supplies. Newcome then returned to India with his prize, but the ship was not subsequently purchased by the Royal Navy.
Historical reaction to the battle has focused on the significantly stronger British position in the encounter, with three large regular warships pitted against a hastily converted merchant vessel with a significant proportion of the crew suffering from illness. Duguay-Trouin was also weakly built and weakly armed: early estimates that the Duguay Trouin's main battery mounted twenty-six 18-pounder long guns were revised to 12-pounders with eight smaller cannon on the upper deck. The British blockade of Isle de France continued throughout the year, with Centurion engaged in an inconclusive action against a French squadron in October. Although Isle de France remained in French hands throughout the conflict, the Indian Ocean was largely under British control by 1796.
|
[
"## Background",
"## Battle",
"## Aftermath"
] | 1,220 | 20,745 |
36,075,429 |
Adolphus Frederick Alexander Woodford
| 1,037,138,512 |
Pioneering Masonic Researcher
|
[
"1821 births",
"1887 deaths",
"Alumni of University College, Durham",
"English Freemasons"
] |
Adolphus Frederick Alexander Woodford (1821–1887) was the eldest son of Alexander George Woodford, a career soldier who was already a hero of Waterloo, and would rise to Field Marshal, ending his days in command of Chelsea Hospital. After a short stay in the Coldstream Guards, Adolphus entered the Anglican Church, having the living of Swillington from 1847–1872. On leaving the Army, he also became a Freemason, rising to become Grand Chaplain in 1863, commuting from Yorkshire to his London duties.
After moving to London, his editorship of the Freemason ignited an interest in the study of Masonic history, and led to the establishment of Quatuor Coronati Lodge, dedicated to masonic research. Woodford was the first Immediate Past Master of the lodge, and as such convened the lodge for much of its first two years, during the frequent absences of Charles Warren, the master. Just before his death, towards the end of 1887, he passed on a set of coded papers which resulted in the establishment of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
## Birth, Army and Vocation
Adolphus Woodford was born on 9 July 1821. His father was already a distinguished soldier, and as eldest son he was named for the Colonel-in-Chief of his father's regiment, the Coldstream Guards. It seems a natural progression for Adolphus to have become an officer in the same regiment. He was gazetted as a lieutenant on 25 December 1838, but resigned on 23 April 1841. His father was, by this time, Governor-general of Gibraltar, and it was there, on 9 February 1842, that Adolphus was initiated into his father's lodge, the Lodge of Friendship No 345 (now the Royal Lodge of Friendship No 278). He took the customary three degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason, and is known to have attended nine meetings of the lodge in total, before returning to England in the autumn, matriculating at the University of Durham to study Theology.
He was awarded his Bachelor of Arts in 1846, and Licentiate of Theology in 1847. Meanwhile, he joined Marquis of Granby Lodge No 146 (now 124), and served two years as Master. His second year as master, 1847, also saw him appointed Provincial Grand Chaplain for the County of Durham. His academic achievements, while less than impressive, saw him ordained Priest that same year, and appointed Rector of St. Mary's Church, Swillington, where he would remain for the next twenty-five years.
## The Rector of Swillington
In 1847 Swillington, to the south-east of Leeds, was still a rural community, although mining was starting to assert itself as the driving force of the local economy. Woodford was still the Provincial Grand Chaplain in Durham, while completing structural work on his church in Yorkshire. It was not until 1854 that he joined Philanthropic Lodge No 382 (now 304). The next year he was appointed Provincial Grand Chaplain for West Yorkshire. He was master of Philanthropic in 1856 and 1858, and the lodge history asserts that it thrived during the years of his regular attendance. He re-wrote their ritual in a unique form, which was shared with five daughter and granddaughter lodges.
He joined the Lodge of Antiquity in London in 1863, and that same year became Grand Chaplain of United Grand Lodge. While still Rector of Swillington, his new masonic duties took him to the consecration of many new lodges, and saw him deliver the oration at the laying of the foundation stone for the new extension to Freemason's Hall in Great Queen Street, London, the next year. In the same period, Woodford started to contribute articles on masonic history, starting with his researches into the old York lodges. He became known to local booksellers as he began to collect old manuscripts.
1871 saw Woodford as one of the signatories of a remonstrance against the Privy Council for upholding a conviction of an Anglican Vicar, John Purchas, for the way in which he celebrated communion. The following year, he moved to London, resigning his living for a career in Masonic publishing.
## The Writer
In London, Woodford settled into a busy career as a writer and researcher. Contributing essays to several publications and periodicals, he also edited the Freemason and the Masonic Magazine, frequently contributing most of the copy himself. He compiled Kenning's Masonic Cyclopaedia for the publisher of the two magazines.
Woodford used the Freemason in 1879 to oppose a move in Grand Lodge to enforce uniformity of ritual on its lodges. His own letter on the subject provoked much correspondence, convincing Grand Lodge of the groundswell of resistance to such a move.
The last few years of his life were also occupied in collaboration with other Masonic researchers, such as Hughan and Gould, which eventually brought into being England's first research lodge, Quatuor Coronati. As acting Immediate Past Master, he guided the lodge through its first two years of existence, taking the chair in the frequent absences of the Master, Charles Warren, then Metropolitan Commissioner of Police. It is plain from Gould's obituary that the rest of the lodge looked on him as a mentor.
## Death and legacy
In December 1887, Woodford contracted septicaemia from an untreated foot injury. He died on 23 December. He is seen as a pioneer of the Authentic school of masonic research, applying proper historical methodology in place of carelessly repeated fable. He earnestly collected and studied early masonic manuscripts, writing the introduction for Hughan's published collection. He contributed greatly to an understanding of the enigmatic history of the York lodges in the eighteenth century. His lasting legacy may be seen in the continued activity and influence of Quatuor Coronati Lodge, and the rational approach to masonic history.
Lastly, he played at least some part in the establishment of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, passing the cipher manuscripts from which it was founded to his friend William Wynn Westcott shortly before his death. He had already made a strong case that the mystic and philosophical elements which allowed Freemasonry to evolve from a purely operative to a speculative society were likely to have been imported from some aspects of the Hermeticism practised during the Renaissance.
|
[
"## Birth, Army and Vocation",
"## The Rector of Swillington",
"## The Writer",
"## Death and legacy"
] | 1,359 | 33,956 |
17,258,227 |
1851 Atlantic hurricane season
| 1,168,986,009 |
Hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean
|
[
"1850s Atlantic hurricane seasons",
"1851 meteorology",
"1851 natural disasters",
"Articles which contain graphical timelines"
] |
The 1851 Atlantic hurricane season was the first Atlantic hurricane season to be included in the official Atlantic tropical cyclone record. Six known tropical cyclones occurred during the season, the earliest of which formed on June 25 and the latest of which dissipated on October 19. These dates fall within the range of most Atlantic tropical cyclone activity. None of the cyclones existed simultaneously with another. Three of the six storms only have a single point in their track known.
Two other hurricanes were reported during the season, one near Tampico and the other near Jamaica; however, they are not in the official hurricane database. There may have been other unconfirmed tropical cyclones during the season. Meteorologist Christopher Landsea estimates that between zero and six storms were missed from the official database, due to small tropical cyclone size, sparse ship reports, and relatively unpopulated coastlines.
## Season summary
Five of the six tropical cyclones affected land, including three making landfall with winds of over 74 mph (119 km/h). The first struck Texas as a hurricane, which caused moderate to heavy damage, particularly to shipping in Matagorda Bay. One death was indirectly related to the hurricane, as well as at least two injuries.
The strongest and deadliest hurricane of the season tracked from east of the Lesser Antilles, through the Greater Antilles, and across the southeastern United States before last being observed near Newfoundland; it was tied for having the longest duration for a hurricane prior to 1870. When it hit near Panama City, Florida with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h), it caused at least 23 deaths, including five when a lighthouse was destroyed. Many houses were destroyed along its path, primarily along the Florida Panhandle.
The other landfalling hurricane was one that struck near Tampico, where it caused heavy damage. The last tropical storm of the season made landfall on Rhode Island, though associated damage is unknown. A tropical storm affected the Lesser Antilles in early July, and another tropical storm remained nearly stationary for three days to the southeast of North Carolina.
## Timeline
## Systems
### Hurricane One
A small 90 mph (140 km/h) hurricane was first observed on June 25, about 75 miles (121 km) southeast of Freeport, Texas. It tracked westward, moving ashore near Matagorda Bay later that night near peak intensity, with an estimated minimum barometric central pressure of 977 mbar; due to lack of observations, it is possible the hurricane struck as the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale. The cyclone slowly weakened as it turned northwestward, with hurricane-force wind gusts reported 24 hours after landfall in current-day Medina County. It is estimated that the storm dissipated early on June 28 over central Texas.
The hurricane produced heavy damage near where it moved ashore, having been described as the most disastrous experienced there to date. The winds destroyed every wharf and several houses in Port Lavaca. On Matagorda Island, the saltwater contaminated the fresh water supply, and in Matagorda Bay, heavy shipping losses were reported. As the cyclone progressed inland, it dropped light to moderate rainfall, peaking at around 3 inches (76 mm) in Corpus Christi. A fort near current day Laredo reported 2.48 inches (63 mm) of precipitation. Across its path, the winds downed several trees and houses, leaving two people injured and contributing to a death when a sick person was exposed to the storm.
### Hurricane Two
A moderate hurricane made landfall near Tampico, which was described as having moved ashore before July 7; the Hurricane Research Division assessed the date as July 5. Heavy damage was reported in Tampico.
### Tropical Storm Three
A tropical storm passed through the southern Lesser Antilles on July 10. Overall documentation on the storm was weak, and its track elsewhere is unknown.
### Hurricane Four
Great Florida Middle Panhandle Hurricane of August 1851 or Hurricane San Agapito of 1851 was first observed on August 16 about 775 miles (1,247 km) east of Barbados. It tracked west-northwestward, attaining hurricane status on August 17 as it approached the Lesser Antilles. Shortly thereafter, the hurricane passed between Antigua and Saint Kitts and later south of Saint Croix. On August 18 it brushed the southern coast of Puerto Rico, though it affected the entire island due to a large size of the storm. The next day it made landfall on the southern coast of the Dominican Republic. The cyclone rapidly weakened to tropical storm status over Hispaniola, though it regained hurricane status as it paralleled the southern coast of Cuba just offshore. Late on August 20, the cyclone crossed western Cuba, briefly weakening to tropical storm status before again regaining hurricane status in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. It quickly strengthened and reached peak winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) early on August 23 about 215 miles (346 km) south-southeast of Pensacola, Florida. Turning northeastward, the hurricane moved ashore near Panama City, Florida at peak intensity, with an estimated barometric pressure of 960 mbar. It accelerated across the Southeastern United States, weakening to a tropical storm before exiting North Carolina into the Atlantic Ocean on August 25. On August 27, it was last observed over Newfoundland as a weak tropical storm.
The hurricane passed near Saint Lucia on August 17, where high tides and rough seas were reported. Flooding was reported in northern Puerto Rico during its passage. Impact is unknown in Hispaniola and Cuba. The hurricane produced an estimated storm tide of 12 feet (3.7 m) at Saint Marks; the combination of waves and the storm tide flooded coastal areas, destroying 50% of the cotton crops in some areas. Rough seas destroyed a brig, killing 17 people, and another person drowned due to a shipwreck. Many ships were expected to have been lost in the storm, resulting in fear of potentially hundreds of deaths. The storm caused heavy damage along the coastline, and in Apalachicola the winds destroyed the roofs of all but two or three buildings. Dog Island Light was destroyed, resulting in five deaths. Further inland, many houses were blown over in Tallahassee, totaling \$60,000 in damage (1851 USD). Heavy damage was reported in Alabama, including destroyed crops and damaged houses; damage in the state was less than in Florida. Hurricane-force winds extended into southwestern Georgia, while tropical storm force winds were reported along the coastline. In Savannah, the winds damaged many houses and downed many trees. In North Carolina and Virginia, winds from the storm destroyed crop fields and small buildings; in the region, it was described as the worst storm in 30 years. Storm damage was reported as far north as Cambridge, Massachusetts.
### Tropical Storm Five
On September 13, a tropical storm was first observed about 225 miles (362 km) southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. A nearby ship with the call sign Cushnoc reported estimated winds of 60 mph (97 km/h), which was judged to be the peak intensity of the tropical storm. Another ship on September 16 reported similar winds in the same location; Thus, it was estimated to have remained nearly stationary for three days. Its complete track is unknown.
### Tropical Storm Six
A tropical storm developed on October 16 about 155 miles (249 km) east of Cape Canaveral, Florida. It tracked northeastward, gradually strengthening to attain peak winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) early on October 17. On October 18, the storm turned more to the north-northeast as its forward motion increased. Gradually weakening, the storm dissipated late on October 19 after making landfall on Rhode Island.
### Other systems
On August 2, a hurricane was reported in the vicinity of Tampico. However, it was not listed as a tropical cyclone in the official hurricane database.
An assessment by scholar Michael Chenoweth indicated the presence of a hurricane in the vicinity of western Jamaica around November 7. It is not currently listed in the official hurricane database.
## See also
- Atlantic hurricane
- HURDAT
- Tropical cyclone forecasting
|
[
"## Season summary",
"## Timeline",
"## Systems",
"### Hurricane One",
"### Hurricane Two",
"### Tropical Storm Three",
"### Hurricane Four",
"### Tropical Storm Five",
"### Tropical Storm Six",
"### Other systems",
"## See also"
] | 1,715 | 37,801 |
48,715,524 |
Historic Presbyterian Community Center (Madison, Nebraska)
| 1,144,740,974 |
Historic church in Nebraska, United States
|
[
"1870 establishments in Nebraska",
"Akron Plan church buildings",
"Buildings and structures in Madison County, Nebraska",
"Churches completed in 1914",
"Churches in Madison County, Nebraska",
"Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Nebraska",
"Madison, Nebraska",
"National Register of Historic Places in Madison County, Nebraska",
"Presbyterian churches in Nebraska",
"Romanesque Revival church buildings in Nebraska"
] |
The Historic Presbyterian Community Center, formerly the First Presbyterian Church, is a former church building in the city of Madison, in the northeastern part of the state of Nebraska, in the Midwestern United States.
The building was constructed in 1914 to serve a Presbyterian congregation. It remained in service until 2007, when the dwindling of the congregation made it impossible to continue supporting the building as a church. It was then acquired by a local nonprofit organization, which uses it for concerts, plays, art exhibits, and other community events; it is also used for events such as weddings and funerals.
The building was designed in a Romanesque Revival architectural style. Its interior was configured according to the Akron plan, a scheme for laying out Sunday-school rooms that was in widespread use through much of the final third of the 19th century. Because of its exterior and interior design, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, under the name First United Presbyterian Church.
## History
### Barnes settlement
The first white settlers to occupy the Madison area were a party led by Henry Mitchell Barnes. Attracted by news that fertile prairie land was available in the Nebraska Territory, Barnes left his home in Poughkeepsie, New York; with his sons William J. Barnes and Frank W. Barnes, and his nephew Peter J. Barnes, he traveled by rail to Columbus, Nebraska in 1866. In December of that year, they investigated the area lying between Columbus and the Elkhorn River before returning to Columbus for the rest of the winter.
In May 1867, the Barnes party returned north with a herd of cattle and two wagons, whose cargo included building materials for a frame house, and settled near the junction of Union and Taylor Creeks. Henry, William, and Frank Barnes each claimed a quarter-section (160 acres, or 65 ha). They built a log bridge across Union Creek, and Henry Barnes built himself a frame house, using the material that they had brought north from Columbus. During the remainder of 1867, several additional families located in and near the Union Creek settlement.
Soon after the Barnes party settled on the site, Presbyterian services were held in Henry Barnes's and other settlers' houses. In 1869, a trio of Iowa presbyteries appointed Rev. Sheldon Jackson superintendent of missions for Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah; in 1870, Jackson, accompanied by Rev. J. M. Wilson of Columbus, visited Madison to organize the congregation. Services were held in Madison's schoolhouse, built earlier in 1870.
### 1870–1900
The Union Creek settlement continued to grow. In 1870 or 1871, the town of Madison was platted on Frank Barnes's land. Soon thereafter, the Presbyterian congregation decided to build a church. Lumber for construction was hauled some 35 miles (55 km) from Columbus by ox-drawn wagons; the new church was dedicated in May 1872.
The church was the site of Madison's first fair, held in September 1873 and attended by 50–60 people. In 1876, it acquired Madison County's first church bell, donated by Henry Barnes.
In September 1881, the church was destroyed by a tornado. After the storm, the church's bell was recovered from a building across the street. Only the church's west wall survived; on it, an American flag that had been hung for a memorial service for the recently deceased James Garfield remained undamaged. Rather than rebuilding on the site, the congregation sold the land and used the proceeds to build at a new location. The new church, dedicated in 1882, cost \$2,000.
In 1894, a bell tower was added to the church, and the building was rededicated. In 1897 or 1898, the congregation, which had up to that time been supported by funds from the national Board of Home Missions, elected to become self-supporting. As part of this, the congregation determined to raise \$900 for the pastor's salary.
### 1914 church
By 1910, Madison's population exceeded 1,700. In about 1912, it was decided that a new Presbyterian church should be built. The 1882 church was torn down and its material salvaged: some was incorporated into the new church, and some used to build houses in eastern Madison. The new church's cornerstone was laid on November 18, 1913; while it was under construction, services were held in the lodge hall on the second floor of Hein's Opera House. Built at a cost of \$26,000, the new church was dedicated on June 14, 1914, with a capacity of 200 people in the sanctuary, which could be expanded to 350 by opening the adjoining Sunday-school rooms.
In the second half of the 20th century, the church's membership decreased significantly. The last regular pastor died in 1986, and was succeeded by a series of stated supplies. By 2007, the congregation had declined to nine members, four of them living in nursing homes; they concluded that they could no longer afford to maintain the church building, and held the final service in May 2007.
To preserve the building, a group of Madisonites incorporated as Preservation Madison, Inc. They obtained non-profit status and secured title to the church. To maintain it and to bring it into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, they raised funds from private donations and from the city's Economic Development Fund. The group operates the church as the Historic Presbyterian Community Center, using it as a venue for weddings and funerals, and for community events such as concerts, plays, and art exhibits.
## Architecture
The Madison church was designed according to the Akron Plan, an architectural scheme that was used widely in Sunday-school buildings in the United States between the late 1860s and the mid-1910s.
### Akron Plan
The Akron Plan was developed in response to changing Sunday-school practices. In the first part of the 19th century, the general tendency was for all pupils to learn the same lesson together in one large room. Beginning in about 1860, however, churches began implementing a new approach. All pupils learned the same lesson; but they were separated into grades, allowing each instructor to teach the lesson in a manner suitable for the age and level of development of their pupils. This practice was taken up by increasing numbers of churches; in 1872, a national convention adopted the Uniform Lesson Plan, implementing the practice nationwide.
The grades were not kept separate for the entire duration of the session. The class began with devotional exercises, led by the superintendent and involving the entire body of pupils. After this, the grades were taught separately. At the end of the session, the superintendent led, and the whole body participated in, a five-minute review of the lesson followed by closing exercises. This created a challenge for ecclesiastical architects: the Sunday-school building had to be designed in such a way that the pupils could quickly and efficiently be separated into various grades, and brought together for all-school activities.
One of those who addressed the design problem was Lewis Miller. A wealthy inventor and industrialist, Miller supervised a Sunday school in Canton, Ohio, and later one in Akron. When the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Akron decided to construct a new building, Miller worked with several architects to plan the Sunday-school wing. He devised a plan in which wedge-shaped classrooms were separated by partitions radiating from the direction of a central superintendent's platform. Doors on the platform-facing side of each classroom could be closed during grade-separated lessons, or opened to allow all pupils to see and hear the superintendent during school-wide exercises. The new church, following these plans, was constructed in 1866–67.
The so-called Akron Plan was adopted by Protestant churches throughout the United States and the world. Many of these churches modified the design with the addition of a movable partition between the sanctuary and the Sunday-school spaces, allowing the Sunday-school classes and the main body of congregants to be separated or united.
The Akron Plan's popularity declined after 1908, when an international Sunday-school convention approved the development of completely graded lesson plans. Pupils were to be kept in separate classes for the entire session; the school-wide exercises led by the superintendent were eliminated. This did away with the chief advantage of the Akron Plan, whose awkwardly shaped, imperfectly soundproofed, and often poorly lighted rooms were not well suited for any other use. To create more useful spaces, many Akron Plan interiors were remodelled; by the beginning of the 21st century, few intact Akron Plan interiors remained.
### Madison church
The Madison Presbyterian church is located on the southeast corner of Fourth and Nebraska Streets. Architecturally, its design has been described as "a modest Romanesque Revival style". As a representative of this style, and because its interior serves as a well-preserved example of Akron plan design, the church was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.
#### Exterior
The church is chiefly built out of red brick, with a belt course and a parapet of Bedford stone. Light tan brick is used for decorative patterns and embellishments.
The plan of the building is generally rectangular. A six-sided (half a dodecagon) projection on the west side houses the Sunday-school room. Two low square towers stand at the northeast and southeast corners of the building; on the east side of each, a flight of concrete steps leads to an entrance, one to the pastor's study and one to the sanctuary. A somewhat taller square bell tower stands near the southwest corner; the arched main entrance to the building is on the south side of this tower.
A large round-headed window is located between the two towers on the south side, and another between the two towers on the east side. Smaller round-headed windows occur on the east and west sides of the bell tower, at about the same level as the south entrance. On the south side of the bell tower, above the doorway, is a pair of diamond-shaped windows set in a raised rectangle of light-tan brick; on the east and west sides, at the same level, are similar arrangements, but with diamond-shaped decorations of corbelled light-tan brick instead of windows. Above these are paired round-headed windows with wood louvered shutters.
An octagonal cupola with clerestory windows tops the main section of the building. The roof of the polygonal Sunday-school section slopes upward, then gives way to short vertical walls defining a kind of cupola, also with clerestory windows.
#### Interior
The principal entrance, on the south side of the belltower, leads to a small vestibule from which short flights of stairs rise to the sanctuary level and descend to the basement.
From the main entrance, one enters the sanctuary at the southwest corner. The room is rectangular, with a floor that slopes downward; an aisle follows this downward slope from the southwest entrance to the altar platform at the northeast corner. On either side of this aisle, curved oak pews run diagonally across the room from southeast to northwest. An Estey pipe organ stands on the north side of the altar platform; along the north wall is a small platform for the choir. A doorway at the northeast corner, behind the organ, leads to a small pastor's study.
Two large stained-glass windows are located on the south and east walls. In the center of the ceiling, beneath the cupola, is a stained-glass window, lit during the day by the cupola's clerestory windows. The base of the cupola is surrounded by a circle of electric lights.
Two tambour doors, each 14 feet high by 12 feet wide (4.3 m by 3.7 m), divide the sanctuary from the Sunday-school rooms. The doors can be closed to separate the two spaces, or opened to unite them. The Sunday-school space is divided into wedge-shaped rooms by four-section folding doors 9 feet (2.7 m) high; these can be closed to divide the space into six classrooms, or opened to make a single open space of it.
The basement contains a second Sunday-school space, laid out in the same fashion as the rooms on the upper floor. Beneath the sanctuary is a fellowship room; north of that is a kitchen. The basement also contains two restrooms, a ladies' lounge, and a closet containing the pump for the organ. A stairwell at the north end of the basement leads up to an exterior door on the north side of the building, and down to the onetime furnace room.
|
[
"## History",
"### Barnes settlement",
"### 1870–1900",
"### 1914 church",
"## Architecture",
"### Akron Plan",
"### Madison church",
"#### Exterior",
"#### Interior"
] | 2,606 | 11,250 |
70,200,164 |
John L. Chapin
| 1,172,137,657 |
United States Army captain
|
[
"1913 births",
"1944 deaths",
"Military personnel from El Paso, Texas",
"Recipients of the Silver Star",
"Texas A&M University alumni",
"United States Army officers",
"United States Army personnel killed in World War II"
] |
John Letcher Chapin (March 15, 1913 – January 22, 1944) was an American soldier who served as a captain in the United States Army during World War II. He was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. He earned a degree in chemical engineering from Texas A&M University, worked at the El Paso Post Office, and was soon recruited by a Texas Army National Guard unit.
Chapin became the commander of a company during World War II and declined multiple promotions to remain with his men. He was injured in the Battle of San Pietro Infine but refused to return home, dying in the Battle of Rapido River while trying to break through the Winter Line in Italy on January 22, 1944. He is buried in Italy and memorialized in Captain John L. Chapin High School in El Paso.
## Early and personal life
John Letcher Chapin was born on March 15, 1913, in El Paso, Texas. He attended grade school and high school in the El Paso Independent School District and Ysleta ISD, graduating from Ysleta High School. Chapin earned his degree in chemical engineering at Texas A&M University in 1936.
At the age of nine years, Chapin met Velma Perkins, who he married on April 21, 1937. They had a son named Paul on December 27, 1938. Chapin worked at the El Paso Post Office and planned to attend medical school prior to joining the military.
## Military career
A Texas Army National Guard unit approached Chapin about becoming their chemical warfare officer with his degree, and he chose to join the Infantry Branch instead. He only planned to stay in the unit for a year, but his company was activated in November 1940 as Company E, 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Division.
While in training, Chapin was promoted and assumed control of the company. He was respected by its members due to his skill and fairness. However, Chapin declined five promotions to the rank of major to stay with his company. Most of his company members were Hispanic and non-English speakers, and Chapin, who spoke Spanish fluently, believed leaving his company could bring a non-Spanish-speaking captain who would mistreat the soldiers. Another particular example of Chapin's perceived devotion to his soldiers is his unit's boycott of a burger restaurant in El Paso. The restaurant's business manager displayed a sign refusing service to Black and Mexican people, which led to a boycott from the entire unit and a US\$500 fine for discrimination.
Company E was stationed at various locations across the United States, while Chapin's family eventually chose to settle in California.
On December 12, 1942, Chapin departed on a train to the front line in Europe during World War II. He fought at Salerno and San Pietro Infine, where he was severely injured and refused to return home in order to stay with his company. He was killed by German machine gun fire on January 22, 1944, while trying to break through the Winter Line in Italy during the Battle of Rapido River, which occurred on the Gari River. His body was found in a foxhole and he was posthumously awarded a Silver Star for his courage and devotion. Only 27 of the 145 present soldiers of Company E survived the battle.
Velma did not learn of Chapin's death until February 22, 1944, exactly a full month after he died. His body is buried at the Sicily–Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy, and his gravestone displays the letters "KIA" to symbolize that he was killed in action defending the United States.
## Legacy
His legacy is memorialized in the name of Captain John L. Chapin High School in El Paso, which was dedicated in 2001. The committee to decide the name for the new school initially planned to use the name of a local Hispanic war hero, but spoke with many living members of Company E, who insisted on Chapin's name instead. They cited Chapin's selflessness, refusal to accept promotions, and respect for the people he led.
Company E as a whole is remembered through historical books such as Patriots from the Barrio, which Wilmer Valderrama and WM Entertainment have acquired film and television rights to, and The Men of Company E.
|
[
"## Early and personal life",
"## Military career",
"## Legacy"
] | 906 | 2,738 |
2,405,692 |
Vine Street, London
| 1,172,803,626 |
Street in City of Westminster, United Kingdom
|
[
"Streets in the City of Westminster"
] |
Vine Street is a street in Westminster, London, running from Swallow Street, parallel to Regent Street and Piccadilly. It is now a dead end that was shortened from a longer road in the early 18th century owing to the building of Regent Street.
From the 18th to 20th century, it was home to Vine Street Police Station, which grew from a watch-house into one of the busiest police stations in the world. The Marquess of Queensberry was charged with libel against Oscar Wilde here in 1895. There was also a court house in the 18th and early 19th century. The street's association with law has led to it being grouped with Bow Street and Marlborough Street on the standard British Monopoly board.
## Geography
The street is approximately 70 feet (21 m) long and is a dead end, running east and parallel to Piccadilly near Piccadilly Circus. It consists mainly of the rear facades of buildings facing onto other streets. It connects to Swallow Street at its western end and an alleyway, Piccadilly Place halfway along. At the eastern end, the Man in the Moon Passage provides foot access to Regent Street. The nearest tube station is Piccadilly Circus.
## History
The street is named after The Vine, an 18th-century public house, which in turn may have been named after a vineyard that existed at this location in Roman times. It was documented on ratebooks as Little Swallow Street in 1675. It was laid out around 1686 and originally ran further, along what is now the Man in the Moon Passage. John Rocque's Map of London, 1746 shows Vine Street extending from Piccadilly northeast to Warwick Street. In 1720, the main properties on the street were a brewery and a carpenter's yard.
Vine Street was split into two sections following the construction of Regent Street between 1816 and 1819. The Man in the Moon Passage was created at this time, named after a former pub at this location. The northern section towards Warwick Street was renamed Great Vine Street, and then a branch of Warwick Street itself. It ceased to exist after the reconstruction of the Regent Street Quadrant in 1920.
In 1853, Charles Moreign purchased several small houses at the end of Vine Street so they could be redeveloped into St James's Hall, Piccadilly. A rear entrance to the hall backed onto the street. The hall was demolished in 1905 and replaced by the Piccadilly Hotel, which also backs onto Vine Street.
### Police and law
Vine Street has long been associated with the police and law. Around 1751–52, a court house was built at the western end of the street, on the corner of what is now Piccadilly Place. It closed in 1836 following the reorganisation of the court system around Westminster and was subsequently occupied by the lawyer Edward Gaffin.
The Vine Street Police Station was at No. 10. It was originally built as a watch-house around 1767, and rebuilt following a fire in 1786 that destroyed several properties on and around the street. A school operated on the first floor, and two cells were in the basement. A further storey was added to the building in 1816. It was renamed Vine Street Police Station in 1829 following the establishment of the Metropolitan Police District. The school moved from the building to Swallow Street in 1836, where it stayed before closing in 1881. The police station went on to become one of the main stations in Central London. In 1850, it was extended over the 18th century courthouses. At one point in the 19th century it was one of the busiest police stations in the world. An Arts and Crafts extension wing was built on the station in 1897, that faced onto Swallow Street. The Man in the Moon pub, adjacent to the station, was bought by the police receiver in 1931.
The station closed in 1940 (along with nearby Marlborough Street Magistrates Court) to be replaced with an integrated West End Central Police Station at Savile Row, with the street being renamed Piccadilly Place. A subsequent rise in foot traffic around the area, and associated crime, led to the station being re-opened in 1966, with the street being renamed back to Vine Street in 1972. The police station closed in 1997 and the building was demolished in 2005 for redevelopment.
## Events and incidents
The Dutch artist Peter Scheemakers moved into a house on the western edge of Vine Street around 1741. He stayed there until 1769, when he returned to Antwerp.
On 2 September 1791, composer Frantisek Kotzwara died at prostitute Susannah Hill's house at No. 5 Vine Street from erotic asphyxiation following a sexual act that involved tying his neck to a doorknob. Hill was charged with Kotzwara's murder but later acquitted.
In 1895, the Marquess of Queensbury was charged at Vine Street Police Station with libel against Oscar Wilde. This ultimately led to Wilde's arrest and subsequent imprisonment. On 29 May 1901, the stonemason James Schulty reported he had information about the murder of Mary Ann Austin but refused to reveal details anywhere except the Vine Street Police Station. The information was discarded by the Metropolitan Police as of little value.
In 1928, an officer working at the station was sacked after it was revealed he had been gathering bribes from local nightclubs and brothels, acquiring over £17,000 (now £) in the process. The officer subsequently committed suicide and the station is said to be haunted by his ghost. Related incidents include reports of papers being inexplicably moved, and an officer hearing footsteps despite knowing he was the only one in the station.
The street and station are mentioned in the Pogues' song "The Old Main Drag" on their 1985 album Rum Sodomy & the Lash. It refers to the station and street's unpopularity with some of London owing to their distrust of the police force. Because of its relatively hidden location and proximity to Piccadilly Circus, the street suffers from crime, which has led to Westminster City Council gating off the Man in the Moon Passage so service vehicles can access connecting buildings safely.
The street features as a property with a purchase price of £200 on the British Monopoly board. It is one of a group of three, coded orange, with connections to law, and is named after the police station. The other two orange properties, Bow Street and Marlborough Street, which are both valued at £180, are named after the Bow Street Runners and Marlborough Street Magistrates Court respectively. Since the Man in the Moon is now closed, students on a Monopoly board pub crawl drink in one of the nearby pubs, such as those on Swallow Street, instead.
|
[
"## Geography",
"## History",
"### Police and law",
"## Events and incidents"
] | 1,451 | 34,201 |
640,150 |
Publius Cornelius Dolabella (consul 10)
| 1,171,236,087 |
Roman general and senator active during the reigns of Emperors Augustus and Tiberius
|
[
"1st-century BC births",
"1st-century Romans",
"1st-century deaths",
"Cornelii Dolabellae",
"Epulones of the Roman Empire",
"Generals of Tiberius",
"Imperial Roman consuls",
"Roman governors of Africa",
"Roman governors of Dalmatia",
"Roman patricians"
] |
Publius Cornelius Dolabella (fl. c.10–c.28 AD) was active Roman senator during the Principate. He was consul in AD 10 with Gaius Junius Silanus as his colleague. Dolabella is known for having reconstructed the Arch of Dolabella (perhaps formerly the Porta Caelimontana) in Rome in AD 10, together with his co-consul Junius Silanus. Later, Nero used it for his aqueduct to the Caelian Hill.
In 24 he was appointed proconsul of the province of Africa (modern Tunisia), supposedly pacified after ten years of insurgency. This turned out to be far from the case and Dolabella was pressed hard. Despite only having half the number of soldiers of his predecessor Dolabella conceived an effective strategy. He eventually forced the insurgents to battle, slew their leader, Tacfarinas, and brought the conflict to a conclusion. He then initiated the conversion of the Tunisian grasslands to arable fields, which were to be the breadbasket of Rome for centuries to come.
## Family
Dolabella was a member of a patrician branch of the gens Cornelii. Tacitus provides us with the hint that he was the son of Quinctilia, a sister of the Roman politician and general Publius Quinctilius Varus, and a Publius Cornelius Dolabella; however, authorities differ over which Dolabella was his father. In his book The Augustan Aristocracy, Ronald Syme identifies the father with Publius Cornelius Dolabella, consul in 44 BC and son-in-law of Cicero. At the time, he was the only Cornelius Dolabella known to fit. However, since the publication of Syme's book, a new fragment of the Fasti Tauromenium has been recovered which attests to another one: Publius Cornelius Dolabella, suffect consul in 35 BC. Patrick Tansey provides several arguments that favour identifying the consul of 35 BC as the father of the consul of AD 10. Frank Burr Marsh believes that the consul of 44 BC was the grandfather of the consul of 10 AD.
Dolabella married Sulpicia Galbilla, and their son was Publius Cornelius Dolabella, consul in 55.
## Biography
Dolabella served as consul from January to June 10 AD with Gaius Junius Silanus. Around the time he held the consulate Cornelius Dolabella was co-opted into two Roman priesthoods: the septemviri epulones, one of the four most prestigious ancient Roman priesthoods, and the lesser order of the sodales Titensis.
When the emperor Augustus died in 14, Dolabella was governor of Dalmatia. Augustus' successor Tiberius, as came to be habitual, delayed the end of Dolabella's tenure to 19 or 20; the next governor of Dalmatia, Lucius Volusius Saturninus, found himself delayed in the office until after Tiberius died in the year 37.
Once back in Rome, Dolabella is recorded as twice making excessively sycophantic proposals that Tiberius rejected. The first was in the year 21, following Gaius Silius' suppression of a rebellion of Gaulish debtors led by Julius Florus and the Aeduan Julius Sacrovir. Dolabella proposed that Tiberius return from Campania and enter Rome with an ovation for the victory. Tiberius rejected the proposal with an angry letter, stating that he was not so destitute of renown as to covet the meaningless honour of a tour of the neighbourhood of Rome. The second was in the following year, when his colleague in the consulship, Junius Silanus, was condemned for majestas. Dolabella proposed an inquiry into the morals of provincial magistrates with Tiberius as the judge. Tiberius rejected this proposal because a crime should always precede any punishment.
### Africa
Dolabella was awarded the proconsular governorship of Africa for AD 23–24. The previous proconsul had been Blaesus, the uncle of Sejanus, Tiberius' commander of the Praetorian Guard and trusted right-hand man. His main concern had been combatting the 10-year uprising led by Tacfarinus, a Numidian Berber and deserter from the Roman army. After a war of attrition Blaesus' campaign achieved its crowning success in AD 22, when his men captured Tacfarinas' brother. Tiberius accepted this as marking the end of the war. He granted Blaesus the rare privilege of adopting the honorary title of imperator, "victorious general", the last time this was accorded to a person outside the imperial house, and the third awarded for defeating Tacfarinas. When Blaesus returned to Rome at the end of his term in 23, he was also accorded triumphal honours. The emperor ordered the withdrawal of Legio IX Hispana from Africa, confident that it was no longer needed. But Tacitus suggests that Blaesus and Tiberius were being over-optimistic about the situation, given that Tacfarinas himself was still at large with a substantial following.
The Romans were soon disabused of their complacency. Tacfarinas' great strength was that there was an inexhaustible supply of would-be raiders among the desert tribes. So even if he lost many of his followers in encounters with the Romans, which he frequently did, he could rapidly reconstitute his raiding-bands. Moreover, Tacfarinas started posing as the leader of a war of national liberation. He used the news of the withdrawal of half the Roman garrison to spread rumours that the empire was crumbling due to native revolts in its other regions, forcing the Romans to run down their forces in Africa. He claimed that the remaining garrison could be overcome, and Numidia permanently freed, by a concerted effort of all Numidians. His propaganda was highly effective and large numbers of Mauri warriors joined him, turning their backs on their young pro-Roman king, Ptolemy, who had recently succeeded his father, Juba II. In addition, many peasants, the poorest stratum of society, abandoned their fields and joined the insurgents. Tacfarinas also received "deniable" assistance from the king of the Garamantes, who, although officially allied with Rome, was making handsome profits as receiver of Tacfarinas' plunder and consequently made little effort to prevent substantial numbers of his warriors from joining the insurgents. Given the emergency, Dolabella would have been justified in requesting the postponement of the 9th Legion's imminent departure. However, he did not dare confront Tiberius with the grim reality of the situation in Africa.
By the start of the 24 campaign season, Tacfarinas felt strong enough to lay siege to the Roman strong-point of Thubuscum (Khamisa, Algeria or Teboursouk, Tunisia). Dolabella hurriedly assembled all his available troops and rushed to raise the siege. As usual, the Numidians proved unable to withstand the Roman infantry charge and were routed by the first assault; they fled westwards into Mauretania. Dolabella now embarked on an all-out effort to hunt down the ever-elusive Tacfarinas, as it was evident that, unless its leader was eliminated, the insurgency would never end. The proconsul summoned assistance from Ptolemy, in whose kingdom Tacfarinas had taken refuge, and who supplied large numbers of the Mauri horsemen who had remained loyal to him. Thus reinforced, Dolabella divided his force into four divisions advancing in parallel to cover as much territory as possible, with the allied cavalry acting as scouts, criss-crossing between the main columns.
These tactics soon paid off, as the crucial intelligence was obtained that Tacfarinas had established a camp near the half-ruined fort of Auzea (Sour el-Ghozlane, south-east of Algiers), which Tacfarinas' men had previously burnt down. Well to the west of the Roman province, the site was surrounded by extensive forests. Tacfarinas evidently discounted the possibility that the Romans could discover his location, as he apparently failed to post a screen of sentries in the woods. Dolabella immediately despatched a strike-force of lightly-armed infantry and Numidian cavalry. They approached Tacfarinas' camp unobserved, under cover of the woods and the pre-dawn darkness. At dawn the Romans attacked the camp in full battle-order as the disorganised Numidians scrambled to pick up their weapons and to find their horses. The complete surprise resulted in a massacre, made all the bloodier by the Romans' lust for revenge after years of humiliation. Acting on strict orders the Roman centurions directed their men against Tacfarinas himself. The latter and his entourage were soon surrounded by overwhelming numbers and in a fierce fight his bodyguards were killed and his son taken prisoner. Recognising that there was no possibility of escape, Tacfarinas impaled himself on the massed spears of his assailants.
The death of Tacfarinas put an end to Musulamii hopes of halting the Roman takeover of their traditional grazing lands. Dolabella launched the registration of the whole plateau for tax purposes immediately after Tacfarinas' demise and completed it by 29 or 30, as evidenced by the stone markers laid down by the Roman surveyors, some of which survive to this day. The surveyors reach as far as the Chott el Jerid on the province's southern border. The region was largely turned to grain production and the Musulamii and other tribes permanently excluded from their former grazing areas.
Dolabella applied to the Senate for triumphal honours. His motion was voted down at the behest of Tiberius, despite the fact that arguably Dolabella deserved the accolade more than any of his three predecessors; unlike them, he had actually brought the war to an end by eliminating its instigator. Tacitus suggests that the reason was Sejanus' concern that his uncle's glory should not be diminished by comparison. Doubtless Tiberius' embarrassment that the war had flared up again after he had declared it won also played a part.
### Later life
Tacitus mentions Dolabella twice more in the surviving portions of his Annales. In 28 Dolabella joined in the prosecution of his cousin Publius Quinctilius Varus. It is not known what Varus was charged with, but it may have been treason or maiestas. The outcome of the case is unknown, but the absence of his family from history makes it likely that Varus was either condemned or committed suicide. The date of Dollabella's death is not recorded.
|
[
"## Family",
"## Biography",
"### Africa",
"### Later life"
] | 2,234 | 1,764 |
12,205,137 |
2001 UEFA Super Cup
| 1,166,694,557 | null |
[
"2001 in Monégasque sport",
"2001–02 in English football",
"2001–02 in European football",
"2001–02 in German football",
"August 2001 sports events in Europe",
"FC Bayern Munich matches",
"International club association football competitions hosted by Monaco",
"Liverpool F.C. matches",
"UEFA Super Cup"
] |
The 2001 UEFA Super Cup was a football match between German team Bayern Munich and English team Liverpool on 24 August 2001 at Stade Louis II, the annual UEFA Super Cup contested between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup. Bayern were appearing in the Super Cup for the third time, their two previous appearances in 1975 and 1976 had ended in defeat. Liverpool were appearing in their fourth Super Cup, they won the competition in 1977, and lost twice in 1978 and 1984.
The teams had qualified for the competition by winning the two seasonal European competitions. Both Bayern and Liverpool beat Spanish teams in the finals of the competitions. Bayern won the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League, defeating Valencia 5–4 in a penalty shoot-out after the match had finished 1–1. Liverpool won the 2000–01 UEFA Cup, beating Deportivo Alavés 5–4.
Watched by a crowd of 13,824, Liverpool took the lead in the first half when John Arne Riise scored. Liverpool extended their lead before half-time when Emile Heskey scored. Liverpool scored immediately after the start of the second half to lead the match 3–0 after Michael Owen scored. Hasan Salihamidžić and Carsten Jancker scored in the second half, but Liverpool held out until the end of the match to win 3–2, their second Super Cup win.
## Match
### Background
Bayern Munich qualified for the Super Cup as the reigning UEFA Champions League winners. They had won the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League beating Valencia 5–4 in a penalty shoot-out after the match had finished 1–1. It would be Bayern's third appearance in the Super Cup. Their two previous appearances in 1975 and 1976 against Dynamo Kiev and Anderlecht respectively had both ended in defeat.
Liverpool had qualified for the Super Cup as a result of winning the 2000–01 UEFA Cup. They had beaten Deportivo Alavés 5–4 to win their third UEFA Cup. Liverpool were appearing in their fourth Super Cup. They had previously won the competition in 1977 beating Hamburger SV. The two other appearances in 1978 and 1984 had resulted in losses to Anderlecht and Juventus respectively.
Both sides had played several matches already, Bayern had already played four matches in the 2001–02 Bundesliga and were fifth. They had won two matches, drew one and lost one. Liverpool had played two legs in the third qualifying round of the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League. They beat Finnish team FC Haka 9–1 on aggregate. As winners of the 2000–01 FA Cup, Liverpool faced Manchester United in the 2001 FA Charity Shield, which they won 2–1. Liverpool had also played one match in the 2001–02 FA Premier League; a 2–1 win over West Ham United.
Bayern and Liverpool had injury concerns ahead of the match. Four members of Bayern's Champions League winning side were missing through injury. Mehmet Scholl, Stefan Effenberg, Paulo Sérgio and Jens Jeremies were all unavailable for selection for the German side. Liverpool were without Patrik Berger after he had undergone surgery on his knee. Despite being injured for Liverpool's previous matches, Steven Gerrard was expected to feature.
### Summary
Bayern kicked off, but Liverpool had the first chance of the match. Michael Owen crossed the ball into the penalty area from the right side of the pitch towards Emile Heskey, whose shot was deflected out for a corner. Bayern responded immediately, although Owen Hargreaves' shot went high over the Liverpool goal. Nine minutes after the start of the match, Liverpool were awarded a free kick after a foul by Robert Kovač on Owen. The free-kick taken by Gary McAllister was met by Markus Babbel, but he headed over the goal. With more fouls starting to occur, the first booking was awarded in the 14th minute. Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann was shown a yellow card after he tackled Hasan Salihamidžić from behind. Bayern started to control the match midway through the first-half, however it was Liverpool who scored the first goal of the match. Liverpool defender John Arne Riise dispossessed Hargreaves, McAllister took control of the loose ball and passed to Steven Gerrard. Gerrard's pass to Owen meant he was in space down the right side of the pitch, Owen put a low-cross into the penalty area, which by-passed Heksey but found Riise who scored to give Liverpool the lead.
Bayern were immediately on the attack following Liverpool's goal. A foul on Bayern defender Bixente Lizarazu by Gerrard resulted in a free-kick for Bayern. The subsequent free-kick taken by Ciriaco Sforza was headed over the Liverpool goal by Pablo Thiam. Liverpool regrouped and their next attack almost resulted in another goal. Heskey's pass to Owen put him clear of the Bayern defence and one-on-one with Oliver Kahn. Owen attempted to chip the ball over Kahn, however the Bayern goalkeeper was able to save the shot. Immediately afterwards Bayern were on the attack. Bayern defender Willy Sagnol held off Riise and the crossed the ball into the penalty area, the cross was met by Giovane Élber whose header went wide of the Liverpool goal. With the first half coming to an end, Liverpool had another attack. Hamann passed the ball to Heskey on the edge of the Bayern penalty area, Heskey subsequently moved past Bayern defender's Thomas Linke and Kovač, and shot low beyond Kahn to give Liverpool a 2–0 lead.
Liverpool kicked off the second half, and within 13 seconds they had scored to lead the match 3–0. Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher kicked the ball into the Bayern half, defender Thiam missed his header, which meant the ball dropped to Owen, who controlled the ball with his right foot and then put the ball into the Bayern goal with his left foot. Bayern reduced the deficit in the 57th minute when Salihamidžić scored. He headed the ball into the Liverpool goal from Bayern's first corner of the match to reduce the deficit to two goals. Midway through the half both teams made substitutions. Bayern replaced Sforza, Claudio Pizarro and Salihamidžić for Niko Kovač, Carsten Jancker and Roque Santa Cruz respectively. Liverpool substituted Gerrard and Riise for Igor Bišćan and Danny Murphy respectively. Liverpool started to pass the ball around their midfield and defence in an attempt to waste time, however in the 82nd minute Bayern scored again. Substitute Jancker headed into the Liverpool goal from a cross by Elber. Immediately afterwards Bayern had an opportunity to equalise, however Lizarazu's shot was straight at Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld. No further goals were scored and the referee blew for full-time with the final score 3–2 to Liverpool.
### Details
## Post-match
Liverpool's victory meant that they had won five competitions in five months, after winning the FA Cup, Football League Cup and UEFA Cup during the 2000–01 season. They had also won the FA Charity Shield at the start of the current season. Manager Gérard Houllier congratulated his players on their achievements: "I must congratulate the players for what they achieved in these six months. We know we are not perfect and we will continue to improve. But the team have shown they possess the winning edge, and this is what we have tried to develop." Man of the match Owen received a £10,000 cheque from match sponsors Carlsberg to be forwarded to a charity of his choice.
Bayern's loss in the Super Cup extended German clubs winless streak in the competition; Bayern's loss was the seventh by a German club. Manager Ottmar Hitzfeld admitted that his team needed time to co-ordinate their defence: "It took us time to get into top gear and to organise ourselves. And when you are too slow playing a team like Liverpool, then you expect to get punished." Hitzfeld was critical of his players stating that "individual mistakes cost us the match." He also praised man of the match Michael Owen stating that Bayern "could not counter his threat."
## See also
- FC Bayern Munich in international football competitions
- Liverpool F.C. in European football
|
[
"## Match",
"### Background",
"### Summary",
"### Details",
"## Post-match",
"## See also"
] | 1,765 | 35,864 |
8,238,921 |
John Baldwin (educator)
| 1,173,081,653 |
American educator and philanthropist
|
[
"1799 births",
"1884 deaths",
"19th-century American philanthropists",
"Baldwin Wallace University people",
"Educators from Louisiana",
"Founders of American schools and colleges",
"Methodists from Ohio",
"People from Baldwin City, Kansas",
"People from Baldwin, Louisiana"
] |
John Baldwin (October 13, 1799 – December 28, 1884) was an American educator, and the founder of Baldwin Institute (later Baldwin University) in Berea, Ohio, which would eventually merge into Baldwin–Wallace College, now Baldwin-Wallace University. He was also the founder of Baker University and Baldwin City, Kansas, and contributed money to start schools in Bangalore, India that are today called Baldwin Boys High School, Baldwin Girls High School and Baldwin Co-Education Extension High School.
Born in Connecticut, Baldwin originally was a teacher in Maryland and Connecticut before moving to Ohio in the late 1820s. He became part of the lyceum movement and situated himself in Berea, Ohio. He opened up Baldwin Institute in 1846 upon seeing the dissolution of the Norwalk Seminary. Nine years later, the Institute became Baldwin University. He moved to Kansas around 1857, laying the foundation for Baldwin City, Kansas, as well as Baker University. In his later life, he purchased a Louisiana plantation and made contributions to education in India late in his life.
## Biography
### Early life
John Baldwin was born in Branford, Connecticut on 13 October 1799 to Joseph Baldwin and Rosanna Malley. His mother was a well-educated woman, as well as intensely religious. She attempted to become a student at Yale University, but was not allowed because she was a woman. Due to this, John resolved to make no distinction between races or sexes should he ever found a school. His father enlisted in the Continental Army during the American Revolution as a private and left as a captain. When John turned eighteen, he joined the Methodist Church. As a student at a private school, he paid his way by chopping firewood, ringing the bell, and building fires. Afterwards, he became a teacher in Fishkill, New York, Maryland, and Litchfield, Connecticut. As a teacher in Maryland, his stance on slavery, as well as black people as a whole, was revealed. A mulatto boy was sent to his school daily as a servant for his master's son. Baldwin began to teach them in common. When the student's father found out about this, he demanded Baldwin not teach him any more, to which he replied, "I do not charge anything for teaching him" and continued to teach him.
### Founding Berea
After marrying Mary Chappel on January 31, 1828, they moved to Middleburg Township in Cuyahoga County, Ohio in April of that year. It was there that Baldwin joined forces with James Gilbrith, a disciple of Josiah Holbrook who wanted to found a lyceum village. In the village, which was founded in 1837 and situated just north of his farm, Baldwin ran the Lyceum Village School for five years until June 1842, when it went bankrupt. However, one day while walking home, he had an impulse to take a new route across the river on his farm. He noticed a grouping of exposed rocks, which would make superior grindstones. This was the beginning of the Berea grindstone industry. Baldwin shipped his grindstones to Cleveland by ox carts. After the Big Four Railroad was built from Cleveland to Cincinnati, Baldwin built a railroad that would connect his quarries to the Big Four Depot. It was then that Baldwin and the others of the Lyceum Village tried to think of a name for their new town. After Gilbrith proposed Tabor, John Baldwin suggested Berea, citing Acts 17:10–11. After a coin flip, Berea was chosen.
### Baldwin Institute
In 1843, Baldwin noticed that the Norwalk Seminary, located in Norwalk, Ohio, was dissolving due to lack of funds. He approached Thomas Thompson, who was the elder of the Norwalk District (which included Cleveland and Berea), and asked him to visit Berea. At Baldwin's Old Red House, an agreement was made where Baldwin would create a campus on his farm similar to the Norwalk Seminary. Baldwin Institute officially opened on April 9, 1846. It was meant to open in 1845, but the process was delayed until the completion of a building on Baldwin's farm, which was erected by Baldwin himself, made of stone quarried on his farm and brick made of clay. The institute was open to people of all races, male or female, as Baldwin wanted. It became Baldwin University and was given a charter in 1855. The university later became Baldwin–Wallace College in 1913.
### Life in Kensett, Iowa
At age fifty-eight, Baldwin desired to satisfy his nature of being a pioneer again by moving to Kansas, which was at that time a territory. He arrived as the brunt of the fighting in the territory was ending. Upon his arrival, he founded Baldwin City and built the first college building in the territory, which became the foundation for Baker University. He was in Kansas only for a short time when tragedy struck. On August 30, 1858, John's son Milton died unexpectedly after having been sick for only three days. Within a couple of years, he laid out a town, built a grist mill and a sawmill, and he turned over the town and college to the Methodist Conference and returned to Berea, although he continued to finance it.
### Later years & family legacy
In 1867, Baldwin purchased the Darby plantation in Louisiana, a plantation of about 1,700 acres (6.9 km<sup>2</sup>). At the age of eighty, Baldwin learned of the situation in India; there were large numbers of Europeans in India who could not get a proper education. The Baldwin High School for Boys and the Baldwin High School for Girls were then built in 1880. John Baldwin died at his home in Baldwin, Louisiana on Sunday, December 28, 1884, at 10 A.M. Baldwin's family even left their legacy on the campus long after Baldwin's death. A person of historical significance to the university's history is Philura Gould Baldwin. Philura Gould Baldwin graduated in 1886 and was the granddaughter of John Baldwin. Philura started the school's first library by collecting and cataloging books. Beyond this, Philura suggested the traditional colors of brown and gold for the school colors. These were also the school colors for Baldwin University, which still stand today. Philura died from consumption at age 26 (b. November 28, 1865; d. March 3, 1892). The Baldwin family donated funds for a library that was dedicated in her memory in June 1894. The Philura Gould Baldwin Library was eventually made part of the Malicky Center in the 1900s.
## Personal views
John Baldwin was a person whose views seemed to run counter to the conventional customs of the time. Despite his accomplishments, he never wrote a book, held public office, or even kept books. Although he was not an abolitionist by definition, he had no problem teaching blacks and whites as equals, as evident by his opening Baldwin Institute without regard to race or gender. His parents taught him to fear God, and he consequently devoted himself to living humbly and righteously, to being kind to the poor, and to joining the Methodist Church.
|
[
"## Biography",
"### Early life",
"### Founding Berea",
"### Baldwin Institute",
"### Life in Kensett, Iowa",
"### Later years & family legacy",
"## Personal views"
] | 1,502 | 16,568 |
9,121,737 |
Mark Hammett
| 1,106,719,859 | null |
[
"1972 births",
"Canterbury rugby union players",
"Crusaders (rugby union) players",
"Japan national rugby team coaches",
"Living people",
"New Zealand international rugby union players",
"New Zealand rugby union coaches",
"New Zealand rugby union players",
"People educated at St Thomas of Canterbury College",
"Rugby union hookers",
"Rugby union players from Christchurch",
"Sunwolves coaches"
] |
Mark Garry 'Hammer' Hammett (born 13 July 1972) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. Having represented Canterbury provincially 76 times, and the Crusaders 81 times and the All Blacks 30 times – including 29 Test matches, Hammett later went on to coach both Canterbury and Crusaders as a forwards/assistant coach. He is currently on the assistant coach of the in Super Rugby and the Tasman Makos in the Mitre 10 Cup.
## Playing career
### Early career: 1989–97
Hammett first represented New Zealand, while he was a pupil at St Thomas of Canterbury College, when selected for the New Zealand Under 17 team in 1989. He then captained the Under 19 team in 1991, before making his first appearance for Canterbury in 1992. Although his one game for Canterbury in 1992 was as a replacement, he played seven games the following season. As hooker, he played mainly as backup to Matt Sexton in 1993; however, by 1994 they were sharing the role. By 1995, Hammett played more games than Sexton.
Rugby turned professional in late 1995, and in 1996 the Canterbury Crusaders (now called the Crusaders) franchise was established. Hammett became a founding member of the side, which struggled in the inaugural Super 12, finishing in last place. The 1997 season went better for Hammett; the Crusaders finished sixth, and the Canterbury provincial team won the National Provincial Championship (NPC) after beating Counties in the final. Although Hammett was receiving more and more game time, he still only participated in the NPC final as a replacement.
### Super 12 success: 1998–2001
Hammett started regularly for both Canterbury, and the Crusaders in 1998, with the latter he won his first Super 12 title. The 1998 Super 12 final was played against the Blues at Eden Park; Hammett said of the match "If we'd been polled in that week, and had to give an honest answer, most of the boys, deep down, would probably have thought that the Blues would beat us." Despite this, the Crusaders defeated the reigning champions 20–13. Hammett was rewarded with a New Zealand trial, where he captained his team. He was subsequently selected for New Zealand A and played against Tonga.
The Crusaders achieved more success in 1999 as they finished the round-robin in fourth place, then won their semi-final, and final (both away from home) to take another championship. Hammett's achievements with the Crusaders were rewarded by being called into the All Blacks in 1999, at the age of 26. His first game was against New Zealand 'A', on 11 June in Christchurch, quickly followed by his first Test against France on 26 June. Hammett eventually played in the 1999 Tri Nations Series, and was selected for the 1999 Rugby World Cup.
After winning a third title with the Crusaders in 2000, he was again selected for the All Blacks; getting a start against Tonga, and in that years Tri-Nations. After returning from All Blacks duty, he played for Canterbury and contributed to a Ranfurly Shield win over Waitako. Canterbury then reached the NPC final, giving Hammett the opportunity to be part of a Super 12, Ranfurly Shield, and NPC winning team, all in the same year. Wellington won the NPC final however, and the opportunity was lost. Hammett was then selected for the end-of-year All Blacks tour, and played against France and Italy (both as a substitute).
Hammett's 2001 Super 12 season was marred by a shoulder injury, and the Crusaders eventually finished tenth. Due to injury, Hammett only played one game for the All Blacks, as a substitute against Argentina in June. He missed the entire NPC campaign due to injury: an ankle problem which required surgery and causes him to also miss the 2001 end-of-year All Black tour.
### Final seasons: 2002–03
After the 2001 NPC, Crusaders' captain Todd Blackadder left New Zealand to play rugby in Scotland. During the 2002 Super 12 pre-season, half-back Justin Marshall questioned which of the senior players were going to step into Blackadder's leadership role for the tough matches. Hammett took the comment "as a slap in the face", as "one player doesn't make a team." Hammett later said "I took it that way, and I think a lot of the others must have as well, because we all ended up stepping up!" Subsequently, the Crusaders went through the season unbeaten, including a 96–19 victory over the New South Wales Waratahs. He again played for the All Blacks in 2002, starting against Australia and South Africa in the Tri-Nations. The 2002 NPC season was Hammett's last, and although Canterbury were knocked out in their semi-final, they managed to retain the Ranfurly Shield. Hammett's last match was his 76th for Canterbury.
The 2003 Super 12 season was Hammett's last. The team ended the round-robin second on the table, and eventually travelled to Eden Park to face the Blues in the final. Although the Crusaders lost the final, Hammett scored two tries, becoming one of only three players to score two tries in a Super 12 final. Despite the two tries, Hammett calls the match the biggest disappointment of his career. Hammett was again chosen for the All Blacks, and eventually played in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. The All Blacks call-up made Hammett reconsider his retirement plans. He planned to continue playing after 2003, however a neck injury during the 2004 pre-season ended his playing career.
### Honours
New Zealand
- Rugby World Cup / Webb Ellis Cup
- Third: 2003
- Fourth: 1999
- Tri Nations
- Winners: 1999, 2002, 2003
- Runners-up: 2000, 2001
- Bledisloe Cup
- Winners: 2003
- Dave Gallaher Trophy
- Winners: 2000
Crusaders
- Super 12
- Winners: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002
- Runners-up: 2003
Canterbury
- National Provincial Championship
- Winners: 1997, 2001
- Runners-up: 2000
## Coaching career
### In New Zealand: 2006–2014
Two years after his playing career ended with the Crusaders, Hammett was back with the Crusaders, working as a forwards coaching adviser for the 2006 Super 14 season. He went on to fulfill the same role for Canterbury in the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup. He was later appointed as the new Crusaders assistant coach in November 2006 as a replacement for Vern Cotter who departed to France. Hammett remained as assistant coach from 2007 to 2010, and was not appointed as Crusaders' head coach when Robbie Deans left to coach Australia in 2008; Todd Blackadder was given the head coach role instead. During his time at the Crusaders, he helped guide the team to the semi-finals of every single season he was at the franchise, before securing their sixth and seventh title in 2006 and 2008. In later 2010, he was appointed coach of the Wellington-based Hurricanes ahead of the 2011 Super Rugby season. After the 2011 Super Rugby season – his first season in charge – Hammett decided controversially not to renew the contracts of All Blacks Ma'a Nonu and then Hurricanes' captain Andrew Hore. In the three years at the helm in Wellington, the Hurricanes failed to progress to the knock-out phase of the competition, only getting as high as seventh on the table; in 2014 Super Rugby season. In April 2014 Hammett indicated he would not be seeking to renew his contract when it expired at the end of the 2014 season.
### Outside New Zealand: 2014–2016
On 18 May 2014, Hammett was named Director of Rugby for Wales-based team Cardiff Blues, working alongside Dale McIntosh and Paul John. The Mark Hammett era was a slow start, losing both the pre-season friendlies. However, the first round saw Cardiff defeat Zebre 41–26. Despite only winning one game in his first competitive 6 games, Hammett lead Cardiff to a surprise victory over French side Grenoble and an easy victory over Rovigo Delta in the 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup. These games were backed-up by a narrow loss to Irish giants Munster. On 24 January 2015, Hammett led the Blues to an away victory over Grenoble, to see the side through to the quarter-finals of the 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup. On 20 February 2015, Cardiff were beaten by Benetton Treviso 40–24 in Treviso, which later turned out to be Hammett's last game in charge of the Welsh side. On 25 February 2015, after six months of a three-year contract, Cardiff Blues agreed to release Hammett at his request for personal reasons, to allow him to return home to New Zealand.
On 21 December 2015, the Japan Rugby Football Union announced Hammett as the head coach of the newly formed Japanese Super Rugby franchise, the Sunwolves. In their debut season, the side finished bottom of the newly expanded table, with 1 win. Ironically, their win came against the other newly formed team, the Jaguares, a team made up predominantly of the successful Argentine side from the 2015 Rugby World Cup. On 27 June, it was announced that Hammett would be leaving the Japanese side to return to New Zealand. It had previously been announced that Hammett would be joining the Tasman Makos in 2016 as their new assistant coach for the 2016 Mitre 10 Cup. While in June 2016, it was announced that Mark Hammett will remain in Super Rugby, but as an assistant coach at the Highlanders.
In March 2016, Hammett was named as the caretaker coach for the Japanese national team, while Jamie Joseph closes out his contract with the Highlanders. Hammett led the Brave Blossoms to a 26–22 win over Canada, before losing 2–0 to Scotland during their two-test series.
### 2017 onwards
Hammett was assistant coach for the Highlanders under the Head coach Aaron Mauger.
### Coaching Honours
Crusaders (as assistant coach)
- Super 14 / Super Rugby
- Winners: 2006, 2008
- Runners-up: 2011
|
[
"## Playing career",
"### Early career: 1989–97",
"### Super 12 success: 1998–2001",
"### Final seasons: 2002–03",
"### Honours",
"## Coaching career",
"### In New Zealand: 2006–2014",
"### Outside New Zealand: 2014–2016",
"### 2017 onwards",
"### Coaching Honours"
] | 2,337 | 4,127 |
24,437,494 |
Ramariopsis kunzei
| 1,134,168,211 |
Species of fungus
|
[
"Clavariaceae",
"Edible fungi",
"Fungi described in 1950",
"Fungi of Asia",
"Fungi of Australia",
"Fungi of Europe",
"Fungi of North America",
"Fungi of Oceania",
"Fungi without expected TNC conservation status",
"Taxa named by Elias Magnus Fries"
] |
Ramariopsis kunzei is an edible species of coral fungi in the family Clavariaceae, and the type species of the genus Ramariopsis. It is commonly known as white coral because of the branched structure of the fruit bodies that resemble marine coral. The fruit bodies are up to 5 cm (2.0 in) tall by 4 cm (1.6 in) wide, with numerous branches originating from a short rudimentary stem. The branches are one to two millimeters thick, smooth, and white, sometimes with yellowish tips in age. Ramariopsis kunzei has a widespread distribution, and is found in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
## Taxonomy and phylogeny
The species was first described as Clavaria kunzei by pioneer mycologist Elias Magnus Fries in 1821. E.J.H. Corner transferred the species to Ramariopsis in 1950, and made it the type species. In general, coral fungi often have extensive taxonomic histories, as mycologists have not agreed on the best way to classify them. In addition to Clavaria and Ramariopsis, the R. kunzei has been placed in the genera Ramaria by Lucien Quélet in 1888, and Clavulinopsis by Walter Jülich in 1985. According to the taxonomic database MycoBank, the species has acquired a sizable list of synonyms, listed in the taxobox. It is commonly known as white coral because of the branched structure of the fruit bodies that resemble marine coral.
A phylogenetic analysis of clavarioid fungi concluded that R. kunzei is in a phylogenetic lineage together with several Clavulinopsis species (including C. sulcata, C. helvola and C. fusiformis), and that this clade (the ramariopsis clade) is nested within a group of species representing the family Clavariaceae.
## Description
The fruit bodies of Ramariopsis kunzei are white to whitish-yellow in color, and are highly branched structures resembling coral; the dimensions are typically up to 8 cm (3.1 in) tall and 6 cm (2.4 in) wide. Older specimens may have a pinkish tinge. The tips of the branches are blunt, not crested as in some other species of coral fungi, like Clavulina cristata; branches are between 1 and 5 millimeters thick. The branch tips of mature specimens may be yellow. A stem, if present, may be up to 1 cm (0.4 in) long and scurfy—covered with small flakes or scales. The texture of the flesh may range from pliable to brittle. This fungus does not undergo any color changes upon bruising or injury, however, a 10% solution of FeSO<sub>4</sub> (a chemical test known as "iron salts") applied to the flesh will turn it green.
In deposit, the spores are white. Viewed with a light microscope, the spores are translucent and have an ellipsoid to roughly spherical shape with spines on the surface, and dimensions of 3–5.5 by 2.5–4.5 μm. Spores are non-amyloid, meaning that they do not absorb iodine when stained with Melzer's reagent. The spore-bearing cells, the basidia, are usually 25–45 μm long by 6–7 μm wide, and 4-spored. Clamp connections are present in the hyphae of this species.
### Edibility
The species is edible, but "fleshless and flavorless." Other authors concur that the odor and taste are not distinctive.
### Similar species
The "crested coral" (Clavulina cristata, edible) is similar in appearance to R. kunzei, but its branches have fringed, feathery tips. The "jellied false coral" (Tremellodendron pallidum, edible) has whitish, tough, cartilaginous branches with blunt tips. Ramariopsis lentofragilis (poisonous) is an eastern North American lookalike that causes severe abdominal pain, general weakness, and pain under the sternum.
Also similar are Artomyces pyxidatus, Clavulina cinerea, Clavulina rugosa, and Clavulinopsis corniculata.
## Habitat and distribution
The species is thought to be saprobic and is found growing on the ground, in duff, or less frequently on well-decayed wood. Fruit bodies may grow singly, in groups, or clustered together. David Arora has noted a preference for growing under conifers, as well as a prevalence in redwood forests of North America. In contrast, an earlier author claimed this species grows "rarely in coniferous woods."
In Europe, Ramariopsis kunzei has been collected in Scotland (specifically, on the islands of Arran, Gigha and Kintyre peninsula), the Netherlands, Norway, former Czechoslovakia, Germany, Poland, and Russia (Zhiguli Mountains). It has also been found in China, India, Iran, the Solomon Islands, and Australia. In North America, the distribution extends north to Canada, and includes the United States (including Hawaii and Puerto Rico).
|
[
"## Taxonomy and phylogeny",
"## Description",
"### Edibility",
"### Similar species",
"## Habitat and distribution"
] | 1,127 | 26,790 |
27,156,438 |
Selfish Machines
| 1,168,510,433 | null |
[
"2010 albums",
"Albums produced by Vic Fuentes",
"Equal Vision Records albums",
"Pierce the Veil albums"
] |
Selfish Machines is the second album by American rock band Pierce the Veil, released by Equal Vision Records on June 22, 2010. Produced by Vic Fuentes and Mike Green, it was recorded in late 2009 and early 2010. Fuentes wrote most of the songs himself, and co-wrote three songs with ex–A Day to Remember guitarist Tom Denney.
Vocalist Jeremy McKinnon, also of A Day to Remember, was featured on the track "Caraphernelia", which had its music video released on September 28, 2010. "Bulletproof Love" was released as the follow-up music video on July 7, 2011. Though there was a varied critical reception to the album, with reviewers criticizing the use of Auto-Tune on the tracks, it appeared on several American Billboard charts, including its Top Heatseekers and the top 200 chart. It was reissued, with remixed production, on September 24, 2013.
## Background and recording
In November 2008, Alternative Press posted a list detailing their most anticipated album releases for the following year. The list included Pierce the Veil's second album, which was listed for release in the Autumn. In an interview with AbsolutePunk in early 2009, guitarist and vocalist Vic Fuentes revealed that Pierce the Veil's next album would be influenced by their fans. Fuentes also said in the interview that he was uncertain when the album would be released, but that it would be released by Equal Vision. In April 2009, it was revealed that the band were in the process of writing for their next album. The band was writing and demoing new material at their home studio in November 2009. Selfish Machines, and the band's next album Collide with the Sky (2012), was written in a cabin that belonged to Fearless Records' president Bob Becker. Like their previous record, A Flair for the Dramatic (2007), singer-songwriter Curtis Peoples joined Pierce the Veil to help write songs. However, none of the songs made it to the final cut.
The album was recorded during December 2009 and January 2010 in Los Angeles with producer Mike Green, with a planned release later that year. Green was selected as the producer because, according to Fuentes, albums he had previously worked on "sounded amazing", and he was "a very down to earth and passionate person". It was revealed on December 27, 2009, that Mike Fuentes had recorded all the drum tracks in one day, at Ocean Studios in Burbank, California. The drums were recorded using three microphones on the kick drum, and four on the snare. During the recording sessions, Mike broke a microphone that was worth \$6,000. By January 11, 2010, though vocals and keyboard tracks had yet to be recorded, all other components had been completed. A studio update posted on February 19 noted eights days remained to record the vocals. Fuentes later said he was not going to be recording in Los Angeles again, as being so close to their hometown of San Diego provided "a lot of distractions that we didn't need".
## Music and lyrics
The majority of the songs featured on Selfish Machines were written by Fuentes, apart from: "The Boy Who Could Fly", "Disasterology" and "The Sky Under the Sea" that were co-written with ex-A Day to Remember guitarist Tom Denney; and "Besitos" co-written with Dave Yaden. An iTunes staff reviewer noted that it "blurs emo, prog rock, and post-hardcore" together, and Sebastian Berning of Powermetal noted the emo and post-hardcore sound also present on A Flair for the Dramatic in addition to many new stylistic influences. Sergio Pereira of MusicReview described the album as experimental rock, but stressed that it was not "your stereotypical experimental record". Prior to the album's release, Fuentes said fans should "expect a lot of songs to sing along to" and that their live performances would be "super fun".
The music for "Besitos" showcases the band's Latin influence, and the lyrics describe Fuentes' relationship with a girl, from her point of view, who he "couldn't stop hurting over and over again". "The Boy Who Could Fly" was originally six minutes long, but the intro was split off as a separate track, "Southern Constellations", because of its length. "Southern Constellations" is about Fuentes' fascination with Southern girls. He called the guitar tone "one of my favorite[s]" from the album. It was produced using a Stratocaster played through a custom-made amplifier resulting in the "glassy and unique sound we were looking for". "The Boy Who Could Fly" displayed the band's punk roots. It has a hastily played guitar "represent[ing] everything that we loved playing as kids'. The lyrics are about a relationship reliant on the other person with "obsession and desperation, and the stupid things you do when you're in love". The track is one of the more intense songs that Fuentes has written.
"Caraphernelia" was based on Fuentes' ex-girlfriend, who left her possessions at his house, causing him to think about her when he saw them. As soon as he started writing the music for the chorus, Fuentes knew he wanted A Day to Remember's vocalist Jeremy McKinnon to appear on the song, and asked him to sing several weeks later. McKinnon screamed the chorus and bridge sections, which made the collaboration "very special" to Fuentes. Fuentes called "Fast Times at Clairemont High" a "very selfish song", dealing "with human nature and our selfish tendencies," which included musical influences of Michael Jackson. "The New National Anthem" is about a night when Fuentes was visiting a girl and they were making out in the dark in her apartment. The intro was recorded at Fuentes' apartment and pieces of that recording were used throughout the album.
"Bulletproof Love" is a song based on Fuentes' interest in "happy songs that have morbid lyrics". He calls it "one of the darkest" he has written. Written in the style of suicide note that would be found by a loved one, the lyrics are about being passionate "with someone to the point where you're hurting yourself". "Stay Away from My Friends" is about an ex-girlfriend who was trying to be friends with Fuentes' friends, after the pair had broken-up. The song was written by Fuentes at his residence in San Diego, and the piano featured on it was played by his friend Dave Yaden. The song came about because the band wanted to "make it as different as possible from the rest" of the material, placing it in "the middle of the album as a sort of a breath of fresh air". Most of the lyrics for "I Don't Care If You're Contagious" were inspired by a female fan telling Fuentes that her boyfriend was involved in a fatal car crash. It was written "as a gift" to the fan, from the point of view of the boyfriend "speaking to her, telling her that he is still watching over her and that he will love her forever".
"Disasterology" is "a typical guy's dream" of girls, going out drinking and living the life somebody wants. The chorus was "a very philosophical idea that I've played around with for a long time", the creation of "something beautiful only to destroy it". Fuentes wrote "Million Dollar Houses (The Painter)" as "a gift to my parents". His father worked as a painting contractor throughout his life, barely earning enough money to keep the family going, and being forced to sell his home. Fuentes says the song "strongly express[es] my hatred for money and the way it sometimes fucks with people's lives and families". "The Sky Under the Sea" is about admitting one is selfish when it comes to "love and taking what you want without regret". The lyric "I introduce the selfish machine" is a reference to the animal instinct that everyone has and will not admit exists.
## Release and promotion
On April 29, 2010, Equal Vision announced Selfish Machines would be released in June. Before its release, "The Boy Who Could Fly" was available for streaming on the band's MySpace account, and for free download from their PureVolume account on May 10. On June 20, the album was made available for streaming through AOL Music. Selfish Machines was released two days later. "She Makes Dirty Words Sound Pretty", a bonus track included with iTunes versions of the album, is a Vic Fuentes and Jonny Craig song recorded in 2007. A deluxe edition of the album included a bonus, "The Making Of" DVD. A few days after its release, the band went on the Warped Tour. The album was released in Australia on July 9, and in Japan on August 4; both editions contained exclusive bonus tracks.
From September 10 to 19, the band went on the Take Action Tour in Australia. On September 27, a music video for "Caraphernelia" was released. It was filmed in Los Angeles, and directed by Robby Starbuck, while the band was on the Warped Tour. Pierce the Veil was a supporting act on Attack Attack!'s This Is a Family Tour from November to December 2010, Silverstein's US tour in January 2011, and A Day to Remember and Bring Me the Horizon from March through April. A music video for "Bulletproof Love" was announced on June 28, and released on July 7. It had been filmed in May in Los Angeles with director Dan Dobi. A behind-the-scenes video was posted on July 27. In October 2011, the band joined Blessthefall and Motionless in White for a European tour, and from November through December 2011, the band co-headlined the No Guts, No Glory tour with Miss May I. A vinyl edition of the album, along with A Flair for the Dramatic, was released on May 24, 2013. A reissue of Selfish Machines was planned for release on September 17, with remixing done by Dan Korneff. It featured "Kissing in Cars", a song that was previously available as a bonus track on the original Japanese edition of the album. The reissue was actually released on September 24.
## Reception
Reviews of Selfish Machines were mixed. Rock Sound's Amy Bangs notes that "Fast Times at Clairemont High ...sounds way too similar" to "Sunburn Versus the Rhinovirus" by The Matches, calling the album's production "over-experimentation" with "particularly autotuned vocals," that "gives the impression of something to hide". AbsolutePunk's Drew Beringer noted that, despite the opening four tracks that "hit you in the mouth", the band "lose their focus and get a bit indulgent". Beringer also mentions the auto-tune, saying that it "rears its ugly head" on "Million Dollar Houses (The Painter)". However, he commended the band for their willingness to experiment with new sounds. Emily Yeadon for Mind Equals Blown is another one to note the auto-tune, commenting that it was "a little unnecessary".
On the other hand, Sebastian Berning of Powermetal praised the band's new musical influences, saying it would help them gain new fans without losing old ones. A song that often came to his mind while listening to Selfish Machines was "The Bird and the Worm" (2007) by the Used. Sergio Pereira of MusicReview called the record atypical of the average experimental record; rather, it was "a carefully constructed album, which still contains many infectious vocal hooks and musical spots to please sing-along fans", highlighting "Bulletproof Love" as an example. However, Pereira also said that some listeners wouldn't enjoy Vic's voice, commenting, "I enjoy it, but I could understand if someone said he’s a bit too whiny or piercing."
## Track listing
All songs written by Vic Fuentes, except where noted. All lyrics by Vic Fuentes.
Bonus tracks
## Personnel
Personnel per digital booklet.
Pierce the Veil
- Vic Fuentes – vocals, rhythm guitar
- Mike Fuentes – drums, percussion
- Tony Perry – lead guitar
- Jaime Preciado – bass
Additional musicians
- Jeremy McKinnon – guest vocals on "Caraphernelia"
- Vanessa Harris – guest vocals on "Besitos" and "I Don't Care If You're Contagious"
- Mike Green – shredding chorus guitar riff on "Besitos"
- Johnny Meyer – pinch harmonic on "Besitos"
Production
- Mike Green – producer, engineer, mixing
- Vic Fuentes – co-producer
- Kyle Black, Vanessa Harris, Will McCoy – assistant engineers
- Alan Douches – mastering
- Phill Mamula – art direction, art concept, photography
- Bill Scoville – layout
- Kyle Crawford – logo
- Chris Laughter – documentary
- Dan Korneff – mixing (2013 reissue)
## Chart performance
|
[
"## Background and recording",
"## Music and lyrics",
"## Release and promotion",
"## Reception",
"## Track listing",
"## Personnel",
"## Chart performance"
] | 2,756 | 34,613 |
27,929,731 |
First Light (Stead novel)
| 1,117,796,374 |
2007 novel by Rebecca Stead
|
[
"2007 American novels",
"2007 science fiction novels",
"American science fiction novels",
"American young adult novels",
"Children's science fiction novels",
"Novels set in Greenland",
"Wendy Lamb Books books"
] |
First Light is a young adult science fiction and mystery novel by Rebecca Stead, first published in 2007. The novel follows Peter, who is in Greenland with his father and mother for research on global warming, and Thea, who lives in Gracehope, an underground colony located below Greenland. First Light explains how global warming is melting Gracehope and Peter and Thea's attempt to persuade the people to leave. The novel addresses the effects of global warming as a theme.
Stead began writing the novel in 2002, but her first draft was confusing and unorganized. To help her, she met editor Wendy Lamb who advised her to meet with a small group of people who would help critique the novel. After three years of work, Stead finished the second draft and met with Lamb who once again helped make improvements and later published the novel. Reviewers praised the description of Gracehope and main characters, as well as the performances of Coleen Marlo and David Ackroyd who voiced Thea and Peter in a subsequent audiobook publication of First Light.
## Inspiration and origins
Stead drew inspiration from many sources in order to create the novel. As a child growing up in a big city, she was interested in the small towns which made her think "that in smaller places, everybody, even the kids, had special identities, where as in a city people are pretty anonymous". An idea began to form for a hidden society that also served as a small town.
Stead began writing First Light in 2002, but had no experience prior to that. The first draft turned out confusing and unorganized. To help her, Stead met with Wendy Lamb, an editor Stead had met in a workshop a few years before. Lamb suggested that Stead meet with a "critique group" who would help read and revise the drafts Stead wrote. After Stead created a revised copy of the novel in 2005, she sent it to Lamb again and a contract was drawn up. More revisions were made in order to make the new world created in the novel easier to understand. Stead found it hard "to maintain a sense of 'the whole'. Over and over I mapped out the book out for myself using post-its in a manila folder, trying to get a sense of where the tension went". The novel took three years to complete.
After the revisions were completed, much of the plot stayed the same, but several events in the original draft were cut out to strengthen the whole book. Stead combined two characters into one, having a stronger outline and also cut out several scenes for minor characters. In the end, Stead found that the revisions helped to make the book more cohesive.
## Plot summary
First Light follows the adventure of two protagonists, Peter, who lives with his mother and father in New York but is in Greenland for his father's research, and Thea, who lives in an underground colony in Greenland called Gracehope. Gracehope was formed hundreds of years ago by a group called the Settlers who used to live in England. They possessed unusual abilities, such as extremely good vision and hearing, leading them to be called 'eye adepts' and 'ear adepts', respectively. These powers were seen as sorcery, prompting Grace, the leader of the Settlers, to bring the Settlers under the ice in Greenland where they could live in peace.
While walking around her house, Thea finds a map in her room of Gracehope. The map shows a tunnel leading onto the surface. Thea and her cousin Mattias find the tunnel and meet Peter who helps them back to Gracehope. Reaching Gracehope, Peter realizes that several talismans of the people are in the shape of mitochondrial DNA, which his mom is studying. After waking up from a headache, Peter finds his mom next to his bed. She used to live in Gracehope but was banished with her sister after her sister ventured above the surface and contracted an illness that could not be cured. She also explains that her research of mitochondrial DNA relates to the ability of mutations to benefit the human body, which could cause their extremely good vision and hearing. In the end, she warns Peter that global warming is causing Gracehope to slowly melt away. The entire colony must learn the dangers they face and escape. One obstacle lies in their way: Rowen, Thea and Peter's grandmother who banished Peter's mom and did nothing to help Thea's mom when she was on her deathbed from an illness when she ventured aboveground. Rowen is the head of the Council in Gracehope and is strictly against going aboveground.
To convince the rest of the colony, Peter and Thea plan to use a piece of mythology, that a dog with four white paws would be supposedly born when it was time to leave. Such a dog had been born several days ago but has yet to open his eyes. Thea decides to proceed without using the dog and tries to convince the colony at a reenactment of the Settler's escape to Greenland with several allies who know of Rowen's actions. Just as Thea and her allies are about to lose the argument, Peter arrives with the dog, whose eyes are open. That, coupled with the fact that Peter is an eye adept, the first in a hundred years, convinces the colony to listen to Thea instead of Rowen. The novel ends eight months later as the people of Gracehope are slowly educated on global warming and the dangers of staying in their colony.
## Genre and themes
First Light is categorized as a science fiction and mystery novel. Katie Haegele from the Philadelphia Inquirer also listed the novel as a "slow-to-unfold mystery combining elements of science and history with an appealing note of fantasy". Kirkus Reviews classified the novel as an "ice-age mystery" as both Peter and Thea "discover one another's worlds as well as the truth about themselves". Connie Tyrrell Burns from School Library Journal found the novel to be "an exciting, engaging mix of science fiction, mystery, and adventure".
Reviewers also noted the environmental theme in the book. Kirkus Reviews found that "With the impending threat of global warning as an ominous backdrop, teens from very different worlds find they have much in common". In the novel, Peter finds an underground civilization beneath Greenland that is sinking as a result of global warming. Burns felt that First Light is a "great discussion starter of issues ranging from global warming to shunning and building a new society". VOYA recognized the global warming theme and also classified First Light as a coming-of-age tale.
## Critical reception
Publishers Weekly said, "It is a testament to the storytelling that the existence of this parallel world and the convergence of Peter and Thea's stories, told in separate chapters, are both credible and absorbing. Young readers will find this a journey worth taking." Kirkus Reviews found the novel to be a "Thoroughly enjoyable arctic adventure", praising how the adventure tests the main characters' courage as they learn the truth of both worlds. Vicky Smith from Horn Book Magazine found the two main characters well written and the city of Gracehope well structured. While, Smith found the city's origin unbelievable, she recognized that few people would care about that and compared the threat in First Light similar to the one in The City of Ember. Jenifer Hubert from Booklist also compared the novel to The City of Ember and to Neal Shusterman's Downsiders. Hubert criticized the slow beginning and flaws in the mythology and structure of the underground world, but still felt that "the icy setting and global-warming theme are well realized".
## Audiobook adaption
First Light has been made in an audiobook containing six disks and a length of seven hours and six minutes. The audiobook was released by the Listening Library and read by David Ackroyd and Coleen Marlo for the parts of Peter and Thea, respectively. Kathy Miller from School Library Journal praised the two readers for their performance which "engages listeners, and they are both adept at creating a different voice for each character and moving seamlessly between them". Miller also found the novel useful for starting a discussion on topics such as "political subterfuge and propaganda to global warming". A review from Horn Book Review by Jenifer Brabander praised the easy shifts from American to English accents made by both narrators. Brabander also found the tone given to Thea appropriate and compared the novel to Stead's second work, When You Reach Me, feeling that "[t]hough First Light doesn't reach the excellence of Stead's second novel, the Newbery-winning When You Reach Me, this audio will nevertheless draw listeners in with its narrators' strong talent".
|
[
"## Inspiration and origins",
"## Plot summary",
"## Genre and themes",
"## Critical reception",
"## Audiobook adaption"
] | 1,784 | 35,778 |
16,767,599 |
Willie Gillis
| 1,157,175,874 |
Fictional character by Norman Rockwell
|
[
"1940s paintings",
"American art",
"Fictional American military personnel",
"Fictional World War II veterans",
"Fictional characters introduced in 1941",
"Fictional privates",
"Norman Rockwell",
"Painting series",
"World War II and the media"
] |
Willie Gillis, Jr. (more commonly simply Willie Gillis) is a fictional character created by Norman Rockwell for a series of World War II paintings that appeared on the covers of 11 issues of The Saturday Evening Post between 1941 and 1946. Gillis was an everyman with the rank of private whose career was tracked on the cover of the Post from induction through discharge without being depicted in battle. He and his girlfriend were modeled by two of Rockwell's acquaintances.
Gillis was not exclusively used on Post covers, but the Willie Gillis series of covers was a hallmark of Rockwell's wartime work. Rockwell was in his prime, and the Post was at the peak of its popularity with a subscribership of four million; many of those subscribers believed that Gillis was a real person. Rockwell's wartime art contributed to the success of the wartime bond sales efforts, including Willie Gillis, the Four Freedoms, and Rosie the Riveter.
The Gillis series has been included in two major Rockwell tours since 1999. It toured as part of a Rockwell Post cover art retrospective from 1999 to 2002, and as part of a 1940s World War II Rockwell art exhibition from 2006 to 2010.
## Background
From 1916 through his John F. Kennedy memorial cover on December 16, 1963, Rockwell created 321 magazine covers for the Post, which was the most popular American magazine of the first half of the 20th century, with a subscribership that reached a peak of 4 million. Rockwell illustrated American life during World War I and World War II in 34 of his cover illustrations, and he illustrated 33 Post covers in total during World War II. Some of the war art involved American life. During much of the first half of the 1940s, Rockwell's cover illustrations focused on the human side of the war. Rockwell encouraged support of the war efforts during World War II by means of his covers that endorsed war bonds, encouraged women to work, and encouraged men to enlist in the service. His World War II illustrations used themes of patriotism, longing, shifting gender roles, reunion, love, work, community and family during wartime to promote the war. In his role as a magazine illustrator during times of war, Rockwell draws comparisons to Winslow Homer, an American Civil War illustrator for Harper's Weekly. Rockwell's artistic expressions were said to have helped the adoption of the goal of the Four Freedoms as set forth by United States President Franklin Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union Address. His painting series, the Four Freedoms, toured in a war bond effort that raised \$132 million.
Willie Gillis was a freckle-faced All-American character who served as one of Rockwell's main coverboys during World War II. The Gillis character is widely referred to as an everyman who epitomized the typical American World War II soldier. Rockwell created Gillis in 1940 as the European Theater of World War II was escalating and Americans were enlisting or being drafted into the armed forces under the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940. Rockwell credits the name Willie Gillis to his wife, who derived it from the old nursery rhyme Wee Willie Winkie. Rockwell described Gillis as "an inoffensive, ordinary little guy thrown into the chaos of war". The public identified with Rockwell's portrayal of the "little guy" living up to a sense of duty in this time of war. Gillis was truly seen as the typical G.I., and Rockwell's wartime art remains quite popular: his signed original May 29, 1943 depiction of Rosie the Riveter sold at a Sotheby's auction on May 22, 2002, for \$4,959,500. Some of the Willie Gillis paintings and the Rosie the Riveter painting were raffled off during the United States Department of the Treasury's Second War Loan Drive, which ran from April 12 – May 1, 1943. The Gillis character endures generations later for literary and artistic comparison.
## Post illustrations
### Series review
In Willie Gillis: Food Package, 1941, he toted a care package. Ten subsequent covers depicted Gillis in a variety of roles: at church in uniform, holding his hat on his lap; the soldier on K.P. duty; the son carrying on the family tradition of military service; a still life of Gillis's family photographs; and two fighting-mad girls, holding pictures of Gillis that he had sent each of them from the war zone. Gillis matured over the course of the series until he was almost unrecognizable in the final work. Rockwell created a good ending for the series by depicting Gillis relaxing while studying at college on the G.I. Bill: "We know that things ended well for Gillis, though; his final cover in 1946 showed the young man stretched in a windowsill smoking a pipe and wearing penny loafers, studying at Middlebury College."
To some, the fourth piece – Willie Gillis: Hometown News – was the one that cemented Willie Gillis's place in American history, because families identified with Gillis. The sixth piece, Willie Gillis in Church, is the earliest of his works with significant religious themes. This final component of the series, Willie Gillis in College, engenders much critical review because it is perceived to represent a transformation of character. It is owned by the Washington Mutual Bank of Seattle. In 2000, they loaned it to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It is a study in contrast of mood and style from the wartime components of the series. Throughout the cover series Gillis was never pictured in battle or in any sort of danger, armed or with armed foes because Rockwell felt those portrayals were better exhibited by newsreels and photographs.
Rockwell produced at least one depiction of Gillis that was not on the cover. The painting Willie Gillis in Convoy was produced in 1943, depicting Gillis, in combat gear, in the back of a covered military vehicle with his rifle in hand. Rockwell donated the painting to the Gardner High School for the graduating class, where it hung in the principal's office until 2000. The school then loaned it to the Gardner Museum. A charcoal sketch of the painting sold for \$107,000 in 1999. There was concern that the painting was not hung in a secure location. In 2005, the painting was restored and rehung at the high school. In 2014, it was sold for \$1.9 million, with the proceeds used to create a foundation to benefit the schools in Gardner.
### Models
Robert Otis Buck served as Rockwell's model for Gillis and eventually enlisted for service in the Navy. His job in Arlington was as a sawmill hand. He met Rockwell to pose the first time when he was 15, and he stood 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 m) tall and had a lock of hair that dropped down on his forehead. Rockwell had been seeking a model, and he met Buck at a square dance in Arlington, Vermont. Rockwell observed him from different angles during the dance, and Buck told him that he would "knock him flat" if he did not stop staring.
Buck had been exempted from the military draft, but he felt that serving his country was his patriotic duty and enlisted as a naval aviator in 1943. He served in the South Seas during the war. Rockwell worked from memory and photographs to complete his illustrations while Buck was overseas, and sometimes he only worked Gillis into the background via a photograph on the wall. He was going to discontinue the series, but Post editors objected because his character was too popular. The public enjoyed closely scrutinizing Gillis' affairs. Gillis was so popular that the Post received hundreds of letters inquiring about his tribulations, as many perceived him as real, and concern was particularly high among families named Gillis.
The model who portrayed Gillis's girlfriend was Post illustrator Mead Schaeffer's daughter. She remained available despite Buck's departure, so Rockwell painted her faithfully sleeping at midnight on New Year's Eve with photos of Willie Gillis in the background above her bed in Willie Gillis: New Year's Eve. The subsequent 11 inches (280 mm) × 14 inches (360 mm) Willie Gillis cover was Willie Gillis: Generations depicting the Gillis military family in pictures above a bookshelf of Gillis war books. It generated hundreds of letters from Gillises, many of whom wanted to buy the imaginary books. Mead's daughters Lee and Patty Schaeffer showed vying affections for Gillis in one Post cover.
## Modern references
The woman who posed for illustrations of Gillis's girlfriend was included in the 90-minute PBS American Masters series film Norman Rockwell: Painting America. The film coincided with the first comprehensive Rockwell touring exhibition, entitled Norman Rockwell: Pictures for the American People, which was a seven-city tour. The High Museum of Art and the Norman Rockwell Museum produced the exhibition that started at the High Museum on November 6, 1999, stopped at the Chicago Historical Society, Corcoran Gallery of Art, San Diego Museum of Art, Phoenix Art Museum, and Norman Rockwell Museum before concluding at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on February 11, 2002. After the official tour ended, his post covers were on display at the Florida International Museum from April 2002 until June 16, 2002. In September 2002, they were exhibited at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts. During the first 16 days of the fair, through Saturday September 28, the attendance was 1,052,511. From 2006 through 2010 Gillis appeared along with the Four Freedoms and Rosie The Riveter in a travelling exhibition entitled Norman Rockwell in the 1940s: A View of the American Homefront. The 44-piece exhibition was organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum and made stops in places such as the Pensacola Museum of Art (April–July 2006), Rogers Historical Museum (June–August 2007), James A. Michener Art Museum (October 19, 2007 – February 10, 2008) and National Museum of the Marine Corps (September 28, 2009 – January 9, 2010).
## Willie Gillis series
Rockwell did not name his works, but many of them have one or two names by which they are known. The following are the eleven Willie Gillis Saturday Evening Post cover paintings:
1. October 4, 1941 – Willie Gillis: Food Package/Willie Gillis: Package From Home
2. November 29, 1941 – Willie Gillis: Home Sweet Home/Willie Gillis: Home On Leave
3. February 7, 1942 – Willie Gillis: USO
4. April 11, 1942 – Willie Gillis: Hometown News/Willie Gillis: On K.P.
5. June 27, 1942 – Willie Gillis: What To Do in a Blackout
6. July 25, 1942 – Willie Gillis in Church
7. September 5, 1942 – Willie Gillis: Girls with Letters/Double Trouble for Willie Gillis
8. June 26, 1943 – Willie Gillis: Cat's Cradle/Willie's Rope Trick
9. January 1, 1944 – Willie Gillis: New Year's Eve
10. September 16, 1944 – Willie Gillis: Gillis Heritage/Willie Gillis Generations
11. October 5, 1946 – Willie Gillis in College
## See also
- Norman Rockwell Museum
|
[
"## Background",
"## Post illustrations",
"### Series review",
"### Models",
"## Modern references",
"## Willie Gillis series",
"## See also"
] | 2,481 | 28,802 |
46,630,773 |
Parliament House (Malta)
| 1,139,312,509 |
Meeting place of the Parliament of Malta
|
[
"2015 establishments in Malta",
"21st-century controversies",
"Architectural controversies",
"Buildings and structures in Valletta",
"Controversies in Malta",
"Government buildings completed in 2015",
"Government buildings in Malta",
"Legislative buildings in Europe",
"Limestone buildings in Malta",
"Renzo Piano buildings",
"Stilt houses"
] |
The Parliament House (Maltese: Dar il-Parlament) is the meeting place of the Parliament of Malta located in Valletta, Malta. The building was constructed between 2011 and 2015 to designs by Renzo Piano as part of the City Gate Project, which also included building a new City Gate and converting the ruins of the Royal Opera House into an open-air theatre. Construction of the Parliament House generated considerable controversy, mainly due to the modern design of the building and the cost of construction, which amounted to around €90 million.
From 1921 to 1976, the meeting place of the Parliament of Malta had been the Tapestry Chamber of the Grandmaster's Palace, also in Valletta. In 1976, the former armoury of the same palace was converted into a new parliament, and meetings were held there until the opening of the purpose-built Parliament House on 4 May 2015.
## Site
The Parliament House is located in Republic Street near City Gate, the entrance to Valletta. The building is located adjacent to Saint James Cavalier and the ruins of the Royal Opera House, and opposite the City Gate Shopping Arcade and Palazzo Ferreria.
The site presently occupied by the Parliament House originally contained houses, and later the Valletta Station of the Malta Railway. The area was bombarded during World War II, and the station and surrounding buildings were demolished in the 1960s as part of a project to redevelop the entrance to Valletta. The area was converted into an open space known as Freedom Square (Maltese: Misraħ il-Ħelsien), which was surrounded by a shopping arcade. The square was originally rather plain, and was commonly used as a car park.
Though most of the square has been built-up, part of it is still officially the Freedom Square, and is now in a rectangular form. The square now covers from the corner of Palazzo Ferreria to the first column across of the subjected parliament, and to the Spanish steps next to the City Gate.
## Design and construction
### Planning
The building of the Parliament House was a part of the City Gate Project, which was meant to redevelop the entrance of Valletta. The project consisted of the demolition of the fourth City Gate and the Freedom Square Arcade and the construction of the fifth City Gate and the Parliament House. In addition, the ruins of the Royal Opera House were converted into an open-air theatre known as Pjazza Teatru Rjal. The City Gate project was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, and the plans were revealed on 27 June 2009. The Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation paid Piano €6.6 million for his work on the project.
### Construction
The demolition of the arcades of Freedom Square began in October 2010. Excavation works for the foundations of the Parliament House began soon after demolition was complete. In early 2011, the original plan was modified with the relocation of a staircase, the extension of one of the blocks, and changes in the design of the louvers on the facade. Construction started later that year, and the steel frame of the structure was complete by early 2012. At this point, it began to be covered in limestone which had been quarried in Gozo, and cut into specific shapes in Italy, before being sent back to Malta. Between 120 and 150 workers were on the construction site every day, and it cost more than €90 million to build.
The completion date of the project was originally given as November 2012 or early 2013. The estimated completion date was extended to September 2013, and later to September 2014. Contractors failed to meet deadlines, and the building was still not complete by the end of 2014. It was eventually completed in 2015.
### Inauguration
The Parliament House was officially inaugurated by President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca on 4 May 2015. Members of Parliament and other guests gathered at the old chamber at the Grandmaster's Palace, and walked to the new building accompanied by the police force band. Coleiro Preca called the inauguration of the Parliament House "a milestone in Malta's parliamentary history", since this is the first purpose-built parliament building in Malta. The first sitting was held later the same day.
Most of the building is closed to visitors for security reasons, but a permanent exhibition on the ground floor is open to the public.
On 1 August 2015, Piano visited the Parliament House for the first time since its inauguration.
### Critical reception
The building of the Parliament House, along with the rest of the City Gate project, was controversial. Critics considered it an unnecessary project, proposing to restore Fort Saint Elmo or one of the large dilapidated palaces in the city and converting it into a parliament building, for a fraction of the cost of constructing a new building. Some argued that the square should not have been built up as it was one of the few open spaces in Valletta. Others attacked the modern design of the structure itself, including the Labour MP Carmelo Abela, who called the Parliament House "an ugly building built on stilts".
The building's design, particularly the system of cladding, was compared to a dovecote (Maltese: Barumbara tal-ħamiem) or to a cheese grater by the general public. The cladding were intended to actually represent honeycombs as the name of Malta derives from Melite which means honey. The ultramodern design that contrasts much with the rest of Valletta has gone as far as the UNESCO questioning the city's title as a World Heritage Site. In 2015, the building was included on The Daily Telegraph's list of "the world's best (and worst) new buildings", although the newspaper did not state in which category the building fell.
## Structure
The Parliament House consists of two blocks connected together with bridges, one of which houses the chamber of parliament. The two blocks are separate so as not to obscure views of Saint James Cavalier from Republic Street. Each block has three floors. The structure consists of a steel frame clad in Gozitan limestone. The stone slabs are carved in such a way that they seem to have been eroded by nature.
Parliament House is a zero emission building since heat energy is recovered from or given off to the mass of rock below. This is used to heat and cool the building, avoiding any cooling towers or boilers.
|
[
"## Site",
"## Design and construction",
"### Planning",
"### Construction",
"### Inauguration",
"### Critical reception",
"## Structure"
] | 1,337 | 20,518 |
16,230,205 |
1824 United States presidential election in Missouri
| 1,173,556,426 | null |
[
"1824 Missouri elections",
"1824 United States presidential election by state",
"United States presidential elections in Missouri"
] |
In Missouri, the 1824 United States presidential election resulted in the state's electoral college votes going to Henry Clay, but then its vote in the House of Representatives contingent election going to the eventual winner, John Quincy Adams. In the 1824 presidential election, five major candidates emerged: Clay, Adams, Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford, and John C. Calhoun, although Calhoun dropped out to run for the vice presidency. In the new state of Missouri, Crawford had little support, Clay was the popular favorite, Jackson was popular in rural areas, and Adams had some support in urban areas, particularly St. Louis. Clay won the popular vote, with Jackson second, Adams third, and Crawford fourth, and Clay received Missouri's three votes in the electoral college.
Nationwide, none of the candidates had received a majority of the electoral votes, so the top three finishers went to the House of Representatives for a final election. Clay, Missouri's choice, finished fourth nationwide and did not qualify for the House election. This left John Scott, Missouri's representative in the House, to decide who the state would vote for in the contingent election. Clay endorsed Adams, but Jackson had been much more popular in the state than Adams, so there was no clear choice for Scott. Of Missouri's two United States senators, David Barton advised Scott to vote for Adams, while Thomas Hart Benton backed Jackson.
Scott decided to vote for Adams, who won the overall election. Clay had performed some background maneuvering in favor of Adams, and received an appointment as secretary of state. Jackson, who had finished with the most electoral votes in the initial run, considered Adams' election a "corrupt bargain". Scott's decision to vote for Adams proved unpopular in Missouri, and he lost his bid for re-election in 1826. Jackson defeated Adams in the 1828 United States presidential election.
## Background
In the late 1810s and early 1820s, the United States was in a national political environment known as the Era of Good Feelings, and the two major parties – the Democratic-Republican Party and the Federalist Party – both supported James Monroe in the 1820 United States presidential election. However, there were still party divisions, with the partisan contests becoming mainline Democratic-Republicans opposing a mixed group of Federalists and dissatisfied Democratic-Republicans. The 1824 presidential election featured four major candidates: Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, William H. Crawford, and Henry Clay. John C. Calhoun had also been an important candidate, but dropped out of the presidential race for the vice presidency. All five of those candidates laid claim to the political legacy of Thomas Jefferson. Crawford, who had the support of party elites, ran as a party traditionalist, while Jackson was a populist. Clay was a proponent of protective tariffs and internal improvements, and Calhoun positioned himself as a candidate that could appeal to both the northern and southern regions of the country. Adams was highly experienced, but in the words of historian Donald Ratcliffe, "was a humorless, stiff-necked, distant patrician".
The state of Missouri was a new one, having only joined the United States in 1821, and Missouri statehood was contentious due to national debates over the expansion or restriction of slavery, which was legal in Missouri. The disagreements were temporarily resolved by the Missouri Compromise, which allowed the admission of Missouri as a slave state. At this time, two of the major factions in Missouri politics were families who retained power developed during French rule of the area, and newer arrivals who had come after the United States took control. Power at the time was based in the city of St. Louis. The French faction and its American supporters were known as the "little junto", which was opposed by the "antijunto". A lack of party organization and fluid alliances meant that the division between the two factions was not a bright line.
In 1824, Missouri had a single representative in the United States House of Representatives, John Scott, and two United States Senators, Thomas Hart Benton and David Barton. Benton was initially aligned with the little junto, which Scott was also a member of, while Barton did not directly ally with either group. By 1824, Benton was shifting his political positions, and he and Barton had come into direct opposition, due to different political viewpoints and events such as the 1823 Barton–Rector duel. Benton, Barton, and Scott all backed Clay in the presidential election, although Benton did not fully support Clay's stances and had previously backed a ticket of Crawford as presidential candidate and Clay for the vice president. Benton also believed that supporting Clay would help his political transition away from the little junto, and he also wanted to prevent Jackson from taking the state, as Benton worried that Jacksonian ascendancy would end his political career.
## The election
Clay was the favorite candidate in Missouri. He was a Kentuckian, as were many settlers of Missouri, and he appealed to both urban and rural residents. Coming from what was then the Western United States, he appealed to rural residents, while urban voters backed his American System economic plan. Jackson was also popular in the rural areas, with historian Perry McCandless stating that Jackson "appealed to the spirit of voter unrest". Adams was associated with the northern United States and with the Federalists, which made him less popular in Missouri, although he did have some support in urban regions, particularly St. Louis. Crawford had no particular support in Missouri, and his campaign was affected when he had a stroke. Scott did not do much campaigning in the presidential election cycle, primarily just issuing a circular, while Benton campaigned the most. Historian Alan S. Weiner notes that it is possible that Barton only campaigned to offset the influence of Benton.
Official popular vote tallies in this era were often inaccurate. McCandless cites the final popular vote tallies for the state as 2,042 for Clay, 1,168 for Jackson, 186 for Adams, 37 for Crawford, and 5 as "scattered". Unofficial figures compiled by historian Phil Lampi show figures of 2,042 for Clay, 1,166 for Jackson, 191 for Adams, and 35 for Crawford. Weiner provides voting breakdowns by electoral district. For the district in the Boonslick region, Weiner has 1,111 for Clay to 610 for Jackson. The Second District was near St. Louis, and Weiner gives returns of 604 for Clay, 239 for Jackson, and 159 for Adams. Southeast Missouri voted 327 for Clay, 317 for Jackson, and 32 for Adams, according to Weiner. Duff Green, a Jackson supporter, claimed that Clay had only won the southeastern Missouri district by voter fraud on the part of a returning officer.
Nationally, Jackson received 99 electoral college votes, Adams 84, Crawford 41, and Clay 37. For vice president in the electoral college, Calhoun received 182 votes, while Jackson, Clay, Martin Van Buren, Nathan Sanford, and Nathaniel Macon combined for 78. Missouri's three electoral votes went to Clay for president and Jackson for vice president. As none of the candidates had received a majority of the votes, the presidential election had to be decided in the United States House of Representatives. Only the top three candidates were considered for the House of Representatives election, which meant that Clay was eliminated from contention. It was unclear which candidate Missouri's representative should vote for. Crawford's illness rendered him a non-factor, and due to his lack of support in Missouri would not have been a viable candidate for Scott's vote anyway.
Scott had pledged to vote for the candidate favored by the people of Missouri, but who was the favored candidate was not obvious. Clay, Missouri's selection in the popular vote, endorsed Adams in December, but Jackson had been much more popular in Missouri than Adams and had won the most electoral votes. Scott decided to ask the Missouri General Assembly for voting instructions. Before Clay's elimination had been announced as official, a resolution in the Missouri Senate to provide instructions for Scott to vote for Jackson had been defeated, and after the final three candidates were officially known, another resolution to tell Scott to vote for Crawford for unanimously voted down. The Missouri House of Representatives voted to postpone any final decision after a pro-Jackson resolution was introduced, and a pro-Adams resolution only received two of 45 votes, but resolutions introduced by Robert William Wells to officially not endorse any candidate were unsuccessful as well. The rounds of voting on the resolutions had not proved an endorsement for Jackson, but had also indicated the general lack of support for Adams and Crawford in the legislature.
Both Barton and Benton provided Scott with advice. Benton decided to back Jackson. He wished to continue to distance himself from the junta, who supported Adams, and he also recognized that Jackson was simply much more popular in the state than Adams. Benton's opponents in Missouri accused him of duplicity due to his prior support for Clay and later switch to Jackson after Clay's elimination. Barton argued that Scott should vote for Adams, who had the endorsement of Missouri's choice, Clay. This decision led to Barton being viewed by many Missourians as supporting federalism and northern interest.
By January 1825, Clay was directly pressuring Scott to back Adams. Daniel Cook had held discussions with Scott, and informed Adams on January 20 that in order to get Scott's vote, Adams would need to provide some favors to the Missourian. January 21 saw a meeting between Scott and Adams; Scott asked for a government printing contract in Missouri to be given via patronage to a pro-Scott publisher, and the Missourian also asked Adams if he, as president, would have Scott's brother (who had killed a man in a duel) removed from a judicial post in the Arkansas Territory. Having received assurances about the printing contract and that his brother would not be removed, Scott declared to Adams that he would vote for him, although the next day Scott decided that he did not want to commit himself and met with Adams again to soften his guarantee.
On February 5, Scott informed Benton that he intended to vote for Adams; Benton responded angrily three days later. Benton's letter was publicly printed, and McCandless speculates that Benton had intended its benefit to be more for the general public than for Scott specifically. The letter also included a threat of an end to the friendship between Benton and Scott. On February 9, Calhoun was declared the winner of the vice president election, and the House of Representatives balloted for the presidential election. Adams was declared the winner, having carried the delegations of 13 states, compared to 7 for Jackson and 4 for Crawford. Scott, and thus Missouri, had voted for Adams. Clay had performed some maneuvering that played a role in Adams gaining the election, and Adams appointed Clay as secretary of state. Jackson accused Clay of working with Adams to gain the secretary of state office, and referred to the election as a "corrupt bargain".
## Aftermath
At first, it appeared that Scott and Barton's political forces had defeated that of Benton, and federal patronage in Missouri would pass through Barton and Scott, although the press generally criticized Scott's decision to vote for Adams. The next test came with the 1825 Missouri gubernatorial special election, which was to fill the vacancy left by the death of incumbent Frederick Bates. In that four-candidate election, Benton backed John Miller, while Barton and Scott supported David Todd. Miller won, and Todd finished third, well behind the leader. In 1826, Scott ran for re-election, but his vote for Adams was a major factor against him in the election, and he was defeated by Edward Bates, who ran a nonfactional platform. Public opposition to the Adams vote had increased since the presidential election. That same year, Benton was easily re-elected as senator.
Jackson was nominated for the 1828 United States presidential election in 1825. Several proposed reforms to prevent another election from going to the House of Representatives were brought up in that body, but none were successful. Political currents from the 1824 election over time led to the development of the Whig Party. The forces of Crawford and Jackson combined before the 1828 election. The 1828 election saw Jackson easily defeat Adams, leading to the rise of Jacksonian democracy.
## Results
As given by McCandless 1972.
## See also
- United States presidential elections in Missouri
|
[
"## Background",
"## The election",
"## Aftermath",
"## Results",
"## See also"
] | 2,554 | 33,864 |
265,731 |
PSR B1620−26 b
| 1,169,471,373 |
Ancient circumbinary jovian exoplanet orbiting PSR B1620−26 binary system
|
[
"Circumbinary planets",
"Exoplanets detected by timing",
"Exoplanets discovered in 1993",
"Exoplanets with proper names",
"Giant planets",
"Pulsar planets",
"Scorpius"
] |
PSR B1620−26 b is an exoplanet located approximately 12,400 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Scorpius. It bears the unofficial nicknames "Methuselah" and "the Genesis planet" (named after the Biblical character Methuselah, who, according to the Bible, lived to be the oldest person) due to its extreme age. The planet is in a circumbinary orbit around the two stars of PSR B1620−26 (which are a pulsar (PSR B1620−26 A) and a white dwarf (WD B1620-26)) and is the first circumbinary planet ever confirmed. It is also the first planet found in a globular cluster. The planet is one of the oldest known extrasolar planets, believed to be about 12.7 billion years old.
## Characteristics
### Mass, orbit, and age
PSR B1620−26 b has a mass of 2.627 times that of Jupiter, and orbits at a distance of 23 AU (3.4 billion km), a little larger than the distance between Uranus and the Sun. Each orbit of the planet takes about 100 years.
The triple system is just outside the core of the globular cluster Messier 4. The age of the cluster has been estimated to be about 12.7 billion years, and because all stars in a cluster form at about the same time, and planets form together with their host stars, it is likely that PSR B1620−26 b is also about 12.7 billion years old. This is much older than any other known planet discovered to date, and nearly three times as old as Earth.
### Host stars
PSR B1620−26 b orbits a pair of stars. The primary star, PSR B1620−26, is a pulsar, a neutron star spinning at 100 revolutions per second, with a mass of 1.34 , a likely radius of around 20 kilometers (0.00003 ) and a likely temperature less than or equal to 300,000 K. The second is a white dwarf with a mass of 0.34 , a likely radius of around 0.01 , and a likely temperature less than or equal to 25,200 K. These stars orbit each other at a distance of 1 AU about once every six months. The age of the system is 12.7 to 13 billion years old, making this one of the oldest binary stars known. In comparison, the Sun has an age of 4.6 billion years.
The binary system's apparent magnitude, or how bright it appears from Earth's perspective, is 24. It is far too dim to be seen with the naked eye.
### Evolutionary history
The origin of this pulsar planet is still uncertain, but it probably did not form where it is found today. Because of the decreased gravitational force when the core of star collapses to a neutron star and ejects most of its mass in a supernova explosion, it is unlikely that a planet could remain in orbit after such an event. It is more likely that the planet formed in orbit around the star that has now evolved into the white dwarf, and that the star and planet were only later captured into orbit around the neutron star.
Stellar encounters are not very common in the disk of the Milky Way, where the Sun is, but in the dense core of globular clusters they occur frequently. At some point during the 10 billion years, the neutron star is thought to have encountered and captured the host star of the planet into a tight orbit, probably losing a previous companion star in the process. About half a billion years ago, the newly captured star began to expand into a red giant (see stellar evolution).
Typical pulsar periods for young pulsars are of the order of one second, and they increase with time; the very short periods exhibited by so-called millisecond pulsars are due to the transfer of material from a binary companion. The pulse period of PSR B1620−26 is a few milliseconds, providing strong evidence for matter transfer. It is believed that as the pulsar's red giant companion expanded, it filled and then exceeded its Roche lobe, so that its surface layers started being transferred onto the neutron star.
The infalling matter produced complex and spectacular effects. The infalling matter 'spun up' the neutron star, due to the transfer of angular momentum, and for a few hundred million years, the stars formed a low-mass X-ray binary, as the infalling matter was heated to temperatures high enough to glow in X-rays.
Mass transfer came to an end when the surface layers of the mass-losing star were depleted, and the core slowly shrunk to a white dwarf. Now the stars peacefully orbit around each other. The long-term prospects for PSR B1620−26 b are poor, though. The triple system, which is much more massive than a typical isolated star in M4, is slowly drifting down into the core of the cluster, where the density of stars is very high. In a billion years or so, the triple will probably have another close encounter with a nearby star. The most common outcome of such encounters is that the lightest companion is ejected from the multiple star system. If this happens, PSR B1620−26 b will most likely be ejected completely from M4, and will spend the rest of its existence wandering alone in interstellar space as an interstellar planet.
## Detection and discovery
Like nearly all extrasolar planets discovered prior to 2008, PSR B1620−26 b was originally detected through the Doppler shifts its orbit induces on radiation from the star it orbits (in this case, changes in the apparent pulsation period of the pulsar). In the early 1990s, a group of astronomers led by Donald Backer, who were studying what they thought was a binary pulsar, determined that a third object was needed to explain the observed Doppler shifts. Within a few years, the gravitational effects of the planet on the orbit of the pulsar and white dwarf had been measured, giving an estimate of the mass of the third object that was too small for it to be a star. The conclusion that the third object was a planet was announced by Stephen Thorsett and his collaborators in 1993.
The study of the planetary orbit allowed the mass of the white dwarf star to be estimated as well, and theories of the formation of the planet suggested that the white dwarf should be young and hot. On July 10, 2003, the detection of the white dwarf and confirmation of its predicted properties were announced by a team led by Steinn Sigurdsson, using observations from the Hubble Space Telescope. It was at a NASA press briefing that the name Methuselah was introduced, capturing press attention around the world.
## Name
While the designation PSR B1620−26 b is not used in any scientific papers, the planet is listed in the SIMBAD database as PSR B1620−26 b. Some popular sources use the designation PSR B1620−26 c to refer to the planet, as it was described as the third member of a triple system (composed of the planet and two stars). This designation doesn't appear in the SIMBAD database, and more modern naming conventions use a separated lettering system where lower-case letters to refer to planets and upper-case letters to designate stars (e.g. Gliese 667 Cc is the 'c' planet orbiting Gliese 667C, which is the 'C' star of a triple system), making PSR B1620−26 b the designation for a planet orbiting both stars of the PSR B1620−26 system. Neither usage is employed in the scientific literature with respect to the PSR B1620−26 planet.
Though not officially recognized, the name "Methuselah" is commonly used for the planet in popular articles. This name is usually used as the informal name to show the similarities to the planets of the Solar System, while the "latter name" is used astronomically. Methuselah is the only planet to have received a biblical name or nickname, although three other extrasolar planets have been unofficial mythological nicknames (just like in the Solar System), those planets being Dimidium, originally dubbed "Bellerophon"; Gliese 581 g, sometimes called "Zarmina," or even more rarely "Zarmina's World" or "Zarmina's Planet"; and HD 209458 b, occasionally referred to as "Osiris."
## See also
- 51 Pegasi b
- PSR 1257+12
- Pulsar planet
|
[
"## Characteristics",
"### Mass, orbit, and age",
"### Host stars",
"### Evolutionary history",
"## Detection and discovery",
"## Name",
"## See also"
] | 1,796 | 15,627 |
1,697,639 |
Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield
| 1,156,457,492 | null |
[
"1996 American television episodes",
"Golf animation",
"Social class in the United States",
"Television episodes about social class",
"The Simpsons (season 7) episodes"
] |
"Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" is the fourteenth episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 4, 1996. In this episode, Marge buys a Chanel suit and is invited to join the Springfield Country Club. Marge becomes obsessed with trying to fit in, but she decides she would rather go back to the way things were than continue to pursue high social ambitions.
The episode was written by Jennifer Crittenden and directed by Susie Dietter. It was the first time that a female writer and director were credited in the same episode. Tom Kite guest starred in the episode, and he enjoyed recording his parts for it. The episode's title is based on the 1989 film Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills.
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 8.8, and was the fifth-highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired.
## Plot
The Simpsons travel to the Ogdenville mall to buy a new television after Grampa breaks their old one. Marge and Lisa visit a discount store, where Marge finds a \$2800 Chanel suit on sale for \$90. Later Marge encounters an old classmate, Evelyn, at the Kwik-E-Mart. Evelyn is impressed by Marge's fashion sense and invites her to the Springfield Country Club.
Desperately trying to fit in with Evelyn's snobby friends at the club, Marge ignores their catty remarks after she wears the same Chanel suit on each visit. Lisa enjoys horseback riding at the club, but the rest of the family is uncomfortable there. After being trained by Tom Kite, Homer plays golf on the club's greens and learns Waylon Smithers is helping Mr. Burns cheat while caddying for him. In exchange for Homer's silence, Burns agrees to help Marge join the club.
Marge tries to alter her suit for the club membership ceremony, but accidentally destroys it with her sewing machine, forcing her to buy a new Chanel evening gown. As the family walks toward the party, Marge criticizes everyone else's behavior. When Homer tells the children they should thank her for pointing out how bad they really are, Marge realizes she has changed for the worse. The family skips the party and goes to Krusty Burger instead, unaware that the club has accepted Marge's membership.
## Production
The episode was written by Jennifer Crittenden and directed by Susie Dietter. It was the first time a female writer and director were credited in the same episode. The episode's title is a parody of the film Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills. The first script of the episode was too long and it had to be cut down. Dietter remembered that it "took on a more serious tone" because they had to keep the parts that were essential to the story and cut the many "throwaway gags". Bill Oakley, the show runner of The Simpsons at the time, praised the episode for having a "terrific" story that "really comes together well". Oakley said that he and fellow show runner Josh Weinstein wanted to have more "emotionally" based episodes this season that still had humor in them. He thought Crittenden did a "good job" at that and he thought the episode "came out well".
Marge's suit was modeled on an actual Chanel suit, and also the type of dresses that former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis used to wear. The show's creator, Matt Groening, was worried that such a detailed outfit would look "weird" on a Simpsons character because they are "simply designed" and their clothing is "very generic". He ended up liking the design, though, and Dietter thought it looked "good" on Marge. Oakley also liked the design and thought the cut on Marge was "flattering". The country club women's clothes were changed in every scene, something Dietter thought was hard to do because the animators had to come up with new designs.
Tom Kite guest starred in the episode as himself. He said that he "really enjoyed" recording his parts for it. "It was a lot of fun trying to imagine exactly what Homer's golf swing is going to look like. My number one fear is that Homer will end up having a better golf swing than I do—heaven forbid!", he added.
## Cultural references
At the electronic appliance store, "Panaphonic", "Magnetbox" and "Sorny" are parodies of Panasonic, Magnavox and Sony respectively.
## Reception
In its original broadcast, "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" finished 64th in the ratings for the week of January 29 to February 4, 1996, with a Nielsen rating of 8.8. The episode was the fifth-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week.
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, summed it up as follows: "Marge looks great in her Chanel, the golf scenes between Homer and Mr. Burns are brilliant, and there are many true, touching moments as Marge struggles valiantly to improve herself. Yet again, it's tempting for the viewer to urge Marge on and get the hell away from the family."
DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson said that he does not know if he "accepts" the episode as being "in character" for Marge. He said that it borrows liberally from The Flintstones, but he "likes it anyway". Jacobson added that the episode "jabs the idle rich nicely", and he enjoyed the golf scenes with Homer.
Jennifer Malkowski of DVD Verdict considered the best part of the episode to be Mr. Burns's demand for his tires to be revulcanized at the gas station. She concluded her review by giving the episode a grade of B.
The authors of the book Homer Simpson Goes to Washington, Joseph Foy and Stanley Schultz, wrote that in the episode, "the tension of trying to demonstrate a family's achievement of the American Dream is satirically and expertly played out by Marge Simpson".
|
[
"## Plot",
"## Production",
"## Cultural references",
"## Reception"
] | 1,313 | 26,614 |
39,015,113 |
Passionate Journey
| 1,153,005,609 |
1919 novel by Frans Masereel
|
[
"1919 comics debuts",
"1919 novels",
"Drama comics",
"Pantomime comics",
"Woodcut novels by Frans Masereel"
] |
Passionate Journey, or My Book of Hours (French: Mon livre d'heures), is a wordless novel of 1919 by Flemish artist Frans Masereel. The story is told in 167 captionless prints, and is the longest and best-selling of the wordless novels Masereel made. It tells of the experiences of an early 20th-century everyman in a modern city.
Masereel's medium is the woodcut, and the images are in an emotional, allegorical style inspired by Expressionism. The book followed Masereel's first wordless novel, 25 Images of a Man's Passion (1918); both were published in Switzerland, where Masereel spent much of World War I. German publisher Kurt Wolff released an inexpensive "people's edition" of the book in Germany with an introduction by German novelist Thomas Mann, and the book went on to sell over 100,000 copies in Europe. Its success encouraged other publishers to print wordless novels, and the genre flourished in the interwar years.
Masereel followed the book with dozens of others, beginning with The Sun later in 1919. Masereel's work was lauded in the art world in the earlier half of the 20th century, but has since been neglected outside of Western comics circles, where Masereel's wordless novels are seen as anticipating the development of the graphic novel.
## Synopsis
The story follows the life of a prototypical early 20th-century everyman after he enters a city. It is by turns comic and tragic: the man is rejected by a prostitute with whom he has fallen in love. He also takes trips to different locales around the world. In the end, the man leaves the city for the woods, raises his arms in praise of nature, and dies. His spirit rises from him, stomps on the heart of his dead body, and waves to the reader as it sets off across the universe.
## Background
Frans Masereel (1889–1972) was born into a French-speaking family in Blankenberge, Belgium. At five his father died, and his mother remarried to a doctor in Ghent, whose political beliefs left an impression on the young Masereel. He often accompanied his stepfather in socialist demonstrations. After a year at the Ghent Academy of Fine Arts in 1907, Masereel left to study art on his own in Paris. During World War I he volunteered as a translator for the Red Cross in Geneva, drew newspaper political cartoons, and copublished a magazine Les Tablettes, in which he published his first woodcut prints.
In the early 20th century there was a revival in interest in mediaeval woodcuts, particularly in religious books such as the Biblia pauperum. The woodcut is a less refined medium than the wood engraving that replaced it—artists of the time took to the rougher woodcut to express angst and frustration. From 1917 Masereel began publishing books of woodcut prints, using similar imagery to make political statements on the strife of the common people rather than to illustrate the lives of Christ and the saints. In 1918 he created the first such book to feature a narrative, 25 Images of a Man's Passion. He followed its success in 1919 with Passionate Journey, which remained his favourite of his own works.
## Publication history
The black-and-white woodcut images in the book were each 9 by 7 centimetres (3+1⁄2 in × 2+3⁄4 in). Masereel self-published the book in Geneva on credit from Swiss printer Albert Kundig in 1919 as Mon livre d'heures in an edition of 200 copies. It was printed directly from the original woodblocks.
German publisher Kurt Wolff sent Hans Mardersteig to Masereel to arrange German publication in 1920. It was printed from the original woodblocks in an edition of 700 copies under the title Mein Stundenbuch: 165 Holzschnitte, Wolff thereafter continued to publish German editions of Masereel's books, later in inexpensive "people's editions" using electrotype reproduction. The 1926 edition had an introduction by German writer Thomas Mann:
> Look at these powerful black-and-white figures, their features etched in light and shadow. You will be captivated from beginning to end: from the first pictured showing the train plunging through the dense smoke and bearing the hero toward life, to the very last picture showing the skeleton-faced figure among the stars. Has not this passionate journey had an incomparably deeper and purer impact on you than you have ever felt before?
The German edition was particularly popular, and went through several editions in the 1920s with sales surpassing 100,000 copies. Its success prompted other publishers and artists to produce wordless novels.
The book won an English-speaking audience after its 1922 US publication under the title My Book of Hours. printed from the original woodblocks in an edition of 600 copies with a foreword by French writer Romain Rolland. English-language editions took the title Passionate Journey after publication in a popular edition in the US in 1948. An edition did not see print in England until Redstone Press published one in the 1980s. It has also appeared in many other languages, including Chinese popular editions in 1933 and 1957. Some editions since 1928 have cut two pages from the book: the 24th, in which the protagonist has sex with a prostitute; and the 149th, in which the protagonist, giant-sized, urinates on the city. Dover Publications restored the pages in a 1971 edition, and American editions since then have kept them.
## Style and analysis
> I believe that it contained the essence of what I wanted to say; I expressed my philosophy, and perhaps My Book of Hours with its 167 woodcuts contains everything I have created since, because I have developed a number of themes from it in my later work.
Masereel uses an emotional, Expressionistic style to create a narrative replete with allegory, satire, and social criticism—a visual style he continued with throughout his career. He expresses a broad variety of emotions through understated, unexaggerated gestures. Most characters are given simple, passive expressions, which provides emphatic contrast with characters expressing more explicit emotion—love, despair, ecstasy. He considered Passionate Journey partly autobiographical, which he emphasized with a pair of self-portraits that open the book—in the first, Masereel sits at his desk with his woodcutting tools, and in the second appears the protagonist, dressed in identical fashion with the first. Literature scholar Martin S. Cohen wrote that it expressed themes that were to become universal in the wordless novel genre.
The original titles of Masereel's first two wordless novels allude to religious works: 25 Images of a Man's Passion to the Passion of Christ, and My Book of Hours to the mediaeval devotional book of hours. These religious books made frequent use of allegory, also prominent in Masereel's works—though Masereel replaces the religious archetypes of mediaeval morality plays with those from socialist ideology. The book derives some of its visual vocabulary—framing, sequencing, and viewpoints—from silent film. Thomas Mann named the book his favourite film.
Wordless novel scholar David Beronä saw the work as a catalogue of human activity, and in this regard compared it to Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass and Allen Ginsberg's Howl. Austrian writer Stefan Zweig remarked, "If everything were to perish, all the books, monuments, photographs and memoirs, and only the woodcuts that has executed in ten years were spared, our whole present-day world could be reconstructed from them." Critic Chris Lanier attributes the protagonist's appeal to readers to Masereel's avoiding a preaching tone in the work; "rather", Lanier states, "he gives us a story as a device through which we can examine ourselves". This openness in the images invites individual interpretation, according to Beronä.
In contrast to the works of Masereel's imitators, the images do not form an unfolding sequence of actions but are rather like individual snapshots of events in the protagonist's life. The book opens with a pair of literary quotations:
> Behold! I do not give lectures, or a little charity: When I give, I give myself.
> ... des plaisirs et des peines, des malices, facéties, expériences et folies, de la paille et du foin, des figues et du raisin, des fruits verts, des fruits doux, des roses et des gratte-culs, des choses vues, et lues, et sues, et eues, vécues!
## Reception and legacy
Impressed by the book, German publisher Kurt Wolff arranged for its German publication and continued to publish German editions of Masereel's books. Wolf's edition of Passionate Journey went through multiple printings, and the book was popular throughout Europe, where it sold over 100,000 copies. Soon other publishers also engaged in the publication of wordless novels, though none matched the success of Masereel's, which Beronä has called "perhaps the most seminal work in the genre".
While not as successful at first in the United States, American reviewers recognized Masereel as father of the wordless novel at least as early as the 1930s. A revival in publishing interest in wordless novels in the 1970s saw Passionate Journey the most frequently reprinted.
While the graphic narrative bears strong similarities to the comics that were proliferating in the early 20th century, Masereel's book emerged from a fine arts environment and was aimed at such an audience. Its influence was felt not in comics but in the worlds of literature, film, music, and advertising. Masereel's work was widely recognized with awards and exhibitions in the early 20th century, but has since been mostly forgotten outside of Western comics circles, where his wordless novels, and Passionate Journey in particular, are seen as precursors to the graphic novel.
|
[
"## Synopsis",
"## Background",
"## Publication history",
"## Style and analysis",
"## Reception and legacy"
] | 2,110 | 5,738 |
59,679,920 |
Submarine Telegraph Company
| 1,078,800,792 |
British submarine telegraph cable company
|
[
"1849 establishments in England",
"1890 disestablishments in England",
"British companies disestablished in 1890",
"British companies established in 1849",
"Defunct telecommunications companies of the United Kingdom",
"Technology companies disestablished in 1890",
"Telecommunications companies disestablished in the 19th century",
"Telecommunications companies established in 1849",
"Telegraph companies of the United Kingdom"
] |
The Submarine Telegraph Company was a British company which laid and operated submarine telegraph cables.
Jacob and John Watkins Brett formed the English Channel Submarine Telegraph Company to lay the first cable across the English Channel. An unarmoured cable with gutta-percha insulation was laid in 1850. The recently introduced gutta-percha was the first thermoplastic material available to cable makers and was resistant to seawater. This first unarmoured cable was a failure and was soon broken either by a French fishing boat or by abrasion on the rocks off the French coast.
The Bretts formed a new company, the Submarine Telegraph Company, and laid a new cable in 1851. This cable had multiple conductors and iron wire armouring. Telegraph communication with France was established for the first time in October of that year. This was the first undersea telegraph cable to be put in service anywhere in the world.
The Company continued to lay, and operate, more cables between England and the Continent until they were nationalised in 1890. Through a series of mergers they ultimately became part of Cable and Wireless (CW). The Times commemorated the 50th anniversary of the cable in 1900; CW and the Science Museum, London did the same on the 100th anniversary in 1950.
## History
In 1847, the Bretts obtained a concession from the French government to lay and operate a submarine telegraph cable across the Channel. The concession lapsed without anything being achieved. A proof of principle was conducted in 1849 by Charles Vincent Walker of the South Eastern Railway Company using gutta-percha insulated cable. Gutta-percha, recently introduced by William Montgomerie for making medical equipment, was a natural rubber that was found to be ideal for insulating ocean cables. Walker laid two miles (3.2 km) of the cable from the ship Princess Clementine off the coast of Folkestone. With the other end connected to the railway telegraph lines, he successfully sent telegraph messages from the ship to London. At the conclusion of the experiment, South Eastern Railway reused the cable in a wet railway tunnel.
In the same year, the Bretts had the Channel concession renewed for ten years, but only on condition that communication was established by September 1850. The English Channel Submarine Telegraph Company was formed to carry out this task. The Gutta Percha Company was contracted to manufacture the cable. A paddle tug, Goliath was chartered for cable laying. Goliath transported the cable from the manufacturing plant in Greenwich to Dover in short lengths which were then spliced together onto a single drum.
Winding the cable onto the drum took some time. The individual lengths were retested in water at Dover quayside and repaired as necessary before joining on the drum. Unattended cable suffered from the attentions of souvenir hunters who cut off pieces, or stripped the insulation to confirm to themselves that there was copper inside. It was difficult to wind the cable evenly on the drum because the joints caused bulges and because the manufacturing process did not produce perfectly regular cable. Cotton packing and wooden slats were used to smooth out the unevenness, slowing the process even further.
Goliath laid the cable between Dover and Cap Gris Nez in France on 28 August 1850. Unlike later submarine cables, this one had no armouring to protect it. The single copper wire was protected only by the layer of gutta-percha insulation around it. This made it very light, and it was necessary to attach periodic lead weights to make it sink. Messages sent across the cable were unintelligible due to dispersion of the signal, a phenomenon which was not understood at the time, and would be an even greater problem to the first transatlantic telegraph cable. Dispersion was a problem not fully solved on submarine cables until loading started to be used at the beginning of the 20th century. Both ends of the communication assumed that the messages did not make sense because the other end was in the midst of drunken celebrations of their success. It was decided to try again in the morning. During the night the cable failed. Initial reports stated that cable was damaged where it passed over rocks near Cap Gris Nez, but later French fishermen were blamed. The cable was never put back into service. While it is certainly true that French fishing boats recovered lengths of the cable hauled up in their nets, and in some cases cut the cable to free their gear, it remains unclear if this was the initial cause of the failure. A story circulated much later (from 1865) that the fisherman who initially cut the cable thought it was a new species of seaweed with gold in its centre. Although this story is still found in modern sources, it is likely apocryphal.
### First working undersea cable
The Bretts managed to renew their concession with a new date for establishing communication of October 1851. The company was reformed as the Submarine Telegraph Company in order to raise new capital. The largest investor was railway engineer Thomas Russell Crampton, who was put in charge of ordering the new cable. Crampton specified a much improved cable. The core of the new cable, again made by the Gutta Percha Company, was to have four conductors, substantially increasing the potential traffic, and insulated with gutta-percha as before. However, the four separate insulated conductors were not laid into a single cable by the Gutta Percha Company. This task was given to a wire-rope making company, Wilkins and Wetherly, who armoured the cable with an outer layer of helically laid iron wires. Production was halted for a time due to a dispute with R.S. Newall and Company of Gateshead. Newall had a patent for manufacturing wire rope with a soft core to make it more flexible, and claimed that this submarine cable breached that patent. The issue was resolved by allowing Newall to take over production of the cable at Wilkins and Wetherly's Wapping premises.
The completed cable was 25 nautical miles (46 km; 29 mi) long, far longer and heavier than anything the rope makers had previously manufactured, and there was some difficulty getting the cable out of the Wapping premises. There was no easy access and the adjacent business refused permission to cross their property, thinking that electrical apparatus would invalidate their fire insurance. However, a neighbouring business granted access, but the cable still had to be manually hauled to a wharf on the Thames. This was a difficult task which had to frequently be halted to tie back protruding broken iron wires. At the Thames, the cable was loaded on to the Blazer, a hulk loaned to the Submarine Telegraph Company by the government.
The cable was laid between South Foreland and Sangatte by Blazer under tow from two tugs on 25 September 1851. The cable ran out a mile (1.6 km) before reaching Sangatte. As a temporary measure, a length of unarmoured cable used for the underground link from Sangatte to Calais was spliced on to enable the ocean cable to be landed. The telegraph station on the English side was in a private house in Dover. At first, they could not contact France, but soon discovered that the problem was not with the submarine cable. Rather a joint had been omitted in the underground cable between South Foreland and Dover. Telegraph communication between Britain and France was established for the first time on 15 October.
In October, the steam tug Red Rover was tasked with replacing the temporary cable with a new section of armoured cable. Red Rover's first attempt was abandoned after running into bad weather. Trying again, it was discovered that there was no one on board who knew how to find Sangatte. They arrived a day late and missed their rendezvous with HMS Widgeon which was tasked with making the splice at sea. The cable was finally landed and the splice made aboard Widgeon on 19 October.
The line was finally open to the public on 19 November 1851. The occasion was marked by setting off an electrical fuse over the telegraph from Dover to fire a cannon in Calais. In reply, Calais fired a cannon in Dover Castle. The opening had again missed the French government deadline, but the concession was nevertheless renewed on 23 October for ten years from that date. The cable remained in service with the Submarine Telegraph Company for the lifetime of the company. This was the first undersea submarine cable put into service. Werner von Siemens had used gutta-percha-insulated cable to cross the Rhine in 1847 and Kiel Harbour in 1848, but this was the first working undersea cable to link two countries.
### Manufacturing problems
Early submarine cables had numerous quality problems. The insulation was not applied evenly leading to variations in the cable diameter and shape. The conductor was not held on the centreline of the insulation, in places coming close to the surface making it easy for the conductor to become exposed. The insulation was full of air pockets due to the gutta-percha being applied in one thick coat instead of several thinner coats. All these issues with the insulation caused inconsistencies in the electrical properties of the cable.
Quality of the conductor was also inconsistent. The diameter of the copper was variable, again leading to inconsistent electrical properties. There was little experience with annealing long lengths of copper. This resulted in inconsistent mechanical properties with brittle portions in the wire.
An even bigger problem was caused by the joints. The copper wire was supplied in short, inconsistent, lengths. Initially on the 1850 cable, joints were attempted by brazing a scarf joint with hard solder. However, the heat from the blowpipe softened the gutta-percha which became plastic and dripped off the cable. An alternative method was therefore used. Two inches of insulation was stripped from each end, the exposed wires twisted together and soft soldered. Sheets of gutta-percha heated to a plastic state were then wrapped around the joint and clamped in a mould. This resulted in a cigar-shaped bulge around the joint which was undesirable for cable laying.
### Nationalisation
The Submarine Telegraph Company went on to lay many more cables between Britain and the continent. In 1870 the inland telegraphs in Britain were nationalised, and in 1890 the cables and other assets of the Submarine Telegraph Company were taken over by the General Post Office.
## List of cables laid
\* Until 1863, all cable cores were made by the Gutta Percha Company as they had a monopoly on gutta-percha cable. In 1863, they merged with cable manufacturer Glass, Elliot & Co. to form the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company.
|
[
"## History",
"### First working undersea cable",
"### Manufacturing problems",
"### Nationalisation",
"## List of cables laid"
] | 2,198 | 14,784 |
5,535,324 |
Tropical Storm Henri (2003)
| 1,171,831,218 |
Atlantic tropical cyclone
|
[
"2003 Atlantic hurricane season",
"2003 natural disasters in the United States",
"Atlantic tropical storms",
"Hurricanes in Delaware",
"Hurricanes in Florida",
"Hurricanes in New Jersey",
"Hurricanes in North Carolina",
"Hurricanes in Pennsylvania",
"Tropical cyclones in 2003"
] |
Tropical Storm Henri was a moderate tropical storm that formed in the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. The eighth storm of the season, Henri was one of six tropical cyclones to hit the United States in the year. Henri formed from a tropical wave in the Gulf of Mexico in early September, and crossed over Florida as a tropical depression. Its remnants later moved into the Mid-Atlantic before dissipating completely.
Henri caused little damage as a tropical cyclone. In Florida, it dropped heavy rainfall, though damage was limited to minor flooding damage. In Delaware and Pennsylvania, damage was greater, where heavy rainfall damaged hundreds of houses and businesses. The resulting floods in Delaware were described as a 1 in 500 year event. The total damage by Henri along its path amounted to \$19.6 million (2003 USD, \$21.5 million 2006 USD), but no deaths were reported.
## Meteorological history
On August 22, a tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa, and it moved westward across the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea without developing significantly. On September 1 the wave axis entered the Gulf of Mexico, and upon doing so convection steadily organized around a low-level center of circulation. The system moved northward and developed into Tropical Depression Twelve on September 3 while located about 300 miles (480 kilometers) west of Tampa, Florida. Embedded within a slow mid-latitude trough, the depression moved eastward and strengthened into Tropical Storm Henri on September 5.
Despite strong southwesterly vertical shear, Henri continued intensifying while moving eastward, and reached a peak strength of 60 mph (97 km/h) later on September 5. Shortly thereafter, though, the shear greatly weakened the storm, and it was downgraded to a tropical depression. Henri was not able to recover its intensity, and made landfall near Clearwater, Florida on September 6 as a 35 mph (56 km/h) tropical depression, and quickly crossed the state as it accelerated to the northeast. Despite initial predictions of re-intensification over open waters due to potentially lower shear, Henri failed to re-strengthen and degenerated into a remnant low pressure area on September 8 off the coast of North Carolina.
The broad and disorganized remnant low remained nearly stationary due to a ridge of high pressure to its north. Residual convection within the remnants of Henri remained disorganized, but forecasters kept watch for the potential for redevelopment. However, it moved inland near Cape Hatteras on September 12 without reorganizing. The remnants continued to the north and dissipated on September 17 over New England.
## Preparations
The National Hurricane Center issued a Tropical Storm Warning from Englewood to Indian Pass, Florida while Henri was a tropical depression; however, warnings were discontinued by the time Henri made landfall. Flood warnings were issued across the state prior to the storm making landfall, with predictions of 5 to 10 inches (127 to 254 millimetres) of rainfall. As a result of the storm's approach, twelve shelters were placed on standby. Similarly, the Hurricane Shelter Information Hotline was placed on standby and ready to be activated within 10 minutes. Levy County officials declared a state of emergency. There, sand bags and sand were sent to Cedar Key, Yankeetown, and Inglis in anticipation for storm surge and flooding.
## Impact
### Florida, Bahamas, and Bermuda
Before making landfall, the storm produced strong waves on the Florida west coast. Following a summer of tropical moisture in Florida, Henri brought more heavy rainfall to the saturated state, peaking at 9.09 in (231 mm) in Hialeah in the southeast portion of the state. Two other areas experienced over 7 in (180 mm), though most areas received only light rainfall. In Hernando County, a stationary thunderstorm dropped over 5 in (130 mm) of rain in around an hour. It caused a rapid flooding of roads, though quickly retreated. Damage was minor, due to lack of many homes in the area. A feeder band in Charlotte County dropped 7 in (180 mm) of rain in three hours, flooding numerous streets and homes. Throughout Florida, damage was minimal, and there were no deaths. However, lightning from a feeder band injured a man in Lee County, while an indirect injury occurred from a car crash due to hydroplaning.
In the Bahamas, outer rainbands from Henri dropped around 1 inch (25 mm) of rain. Winds in the archipelago gusted to 32 mph (51 km/h). Just days after Hurricane Fabian struck Bermuda, moisture from Henri brought thunderstorms and heavy rainfall and thunderstorms totaling to 2.44 inches (62 mm) at the airport. This hindered cleanup efforts, though caused no known damage.
### Mid-Atlantic
In North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland, rainfall was generally light, with the exception of a few areas receiving over 3 inches (76 mm). Henri produced greater amounts of rain in Delaware and Pennsylvania, with a peak of 9.02 in (229 mm) in Hockessin. In Downingtown, Pennsylvania, over eight inches (203 mm) of rain fell in around six hours, while Doppler Radar estimated that Kennett Square received over 10 inches (250 mm) in a five-hour period. The heavy rainfall led to record discharge rates along the Red Clay Creek, which also had a record crest peaking at just below 26 feet (7.9 m). Parts of the creek saw a 500-year flood, which has a 0.2% chance of occurring in any given year. Numerous rivers in southeastern Pennsylvania also crested above their flood stage.
In Delaware, the flooding damaged numerous houses, including 194 in the Glenville area. The rapid flooding trapped numerous people in their cars and homes, forcing at least one rescue by helicopter. Those people were evacuated to nearby schools. The severe flooding washed out most of a bridge in Hockessin and destroyed 6 Wilmington & Western Railroad bridges, causing about \$5 million (2003 USD, \$5.5 million 2006 USD) in damage. The railroad bridges were still being rebuilt as of 2006. Greenbank Mill, a historic gristmill complex, saw \$450,000 in damage. Damage in Delaware totaled to \$16.1 million (2003 USD, \$17.5 million 2006 USD).
Flash flooding in Pennsylvania resulted in 2,600 emergency 911 calls and around 100 rescues for cars or houses. The flooding destroyed 12 homes, and damaged 336, over half of them severely. Wet soil downed trees and power lines, causing power outages to 109,000 PECO Energy customers. High floodwaters damaged 22 bridges and closed 2 indefinitely, while the flooding closed several roads, including a portion of U.S. Route 1 in Chadds Ford. Damage in Pennsylvania totaled to \$3.5 million (2003 USD, \$3.8 million 2006 USD).
## Aftermath
On September 23, just days after the storm moved through, President George W. Bush declared New Castle County, Delaware as a disaster area following the effects of Henri and later Hurricane Isabel. The declaration designated the affected citizens eligible for grants to pay for temporary housing, house repairs, and serious disaster-related expenses. The declaration also allowed for federal funding for 75% of the repair cost for replacing public facilities. By two months after the storm, 659 residents had applied for disaster aid through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), totaling to just over \$1 million (2003 USD, \$1.1 million 2006 USD). 141 small businesses applied for loans, totaling to around \$2.5 million (2003 USD, \$2.75 million 2006 USD). In addition, FEMA received 183 applications for public assistance, which would be used for rebuilding public roads and buildings. Over twenty volunteer organizations met to establish a long-term committee to find resources for disaster recovery needs. One goal sought by the committee was to find a permanent housing solution for every one who was displaced from their houses from the storms. Volunteers also helped remove ruined appliances and furniture to local landfills, totaling to more than 300 tons. State and county governments in Delaware purchased 171 homes following the damage in the Glenville area, the highest number of houses purchased in the state due to storm damage. The house purchasing was done to mitigate the flood damage by restoring the area as a wetland.
On September 26, President Bush also declared Chester County, Pennsylvania as a disaster area following the damage of Henri, Tropical Storm Isabel, and severe flooding unrelated to either tropical cyclone. By a month after the declaration, 342 homeowners and business owners applied for disaster aid, totaling to around \$600,000 (2003 USD, \$660,000 2006 USD).
## See also
- Other storms of the same name
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- Timeline of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season
- List of Florida hurricanes (2000–present)
- List of New Jersey hurricanes
|
[
"## Meteorological history",
"## Preparations",
"## Impact",
"### Florida, Bahamas, and Bermuda",
"### Mid-Atlantic",
"## Aftermath",
"## See also"
] | 1,875 | 40,664 |
1,891,319 |
Blue Murder (album)
| 1,171,443,400 | null |
[
"1989 debut albums",
"Albums produced by Bob Rock",
"Albums recorded at Little Mountain Sound Studios",
"Blue Murder (band) albums",
"Geffen Records albums"
] |
Blue Murder is the debut album by English hard rock band Blue Murder, released on 24 April 1989 by Geffen Records. It was produced by Bob Rock. The band was formed by guitarist John Sykes after his dismissal from Whitesnake. He was eventually joined by bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice. The band entered Little Mountain Sound Studios in early 1988 to begin recording their debut album. After several unsuccessful attempts at finding a lead singer, John Sykes took up the role, having already sung the band's first demos. Following the record's release, Blue Murder embarked on tours supporting Bon Jovi and Billy Squier.
Despite a positive reception from music critics, who touted the band's musicianship and Rock's production, the album underperformed commercially, only peaking at number 45 in the UK and number 69 in the US. Its failure has since been attributed to a variety of internal problems, including a lack of proper promotion, mismanagement and poor business decisions by the band. However, the record has garnered a small cult following since its release. In 2013, it was reissued and remastered by Rock Candy Records.
## Background
In 1986, guitarist John Sykes was fired from the English hard rock group Whitesnake by the band's lead vocalist David Coverdale. Sykes had recently finished recording the group's eponymous album, which he co-wrote with Coverdale. The album would go on to achieve multi-platinum status and peak at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. Sykes retreated to his home studio in Blackpool, England, where he started writing new material. Eager to prove himself, Sykes began putting together a new band in February 1987. First to join was drummer Cozy Powell, who had played with Sykes in Whitesnake from 1984 to 1985. Next came bassist Tony Franklin, formerly of The Firm. He was one of Sykes' top choices for the band and, as it happened, the husband of Franklin's cousin was working at Sykes' studio. Through him, they were able to get in touch with one another and, after a brief jam session, Franklin agreed to join the band. Last was singer Ray Gillen, who had previously fronted Black Sabbath for a short time. After solidifying their line-up, the band headed to Spain to record some demos, which were then sent to Geffen Records, with whom Sykes had worked with while in Whitesnake. A&R executive John Kalodner was unimpressed by Gillen's performance, preferring the initial demos that Sykes had sung. Kalodner also expressed doubts over Gillen's songwriting abilities. At the same time, Sykes and Gillen were having disagreements over the vocal approach. Ultimately, Gillen left after only a few months in the band. In mid-1987, the group signed a recording contract with Geffen Records.
As the band began their search for a new lead singer, Cozy Powell, who had become frustrated with the group's lack of progress, left to join Black Sabbath. The band were then approached by drummer Carmine Appice, who had previously worked with Rod Stewart, Vanilla Fudge and King Kobra, among others. Eager to work with both Sykes and Franklin, Appice got in touch with them through music journalist Chris Welch after a Dio concert at the Hammersmith Odeon in December 1987 (Appice's brother Vinny was the drummer for Dio at the time). Appice was invited to Blackpool for a jam session, after which he formally joined the band. English drummer Aynsley Dunbar (ex-Journey, and Sykes' former bandmate in Whitesnake) also auditioned, but ultimately Sykes and Franklin felt that he wasn't the right fit for the group. With a drummer now in place, the band continued their search for a new lead singer. Former Black Sabbath vocalist Tony Martin was eventually chosen, but as the band were about to fly to Vancouver to begin recording their debut album in early 1988, Martin pulled out. The group decided to push forward, figuring they could always find a singer later.
## Production and composition
The band entered Little Mountain Sound Studios in February 1988 to record their debut album. Bob Rock was chosen to produce, having previously worked with Sykes on Whitesnake's eponymous album. Acting as engineer was Mike Fraser, who mixed the record as well. David Donnelly supervised the mastering process. Keyboardist Nik Green was also brought in to play on the album. Due to Rock's prior engagements with Bon Jovi and The Cult, recording was halted after six weeks, which allowed the band to audition more singers. Among them were David Glen Eisley and Derek St. Holmes. Unable to agree on a frontman, Sykes was eventually persuaded by John Kalodner and the rest of the band to take up the role of lead singer. Having had no proper vocal training, Sykes initially struggled to sing the tracks, but eventually eased into it, drawing upon what he had learned working with David Coverdale and Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott.
The band was named Blue Murder at Tony Franklin's suggestion, after the British idiom "scream blue murder". Their logo was designed by graphic artist Margo Chase. The album's packaging featured photographs of the band dressed in pirate attire. Originally, the group had wished for a simple black and white photo, but Geffen insisted on shooting in colour. When asked why they were dressed as pirates, Sykes jokingly responded: "You know, now there are so many album covers with shiny photos of fashionable clothes; better pirate clothes then!" The album was dedicated to Phil Lynott, who died in 1986. While not initially planned, Sykes felt "it was the right thing to do" after the record was finished.
### Music and lyrics
Blue Murder has been described by music critics as hard rock and glam metal. Sykes described the band's sound in an interview with Raw magazine as having elements of both Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy, as well as the blues. Tracks such as "Sex Child", "Valley of the Kings" and "Ptolemy" have also drawn comparisons to Led Zeppelin. Sykes' intent with Blue Murder was to create a heavier record than Whitesnake's eponymous album, while still retaining some of the same groove and vibe. In an interview with Metal Shock magazine, Sykes referred to the band's music as "heavy funk". The song "Billy" was described by Sykes as his "Thin Lizzy track", with lyrics inspired by the 1949 film White Heat. The album's title-track he characterised as a "police story". He also remarked how the song reminds him the most of his time with Thin Lizzy. "Valley of the Kings" draws from Egyptian culture, while "Jelly Roll" was inspired by a former relationship of Sykes'. When asked to name his favourite track from the album, Sykes chose "Jelly Roll" as it was one of the easiest ones to write. By contrast, "Sex Child" took approximately five weeks to complete. Despite being credited as a co-writer on "Valley of the Kings", Tony Martin has stated that he actually co-wrote a significant portion of the record with Sykes, but was not credited.
## Release and promotion
Blue Murder was released on 24 April 1989. To promote the record, the band made appearances on MTV's Hard 60 and The Big Al Show, hosted by "Weird Al" Yankovic. They then embarked on an American tour supporting Bon Jovi. Later they performed on a triple-bill tour with Billy Squier and King's X. Blue Murder also played several headline dates in America and Japan. Due to unspecified management issues, a European tour never materialized.
Blue Murder reached number 45 on the UK Albums Chart. It debuted at number 172 on the Billboard 200 chart, eventually peaking at number 69 in June 1989. According to Carmine Appice, the album only sold around 150,000 copies in the United States. Worldwide, the record sold approximately 500,000 copies, according to John Sykes. In 2013, Blue Murder was reissued by Rock Candy Records. The reissue featured a remastered version of the album, a 3,500 word essay by Malcolm Dome and an interview with John Sykes. The initial pressings listed a tenth song, titled "Cold Harbor", as part of the content. This was, however, a misprinting and no such song appears on the album.
Blue Murder's success fell short of expectations, as the sales for their debut album disappointed both the band and label. Sykes felt that Geffen did not properly promote the group, stating in 1999: "I think they were trying to get me and David [Coverdale] back together. They wanted me to get back with the 'winning formula'. But the wounds were too fresh. I stayed with the same label. In hindsight, I would have done better with a different label." Sykes also speculated that the heaviness of the record and a lack of a clear hit single contributed to its failure. Carmine Appice pointed to a lack of clear management as another contributing factor. Initially, the band were managed by a three-person team led by Sykes' stepfather. As Blue Murder were about to go on tour, however, they were fired. Eventually, the band hired Bruce Allen to manage them, but by this point Appice said "it was too late" and the album had already underperformed. John Kalodner felt that Blue Murder's failure boiled down to John Sykes not being a strong enough frontman.
### Singles
"Valley of the Kings" was released as a promotional single from the album. A music video, directed by Mary Lambert, was also shot for a reported \$150,000. The video was later featured as MTV's "Hip Clip of the Week". The initial plan put forth by John Kalodner was to release "Valley of the Kings" first to "get a buzz going". This would have then been followed up by "Jelly Roll", which would have received a greater push on MTV and radio. However, as the band were on tour, they began demanding a greater push for "Valley of the Kings". In retrospect, Carmine Appice called this a "dumb mistake", as the song was deemed "too long" and "not commercial enough" for MTV. The single was not available to purchase by the general public, something Tony Franklin felt also hurt its success.
"Jelly Roll" was released as the second single from the album. A music video, directed again by Mary Lambert, was shot over the course of two days in North Los Angeles. The video featured model Meg Register, who had a small role in the 1986 film Running Scared. The song became a minor hit, reaching number fifteen on the Album Rock Tracks chart. However, due to the failure of "Valley of the Kings", MTV refused to play the video for "Jelly Roll", which Franklin felt prevented it from becoming a crossover hit.
## Critical reception
Contemporary reviews for the album were mostly positive. Raw's Paul Suter gave Blue Murder a ten out of ten rating, and called it one of "the finest records in an age". He gave special praise to Bob Rock's production and commended the band's musicianship, particularly Sykes' guitar playing, which he thought elevated him to the same level as Ritchie Blackmore and Jimmy Page. Rock Hard's review was similarly voiced, with "Riot", "Valley of the Kings" and "Blue Murder" being singled out as particular highlights. The record was also described as a must-have for fans of rock music. Warren J. Rhodes, writing for The California Aggie, called the album "excellent", while Neil Jeffries of Kerrang! hailed it as a "masterpiece", giving it a perfect score. Spin's Jon Young, meanwhile, gave the record a scathing review, calling it a "disaster" and the band "aimless". He characterized Sykes' vocals as "shrill" and his guitar playing "hyperactive", while tracks like "Jelly Roll" and "Out of Love" were described as "bloated" and "weepy", respectively. Hi-Fi News & Record Review'''s review pointed to the lyrics as a particular source of criticism: "Blue Murder are just heavy enough to let you ignore the words to 'Sex Child'". Andrew Martin of Music Week compared the band's music to Cream by saying that "it's a full-on stomp of a heavy rock album."
Retrospective reviews for the album have been largely positive, and the record has garnered a small cult following. Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic praised the band's musicianship, and remarked how the album has "endured far better than most similarly styled heavy metal albums of the era". He also touted the production as one of Rock's best alongside his work with Metallica. Rivadavia was, however, critical of the perceived Led Zeppelin influences found on some of the tracks. Author Martin Popoff awarded Blue Murder a score of seven out of ten in his 2005 book Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal, while Record Collector's William Pinfold gave the album four stars out of five. White Wizzard guitarist Will Wallner, writing for Guitar World, called the album "phenomenal", with special praise being given to Sykes' playing. White Wizzard's Jon Leon, meanwhile, named Blue Murder one of his favourite obscure heavy metal records of the 1980s. Ultimate Classic Rock named Blue Murder the sixth best album produced by Bob Rock, while MetalSucks included it on a list of essential hair metal albums not included on a similar list by Rolling Stone. Radio and television personality Eddie Trunk also highlighted the album in his 2011 book Eddie Trunk's Essential Hard Rock and Heavy Metal''.
## Track listing
All songs written and composed by John Sykes, except where indicated.
## Personnel
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.
## Charts
### Album
### Singles
|
[
"## Background",
"## Production and composition",
"### Music and lyrics",
"## Release and promotion",
"### Singles",
"## Critical reception",
"## Track listing",
"## Personnel",
"## Charts",
"### Album",
"### Singles"
] | 2,946 | 8,337 |
1,141,317 |
William Tuke
| 1,165,886,591 |
English mental health reformer (1732–1822)
|
[
"1732 births",
"1822 deaths",
"18th-century Quakers",
"19th-century Quakers",
"English Quakers",
"Mental health activists",
"Tuke family of York"
] |
William Tuke (24 March 1732 – 6 December 1822), an English tradesman, philanthropist and Quaker, earned fame for promoting more humane custody and care for people with mental disorders, using what he called gentler methods that came to be known as moral treatment. He played a big part in founding The Retreat at Lamel Hill, York, for treating mental-health needs. He and his wife Esther Maud backed strict adherence to Quaker principles. He was an abolitionist, a patron of the Bible Society, and an opponent of the East India Company's inhumane practices.
## Early life
William Tuke was born on 24 March 1732 in York into a prominent Quaker family. His father Samuel was a stuff-weaver and shopkeeper, who died when Tuke was 16. His mother Ann died seven years later. Tuke attended boarding school for two or three years, after which he pursued further studies under clergymen. At age 14, he began an apprenticeship at his aunt's wholesale tea business, which he inherited on her death in 1746.
## Family life
Tuke married Elizabeth Hoyland in 1754 and fathered four children. After Elizabeth died giving birth to their fifth child, Tuke met and married Esther Maud in 1765. Tuke and his wife were deeply involved in the Friends community and advocated stricter adherence to Quaker principles. For five decades, he travelled to London for the Yearly Meeting, serving as clerk there in 1783. Meanwhile, Tuke remained involved in the family business alongside his eldest son and business partner, Henry. Ann Tuke, his daughter by Esther Maud, married William Alexander of the prominent Ipswich Quaker banking family.
## The Retreat
In 1791, William Tuke was moved by an incident involving Hannah Mills, a melancholic Quaker widow, who died unexpectedly at York Lunatic Asylum. Although her cause of death was unclear, mistreatment was suspected and the managers had forbidden Mills from having visitors. Tuke's daughter Ann proposed founding a mental institution run by Quakers for their own members. At a Society of Friends meeting in March 1792, Tuke presented a plan for those who "laboured under that most afflictive dispensation — the loss of reason." However, the proposal met with significant opposition. Some members felt such a move was unnecessary, while others saw it as overstepping the jurisdiction of a Quaker community. The small minority of supporters included Tuke's son, Henry, and the grammarian Lindley Murray.
During a visit to St. Luke's Hospital in London, Tuke witnessed appalling conditions for patients. He was particularly affected by a naked female patient who had been chained to a wall. Tuke believed the abuse was not cruel in intent, but marked a lack of effective alternatives.
By 1795, financial and social support from the community was still limited. The Society of Friends eventually approved the plan when Tuke's friend, Lindley Murray, suggested raising funds through annuities. Tuke bought 11 acres of land (4.5 ha) for £938 and worked closely with a London architect, John Bevans, to carry out his vision for the new asylum. Unlike other institutions at the time, York Retreat featured long, airy corridors where patients could stroll, even if they were kept from going outside. A month after the first patients arrived in June 1796, the unexpected death of its superintendent, Timothy Maud, forced Tuke to step in and run the Retreat himself.
William Tuke allowed his doctors to make their own observations and apply them in practice. Bleeding and other traditional remedies were abandoned in favour of gentler methods, such as warm baths for patients with melancholia. Tuke believed that physical and mental health were inextricably linked and stressed the need for proper diet and exercise. He sought to instil a sense of reason, not fear, and limited the use of physical restraints. Patients were encouraged to make themselves comfortable and often took up tasks like sewing and knitting.
The approach was widely derided at first. William Tuke noted, "All men seem to desert me." However, it eventually became famous worldwide as a model for more humane, psychologically based approaches.
## Other work
Outside his work at the Retreat, Tuke helped to found three Quaker schools: Ackworth School, Bootham School, and Trinity Lane Quaker Girls' School. The last was run by Tuke's second wife Esther until her death in 1794. The Tuke family continued to run it until 1812, by which time 500 students had passed through.
As a patron of the Bible Society, Tuke attended its meetings and made generous donations. Tuke campaigned against the slave trade and supported the abolitionist William Wilberforce in the 1806 Yorkshire parliamentary election.
Tuke was one of few voices in Britain opposing the East India Company for its inhumanity in other countries. He also supported the African Institution, which sought to create a viable, civilized refuge for freed slaves in Sierra Leone.
Towards the end of his career, a resurgence of patient abuse at York Asylum prompted Tuke to take to the local press and demand urgent reform. Tuke provided evidence to the Select Committee on Madhouses in May 1815, which led to further inquiries and passage of the County Asylums Act in 1828.
## Final years and death
Tuke remained involved with the Retreat until he became blind at the age of 82. He died on 6 December 1822 after a paralytic attack.
## Legacy
Several of Tuke's family pursued similar philanthropic work. The York Retreat was founded by his son Henry (1755–1815), at whose request his own son Samuel wrote an 1813 account of it and popularized the principles of "moral treatment". Samuel's son James Hack Tuke also helped to manage the York Retreat, while his brother Daniel Hack Tuke co-wrote A Manual of Psychological Medicine (1858) and became a leading medical expert on insanity. His daughter Sarah Tuke Grubb founded a school in Ireland.
Michel Foucault in his work Madness and Civilization discusses the advent of new types of detention by comparing and contrasting the accomplishments of William Tuke and Philippe Pinel in their respective regions (England and France.
|
[
"## Early life",
"## Family life",
"## The Retreat",
"## Other work",
"## Final years and death",
"## Legacy"
] | 1,308 | 3,466 |
57,535,400 |
Wouldn't Leave
| 1,161,111,915 | null |
[
"2018 songs",
"Gospel songs",
"Kanye West songs",
"Song recordings produced by Kanye West",
"Song recordings produced by Mike Dean (record producer)",
"Songs about American slavery",
"Songs written by Jeremih",
"Songs written by Justin Vernon",
"Songs written by Kanye West",
"Songs written by Malik Yusef",
"Songs written by Mike Dean (record producer)",
"Songs written by Pardison Fontaine",
"Songs written by PartyNextDoor",
"Songs written by Ty Dolla Sign"
] |
"Wouldn't Leave" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his eighth studio album, Ye (2018). The song includes vocals from PartyNextDoor, Ty Dolla Sign and Jeremih. It was produced by West and co-produced by Ty Dolla Sign, while additional production was handled by Mike Dean and Noah Goldstein. A minimalist track that includes gospel elements, the song contains a sample of "Baptizing Scene", performed by Reverend W.A. Donaldson. The former is a tribute to Kim Kardashian, including West addressing her reaction to his "slavery was a choice" statement. In May 2018, the song was revealed by West to be set for release on the album.
Ultimately released as the fourth track on Ye in June 2018, "Wouldn't Leave" received generally mixed reviews from music critics. The subject matter was mostly written negatively of by them, with the focus around it being commonly placed on West's performance. However, numerous critics complemented the production and a few praised the thought process behind the song. It reached number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2018 and charted in numerous other countries, including Canada and New Zealand. The song was interpolated by August Alsina on his track of the same title in October 2018.
## Background and recording
"Wouldn't Leave" was produced by West, with co-production from American musician Ty Dolla Sign and additional production from Mike Dean, and Noah Goldstein. As well as Ty Dolla Sign, the song includes vocals from singers PartyNextDoor and Jeremih. Along with the song, the former of the three contributed vocals to Ye tracks "All Mine" and "Violent Crimes". On June 4, 2018, three days after the album's release, he teased a collaborative album with West. In a phone conversation with Rolling Stone on August 30 of that year, Ty Dolla Sign recalled "going off on the backgrounds, no Auto-Tune" when the two worked together.
On May 15, 2018, West shared a video of him in the studio that revealed a track list for Ye on a whiteboard, with West having recorded the album that year. The track list showed "Wouldn't Leave" set to be released on it as the third track. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver later tweeted that the song originated as a collaboration between him and American musician Phil Cook, stating Cook would have performed "piano and Jupiter synths," while he was supposed to be "on some op-1 gospel samples." West had sampled Reverend W.A. Donaldson's "Baptizing Scene" in the past on his collaborative single "Niggas in Paris" (2011), with fellow rapper Jay-Z. In a 2018 interview with TMZ, West made a controversial statement that "slavery was a choice." West was supposed to add more to his referencing of the statement within "Wouldn't Leave", though decided not to because it was "just too sensitive."
## Composition and lyrics
"Musically", "Wouldn't Leave" is a gospel track that includes piano, and has been noted for having a minimalist sound. It features a sample of the recording "Baptizing Scene", as performed by Reverend W.A. Donaldson. "Wouldn't Leave" is a tribute to West's wife Kim Kardashian, who he appreciates for consistently standing by his side. The opening of the song features PartyNextDoor singing about his feelings of insecurity towards a woman. West's first verse begins after the intro and he mentions his statement about slavery, while also rapping about an aggressive encounter with Sway from 2013. The former being referenced by West continues, as he addresses how Kardashian reacted to it, though does not explain the statement itself. Despite not issuing an apology to her, West admits he can be a lot to handle and West presents himself as offering Kardashian to leave him but shows her as declining the offer. The chorus of the song is performed by PartyNextDoor.
Later within the song, West defends his behaviour, while citing his messaging style as being the problem. The public image that West presents is expressed by him as being different from the way he behaves in private, with West specifying that the two personas do not overlap. The final chorus features Ty Dolla Sign and a backing choir alongside PartyNextDoor. In the outro of the song, West thanks Kardashian for being loyal to their relationship and dedicates the outro to her as well as other women that possess similar loyalty. Ty Dolla Sign hums "keep that same energy" repeatedly during the outro.
## Release and promotion
On June 1, 2018, "Wouldn't Leave" was released as the fourth track on West's eighth studio album Ye, switching position from its originally slated release as the third track. At the 2018 CFDA Fashion Awards on June 4 of that year, Kardashian revealed that the song was the only one from the album that West didn't play for her properly until "the last minute." She confirmed that there was truth to West's claims of them having fought over his slavery statement, but admitted there are some things the couple do not "put on social media," though Kardashian said she's a fan of "Wouldn't Leave". Kardashian elaborated, saying that her and West, "have different views sometimes, but that's my husband, you know?" American rapper August Alsina released his single of the same title on October 2, 2018, which interpolates the song.
## Critical reception
The song was met with generally mixed reviews from music critics, who often panned the subject matter but praised the production. Spin's Jordan Sargent wrote that the song "feels like the moment when rays begins to peek through the storm clouds" on the album musically, though criticized it for being "a celebration of men abusing the love and compassion extended to them by their wives." Kyle Mullin from Exclaim! panned West's performance, calling his lyricism nauseating, though praised the song's "stubby, stick-in-your-eardrum beats and glistening vintage synths." The New York Times's Jon Pareles complained that West mentioning his slavery comments within the song is not done "as a historical argument, but as proof of his audacity," despite complementing the production. The staff of XXL highlighted the production for being "reminiscent of early Kanye" but panned the lyrical content due to the "lack of an explanation" of West's slavery comments from him. Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Alex Suskind praised West's songwriting, while describing the subject matter of the song as dour. Variety critic Andrew Barker called the song "ostensibly introspective" but he slammed the subject matter due to West being self-obsessed and noted that while West's referencing of his slavery comments "offers zero insight into his actual political views, it might provide a window into his thinking."
Some reviewers were less divided in their assessments of "Wouldn't Leave". In comparison to West's singles "Lift Yourself" and "Ye vs. the People" from April 2018, the song was described by Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone as West having "even drearier complaints on deck." Jonah Bromwich from Pitchfork wrote in response to the song: "The music is an army of prayer hands, floating on a wave—please and thank you and praise you all at once—all for Kim." Bromwich explained the connection to Kardashian due to West rapping "she wouldn't leave" after having offered her "that exit." Kitty Empire of The Observer gave the song a negative review, branding it in connection to "Yikes" as being "another track with a superficially twinkly mien" on Ye. In The Independent, Christopher Hooton stated that the song "chronicles the strain Kanye's recent behaviour put on his marriage" and viewed it as paying tribute to "every damn female that stuck with they dude [when he's been an inconsiderate, unthinking asshole]."
## Commercial performance
In the week of Ye being released, "Wouldn't Leave" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 24. The song also entered the US Streaming Songs chart at number 11, with 26.3 million streams, and reached number 14 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart that same week. The song descended 68 places to number 92 on the Hot 100 the following week, becoming the largest declining track from the album. On September 23, 2020, "Wouldn't Leave" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling 500,000 certified units in the United States.
The song had its best chart performance in New Zealand, reaching number 21 on the NZ Singles Chart. Similarly, it charted at number 24 on the Canadian Hot 100. On the Irish Singles Chart, the song reached number 27. "Wouldn't Leave" debuted at number 33 and 35 on the ARIA Singles Chart and Slovakia Singles Digitál Top 100, respectively. The song also reached the top 100 in Portugal, Greece, and the Czech Republic.
## Credits and personnel
Recording
- Recorded at West Lake Ranch, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Personnel
- Kanye West – production, songwriter
- Ty Dolla Sign – co-production, songwriter, vocals
- Mike Dean – additional production, songwriter, engineering, mixing
- Noah Goldstein – additional production, songwriter recording engineering
- Jeremih – songwriter, vocals
- PartyNextDoor – songwriter, vocals
- Francis Starlite
- Jordan Thorpe – songwriter
- Justin Vernon – songwriter
- Kenneth Pershon – songwriter
- Malik Yusef – songwriter
- Reverend W.A. Donaldson – songwriter
- Terrence Boykin – songwriter
- Mike Malchicoff – engineering
- Zack Djurich – engineering
- Sean Solymar – assistant recording engineering
- Jess Jackson – mixing
Credits adapted from Tidal.
## Charts
## Certifications
|
[
"## Background and recording",
"## Composition and lyrics",
"## Release and promotion",
"## Critical reception",
"## Commercial performance",
"## Credits and personnel",
"## Charts",
"## Certifications"
] | 2,096 | 36,260 |
1,702,966 |
Sylvie Kinigi
| 1,171,769,688 |
Burundian politician and economist
|
[
"1953 births",
"20th-century presidents in Africa",
"20th-century women politicians",
"Burundian economists",
"Burundian women activists",
"Female heads of state",
"Living people",
"Presidents of Burundi",
"Prime Ministers of Burundi",
"Tutsi people",
"Union for National Progress politicians",
"University of Burundi alumni",
"Women government ministers of Burundi",
"Women prime ministers",
"Women prime ministers in Africa"
] |
Sylvie Kinigi (née Ntigashira; born 24 November 1953) is a Burundian politician and economist who served as prime minister of Burundi from 10 July 1993 to 7 February 1994, and acting president from November 1993 to 5 February 1994, making her the second African woman to serve as a president.
Born to a Tutsi family, she earned a degree in banking from the University of Burundi in 1979 and another diploma from the Centre de Formation de la Profession Bancaire in Paris. Politically, Kinigi was closely affiliated with the Union pour le Progrès national (UPRONA), Burundi's only legal political party at the time, and was an active member of the Union des Femmes Burundaises, a subgroup of UPRONA, serving as a member of its central committee by 1987. In that capacity she lobbied for legislative changes and government measures to benefit women. In 1990 Kinigi was hired by the Bank of the Republic of Burundi to direct its department of research and statistics, and the following year she was placed in charge of Burundi's structural adjustment program.
In the summer of 1993 Burundi hosted free elections, which were won by UPRONA's rival, Front pour la Démocratie au Burundi (FRODEBU). The new FRODEBU President of Burundi, Melchior Ndadaye, appointed Kinigi prime minister of Burundi on 10 July. Kinigi wished to pursue economic development while she was prime minister, but thought that this could not be achieved until ethnic tensions between Tutsis and Hutus were reduced. Thus, she declared that ethnic reconciliation would be her top priority. On 21 October President Ndadaye and several other officials were killed by Tutsi soldiers in a coup attempt, leaving her the highest-ranking official alive and the de facto head of state of Burundi.
She joined her surviving ministers in the French embassy until she could return to her residence under French military guard as the coup failed. Though her government proved unable to contain the ethnic violence following the coup, she played a key role in brokering a political compromise that allowed for the election of Cyprien Ntaryamira as the next president. She resigned when he took office in 1994 and assumed an executive position at the Banque Commerciale du Burundi. She then held several international positions before returning to Burundi in 2008 and becoming an independent economic consultant.
## Early life and education
Sylvie Ntigashira was born on 24 November 1953 in Mugoyi, Bujumbura Rural Province, Ruanda-Urundi. Ethnically, she is Tutsi. Her father was a merchant, while her mother farmed and maintained their home. The third of six children, Ntigashira was allowed to attend school while the oldest daughter in the family helped their mother. She was given a primary and secondary education by nuns in the Ijenda parish. She then studied at the University of Burundi under the Faculty of Economic Sciences, graduating in 1979 with a degree in banking and credit. In 1990 she earned a Diplômes d'études supérieures from the Centre de Formation de la Profession Bancaire in Paris.
In 1973, Ntigashira married a Burundian academic, Firmin Kinigi, who had taught her in school, and had four or five children with him. He was ethnically Hutu. Her husband supported her desire to further her education and career and the family hired a maid to take care of their house and children. He died in either 1992 or 1993.
## Career
### Early political and government work
Urundi became independent from Belgium as Burundi in July 1962. The country quickly fell under the political domination of Tutsis at the expense of the Hutu majority ethnic group. Kinigi believed that democracy was introduced too rapidly in Burundi without proper preparation, leading to political organising along ethnic lines and the heightening of ethnic tensions. Burundi's government became controlled by Tutsi military officers, who ruled for approximately 30 years. Politically, Kinigi was closely affiliated with the Union pour le Progrès national (UPRONA), Burundi's only legal political party, and was an active member of the Union des Femmes Burundaises, a subgroup of UPRONA, serving as a member of its central committee by 1987. In that capacity she lobbied for legislative changes and government measures to benefit women.
In 1990 Kinigi was hired by the Bank of the Republic of Burundi to direct its department of research and statistics, while also teaching courses at the University of Burundi. In 1991 she left the job when President Pierre Buyoya appointed her Special Consultant in the Office of the Prime Minister, making her responsible for the implementation of Burundi's structural adjustment program. In that capacity she conducted negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and foreign donors. Impressed with her work, Buyoya subsequently appointed her Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Planning.
### Prime Minister of Burundi
In the summer of 1993 Burundi underwent a democratic transition. The country hosted free elections, which were won by UPRONA's rival, Front pour la Démocratie au Burundi (FRODEBU). The new President of Burundi, Melchior Ndadaye—the leader of FRODEBU and the first Hutu to become head of state, offered Kinigi the position of prime minister of Burundi in his new government to succeed Adrien Sibomana. She reportedly considered the offer for some time, but eventually decided to accept it, reasoning that she was not more politically inexperienced than the army officers which had previously ruled the country. Furthermore, she was personally acquainted with Ndadaye, having studied alongside him at Parisian institutions and even sat on a committee that judged his academic performance. She was also an acquaintance of Léonard Nyangoma and Cyprien Ntaryamira, two FRODEBU politicians who Ndadaye wanted to become ministers in the new government. Speaking of her selection, Kinigi stated that it was "a good surprise for Burundian women primarily, but for African women too."
FRODEBU hardliners were angered by Kinigi's appointment, seeing her assumption of the premiership to be a betrayal by Ndadaye. Radical UPRONA members were also displeased with her selection, since the party did not formally nominate her as a candidate, and they felt that Ndadaye had chosen her purely because she was a Tutsi woman and did not expect to rely on her abilities in office. The government ultimately comprised two-thirds Hutu and one-third Tutsi members. Kinigi was one of two women ministers. The government was sworn-in on 10 July. Kinigi wished to pursue economic development while she was prime minister, but thought that this could not be achieved until ethnic tensions were reduced. Thus, she declared that ethnic reconciliation would be her highest priority. In mid-October she dispatched her ministers across the country on a mission to promote calm and understanding; she went to the northeast to denounce the "barbarism" of political violence associated with the previous elections.
On 21 October President Ndadaye and several other officials were killed by Tutsi soldiers in a coup attempt. A puppet civilian figure, François Ngeze, was presented by military authorities as the new head of state. Kinigi's bodyguards remained loyal to her during the takeover. She and other senior government figures took refuge in the French embassy. She was the highest-ranking civilian official to survive the coup attempt. From the embassy she continued to issue directives on government policy. Buyoya and his predecessor, Jean Baptiste Bagaza, both gave their support to her government and the coup failed due to an outbreak of violence and international condemnation. On 7 November she left the embassy and returned to her residence under French military guard. The death of Ndadaye and others in the presidential line of succession left her de facto head of state of Burundi. Tutsi extremists continued to employ violence in the aftermath of the coup, intimidating Kinigi's government and hampering its ability to provide leadership to the country.
Kinigi's government—comprising 15 of the original 22 ministers—stabilised the situation in Bujumbura, the capital, but proved unable to contain the ethnic violence across the country following the coup, in which thousands died. The radical Tutsi UPRONA faction became disgruntled with her actions before and especially during the crisis. With regards to her failure to attend a commemoration for the anniversary of the death of erstwhile UPRONA leader Louis Rwagasore on 13 October, the newspaper Panafrika wrote, "for a prime minister who said she was from Uprona, missing this ceremony was for some 'proof' that Sylvie Kinigi was not from Uprona. Some do not hesitate to say that if it hadn't been for this October 21 coup, she would now be at FRODEBU". The newspaper L’Observateur argued "not having been mandated by UPRONA, knowing simply that she is Prime Minister thanks to God and to Ndadaye and to FRODEBU, the first lady [sic] will behave during the crisis of October 1993 as one would expect. She will be totally absent and when she tries to come forward, it is to tirelessly repeat the theses of FRODEBU". On 15 November she wrote a letter to the Secretary General of the Organisation of African Unity, appealing for a military intervention to restore order in the country. The army and opposition politicians denounced this as a proposal for a "recolonization" of Burundi. In December her government appointed a commission of inquiry led by the Procurator General to investigate human rights abuses that had occurred after the coup, but its work never began due to objections from the parliamentary opposition.
Kinigi, burdened by the leadership responsibility placed upon her by the political vacuum, sought to enable the selection of a new president. On 9 January 1994, at her direction, the National Assembly modified Article 85 of the Burundian constitution, empowering itself to elect the next president of Burundi. Four days later the National Assembly elected Ntaryamira to become president in a vote, 78 to one. Ntaryamira was scheduled to be inaugurated on 22 January, but the parliamentary opposition, led by UPRONA, filed a suit with the Constitutional Court to block the installment. They argued that Article 182 of the constitution, which stipulated that the document could not be modified in times of national crisis, rendered the National Assembly's amending of Article 85 void. FRODEBU parliamentarians argued that the change was necessary to fill the vacancy, since holding a national election to replace the former president would have been impossible. The Constitutional Court ruled in favor of the opposition in a decision split along ethnic lines. The Hutu justices subsequently resigned and on 29 January Kinigi's government issued a decree dismissing the Tutsi justices. This led to several days of violence in Bujumbura. With the assistance of United Nations representative Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, Kinigi brokered a compromise with the opposition, whereby Ntaryamira would be installed as president with a new UPRONA prime minister, and the Constitutional Court would be reinstated. Ntaryamira was sworn-in on 5 February. Kinigi resigned as prime minister when he was inaugurated. On 7 February Ntaryamira appointed Anatole Kanyenkiko to replace her.
Kinigi was the second woman to serve as president of an African country, after Carmen Pereira of Guinea-Bissau, who also held the office in an interim fashion. Opinions on her time in government were starkly divided. Many of her Tutsi contemporaries regarded her as vacuous and a negative influence on the country, with Panafrika denouncing her as "Madame Fiasco". She retained a significant amount of respect among FRODEBU members. Responding to criticism of her leadership, Marc Manirakiza wrote, "What could she have done in the face of an unforeseen and unprecedented chaotic situation?" Reflecting on her time in government in 1999, Kinigi said it made people realise "that a woman can do even more than a man can do, with a soul of a mother and strong will, at the highest level of politics." Linking her to her contemporary in Rwanda, Agathe Uwilingiyimana, political scientist Jane Jansen wrote that the two women "owed their temporary rise to the top to an attempt to find an accommodation to the ethnic conflicts that plagued their respective countries."
### Later work
Upon leaving government, Kinigi assumed an executive position at the Banque Commerciale du Burundi. She then held several international positions, including jobs at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Development Programme (representing it in Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and Senegal), and the office of the UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region in Nairobi, where she served as a political advisor and programme coordinator. She returned to Burundi in 2008 and became an independent economic consultant. In that capacity she advocated for the right of women to inherit land and property and for the use of democracy. In 2016 the Carter Center selected Kinigi to lead its international election observer mission in Zambia for that year's general elections.
## See also
- List of the first women holders of political offices in Africa
|
[
"## Early life and education",
"## Career",
"### Early political and government work",
"### Prime Minister of Burundi",
"### Later work",
"## See also"
] | 2,847 | 23,347 |
8,914,391 |
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s
| 1,124,922,716 |
2007 video game
|
[
"2007 video games",
"Activision games",
"Cooperative video games",
"Guitar Hero",
"Guitar video games",
"Harmonix games",
"Multiplayer and single-player video games",
"Music video games",
"PlayStation 2 games",
"PlayStation 2-only games",
"Video games developed in the United States"
] |
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s (titled Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s in Europe) is a music rhythm game and the third installment in the popular Guitar Hero series. It was released in July 2007 in North America and Europe, and in August 2007 in Australia.
Players use a guitar-shaped controller (purchased separately) to simulate playing rock music by hitting notes as they scroll towards the player. Rocks the 80s is an incremental title in the Guitar Hero series, rather than a full sequel. No changes in gameplay from Guitar Hero II have been introduced to this game. As implied by the game's title, the game features a 1980s theme, consisting of songs from the decade and playable characters, fashions, and artwork that reflect the time period.
The game was not as well-received as the prior two Guitar Hero games, due to the lack of new gameplay features and reduced soundtrack. Rocks the 80s is the third and final title in the Guitar Hero series to be developed by Harmonix before they moved on to create Rock Band. The next major installment of the series, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, was developed by Activision's Neversoft division.
## History
After the successful release of Guitar Hero II, RedOctane announced they were looking into genre-specific expansions to the series. Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s is the first of these genre-specific titles; Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, Guitar Hero: Metallica, Guitar Hero: Van Halen and Guitar Hero Smash Hits have since been released.
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s was initially announced by EGM in January 2007 as Guitar Hero: 1980s Edition. Orange Lounge Radio claimed that the game would be released in June 2007, based on an Activision announcement, though no other source has cited this announcement. Activision officially revealed the first details of the game May 11, 2007, in addition to changing the game's title to Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s. Only a few weeks later, the game name was revised again as Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, as official artwork for the game was first released. Nevertheless, the word 'Encore' has been dropped from the title of the European releases.
## Gameplay and design
The mechanics of the game are nearly identical to that of its predecessor, Guitar Hero II; an early preview of the game described it as "more like an expansion pack for Guitar Hero II than a new game in its own right". Major differences to Guitar Hero II are mostly aesthetic. Six characters from previous Guitar Hero games (Johnny Napalm, Judy Nails, Izzy Sparks, Pandora, Axel Steel, and Grim Ripper) return with character designs influenced by styles of the 1980s. Venues from Guitar Hero II (with the exception of RedOctane Club and Stonehenge, which do not appear, and the Vans Warped Tour, which has been rebranded as the Rock For Safety Tour) have been redesigned with an 80s influence, and the interface mimics Guitar Hero II'''s, only with color changes (no "new" graphics were developed as far as the interface).
## Soundtrack
All of the tracks, excluding "Because, It's Midnite", were released during the 1980s, as the game's title suggests; "Because, It's Midnite" is performed by the fictional "80s hair metal" band Limozeen from the Internet cartoon Homestar Runner (Harmonix co-founder/CEO Alex Rigopulos is a professed fan of Homestar Runner). Two songs were originally written in the 1970s, but were covered by bands in the 1980s. These songs are "Radar Love" by Golden Earring, but covered by White Lion and "Ballroom Blitz" by Sweet and covered by Krokus. The song list includes tracks such as "Round and Round" by Ratt, "Metal Health" by Quiet Riot, "Holy Diver" by Dio, "Heat of the Moment" by Asia and "Nothin' But a Good Time" by Poison. Five of the songs are master tracks: "Because It's Midnite", "I Ran (So Far Away)" by A Flock of Seagulls, Scandal's "The Warrior", Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock", and Judas Priest's "Electric Eye", while the rest are covers.
The final setlist was revealed by GameSpy on June 28, 2007. Unlike previous Guitar Hero games, there are no bonus tracks in Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s. Bow Wow Wow's "I Want Candy" was originally announced for the game and appeared in many preview builds. However, RedOctane announced that it would no longer appear in the final version. No official comment in regards to the song's removal was given.
Limozeen is a fictional 80s glam metal band featured in the Homestar Runner series of web cartoons; while the song was created in 2003, it parodies the style of these bands.
Judas Priest's "Electric Eye" includes "The Hellion", the preceding track on the Screaming for Vengeance album that segues right into "Electric Eye".
Poison's "Nothin' But a Good Time" is labeled in game as "Ain't Nothin' But a Good Time".
Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock" is featured as a re-recorded master track of the song, not the original album version.
The original version of "Ballroom Blitz" was recorded by the band Sweet and was actually released in 1973.
The original version of "Radar Love" was recorded by the band Golden Earring and was actually released in 1973.
## Reception
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s was released to generally lukewarm reviews and has received overall less praise than the first two games in the series. Most critics agreed that the game's \$49.99 price point was too high, considering the reduced soundtrack. GameSpot criticized the number of songs with regard to the game's price. The reviewer commented that "thirty songs for \$50 is a lousy value any way you slice it" and the game "feels like a quick and dirty cash-in." The reviewer also commented that the soundtrack was "eclectic," but "solid." Other reviewers, including 1UP.com, IGN, and Electronic Gaming Monthly criticized the game for its musical selection. GameSetWatch compared the game to Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, saying that the game is "totally Harmonix's contractual obligation game" due to the bare minimum of changes made from Guitar Hero II.
### Lawsuit
On November 21, 2007, the rock group The Romantics filed a lawsuit against Activision, RedOctane, Harmonix, and Wavegroup Sound over the cover of the song "What I Like About You" used in Rocks the 80s''. While the game developers did secure appropriate rights to cover the song in the game, The Romantics claim that the cover is "virtually indistinguishable from the authentic version" and thus would "[confuse] consumers into believing that the band actually recorded the music and endorsed the product". The lawsuit requested the cessation of sales of the game and monetary damage. On December 20, 2007, Activision was awarded a preliminary injunction to prevent blockage of sales of the game. A summary judgment hearing was held on July 9, 2008, and the case was dismissed the next month, with a U.S. District Court judge stating that Activision had obtained the proper licensing for the works and that the band itself no longer held the copyright on the work.
|
[
"## History",
"## Gameplay and design",
"## Soundtrack",
"## Reception",
"### Lawsuit"
] | 1,604 | 4,254 |
26,768,876 |
Road Rash 3
| 1,108,821,788 |
1995 video game
|
[
"1995 video games",
"Electronic Arts games",
"Motorcycle video games",
"Multiplayer and single-player video games",
"North America-exclusive video games",
"Racing video games",
"Road Rash",
"Sega Genesis games",
"Sega Genesis-only games",
"Split-screen multiplayer games",
"Vehicular combat games",
"Video game sequels",
"Video games developed in the United States",
"Video games set in Australia",
"Video games set in Brazil",
"Video games set in Germany",
"Video games set in Italy",
"Video games set in Japan",
"Video games set in Kenya",
"Video games set in the United Kingdom"
] |
Road Rash 3 is a 1995 racing and vehicular combat video game developed and published by Electronic Arts (EA) for the Sega Genesis. It is the fourth installment in the Road Rash series and the last to be released for the Genesis, as well as the last EA title to be developed for the Genesis. The game is centered around a worldwide series of motorcycle races that the player must win to advance to higher-difficulty races, while engaging in unarmed and armed combat to hinder the other racers.
Development of Road Rash 3 began after series programmer Dan Geisler experienced frustration working on Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City and offered to make a new Road Rash title instead. The game's worldwide settings were influenced by the need for a significant new feature despite the Genesis's technology having been pushed to its limit. The game was positively received by critics and commercially successful; critics appreciated the refined gameplay and visuals, but pointed out a lack of innovation, and had mixed reactions to the audio.
## Gameplay
Road Rash 3 puts the player in control of a motorcycle racer who must finish in third place or higher among fourteen other racers; the player advances throughout the game's five levels by winning five races on each level. The game's races take place in a number of settings around the world, consisting of Australia, Kenya, Japan, Italy, Brazil, Germany, and the United Kingdom. During a race, the racer can brake, accelerate and attack neighboring opponents. The racer will punch at the nearest opponent with a default input, while holding a directional button during the input will result in either a backhand or a kick. Some opponents wield weapons such as clubs, chains, nunchaku, crowbars, mace, cattle prods and oil cans, which can be taken and used by the racer if the opponent is attacked as they are holding the weapon out to strike. The racer can carry multiple weapons at once and cycle through them to select a weapon for use. The mace, cattle prod and oil can are limited to ten charges each, and will be discarded when all charges have been used. The racer can be ejected from their bike if they crash into an obstacle or if they run out of stamina (shown in the bottom-left corner of the screen) due to fights with opponents. In this event, the racer will automatically run back toward their bike, though the player can alter their course with the directional buttons, or stand still by holding the brake input button. Opponents will likewise be ejected from their bike if their own stamina is depleted; the stamina of the nearest opponent is visible within the bottom-right corner of the screen.
The racer begins the game with \$1,000 and earns cash prizes for each successful race. The player can access a shop from the game's main menu to view bikes of differing weights, speeds and steering capabilities, and the player may purchase a new bike with the money they have accumulated. Certain bikes are equipped with a series of nitrous oxide charges, which can provide a burst of speed if the player quickly taps the acceleration input button twice. The player can also upgrade their current bike in four areas: engine performance, chassis endurance, tires and suspension. A bike can only be upgraded once in each area. The player will receive a password at the end of a successful race, which can be entered at a password entry screen in a subsequent session to maintain the player's progress. The player will advance to the next level after winning a race on five of the game's seven tracks.
The bike has its own "damage gauge" between the racer's and opponents' stamina meters, which decreases every time the racer suffers a crash. The bike will be wrecked if the meter fully depletes, which ends the player's participation in the current race and deducts the cost of a repair bill from the racer's balance. Motor officers make sporadic appearances throughout the game's tracks, and can also end the player's participation if they apprehend the racer following a crash, which deducts the cost of a fine from their balance. The appearance of a police helicopter signifies the nearby presence of a motor officer, and the helicopter will attempt to strike the racer with its landing rails and make them vulnerable to the upcoming officer. If the racer lacks the funds to cover either a repair bill or a fine, they will respectively be asked to continue as a repo man for the shop or a snitch for the police. In either case, the racer will be given the task of apprehending a wanted opponent by making them crash and pulling over next to them. To aid in this mission, the shop owner will provide the racer with a crowbar, while the police will provide a club. The wanted opponent stands out from the others by wearing differently colored leathers. Successful apprehension of the wanted opponent will result in the racer's repair bill or fine being waived, while failure will prematurely end the game.
Road Rash 3 features a two-player mode that can either be played intermittently between players or simultaneously with the use of a split-screen display. Two players can either race against each other along with other computer-controlled racers or engage in the "Mano a Mano" mode, in which the two human players are the only competing racers on the track. In this mode, the players can select a weapon to wield prior to the start of the race.
## Development and release
Upon the completion of Road Rash II, series co-creator and programmer Dan Geisler planned to leave EA and accepted an employment offer from Crystal Dynamics; he was primarily motivated by inadequate compensation for his work on the first two titles, and he felt that the technology for the Genesis had been pushed as far as it could. Geisler only remained with EA after negotiating for a significant payment up front. During a frustrating experience working on Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City, Geisler encountered EA Vice President of Marketing Bing Gordon and offered to create Road Rash 3, reasoning that it could be created faster and be more commercially successful, and Gordon accepted.
Road Rash 3 began development in March 1994, with Nana Chambers serving as director and series co-creator Randy Breen as producer. The game was developed in parallel with the 3DO version of Road Rash, and the two titles shared production assets as a result, particularly the gameplay sprites. Artist Michael Hulme was recruited from Cinemaware for the game's development team, and was told that Road Rash 3 would be EA's final title for the Sega Genesis. As EA's marketing division desired a "big new feature" for the game despite the Genesis's technology having been pushed to its limit, Hulme suggested worldwide settings as something that would "take [the series] someplace that people haven't been before", and he painted ten rough conceptual settings in four days, which were eventually whittled down to seven settings for the final game. The game's audio was created by Don Veca.
Road Rash 3 was showcased at the 1995 Winter Consumer Electronics Show and released in March. It was the final Road Rash game to be released for the Sega Genesis. A promotional sweepstake was run by GamePro and Best Buy the following month, in which contestants who filled and mailed an entry form were eligible to win a grand prize consisting of an all-expenses-paid trip for the winner and a guest to San Francisco in June to see a concert performance by Monster Magnet, one of the featured bands in the 3DO and Sega CD versions of Road Rash. The winner would meet the band backstage and receive an autographed copy of their latest album Dopes to Infinity, and would also receive a Sega Genesis console and a copy of Road Rash 3.
## Reception
Although Road Rash 3 lacked the critical acclaim of previous entries in the series, it was met with generally positive reviews. Bacon of GamePro voiced approval for the game's variety of weapons and tracks, and said that the tight controls complemented the bike-upgrading feature, though he criticized the unwieldy weapon-cycling mechanic, and felt that the two-player mode, while faster and more fluid than that of Road Rash II, was still twitchier and less responsive than the single-player campaign. He noted the enhanced realism of the visual details and scenery and the slickness of the sprites, but criticized the music as "annoyingly peppy" and described the sound effects as "often silly". Gary Lord of Computer and Video Games and Neil West of Game Players deemed Road Rash 3 to be essentially the same game as the previous entries in spite of its visual and gameplay enhancements. West considered the visuals to be dated despite the extra animations and scenery, and while he described the soundtrack as "nifty" and the sound effects as convincing, but questioned the absence of the grunge soundtrack from the 3DO entry. Gus Swan and Steve Merrett of Mean Machines Sega considered Road Rash 3 to be the fastest and most refined installment of the series, but also dated in comparison to Ridge Racer and Daytona USA, and they cited EA's previous title Skitchin''' as a more effective and original take on the formula. Although they acknowledged the increased crispness and size of the graphics and the variety of the audio, Merrett saw the colors as "dreadfully washed out", and they derided the music as "sad Megadrive metal for people with acne and Bon Jovi T-shirts". Chris Gore of VideoGames declared Road Rash 3 to be "the best one yet" and praised the violent gameplay and realistic backgrounds, but felt the music was "okay". A reviewer for Next Generation applauded the game's inclusion of the animations and track layouts of the acclaimed 3DO version of Road Rash, as well as the new weapons and bike enhancer mode.
According to Randy Breen, Road Rash 3 outsold the previous Genesis titles. The game was the fourth-highest renting Genesis title at Blockbuster Video in its opening month, and charted within the top ten on five subsequent months; it re-entered the chart for three months in 1996, and for eleven months in 1997. In GamePro's "1995 Readers' Choice Awards", Road Rash 3'' was voted "Best Racing Sim (16-Bit Games)", taking 55% of the vote.
|
[
"## Gameplay",
"## Development and release",
"## Reception"
] | 2,096 | 8,296 |
1,514,565 |
9 (New York City Subway service)
| 1,172,348,765 |
Former New York City Subway service
|
[
"Defunct New York City Subway services"
] |
The 9 Broadway–Seventh Avenue Local was a rapid transit service in the A Division of the New York City Subway. Its route emblem, or "bullet", was colored , since it used the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT)'s Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line for its entire route.
The 9 operated during rush hour periods from 1989 to 2005, as a variant of the 1, providing service between Van Cortlandt Park–242nd Street in Riverdale, Bronx, and South Ferry in Lower Manhattan. The 1 ran in a skip-stop service pattern during rush hours, with the 9 providing the complementary skip-stop service on the same route. The 9 was temporarily suspended between 2001 and 2002 due to severe damage to the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line caused by the September 11 attacks, and was permanently discontinued in 2005 as a result of a decrease in the number of riders benefiting.
The 9 designation was also used for a shuttle train on the IRT Dyre Avenue Line between 1941 and 1967.
## History
### Dyre Avenue Line (1941–67)
The 9 designation was originally used for the Interborough Rapid Transit Company's (IRT) Dyre Avenue Line. It served the former New York, Westchester and Boston Railway between Dyre Avenue and East 180th Street, connecting to the IRT White Plains Road Line at the latter station. When a connection between the Dyre Avenue Line and the White Plains Road Line opened in 1957, daytime shuttle service was replaced with through service as the . From 1957 until 1967, the nighttime Dyre Avenue Shuttle continued to use the number 9. The shuttle was relabeled SS in 1967, and then renamed as part of the , the same as the through service on the line through East 180th Street to Dyre Avenue.
### Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line (1989–2005)
In April 1988, the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) unveiled plans to speed up service on the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line through the implementation of skip-stop service. As soon as the plan was announced, some local officials were opposed to the change. Initially, skip-stop service would have been operated north of 116th Street, with 1 trains skipping 125th Street, 157th Street, 207th Street, and 225th Street, and 9 trains skipping 145th Street, 181st Street, Dyckman Street, 215th Street and 238th Street. As part of the study that resulted in the skip-stop plan, the NYCTA examined the feasibility of using the center track for express service. However, the center track along the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line exists in two segments, which would result in an inefficient express service, and so skip-stop service was chosen instead. Most passengers would not have to wait longer for a train because, previously, a third of 1 trains had terminated at 137th Street. The previous headway for stations north of there was 10 minutes. At skip-stop stations, the maximum wait was to be 10 minutes, and would be 5 minutes at all-stop stations. Skip-stop trains would not speed through stations, instead passing through skipped stops at 15 mph (24 km/h), the maximum allowed per NYCTA rules.
On July 1988, it was announced that 1/9 skip-stop service would begin on August 29, 1988. Skip-stop service was expected to speed up travel times for almost half of riders north of 96th Street. In August 1988, the NYCTA postponed plans for 1/9 skip-stop service due to public opposition. NYCTA officials recognized that they did not do a good job informing the community, and indicated that they planned to continue to look into it. Plans to implement skip-stop service on the IRT Pelham Line (6 train), which were contingent on the success of 1/9 skip-stop were indefinitely postponed. In September 1988, the MTA Board formally voted to defer implementation of 1/9 skip-stop service for these reasons. NYCTA planned to initiate outreach in January 1989 and implement the change at some point later that year. In October 1988, the NYCTA informed local communities that it planned to implement skip-stop the following spring; residents of Inwood and Washington Heights were particularly opposed to the change.
In March 1989, the NYCTA stated that there was not a set date for the implementation of the plan, with service possibly starting as late as the fall. To convince local communities, it set up meetings with residents and distributed leaflets advertising the change. In an attempt to win their favor, they changed the name of the service from "skip-stop" to "express" service.
A public hearing on the NYCTA's plan for skip-stop service was held on June 27, 1989. The goals of skip-stop service were to extend all trips to 242nd Street, to provide faster travel times for a majority of riders, and to improve service reliability through evenly loaded and spaced trains. During 1987 and 1988 analysis was conducted to determine various options for express service along the 1, including using the center express track. As part of the plan, express service was to operate weekdays between 6:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Trips that ended at 137th Street were extended to 242nd Street, which eliminated the need for a significant reduction in service levels at local stops. The 125th Street station, which is located south of 137th Street, would have experienced a reduction in service. The location of all-stop stations and skip-stop stations was done to evenly distribute passengers between the 1 and the 9, and to accommodate reverse commuting patterns. Stops with ridership greater than 8,000 daily passengers were designated all-stop stations, while less patronized stops were served by either 1 or 9 trains. One change was made from the 1988 plan–due to community input 181st Street was added as an all-stop station. Express service was expected to save up to 2+1⁄2 minutes of travel time, with an additional 2+1⁄2-minute reduction in waiting time at all-stop stations. This would save a minimum of six minutes, and a maximum of nine minutes or a 19% travel time reduction. Running express service via the center track was dismissed since it was not designed for express service. The track south of 145th Street is not long enough to allow an express train to pass a local, resulting in merging delays at 103rd Street which would eliminate any time saved. In addition, the busiest stops on the line north of 96th Street would be bypassed without any time savings. Extending all-local service to 242nd Street or adding additional trains were dismissed since they would require additional subway cars, which were not available at the time.
On July 28, 1989, the MTA Board approved a revised 1/9 skip-stop plan unanimously, with the plan scheduled to take effect on August 21, 1989. Unlike the original plan, 1 trains would skip 145th Street, 191st Street, 207th Street and 225th Street, while 9 trains would skip 157th Street, Dyckman Street, 215th Street and 238th Street.
Beginning at 6:30 a.m. on August 21, 1989, the services were coordinated as the /9 and both ran between Van Cortlandt Park–242nd Street and South Ferry. The plan was to have skip-stop service begin north of 116th Street–Columbia University, but due to objections, most notably that riders did not want 125th Street to be a skip-stop station, skip-stop service was only implemented north of 137th Street–City College between the hours of 6:30 am and 7:00 pm weekdays.
On September 4, 1994, midday skip-stop service was discontinued, and 191st Street was no longer a skip-stop station. By this time, skip-stop service assigned the following stations to the train only:
- 238th Street
- 215th Street
- Dyckman Street
- 157th Street
and the following stations to the 9 train only:
- Marble Hill–225th Street
- 207th Street
- 145th Street
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, trains had to be rerouted since the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line ran directly under the World Trade Center site and was heavily damaged in the collapse of the Twin Towers. The 1 ran only between Van Cortlandt Park–242nd Street and 14th Street, running local north of 96th Street and express south of there. It later ran to New Lots Avenue via the IRT Eastern Parkway Line, running local on that line, as well as south of 96th Street, replacing the train, which ran between Harlem–148th Street and 14th Street; the 9 service and skip-stop service were suspended at this time. trains returned to South Ferry, and skip-stop service was restored on September 15, 2002.
On April 27, 2004, it was announced that New York City Transit was considering eliminating 9 and skip-stop service due to long wait times, and as a result of a decrease in the number of riders benefiting. The MTA estimated that eliminating skip-stop service only added 2+1⁄2 to 3 minutes of travel time for passengers at the northernmost stations at 242nd Street and 238th Street, while many passengers would see trains frequencies double, resulting in decreased overall travel time because of less time waiting for trains. It planned on making a decision in the summer, and approved the change on January 11, 2005. The 9 train was discontinued on May 27, 2005, and the 1 now makes all stops on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line.
## Final route
### Service pattern
The 9 service used the following lines during the rush hours only.
### Stations
Stations in green and stations in blue denote stops served by the 1 and former 9, respectively, during rush hours. At all other times, the 1 ran local and now runs local at all times.
|
[
"## History",
"### Dyre Avenue Line (1941–67)",
"### Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line (1989–2005)",
"## Final route",
"### Service pattern",
"### Stations"
] | 2,171 | 702 |
65,852,911 |
Salma (writer)
| 1,129,503,111 |
Indian writer
|
[
"1968 births",
"20th-century Indian women writers",
"20th-century Indian writers",
"21st-century Indian women writers",
"21st-century Indian writers",
"Living people",
"Tamil poets",
"Women writers from Tamil Nadu"
] |
Rakkiaiah (alternatively Rokkiah, born Rajathi Samsudeen in 1968) is an Indian Tamil writer, activist, and politician known by the pen name Salma and the nickname Rajathi, and often referred to as Rajathi Salma. Her works have received international acclaim and she is renowned as a sensation in contemporary Tamil literature.
She is a member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and involved in women's and transgender rights activism. Between 2007 and 2011, she served as the chairperson of the State Social Welfare Board of Tamil Nadu. Salma is also the founder of a non-government women's rights organisation named "Your Hope is Remaining".
## Biography
### 1968–1994: Early life
Salma was born in the village of Thuvarankurichi near Tiruchirappalli in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu to a conservative Muslim family. At a very early age, she became interested in reading. She was unable to pursue her interest in literature due to oppressive rules in her house which restricted her movement. On one occasion she was able to sneak out with a cousin and a male friend to watch a Malayalam language film, Avalude Ravukal, in the theater; the film depicted the life of a teenage prostitute although Salma was oblivious of the topic at the time. Upon finding out about the adventure, her parents were infuriated. They pulled her out of school before she turned 15 and secluded her at home. Her cousin and her friend did not face heavy consequences and eventually her friend began sneaking books to her from the village library. As a result, during her teen years Salma became an avid reader and writer. She was enamored with Russian literature, having read the translated works of Fyodor Dostoevsky and Leo Tolstoy, and her icons became figures like Nelson Mandela and Che Guevara instead of film stars.
At the age of 13, Salma was betrothed to a cousin named Malik but was able to postpone the marriage until she was 19, when her mother persuaded her to marry by feigning a heart attack. Following marriage, Salma was granted the name of Rokkiah Begum and had two children. Her interest in literature continued in her married life and was seen as akin to insanity by her family. At the age of 22, Salma wrote her first poem, Oppandham, as an outlet for her frustration and anger with her situation. Forced to hide her passion from her family, she would write while sitting on the toilet, on pieces of paper ripped from calendars and notebooks. She was subjected to abuse by her husband because of her desire to write and he would often destroy her work if he found it. Her mother eventually helped her by smuggling out poems from her home and getting them published in a Tamil weekly.
### 1994–2006: Literary career and political debut
Around 1994–98, Salma had become a well-known figure in Tamil literary circles. She was signed with the Kalachuvadu publishing house and was invited to a number of literary conventions around Tamil Nadu which she visited under the guise of medical visits. Since a woman travelling alone was frowned upon in her social setting, her mother accompanied her on her first event in the city of Chennai.
Her family, however, continued to be apprehensive of her activities and regarded them as subversive. Her poems were described as unconventional as they covered social issues and did not refrain from mentioning women's sexuality, which eventually invoked the wrath of the social orthodoxy in her conservative neighbourhood as well as of her family, especially as she wrote poetry under her birth name and nickname of Rajathi. Their reaction caused her to adopt the pen name of Salma, appropriated from a character in a Kahlil Gibran novel. She published her first anthology of poems, Oru Malaiyum, Innoru Malaiyum under this name in 2000. In the same year, she was invited to a major three-day literary event called the World Tamil Conference set in Chennai. She attended, but refused to go on stage fearing that if a picture were to be published in the press it would raise controversy in her village and family. She also began writing a novel, which she completed by 2001 but was hesitant about publishing.
In 2001, Salma contested the panchayat (local body) elections in Ponnampatti and was subsequently elected as the panchayat leader. In her testimony she states that her family was not opposed to her contesting as it was a constituency reserved for women and they intended to control it through her; but instead she carved out an opportunity for herself. She was able to eventually leverage her position and become independent as she began serving as an elected official, chairing meetings and educating women in her community. In 2002, she was invited to an international women's rights conference held in Sri Lanka. She published her second anthology of poems, Devathai, in 2003, and acceded to publishing her novel, Irandaam Jaamangalin Kadhai in 2004. The novel was described as a semi-autobiographical work, and depicted the life and hardships faced by a young girl called Rabia born in an orthodox Muslim minority community who staunchly clung to their traditions and ritual observance.
Salma states that she was impressed by the chief minister Karunanidhi, whom she calls the "poet of progress" for having instituted the 50% reservation quota for women in local body elections and for paying attention to women's issues, which ultimately led her to join the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in 2004. After joining the party, she was appointed as the deputy secretary of the party's women's wing. In the 2006 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election, the party nominated her to contest as the candidate from the Marungapuri constituency. She lost the election by 1,200 votes, polling at 55,378 votes cast in her favor against 57,910 votes cast in favor of the winning candidate. During the campaigning, her opponent had circulated sexually explicit material from her writings in an attempt to swing some voters in his favor. Some of her male party workers had also reportedly hindered the campaigning efforts, to which she had later exclaimed that "some things never change for women".
### 2006–Present: Later career
Despite the loss, she was appointed as the chairperson of the State Social Welfare Trust, as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was able to attain a majority in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and form a government. During her tenure as chairperson, Salma was noted for her advocacy for the establishment of a number of welfare schemes and for launching several initiatives which were considered landmark schemes for transgender rights. She was also instrumental in launching an awareness campaign for the Domestic Violence Act and holding training programmes among police personnel, counselors, judges and women. In 2010, Salma founded the Chennai-based non-government organisation "Your Hope is Remaining", and began working as a social worker among rural women in an effort to promote gender equality. In 2011, she lost her position as the chairperson of the State Social Welfare Trust when the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was voted out of power.
In the meantime, her anthology of short stories Saabam was published in 2009, which was translated by N Kalyan Raman into English as The Curse: Stories. In 2016, she published her second novel Manaamiyangal, which narrated the parallel lives of two women named Mehar and Parveen. In a review by the Hindustan Times, the novel was described as having captured Hélène Cixous's "feminine practice of writing". It was translated from Tamil to English by Meena Kandasamy under the title of Women, Dreaming.
## Social and political beliefs
### On women's issues and feminism
Salma holds the position that writing itself is a political act as one draws from society which in turn becomes a means of conveying political thought. Her writings themselves have been described on multiple occasions as one capturing a feminine perspective in them. According to her, the popular notion of a "well-defined morality" for a woman leads to the suppression of her body and mind, and that from her perspective, morality is about love, about whether one prioritises making people happy and not hurting them. She states that women are expected to get married and become homemakers, whereas looking after the family should be the joint responsibility of both partners, and adds that women need the freedom to choose and act without fear, and that they do not need a man's permission to do so. Regarding face covering for women, she has taken the position that dressing is a personal choice of women and that no one has the right to dictate what one can or can not wear.
On asked whether she considers herself a feminist, Salma states that she does not identify herself as a feminist but is not opposed to being called one. According to her, while women have many more opportunities compared to the past, they still are not seen at equals of men by society at large. She has also come out in support of the MeToo movement in India, stating that it was long overdue and has given women the courage to speak up against workplace harassment. Since 2015, Salma has come out in explicit support for the LGBT movement in India as well.
### On religious conservatism
Salma has been severely critical of Muslim religious orthodoxy in both her writing and advocacy. In particular, she has condemned the All India Muslim Personal Law Board for enabling misogynistic attitudes and the tradition of triple talaq to persist among the Muslim community in India. According to her, religious fundamentalist leaders have attempted to appropriate culture as a whole and in the process resorted to intimidation of writers such as Taslima Nasrin, M. F. Husain and Salman Rushdie.
She also holds that democracy in India is faltering as dissidents are being characterised as Urban Naxals and targeted with violence and state repression. Salma has attributed the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party as the reason for increase in caste based violence in Tamil Nadu, accused the party of attempting to ferment hatred against every Muslims and of attempting to control culture by resorting to the same tactics by targeting artists like Perumal Murugan, Puliyoor Murugesan, Gunasekaran Sundarraj and Khushbu.
## Reception, recognition, and awards
Salma's life has been extensively documented by Kim Longinotto in her documentary Salma, which is described as a journey of an under-educated housewife who was subjected to an effective form of house arrest and became an acclaimed Tamil literary figure. Longinotto herself described Salma as an "extraordinary beacon of hope". The documentary, which was screened in 2013, received several awards and was seen in eleven countries.
The Indian magazine The Week accorded Salma the title of "Symbol of Perseverance" in one of its feature articles. Her works have been translated by the acclaimed Lakshmi Holmström and featured along with the likes of Sukirtharani, Malathi Maitri, and Kutti Revathi. Salma received the fourth edition of the Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal Sethia Award at the Jaipur Literature Festival in 2019.
|
[
"## Biography",
"### 1968–1994: Early life",
"### 1994–2006: Literary career and political debut",
"### 2006–Present: Later career",
"## Social and political beliefs",
"### On women's issues and feminism",
"### On religious conservatism",
"## Reception, recognition, and awards"
] | 2,356 | 5,181 |
1,041,429 |
Harry Daghlian
| 1,171,573,208 |
American physicist (1921–1945)
|
[
"1921 births",
"1945 deaths",
"Accidental deaths in New Mexico",
"American nuclear physicists",
"American people of Armenian descent",
"Armenian physicists",
"Burials at Cedar Grove Cemetery (New London, Connecticut)",
"Deaths from laboratory accidents",
"Manhattan Project people",
"People from Los Alamos, New Mexico",
"People from New London, Connecticut",
"People from Waterbury, Connecticut",
"Plutonium",
"Purdue University alumni",
"Victims of radiological poisoning"
] |
Haroutune Krikor Daghlian Jr. (May 4, 1921 – September 15, 1945) was an American physicist with the Manhattan Project, which designed and produced the atomic bombs that were used in World War II. He accidentally irradiated himself on August 21, 1945, during a critical mass experiment at the remote Omega Site of the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico and died 25 days later from the resultant radiation poisoning.
Daghlian was irradiated as a result of a criticality accident that occurred when he accidentally dropped a tungsten carbide brick onto a 6.2 kg bomb core made of plutonium–gallium alloy. This core, subsequently nicknamed the "demon core", was later involved in the death of another physicist, Louis Slotin.
## Early life and education
Haroutune Krikor Daghlian Jr., of Armenian descent, was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, on May 4, 1921, one of three children of Margaret Rose (née Currie) and Haroutune Krikor Daghlian. His father was from Gaziantep, Turkey. He had a sister, Helen, and a brother, Edward. Soon after his birth the family moved across state to the coastal town of New London, Connecticut. He was educated at Harbor Elementary School, where he played violin in the school orchestra, and at Bulkeley High School. In 1938, at the age of 17, he entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, intending to study mathematics, but became interested in physics, particularly particle physics, which was then emerging as an exciting new field. This interest led him to transfer to the West Lafayette, Indiana, campus of Purdue University, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1942. He then commenced work on his doctorate, assisting Marshall Holloway with the cyclotrons. In 1944, while still a graduate student, he joined Otto Frisch's Critical Assembly Group at the Los Alamos Laboratory of the Manhattan Project.
## Criticality accident and death
During an experiment on August 21, 1945, Daghlian was attempting to build a neutron reflector manually by stacking a set of 4.4-kilogram (9.7 lb) tungsten carbide bricks in an incremental fashion around a plutonium core. The purpose of the neutron reflector was to reduce the mass required for the plutonium core to attain criticality. He was moving the final brick over the assembly, but neutron counters alerted Daghlian to the fact that the addition of that brick would render the system supercritical. As he withdrew his hand, he inadvertently dropped the brick onto the center of the assembly. Since the assembly was nearly in the critical state, the accidental addition of that brick caused the reaction to go immediately into the prompt critical region of neutronic behavior. This resulted in a criticality accident.
Daghlian reacted immediately after dropping the brick and attempted to knock the brick off the assembly without success. He was forced to disassemble part of the tungsten-carbide pile in order to halt the reaction.
Daghlian was estimated to have received a dose of 510 rem (5.1 Sv) of neutron radiation, from a yield of 10<sup>16</sup> fissions. Despite intensive medical care, he developed symptoms of severe radiation poisoning, and his sister and widowed mother were flown out to care for him. He fell into a coma and died 25 days after the accident. He was the first known fatality caused by a criticality accident. His body was returned to New London, where he was buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery.
## Legacy
As a result of the incident, safety regulations for the project were scrutinized and revised. A special committee was established to review any similar experiments and recommend appropriate safety procedures. This change of procedures included needing a minimum of two people involved in such an experiment, using at least two instruments monitoring neutron intensities with audible alerts, and preparing a plan for operating methods and any contingencies that might occur during similar experiments. Additionally, discussions and designs for remote-controlled test devices were initiated, eventually leading to the creation of the Godiva device.
These changes did not prevent another criticality accident from happening at Los Alamos the following year. Louis Slotin, a colleague of Daghlian's, was killed in 1946 while performing criticality tests on the same plutonium core. After these two incidents it became known as the "demon core", and all similar criticality experiments were halted until remote-controlled assembly devices were more fully developed and available.
In 2000, the city of New London erected a memorial stone and flagpole in Calkins Park to honor Daghlian. His surname is misspelled "Daghiian" on the monument. The monument bears an inscription: "though not in uniform, he died in service to his country."
|
[
"## Early life and education",
"## Criticality accident and death",
"## Legacy"
] | 1,013 | 36,124 |
35,809,947 |
Ryan Gauld
| 1,173,687,616 |
Scottish footballer
|
[
"1995 births",
"C.D. Aves players",
"Designated Players (MLS)",
"Dundee United F.C. players",
"Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal",
"Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada",
"Footballers from Aberdeen",
"Footballers from Aberdeenshire",
"Hibernian F.C. players",
"Liga Portugal 2 players",
"Living people",
"Major League Soccer players",
"Men's association football midfielders",
"People educated at Mearns Academy",
"People from Laurencekirk",
"Primeira Liga players",
"S.C. Farense players",
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"Scotland men's youth international footballers",
"Scottish Premier League players",
"Scottish Professional Football League players",
"Scottish expatriate men's footballers",
"Scottish expatriate sportspeople in Canada",
"Scottish expatriate sportspeople in Portugal",
"Scottish men's footballers",
"Sporting CP B players",
"Sporting CP footballers",
"Vancouver Whitecaps FC players",
"Vitória F.C. players"
] |
Ryan Stewart Gauld (born 16 December 1995) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Major League Soccer club Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
He began his professional career at Dundee United, where he helped them reach the 2014 Scottish Cup Final, and his abilities on the ball earned comparisons to Lionel Messi from the Scottish media. In July 2014, he transferred to Portuguese club Sporting CP for a fee of around £3 million. Gauld mainly appeared for the club's B team, and was also loaned to Vitória de Setúbal, Aves, Farense and Hibernian. In July 2019, Gauld moved to Farense on a permanent basis, winning promotion in his first season and scoring nine goals in each of his two years. In July 2021, he signed for MLS club Vancouver Whitecaps FC, where he won the Canadian Championship in 2022 and 2023.
Gauld has represented Scotland at under-19 and under-21 levels. He was called up to the senior squad for the first time in September 2014.
## Early life
Gauld grew up in Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire, where he attended Laurencekirk Primary before becoming a pupil at Mearns Academy.
In 2002, Gauld began to play for Brechin City Boys Club (now renamed Brechin City Youths), where he was part of a successful team alongside John Souttar and Euan Spark. The trio also developed their skills at coaching schools run in Dundee by Ian Cathro, before they all joined Dundee United's youth system in 2006 at the age of nine.
## Club career
### Dundee United
Gauld made his Scottish Premier League debut as a 16-year-old, as an 87th-minute substitute for Johnny Russell in the final match of the 2011–12 season, a 2–0 win away to Motherwell on 13 May.
On 24 January 2013, Gauld signed an extended contract keeping him at the club until January 2016. Later on in the 2012–13 season, on 1 April, he made his first start against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park and marked the occasion with his first senior goal to open a game which ended 1–1.
On 4 November 2013, during the 2013–14 season, Gauld's contract was further extended, to run until May 2016. Five days later, he scored twice in a 4–0 win against Motherwell at Fir Park. On 15 December 2013, the Daily Record reported that Manchester United's Scottish manager David Moyes wanted to personally "scout" Gauld, and take the opportunity to run the rule over the potential of other young Dundee United players such as defenders John Souttar and Andrew Robertson. However, the following day, also his 18th birthday, Gauld's contract was further extended until May 2017. Around the same time, he was being tracked by English Premier League pair Everton and Liverpool, Italy's Roma and Spain's Real Madrid.
On 12 April 2014, Gauld played in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Ibrox, as United defeated Rangers 3–1 to advance to the Final. He made the run into the penalty area from which Stuart Armstrong scored the opening goal, and assisted the second from Gary Mackay-Steven. Five days later, he was shortlisted for the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award, which was eventually awarded to his teammate Robertson. In the Cup Final on 17 May, Gauld replaced Mackay-Steven for the final 26 minutes as Dundee United lost 2–0 to St Johnstone at Celtic Park. Gauld's season ended with eight goals in 38 games across all competitions, of which six were scored in his 31 league matches.
### Sporting CP
On 2 July 2014, Sporting CP announced the signing of Gauld from Dundee United, for an undisclosed fee rumoured to be in the region of £3 million. He signed a six-year contract with a €60 million buy-out clause. He credited Sporting's track record of developing players such as Luís Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani for his decision to join them. Despite being put into the club's B-team, Gauld was named in the 25-man squad to play in the UEFA Champions League after impressing manager Marco Silva during training sessions.
He made his debut for Sporting B on 10 August 2014, replacing João Palhinha at half time in a 1–0 defeat away to Farense. Seventeen days later, in his fourth match for the club, he scored for the first time, netting the second in a 3–0 home victory over Aves. On 7 December, he scored a second goal, opening a 4–3 win at Lisbon neighbours Oriental with a 20-yard volley. On 21 December, he was sent off for two bookings in a 3–1 triumph at Vitória de Guimarães B. He finished the season with three goals from 26 games for the B-team, the third coming on 7 February 2015, when he equalised as the team came from behind to win 2–1 against Olhanense.
Gauld made his debut for the first team on 29 December 2014 in a Taça da Liga game against Vitória de Guimarães, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 win. On his second start for the Sporting first team on 14 January 2015, Gauld was named man of the match in a 1–0 win in the same competition, against Boavista. Having been fouled by goalkeeper Daniel Monllor, he won the penalty converted by Junya Tanaka for the only goal. Four days later, he made his Primeira Liga debut, replacing André Martins for the last 25 minutes of a 4–2 win over Rio Ave at the Estádio José Alvalade. Gauld scored twice for the first team in a 3–2 defeat away to neighbours Belenenses in a Taça da Liga group game on 21 January.
In his second season in the Portuguese capital, Gauld scored his first goal of the B-team's campaign on 26 August 2015, the only one of the away match at Covilhã in the 84th minute. He followed this on 12 September with a strike in a 4–0 triumph at Oriental. Gauld matched his goal tally in Segunda Liga from the previous season on 3 October, when he opened a 1–1 draw at Famalicão, and succeeded it on 28 November with his fourth goal of the campaign, assuring the same result at Gil Vicente
#### Loans
On 20 July 2016, amidst interest from England's Sheffield Wednesday, Gauld was loaned to Portuguese top-flight team Vitória de Setúbal for the upcoming season, alongside his teammate André Geraldes. He made his debut for Vitória on 26 October 2016 in a Taça da Liga tie against lower-league Santa Clara, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 win. He made his league debut three days later, coming on as a late substitute for Nenê Bonilha in a scoreless draw at home to Porto, his first game in Primeira Liga for 20 months.
On 5 January 2017, it was reported that Gauld had been recalled from loan to train with Sporting B, due to Sporting being eliminated from the Taça da Liga by Vitória in controversial circumstances. He played nine second-tier games for the B-team over the rest of the season, and was sent off on 14 May at the end of a 2–1 home loss to Académica de Coimbra.
On 24 July 2017, Gauld was loaned to Primeira Liga newcomers Aves. He was unable to play against his parent team on the first day of the season, however, he came on as an added-time substitute for Salvador Agra in the next game, a 2–2 draw with Paços de Ferreira on 13 August. In his fourth match on 11 September, he scored his first goal in Portugal's top flight, the winner in a 2–1 home win over Belenenses.
On 31 August 2018, Gauld joined LigaPro side Farense on a season-long loan. He scored his only goals for the Algarve club on 30 December, in a 5–0 home win over Oliveirense. The loan was curtailed in January 2019 and he was then loaned to Scottish Premiership club Hibernian. Gauld suffered a hamstring injury and consequently only collected 371 minutes of game time from six first team games in his half-season loan at Easter Road.
### Farense
Gauld left Sporting to rejoin Farense on a permanent basis in July 2019, signing a two-year contract with an option for a third year and a €4 million release clause. On 29 February 2020, he scored his first career hat-trick in a 3–1 win over Académico de Viseu to put his team top of the second division; this concluded a run of six goals from seven games. Farense were granted promotion to the first division following the stoppage of the Portuguese second tier due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gauld finished the season as the team's top scorer and was voted as the top player in the Portuguese second tier. In the 2020–21 Primeira Liga, Farense were immediately relegated back, with Gauld their top scorer with another 9 goals.
### Vancouver Whitecaps FC
On 31 July 2021, Gauld signed with Major League Soccer side Vancouver Whitecaps FC on a three-and-a-half-year deal. He scored his first goal for the Whitecaps on 21 August 2021 against Los Angeles FC, an 89th-minute winner. In July 2022, he helped the Whitecaps win the Canadian Championship and was awarded the George Gross Memorial Trophy as the tournament's MVP. His figures for the 2022 Major League Soccer season were eight goals and nine assists, while the Whitecaps missed the playoffs.
Vancouver retained the Canadian Championship in 2023, with Gauld scoring the decisve goal from the penalty spot in a 2–1 final win over CF Montréal at BC Place on 7 June 2023. Nineteen days later, Gauld was named MLS Player of the Matchday for Week 21 of the 2023 season, for recording a goal and two assists against Los Angeles FC.
## International career
Gauld was capped 10 times for Scotland at under-19 level, scoring two goals. He made his debut on 9 October 2012 against Armenia, replacing Matty Kennedy after 66 minutes of an eventual 4–0 win in a European qualifier at New Douglas Park in Hamilton. He scored his first goal on his fourth cap on 3 September 2013, against Iceland at the Forthbank Stadium in Stirling, a 20-yard free kick to equalise in a 1–1 draw.
Gauld scored two goals in 11 appearances for the under-21 team. On 6 November 2013, he was called into the under-21 squad for the first time, for the match against Georgia later that month. He scored his first goals for the under-21 team on his third cap on 8 September 2014, a brace in a 3–0 win away to Luxembourg at the Stade Municipal de Differdange, at the end of a failed European qualification campaign. On 30 September 2014, Gauld was called up to the senior Scotland national football team for Euro 2016 Group D qualifying matches against Georgia and Poland, but did not play. On 10 October 2015, Gauld was sent off for a foul on Marcus Coco in a 2–1 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification loss to France at Pittodrie in his hometown.
In October 2022, Gauld admitted that he had pretty much given up hope of being called up to the Scotland squad again. "It's genuinely not something I think about now," he told MailSport. "A year or two ago, when I thought I was doing really well at Farense, I felt it might happen. But I'm at a stage now where it doesn’t enter my mind. When there's an international break I'm looking at having a few days off and going somewhere nice in Canada with my missus." He later claimed that he could instead play for Canada, for which he would qualify through residency rules.
## Style of play
Gauld's ability on the ball, and his small and slight stature, led him to be compared to Lionel Messi, a comparison made by the British press since 2013. At Dundee United, he was tutored by Ian Cathro, who favoured creativity and passing over the physicality often expected in Scottish football. After his transfer to Sporting, BBC Sport columnist Richard Wilson predicted that Gauld would be better suited to the style of football in Portugal, due to its slower tempo and its concentration on a passing game. Gauld himself has spoken of his preference for Portuguese football over its Scottish equivalent, and expressed relief at the lower media interest in him at Sporting, opining that comparisons with Messi were exaggerated and premature.
## Career statistics
## Honours
Aves
- Taça de Portugal: 2017–18
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Canadian Championship: 2022, 2023
Individual
- George Gross Memorial Trophy: 2022
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"## Style of play",
"## Career statistics",
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