AcharyaChanakya/simple-wikipedia huggingface dataset:
There are two ways to see how effective condoms are. They are method effectiveness, where how many couples that use the condom every time they have sex do not get pregnant; and actual effectiveness, where the number of people that use condoms either correctly or incorrectly and do not get pregnant are looked at. Most studies show results of effectiveness over a year.
The method failure rate of condoms is 2% per year. The actual failure rate is different in different places, and the rates can be anywhere between 10 and 18% per year.
According to a 2001 study by the National Institutes of Health, correct and consistent condom use:
Other sexually-transmitted infections may be affected as well, but they could not draw definite conclusions from the research they were working with. In particular, these include STIs associated with ulcerative lesions that may be present on body surfaces where the condom does not cover, such as human papillomavirus (HPV), genital herpes simplex (HSV), chancroid, and syphilis. If contact is made with uncovered lesions, transmission of these STIs may still occur despite appropriate condom use. Additionally, the absence of visible lesions or symptoms cannot be used to decide whether caution is needed.
An article in "The American Journal of Gynecologic Health" showed that "all women who correctly and consistently used Reality® were protected from trichomonas vaginalis" (referring to a particular brand of female condom).
The most common reason for a condom failing is that the user has not put it on properly. A condom can also fail because it has been damaged, because the latex has weakened, or because it has come off the penis during sexual intercourse. Something else that can cause a condom to not work, as it should, is sabotage. This can be when one of the partners wants a baby, but the other one does not. Usually they pierce a condom with a sharp object, making the condom useless. Some people see it as not ethical, because one of the two sex partners does it without the other one's knowledge. There are websites that show how to do it, if the woman wants a baby, but the man does not.
One method of testing condoms for microscopic holes involves placing the condom being tested over one conducting form with another on the other side of the condom. If the condom does not prevent an electric current from flowing between the two conducting forms, it fails the test. Holes in condoms are unlikely if proper handling conditions (see below) are followed.
Several religious communities (like Catholic Christians, Muslims, and some Protestant Christians) see problems if condoms are used:
Osaka is in the Kansai region. It is the economic and cultural center of the Kansai region.
Since 1980 it had been the second largest city in Japan.
It is a city designated by government ordinance in Japan.
Osaka is surrounded by Hyōgo Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, Nara Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture.
Sometimes it is called by its historical name "Naniwa".
Because it is by the sea, it is good for transportation. That is why an ancient emperor made Osaka the capital city. In the early part of the 8th century Naniwa was one of capitals of Japan. In the middle of the 16th century Toyotomi Hideyoshi founded Osaka castle and governed Japan in Osaka. The basis of development of Osaka was prepared in those times. Osaka castle was destroyed once by Tokugawa Ieyasu but Ieyasu choose Osaka as one of the political centers in the Western Japan. He made Osaka a direct dominion of the shogun. During the Edo period Osaka was a center of commerce, finance, pharmacy and other products. It was a center for literature and theater. Kabuki in Osaka is as famous as Kabuki in Edo and Kyoto. It is also known for bunraku (a traditional puppet theater) and manzai (a kind of stand-up comedy).
Traditional Osaka food dishes include "okonomiyaki" (pan-fried batter cake) and "takoyaki" (octopus dumplings).
In this region, many people speak a dialect called Osaka-Ben (e.g. "ookini"="thank you").
After the Meiji restoration Osaka was modernized and industrialized. It was a center of Japanese industry. After the World War II its economical importance was relatively less because Tokyo grew as an international city and many companies moved their headquarters to Tokyo. But Osaka is still a large, important city.
A piano (also called a pianoforte) is a musical instrument classified as a percussion instrument that is played by pressing keys on a keyboard. A person who plays the piano is called a pianist.
The piano has been an extremely popular instrument in Western classical music since the late 18th century. The piano was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori of Padua, Italy. He made his first piano in 1709. It developed from the clavichord which looks like a piano but the strings of a clavichord are hit by a small blade of metal called a “tangent”. In the piano the strings are hit by a block of wood called a hammer. The early keyboarded instruments, such as the clavichords, harpsichords and organs that were used at that time, had a much shorter keyboard than they do today. Gradually the keyboard became longer until it had the 88 notes (7 octaves plus three notes) of the modern piano.
At first the instrument was called the “fortepiano”. This means “loud-soft” in Italian. It was given this name because it could be played either loudly or softly, depending on how hard the note was hit (the harpsichord could not do this, and the clavichord could only make a tiny difference between louder and softer). Later this name changed to “pianoforte”. This is normally shortened to “piano”. The word “fortepiano” is sometimes used to describe the pianos of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In some languages, such as Russian, “fortepiano” is the normal word for a piano.
Although the piano was invented at the beginning of the 18th century, it was not until 50 years later that it started to become popular. The first time the piano was played in a public concert in London was in 1768 when it was played by Johann Christian Bach. The upright piano was invented in 1800 by John Isaac Hawkings. Seven years later T. Southwell invented “over-stringing”. This means that the strings for the low notes go diagonally across the soundboard so that they can be longer and make a much bigger sound.
The early pianos had strings that were fastened to a frame made of wood. They were not very heavy, but they were not very strong or loud, so they could not be heard very well in a big concert hall. In 1825 the cast-iron frame was invented in America. This made the piano much stronger so that it could make a bigger sound and the strings were not likely to break.
A piano has a keyboard with white keys and black keys. When a key is pressed down, the damper comes off the string and a hammer hits the string. It hits it very quickly and bounces off so that the string is free to vibrate and make a sound. Each key is a level that makes a hammer inside the piano hit a string inside, producing a sound. Each string has a different length and so produces-a different note. When the player takes their finger off the key the damper falls back onto the string and the sound stops. The strings are stretched very tightly across the frame, passing over a bridge on the way. The bridge touches the soundboard. This means that the vibrations are sent to the soundboard. The soundboard is a very important part of the piano. If it is damaged the piano will not make a sound.
The mechanism which makes the hammer bounce off the string very quickly is called the “escapement”. In 1821 Sebastian Erard invented a kind of double escapement. This made it possible to repeat the note very quickly. The hammer only touches the string for about one thousandth of a second. The hammers are covered with felt which is a mixture of wool, silk and hair.
At the bottom of every modern piano, there are at least two pedals, which are levers that the pianist presses down with his or her feet to change the sound. Many pianos have three pedals, but a few have even more. Each pedal changes the sound in a different way.
The damper pedal is the most important pedal, and so many composers often write down in a piece of music when the pianist should press and when he or she should let go of the damper pedal. In most classical music, there is a sign that says "Ped." where the pedal should be pressed, and one that looks like an asterisk where the pedal should be let go. Pedal marks can also appear as a straight line under the staff. Often, the pianist will let go of the pedal and press it again right away; this is called "changing pedal". Sometimes, the music will simply say "con pedale", which in Italian means "with pedal". It means that the damper pedal should be used, but the pianist should know when to change the pedal.
Another sign, which tells a pianist to press the soft pedal is "una corda," (Italian for "one string"). It is held down until another sign, "tre corde" (meaning "three strings"), appears, telling the pianist to let go of the soft pedal. In early pianos, it was possible to press the pedal a little way so that the hammers hit two strings, then press it further so that they hit only one string.
There is no sign for the sostenuto pedal, so it is up to the pianist on whether to use it in a specific piece of music.
Once the piano became popular in the late 18th century many composers wrote music for the piano. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart started to learn on harpsichords when he was very small, but the piano was becoming popular when he was a young man and he wrote many sonatas and concertos for the piano. Franz Joseph Haydn also wrote a lot of piano music. Ludwig van Beethoven was a very famous pianist before he became very famous as a composer. His piano compositions include 5 concertos and 32 sonatas. In the Romantic period many composers wrote for the piano. They include Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt and Frederic Chopin. Later composers include Sergei Rachmaninoff, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich and Bela Bartok.
Some famous piano players from the early days of the piano include Dussek, Mozart, Muzio Clementi, John Field and Chopin. In the 19th century Franz Liszt was a very great influence on the piano by composing and performing very difficult music. Other great pianists include Clara Schumann and Anton Rubinstein. 20th century pianists include Artur Schnabel, Vladimir Horowitz, Josef Hofmann, Wilhelm Kempff, Dinu Lipati, Claudio Arrau, Artur Rubinstein, Sviatoslav Richter and Alfred Brendel. Among the greatest pianists today are Vladimir Ashkenazy, Daniel Barenboim, Leif Ove Andsnes, Boris Berezovsky and Evgeny Kissin.Connor Farrow
Pianists who play popular music include Liberace, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Elton John, Billy Joel, Thelonious Monk, Tori Amos and Ray Charles. Perhaps the greatest jazz pianist was Fats Waller.
The piano has been a very popular instrument ever since the mid 18th century when it soon replaced the clavichord and the harpsichord. By the early 19th century the sound that the piano made was big enough to fill large concert halls. Smaller pianos were made for use in people’s homes. At first these included square pianos and giraffe pianos, later on the upright pianos became popular for home use. Pianos are not often used in orchestras (if they are, they are part of the percussion section). They may, however, be used for piano concertos (pieces for solo pianist accompanied by orchestra). There is a vast amount of music written for piano solo. The piano can also be used together with other instruments, in jazz groups, and for accompanying singing.
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are a group of islands near the coast of France. The five largest islands are:
The main industries are tourism, horticulture (growing plants for food) and financial services (businesses to do with money). Most people speak English, although some people in Guernsey, Jersey and Sark still speak the traditional language of their island.
Constitutionally, the islands are part of the British crown, but are not part of the United Kingdom. Being part of the mediaeval duchy of Normandy, allegiance is owed to the Queen but not to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which cannot pass laws for the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey except for defence and diplomatic matters, except if the bailiwicks ask it to. In general, the bailiwicks are self-governing, but they often pass laws which are like United Kingdom laws. However some of their laws are still based on Norman law.
Hedonism is the view that pleasure and suffering are the basis for what is good or bad. It is a that first appeared in ancient philosophy. "" is the ancient Greek word for "pleasure". There are many different beliefs in hedonism. But in all forms of hedonism, people think that what makes them happy is good. They also think avoiding suffering is good. Some people think pain is the opposite of pleasure, but others do not. Some forms of hedonism say it is important to get as many pleasurable experiences as possible. Others say that the quality of the pleasure matters.
Hedonism is often wrongly said to be related to sex. Sex can be a very pleasurable experience, but when philosophers talk about hedonism, they think more about the pleasure of reading a good book, listening to classical music, or discussing with other philosophers.
Two main types of hedonism are Cyrenaicism and Epicureanism. Cyrenaicism is where people make themselves happy in the fastest amount of time. Epicureanism is where people like to be happy but they do so slowly so that they cause less pain to themselves. They also look more into the future and go for the higher pleasures in life. On the other hand, Maslowism is the term for when you combine the concepts of utilitarianism and hedonism.
The is a group of High-speed rail lines in Japan, upon which the famous "Bullet Trains" run.
The Shinkansen are run by the many JR companies. In the past, Japan Railway was called "Japanese National Railways." It is now one group of private companies. JR also run commuter trains and inter city trains around Tokyo.
The name "Bullet Train" is the English translation of the Japanese word "dangan ressha" (弾丸列車), which was the name given to the project while it was being studied in the 1940s. Nowadays, the trains are called Shinkansen trains. The name Shinkansen means "New Trunk Line". The trains are called "Super Expresses".
Japan was the first country to build railway lines for high speed travel. Because Japan has many mountains, the network that already existed was made of 3'6" gauge (1067 mm) narrow gauge lines, which tended to take non-direct routes and could not be adapted to higher speeds. Because of this, Japan had a greater need for new high speed lines than countries where the existing standard gauge or broad gauge rail system could be upgraded easily. Unlike the older lines, Shinkansen lines are standard gauge, and use tunnels and viaducts to go through and over obstacles, rather than around them.
Construction of the first section of the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka started in 1959. The line opened on October 1, 1964, just in time for the Tokyo Olympics. The line was an immediate success, reaching the 100 million passenger mark in less than three years on July 13, 1967 and one billion passengers in 1976.
The first Shinkansen trains ran at speeds of up to 200 km/h (125 mph), later increased to 220 km/h (135 mph). Some of these trains, with their classic bullet-nosed appearance, are still in use for stopping services between Hakata and Osaka. A driving car from one of the original trains is now in the British National Railway Museum in York.
Many more advanced models of train followed the first type, generally each with its own distinctive appearance. Shinkansen trains now run regularly at speeds of up to 300 km/h (185 mph), putting them among the fastest trains running in the world, along with the French TGV and German ICE trains.
Originally meant to carry passenger and freight trains by day and night, the Shinkansen lines carry only passenger trains. The system shuts down
between midnight and 6:00 every day to allow maintenance to take place, including the running of Doctor Yellow test trains. The few overnight trains that still run in Japan run on the old narrow gauge network which the Shinkansen runs parallel to.
In 2003, JR Tokai reported that the Shinkansen's average arrival time was within 6 seconds of the scheduled time. This includes all natural and human accidents and errors and is calculated from about 160,000 trips Shinkansen made. The previous record was from 1997 and was 18 seconds.
The first derailment of a Shinkansen train in passenger service occurred during the Chuetsu Earthquake on October 23, 2004. 6 of the total of 8 cars of the train on the Joetsu Shinkansen derailed near Nagaoka Station in Nagaoka, Niigata.
In 1965 pay phones were made available on Shinkansen trains. That service will end on 29 June 2021.
In recent years, due to noise pollution, increasing speed is getting harder. Thus, the current research is aimed to reduce the amount of noise, mainly when trains exit a tunnel.
Three extensions are under construction for opening by 2014-2018: Nagano-Kanazawa, Aomori-Hakodate and Takeo-Onsen-Isahaya.
The first ever Shinkansen line (built in 1964) travelled at 125mph and was called the Tōkaido Shinkansen. In 1972 a second one was developed and the improvements on infrastructure allowed it to travel at around 137mph. In 2003 the Japanese built the world's fastest ever Shinkansen, with a top speed of 361mph.
Two further lines, known as Mini-Shinkansen (ミニ新幹線), have also been constructed by upgrading existing sections of line:
Another standard gauge line using Shinkansen trains is not considered to be a Shinkansen line:
The following lines are under development:
Most Shinkansen lines that were proposed during the boom of the early 1970s have been postponed indefinitely. These include a link to Shikoku by the Honshu-Shikoku bridge system, a link from Tokyo to New Tokyo International Airport, and a route covering the entire Sea of Japan coast of Honshu.
Copper is a chemical element. It is the 29th element in the periodic table. Its mass number is 63.55. It is a transition metal in the middle of the periodic table. The symbol for copper is "Cu", which comes from the Latin word "cuprum", which, in turn, came from the Latin word for the island of Cyprus, where copper was found.
Copper is a reddish-orange color when it is pure, but soon gets a reddish tarnish after it is exposed to air.
Copper is one of the few coloured metals. Most metals are gray or silver. Gold, copper, caesium and osmium are the only four coloured metals. Copper is green as copper(II) carbonate and copper(II) hydroxide. It turns green because it oxidises. After a time in the air, copper forms green copper carbonate at the surface, called verdigris. That is why the copper roof of a building looks green.
Copper is very flexible and ductile. It can be stretched into wires easily. Copper is also very soft, it has a Mohs hardness of 2.5 to 3. That means that it is harder than a fingernail but softer than a steel pocketknife.
It reacts with solutions of hydrochloric acid or ammonia containing oxygen. It can also dissolve in a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and hydrochloric acid. This makes copper(II) chloride. It does not dissolve in weak acids. It can dissolve in nitric acid to make copper(II) nitrate and nitrogen dioxide or nitric oxide.
Copper forms chemical compounds. In these compounds, it has two normal oxidation states: +1 and +2. +2 is more common. Most +2 copper compounds are blue. +1 copper compounds can be white. Copper compounds are weak oxidizing agents. They corrode many metals. This corrosion takes the metal and puts it in the chemical compound, leaving the copper behind. An example would be iron and copper(II) sulfate reacting to make copper and iron(II) sulfate. +1 copper compounds are reducing agents when in air. They are normally made by reduction of +2 compounds.
Copper compounds can be black, green, reddish, white, blue, or yellow.
Copper(I) compounds have copper in +1 oxidation state. They are weak reducing agents. They react with air to make copper(II) compounds. They also disproportionate to copper and copper(II) compounds. Most of them do not dissolve in water.
Copper(II) compounds have copper in +2 oxidation state. They are weak oxidizing agents. They are greenish when hydrous (water molecules added). They are more stable in air than copper(I) compounds.
Copper can be found as a metal in the ground. Normally, it is green on the outside. Most copper is not as a metal but in chemical compounds. Chalcopyrite is the most common copper ore. It is a mixture of pyrite and copper sulfide. Copper is found in small amounts in living things. Some mollusks and arthropods have blue blood because they have copper in their blood. Animals such as humans and other mammals have red blood because it contains iron.
Copper can be used in many ways but one example is wires. Copper is used in making wires as it is easy to stretch and it is not expensive. So that’s why large wire companies will use copper as it is cheaper and takes less time to get
Copper may be the oldest metal in use, as very old copper tools have been found. Copper is used in electrical wiring. It can also be shaped into various parts. It can be used in a heat sink. The Statue of Liberty is made of copper. It is also used in pipes carrying water, because it does not corrode.
When people mix copper with tin, bronze is made. Bronze is much harder, and created the Bronze Age. It became less important when people learned to use iron better. When zinc is mixed with copper, brass is made, which is even harder than bronze. Copper with nickel makes cupronickel.
Copper is important in the human body. If a person does not get enough copper, the molecules in the body might not work. Having too much copper, though, can be a problem. Humans get most of the copper they need from food, and vitamins also contain copper to make sure we get enough. Copper compounds are also used to kill fungi and algae.
Copper is not as toxic as a metal. Copper compounds are toxic, although small amounts are needed to live. Copper is expelled from the body easily, so it does not build up in toxic effects.
Copper is sometimes just taken out of the ground and shaped into objects. But most copper is not in a metal form in the ground. Chalcopyrite is the main copper ore. It is heated with air to separate the iron as iron(II) oxide. Some copper(I) oxide is made. Sulfur dioxide is also made. Then silicon dioxide is added, which reacts with the iron(II) oxide to make a liquid which is drained. Now only copper and sulfide are left. The copper sulfide reacts with air to make copper metal and sulfur dioxide. Some copper sulfide reacts with the copper(I) oxide to make copper and sulfur dioxide. This makes impure copper.
Copper is made pure by electrolyzing it. A thin sheet of pure copper is put on the cathode and a thick sheet of impure copper is put on the anode. The electrolyte is copper sulfate. The impure copper gets dissolved in the solution. It then coats the thin sheet of pure copper. This makes the copper pure.
Large amounts of copper are recycled because of its high value and the increasing depletion of worldwide copper reserves.
A prince is a male member of a royal family. A female prince is called a princess.
Each royal family has its own rules saying who is called a prince. In most of these families, the son of a king or a queen is a prince. In some families, the son of a prince is also a prince. In Monaco and Lichtenstein, the ruler of the country is called the prince.
A princess is a female member of a royal family. A son of a monarch is called a prince. A princess may become a ruler by heredity or by marriage. Sometimes the expression "princess" is used when a female has noble qualities such as kindness, charity, and virtue.
An ore is a mineral which has a valuable metal inside it. Ores are usually extracted by being mined. They can sometimes be found on the Earth's surface. Most ores are chemical compounds such as oxides or sulfides. There are different ways to get the metal out of the ore. Iron ore, for example, is smelted in a blast furnace.
Gainesville is a city in north-central Florida in the United States. It is the county seat of Alachua County.
It is home to the University of Florida, the largest public university in the state. An alligator (Gator) named Albert is the mascot of the University of Florida. (A mascot is a symbol of qualities the school admires).
People think that growth of the city comes from building the university in the city. People of the city show their strong good feelings for the university by going to football games there, and by showing "Gator" symbols in businesses and homes.
The city is also famous as the birthplace of singer Tom Petty.
The University of Florida (UF) is a public university that is in Gainesville, Florida in the United States. The campus is 2,000 acres and has more than 900 structures, as well as other locations in the state of Florida. Important research activities at the university are in medicine, at Shands Hospital, and in agriculture. The mascot of UF is an alligator, and students and fans of the university's athletic teams are often called "Gators."
The fictional characters, the X-Men, are a team of superheroes who were born with special mutant powers, making them different from regular humans. The X-Men characters are owned by Marvel Comics, which publishes comic books featuring them as well as many other superheroes. The comic book was one of the first to combine social issues and social commentary into a superhero story, set in a world where people with mutant abilities are hated by those born without them. This is similar to acts of ableism seen throughout history. Unlike "some" mutants, the X-Men try to be good and show tolerance toward humans and other mutants. The idea behind the superheroes were inspired by the African-American equality supporters like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King.
The original X-Men, as created by writer Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, were
and all first appeared in "X-Men #1" (Sept 1963).
The leader and mentor of the X-Men is Professor Charles Xavier, who is more commonly known as "Professor X" and has mental powers. He wants to gain civil rights for mutants in the way that Martin Luther King did for African Americans; through peace.
Some other well-known X-Men include
Some of the X-Men's enemies include Magneto, Mystique, Sabretooth, Toad, Juggernaut, Mister Sinister and Apocalypse. The leader of X-Men's enemies is Magneto. He wants to gain civil rights for mutants in the forceful style of Malcolm X.
The X-Men characters have since been featured in various comic book series, motion pictures, toys, animated series, and much more.
Iron Man is a fictional superhero who wears a suit of armor. His alter ego is Tony Stark. He was created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Larry Lieber for Marvel Comics in Tales of Suspense #39 in the year 1963 and appears in their comic books. He is also one of the main protagonists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Iron Man is played by Robert Downey Jr in the movies Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Iron Man 3, , , , and Avengers: Endgame and he will reprise his role in Black Widow and in the Disney+ series Iron Heart.
In the movies and the earlier comic books, Tony Stark is a human. Outside the suit, he does not have any superpowers, however he is very intelligent. He made the suit himself. Iron Man can fly and shoot beams from his hands using special technology called "repulsors" in his boots and gloves. He is not hurt by most weapons like guns and cannons. There are many versions of the Iron Man suit, because Stark keeps making improvements.
In the later comic books, Stark took an experimental virus called "Extremis" which allowed him to control his suit with his mind and summon it wherever he was. Stark would eventually develop an armor that he could store in his body. This armor was known as the "Bleeding Edge Model 37".
Stark inherited a large American company called "Stark Industries" when his father died. He was badly injured by a bomb in an attack planned by people who did not like him running his company. Shrapnel from the explosion was moving towards his heart. This would have killed him, but a scientist called Yinsen who was with him made a magnet for his chest which would keep the shrapnel away. In the movies, he makes an "arc reactor" which is put into his chest to stop the shrapnel.
Yinsen and Stark secretly build a heavy suit of armor which they plan to use to escape. However, during the escape, Yinsen dies so that the kidnappers will be distracted from Stark escaping. Stark escapes safely and goes back to America. He makes a better suit and uses it to fight evil.
Tony Stark is charismatic and eccentric, he is also very proud, but also very altruist and heroic. He did not have a good childhood, and this affects how he acts.
Stark is very smart, and a very talented inventor. His technology is always very advanced, and Iron Man is his greatest piece of work. In both the comics and the movies, he uses the arc reactor (or "repulsor technology") as a form of sustainable energy to help the world.
Stark has very few close friends. Two of them are Pepper Potts, his personal assistant who becomes his girlfriend, and James Rhodes, an American soldier who operates the War Machine armor.
Andris Piebalgs (born September 17, 1957, in Valmiera) is a Latvian politician. Since 22 November 2004 he has been the European Commissioner for Energy.
He was born in Valmiera and was educated at the University of Latvia in Riga. He worked as a teacher in Valmiera in the 1980s. After Latvia became independent from the USSR he was education minister (in charge of schools) from 1990 to 1993, and finance minister (in charge of money) from 1994 to 1995. He was Latvia's ambassador to Estonia from 1995 to 1997, and to the European Union from 1998 to 2003, when he helped Latvia join the EU. He also helped to start a political party called the Latvian Way.
He speaks Latvian, English, German, French, and Russian, and some Estonian.
Before he was made a European Commissioner Piebalgs worked for Sandra Kalniete, a member of the last Commission.
Augusto Pinochet
General Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte (November 25, 1915 – December 10, 2006) was a Chilean army general who led Chile from 1973 to 1990, who came to power after he overthrew Salvador Allende, a socialist president.
Pinochet was born in Valparaíso, Chile.
Pinochet was a high ranking general in the Chilean Army in the early 1970s. In 1970, Allende was narrowly elected in a close three way race. Western countries like the United States were concerned about Allende. There was discontent in Chile in 1973, with some groups trying to destabilize the government of Allende.
On September 11th, 1973, the Chilean military led a coup d'état against Allende in which they attacked the Presidential Palace in Santiago. Allende committed suicide, and Pinochet took power as the leader of a military council known as a junta. The junta began cracking down on Allende supporters.
About 3,000 Chilean people died because of Pinochet's rule and many other people were tortured. Most of the people that died during Pinochet's rule were communists. The first days of his rule saw the most deaths, and in the weeks after the coup, Allende supporters were arrested and locked in a football stadium in Santiago. Many were released a few months later, but some were imprisoned for years.
Pinochet introduced many neoliberal free market policies bringing growth and great economic progress to Chile." In economic affairs, Pinochet's rule was influenced by the ideas of Milton Friedman. In 1980, a plebiscite (without electoral registries) was held and Pinochet was kept in power.
The coup d'état that was launched to overthrow Allende and put Pinochet in power was supported by the United States, as was Pinochet's regime. The US government has never admitted being involved, but they did support Pinochet while he was in power. The government of the United Kingdom was also pro-Pinochet.
In 1988, there was a plebiscite in Chile. The people were asked whether Pinochet should rule for another eight and a half years. About 56% of the people did not want that. Pinochet, under pressure from other countries was forced to accept the results, and stepped down from power in 1990. Patricio Aylwin became the next president. Pinochet kept his responsibilities as head of the military until 1998. After this, he became a senator for life, but had to leave senate in 2002. He was not arrested because the Supreme Court of Chile said he suffered from dementia. In May 2004, judges said that was not true. On December 13 he was placed under house arrest. Judges in Spain tried to put him on trial for the many crimes against the human rights he committed while leader of Chile.
Pinochet died from congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema on December 10, 2006 in Santiago, Chile, a week after a heart attack, aged 91. His remains were later cremated (Pinochet's request) to avoid vandalism on his tomb.
Plasma (physics)
Plasma is a 4th state of matter.
Plasma is created by adding energy to a gas so that some of its electrons leave its atoms. This is called ionization. It results in negatively charged electrons, and positively charged ions. Unlike the other states of matter, the charged particles in a plasma will react strongly to electric and magnetic fields (i.e. electromagnetic fields). If a plasma loses heat, the ions will re-form into a gas, emitting the energy which had caused them to ionize.
Over 99% of the matter in the visible universe is believed to be plasma. When the atoms in a gas are broken up, the pieces are called electrons and ions. Because they have an electric charge, they are pulled together or pushed apart by electric fields and magnetic fields. This makes a plasma act differently than a gas. For example, magnetic fields can be used to hold a plasma, but not to hold a gas. Plasma is a better conductor of electricity than copper.
Plasma is usually very hot, because it takes very high temperatures to break the bonds between electrons and the nuclei of the atoms. Sometimes plasmas can have very high pressure, like in stars. Stars (including the Sun) are mostly made of plasma. Plasmas can also have very low pressure, like in outer space.
On Earth, lightning makes plasma. Artificial (man-made) uses of plasma include fluorescent lightbulbs, neon signs, and plasma displays used for television or computer screens, as well as plasma lamps and globes which are a popular children's toy and room decoration. Scientists are experimenting with plasma to make a new kind of nuclear power, called fusion, which would be much better and safer than ordinary nuclear power, and would produce much less radioactive waste.
Puebla (state)
Puebla is a state of Mexico. The capital of Puebla is also called Puebla. The volcanos Malinche, Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl are in the state of Puebla.
Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward Aykroyd (born in Ottawa on July 1, 1952) is a Canadian actor in theater and motion pictures. He also is a script writer, director and producer
Aykroyd was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His parents were Peter and Lorraine Aykroyd. He studied criminology and social science at Carleton University. He dropped out to join a Toronto acting company. Later he went to the United States to pursue his acting career in movies.
Dan Aykroyd is a dedicated Blues fan. For some time he hosted a radio program. He used the alias Elwood Blues. This alias he would later use in the motion pictures The Blues Brothers and Blues Brothers 2000. The first of these movies was co-starred by John Belushi, the second one by John Goodman.
Aykroyd is married to Donna Dixon. They are parents of 3 daughters. Dan's brother Peter Ayrkroyd is a researcher.
John Belushi
John Belushi (January 24, 1949 - March 5, 1982) was an American actor in movies and television shows.
Belushi was born in Chicago, Illinois. His mother was the daughter of Albanian immigrants; his father was an immigrant from Albania. His brother is James Belushi, who is also an actor.
John was co-captain of the football team in high school as well as homecoming king in his senior year. In school he was already active in acting, but wanted to become a baseball-coach. His drama-teacher persuaded him to pursue becoming a professional actor.
He appeared mainly in TV shows, and was one of the founders of "Saturday Night Live". His "Blues Brothers" act with Dan Aykroyd was famous, long before "The Blues Brothers" movie (1980).
Unfortunately Belushi became a drug addict. He used both heroin and cocaine, and a lot of both. When "The Blues Brothers" was made, he spent about US$40,000 to $75,000 a month on drugs.
John Belushi died in 1982 from a drug overdose injected by Cathy Smith. She was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
The Blues Brothers (Elwood Blues and Joliet "Jake" Blues) are fictional characters which became well known from the TV show "Saturday Night Live".
Elwood Blues was first played by Dan Aykroyd, in his radio program on Blues music. Jake Blues was played by John Belushi.
In 1980, Aykroyd and Belushi starred in the movie called "The Blues Brothers", playing again the same characters from TV. Unfortunately, Belushi died only two years later, due to a drug overdose. A sequel called "Blues Brothers 2000" (1998) starred John Goodman as new partner to Dan Aykroyd but it was not as successful as the first movie.
Both movies were made by Universal Pictures.
The movie version of the popular characters was directed by John Landis.
Jake and Elwood are sent off by Sister Mary Stigmata of the orphanage to raise money. The money is needed to pay taxes, otherwise the orphanage will be shut down. They try to do this by getting their band back together again.
"Joliet" Jake Blues is released from jail. His brother, Elwood, picks him up in a former police car. They go to the orphanage they grew up in, since Jake promised the orphanage "Mother Superior" (nicknamed "The Penguin"). There they find out that the orphanage is in need of money, for taxes. Jake and Elwood are sent off to earn it, but in a legal manner. From the start they are under continuous attention of the police. But Elwood does not mind; they wreck a complete shopping mall (Dixie Square Mall in Harvey, Illinois) in a police chase. They arrive at Elwood's apartment, which is located directly next to an elevated railway. After a night's sleep the apartment is blown up by a mystery woman, right at the moment of a police raid.
The brothers have to find their former band members. They find "Bones" Malone and some others playing Latin music in a nightclub, as "Murph and the Magic Tones". Mr. Fabulous is maitre d' at a chic restaurant "Chez Paul". They convince him to join by ordering expensive bottles of champagne, and by acting like pigs, offending the other guests. They find Matt 'Guitar' Murphy and Blue Lou working in a diner. The place is run by Matt's wife, and she does not want them to join the band. Aretha Franklin, playing Matt's wife makes this clear in the song "Think!", but they go anyway. The next stop is Ray's Music Exchange, run by Ray Charles. Ray nearly shoots a boy who wants to steal a guitar (considering Ray is blind, that's amazing!). They sign an IOU for the equipment.
On the way to find the other members, they spoil a march of the Neo Nazi "American Socialist White People Party". The marching members are forced to jump off a bridge into a pond to save themselves. When the brothers try to call their booking agent, the payphone is torched by the mystery woman. Fortunately they survive, and find a couple of dollars change. The Neo Nazis in the meantime find out Elwood's address (which is faked: 1060 West Addison in Chicago is Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs).
The Blues Brothers end up in a Country & Western club, "Bob's Country Bunker". They steal the gig of the "Good Ole Boys". When Elwood asks "What kinds of music do you usually play here?", the answer is: "Why we have both kinds-Country "and" Western!". They are protected from beer bottles by wire as they try their first song, but the audience go crazy. So they decide to do "Rawhide", and "Stand By Your Man", along with some other songs. At the end of the performance they owe the owner $100 (the beertab). They run from him and from the real Good Ole Boys. On the run, the Good Ole Boys' camper is wrecked by a police car in pursuit.
They blackmail Maury (their agent) into booking the "Palace Hotel Ballroom" with 5,000 seats. All kids in the neighborhood help in selling the tickets. Elwood and Jake end up in a gas-station that is out of gas, and the gig starts without them. Cab Calloway sings the opening song "Minnie the Moocher". Both the police and the Good Ole Boys find out where the gig is. When the brothers finally arrive, they sabotage the Good Ole Boys' car. They do two songs, "Sweet Home, Chicago", and "Come On". They are offered a record contract, and are paid $10,000 in advance.
They flee through a tunnel, being shot at by the mystery woman. She turns out to be Jake's ex-bride, whom he stood up at their wedding. Jake begs for their lives, and even takes off his sunglasses! They seem to fall in love all over again, but Jake leaves her behind.
In a crazy car chase the Good Ole Boys end up in a lake, hundreds of police cars are wrecked and the Neo Nazis cannot brake on an unfinished bridge. The Brothers succeed in getting to the tax office, pursued by police, special units, choppers and the army. They are arrested right after paying the taxes. Back in jail, the band plays their final song, "Jailhouse Rock".
Despite the name, this sequel (second story following on from the first) came out in 1998.
A twenty-fifth anniversary edition DVD came out on August 30, 2005.
Arnhem is a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the eastern province Guelders (Gelderland). Arnhem has 159,265 citizens (as of 1 January 2019), the agglomeration 722,181 (Arnhem-Nijmegen conurbation). It is in the top-15 of largest cities in the Netherlands.
The history of Arnhem goes back to the Middle Ages. Arnhem got city-rights in 1233 from the Count of Zutphen. The exact text is still kept in the "Duivelshuis" (Devil's house) which is now part of Arnhem's City Hall.
In 1850 Arnhem had 9,000 citizens. The city became popular with rich people from the western part of the Netherlands.
During the World War II Arnhem was severely damaged. The Battle of Arnhem in 1944 is the sad story of UK and Polish paratroopers who fought to get control of the Rhine-bridge. According to the plan of Field Marshal Montgomery, Arnhem was the last in a series of bridges which would be taken by paratroopers. At the same time a ground-army would advance from the Belgium-Dutch border across all these bridges. This operation was called Operation Market Garden. Market for the Airborne-element and Garden to represent the Ground-forces. Arnhem would be the responsibility of the British paratroopers, and would be the last bridge to be crossed by the ground forces. General John Frost succeeded in taking the Arnhem bridge from the Germans. Due to several reasons Frost had to retreat, and the bridge was again in German control. The movie A Bridge Too Far is about this battle. After the Battle of Arnhem the Germans forced Arnhem's citizens to evacuate the city. This was because they were afraid another battle would have to be fought. When Arnhem's citizens came back, they found their city destroyed.
After the war Arnhem was rebuilt, including the Eusebiuskerk (Eusebius Church). The bridge crossing the Rhine is now called John Frost Bridge after the famous UK general, since 1978.
KNIL
KNIL is the abbreviation for a Dutch army. This army was in what is now called Indonesia. The official name is "Koninklijk Nederlandsch-Indisch Leger" ("Royal Dutch-East Indies Army")
Indonesia was a Dutch colony from 1800 to 1949. It was then called "Nederlandsch Indië" (Dutch East Indies). The KNIL taskforce was sent there to maintain order.
When Indonesia declared itself independent in 1945 the Dutch fought a war to keep the colony. This war was won by the Indonesians. The Dutch government accepted Indonesia's independence in 1949, and the KNIL ceased to exist.
Bronbeek
Bronbeek is a former Royal palace in Arnhem, the Netherlands. It is now a museum and a home for elderly soldiers.
Bronbeek was built early 19th century. In 1845 the Dutch King William III bought Bronbeek. He donated it to the Dutch state in 1859. William wanted it to be a home for disabled KNIL soldiers. The inhabitants took their collections of 'souvenirs' with them. This turned into a museum about the Dutch East Indies.
In 2004 50 former soldiers have their home in Bronbeek.
David Robert Jones OAL (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally by his stage name David Bowie, was an English rock musician and actor.
Bowie was born in 40 Stansfield Road, Brixton, London.He grew up in Bromley, Kent. He played the saxophone. He was a singer in London blues bands. He used the alias "David Bowie" because "David Jones" sounded too much like Davy Jones (of The Monkees). He took the name "Bowie" from Jim Bowie, who invented the Bowie knife.
Bowie became known to the public with the 1969 song "Space Oddity". This single was released when man first landed on the moon. The song's title is based on the movie "" by Stanley Kubrick. In 1970, Bowie won an Ivor Novello Award for "Space Oddity".
Bowie's album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" was released in 1972. It is one of his best-known albums. As a result of his performance, Bowie became a leader of glam rock.
Ziggy Stardust became Bowie's second personality (alter ego). For a press conference, he would show up as Ziggy. Bowie let Ziggy Stardust come to an end during a live concert in the Hammersmith Odeon theatre on 3 July 1973. In 1983, this show was released as movie and soundtrack ("Ziggy Stardust – The Motion Picture"). Bowie also produced Lou Reed's "Transformer". He released "Aladdin Sane" (his first number one album in the United Kingdom).
In 1974, after releasing the album "Diamond Dogs", Bowie settled in Los Angeles. He experimented with drugs, especially cocaine. In 1975, "Fame" (from the "Young Americans" album) a song co-written with John Lennon, was number 1 on the United States charts. Bowie played an alien in the movie "The Man Who Fell To Earth". A new second personality was "The Thin White Duke". This was introduced on the "Station to Station" album in 1976. The song "Golden Years" scored high in the pop charts. In 2003, the album was ranked number 323 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
After releasing "Station to Station", Bowie moved to Berlin. He was interested in German music. He wanted to end his drug abuse. In Berlin, he started to work with producer Tony Visconti and with Brian Eno, the "king of oblique strategies". Bowie was a producer for Iggy Pop too. The "Berlin Trilogy Albums" are "Low" (1977), "Heroes" (1977) and "Lodger" (1979) although only Heroes was recorded entirely in Berlin.
Bowie left Berlin in 1980. In 1980 he recorded and released the album "Scary Monsters And Super Creeps", featuring the United Kingdom number 1 single "Ashes To Ashes". In 1981, he had a big hit with "Under Pressure", together with Queen: it peaked at number 1 on United Kingdom charts. In 1983, Bowie released "Let's Dance", his biggest selling album. The title track peaked at number 1 in the United Kingdom and The United States Of America.
In 1984, Bowie won a Brit Award as Best Male Artist. In 1985, he won a Grammy Award for Best Video (Short Form). Yet in 1985, David Bowie and Mick Jagger released the charity single "Dancing In The Street". In 1986, Bowie released the hit-single "Absolute Beginners".
In 1989, Bowie formed the band Tin Machine. This was his first real band since the 1970s. With this band, Bowie recorded three albums: "Tin Machine" (1989), "Tin Machine II" (1991) and "Oy Vey, Baby" (1992).
By the 1990s, Bowie had become more interested in soul, jazz and hip hop. This was first noticed on the album "Black Tie, White Noise".
Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 17 January 1996.
In 2013, after a ten years hiatus, Bowie released his twenty-fourth album, "The Next Day". In 2014, he was nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards and won a Brit Award for Best Male Artist.