AcharyaChanakya/simple-wikipedia huggingface dataset:
From reports of personal experience with mate, its physiological effects are similar to (yet distinct from) coffee, tea, or guarana drinks. Users report a mental state of wakefulness, focus and alertness reminiscent of most stimulants. However, they often remark on mate's lack of the negative effects typically created by other such compounds, such as anxiety, diarrhea, "jitteriness", and heart palpitations. (The laxative effect of coffee derives from a substance that surrounds the raw bean, not the caffeine itself.)
Studies of mate, though limited, have shown evidence that the mate xanthine cocktail is different from other plants containing caffeine, in its effects on muscle tissue, as opposed to those on the central nervous system. Mate has been shown to have a relaxing effect on smooth muscle tissue, and a stimulating effect on myocardial (heart) tissue.
Mate's negative effects are anecdotally claimed to be of a lesser degree than those of coffee, though no explanation for this is offered, except for its potential as a placebo effect. Many users report that drinking yerba mate does not prevent them from being able to fall asleep, as is often the case with some more common stimulating beverages. It enhances their energy and ability to remain awake at will. However, the net amount of caffeine in one preparation of yerba mate is typically quite high, in large part because the repeated filling of the mate with hot water is able to extract the highly-soluble xanthines extremely effectively. It is for this reason that one mate may be shared among several people and yet produce the desired stimulating effect in all of them.
In-vivo and in-vitro studies are showing yerba mate to exhibit significant cancer-fighting activity. Researchers at the University of Illinois (2005) found yerba mate to be "rich in phenolic constituents" and to "inhibit oral cancer cell proliferation".
On the other hand, a study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer showed a limited correlation between oral cancer and the drinking of hot mate (no data were collected on drinkers of cold mate). Given the influence of the temperature of water, as well as the lack of complete adjustment for age, alcohol consumption and smoking, the study concludes that mate is "not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans".
An August 11, 2005 United States patent application (documents #20050176777, #20030185908, and #20020054926) cites yerba mate extract as an inhibitor of MAO activity; the maximal inhibition observed "in vitro" was 40–50%. A monoamine oxidase inhibitor is a type of antidepressant, so there is some data to suggest that yerba mate has a calming effect in this regard.
In addition, it has been noted by the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine that yerba mate can cause high blood pressure when used in conjunction with other MAO inhibitors (such as Nardil and Parnate).
Guarana
Guarana or Guaraná (, or ), "Paullinia cupana" (syn. "P. crysan, P. sorbilis"), is a shrub or small tree in the Sapindaceae family. It is native to Venezuela and northern Brazil. The seed of the Guaraná fruit is a stimulant with thermogenic and diuretic properties.
The guaraná fruit's color ranges from orange to red and contain black seeds which are partly covered by white arils. The color contrast when the fruit has been split open has been likened to eyeballs; this has formed the basis of a myth "(see below)".
Guaraná plays an important role in Tupi and Guaraní Brazilian culture. The name 'guaraná' is derived from the Tupi-Guarani word "wara'ná". These tribes believed, it was magical, a cure for bowel complaints and a way to regain strength. They also tell the myth of a 'Divine Child' that was killed by a serpent and whose eyes gave birth to this plant.
Guaraná is mainly used as an ingredient in soft drinks and energy drinks. It is also used as a dietary supplement, generally to promote weight loss. In addition, it may be an ingredient in other foods.
In addition to other chemicals, the guaraná plant contains caffeine (sometimes called "guaranine"), theophylline, and theobromine. Water extracts of the guarana plant are central nervous system stimulants due to the content of these alkaloids. Energy drink manufacturers typically add synthetic caffeine or caffeine derived from coffee decaffeination, though many advertise "natural" caffeine from the seeds of guaraná.
Brazil produces several brands of soft drink from guaraná extract that contain no added caffeine. Each differs greatly in flavour; some have only a slight guaraná fruit taste. They are typically fizzy and sweet, with a very fruity aftertaste. Most guaraná drinks are produced in Brazil and consumed locally or in nearby countries, such as Paraguay. Major brands include Guaraná Antarctica, Guaraná Schin from Schincariol and Guaraná Brahma from AmBev, Kuat, and Guaraná Jesus, a local Brazilian brand named for the druggist that formulated it. Many local producers also create drinks not for export.
Studies involving guaraná show benefits to cognitive function. They have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or any similar government agencies. In the United States, guaraná holds a GRAS-status, i.e. "generally regarded as safe" and must be labeled as "not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."
The Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics published a study in June 2001. This study shows an average 11.2 pound weight loss in a group taking a mixture of yerba mate, guaraná and damiana, compared to an average 1 pound loss in a placebo group after 45 days.
A university study in Brazil of guaraná extract showed a platelet aggregation decrease of up to 37% of control values and a decrease of platelet thromboxane formation from arachidonic acid of up to 78% of control values. This study may be significant to stroke and heart attack risk reduction because when excess thromboxane formation occurs, an arterial blood clot can develop, resulting in a heart attack or ischemic stroke.
A separate 1997 study of guaraná's effects on the physical activity of rats showed increased memory retention and physical endurance when compared with a placebo.
Other studies have shown antioxidant, antibacterial, and fat cell reduction (when combined with conjugated linoleic acid) properties in guaraná
Although side-effects of guaraná are rare, drugs.com recommends, "When considering the use of herbal supplements, consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous". Drugs.com also advises not to mix guaraná with ephedrine.
Guaraná seeds consist of mostly reddish vegetable fiber and resin with a small amount of oil and water. Guarana contains different amounts of caffeine, theobromine, theophylline and other alkaloids, compared to coffee, tea, mate, or cocoa.
Duke1992a: Duke, James A. 1992. "Handbook of phytochemical constituents of GRAS herbs and other economic plants." Boca Raton, FL. CRC Press.
The chemical "guaranine" is identical to caffeine coming from other sources, for example coffee, tea and mate. Guaranine, theine, mateine are all official synonyms for caffeine.
Broken English, or Engrish is a variant of the English language by people who do not speak English very well.
The term may refer to spoken English, and it can also describe written English. In Japan, it is common to add English text to items for decorative and fashion purposes.
The term "Engrish" first appears as an Asian mispronunciation of the word "English" in the 1940s. It was not until the 1980s that it began to be used to as a byname for defective Asian English. The related term "wasei-eigo" means made-up English words that have entered into everyday Japanese.
Broken English can be found in East Asian countries, and also many places in other places where a lot of East Asians live. Broken English has been found on many things from poorly translated signs, menus, and manuals to strangely worded advertisements, food items, and strange t-shirt slogans. Broken English also sometimes happens when a word or sentence is badly translated on the Internet.
Sacred cow
Sacred cow is an idiom. It is an expression or phrase that is used without the literal meaning of being about a cow or religion. When spoken or written it means a person or a belief that has been respected for a long time. It has become sacred and people are then afraid or unwilling to criticise or question it.
The idiom is based on the honor shown to cows in Hinduism. It is thought to have started in America in the early 20th century. Similar idioms are used in many other languages. Saying "holy cow!" when surprised may be another example.
An actual 'sacred cow' or 'sacred bull' is a real animal that is treated with sincere respect in specific religions and their celebrations. They cannot eat the meat of cows because they are sacred.
In Hinduism, cows are thought to be sacred, or deeply respected. Cows are seen as a 'caregiver' or maternal figure. One Hindu goddess, Bhoomi (भूमि), is usually shown in the form of a cow. She represents the Earth. Most Hindus respect cows for their gentle nature, and cows also represent strength. Hindus who eat meat will avoid eating [cow meat].
There is a festival to thank cows for serving farmers for agriculture, This festival is called as "Mattupongal" which is one among the four days of the grand Indian festival called the Pongal which is completely focused on thanking each and every agricultural implement.
In the Hindu tradition, cows are honored, garlanded and given special feedings at festivals all over India. One is the annual Gopastami festival, dedicated to Krishna and cows.
The cow's nature is represented in Kamadhenu; the goddess who is the mother of all cows. In India, more than 3,000 institutions called Gaushalas care for old and infirm cows. According to animal husbandry statistics there are about 44,900,000 cows in India, the highest in the world. So while some old and infirm cows are treated in Gaushalas, the rest are generally abandoned at public places such as railway stations and bazaars.
Honoring the cow inspires in people the virtues of gentleness and connects them with nature. The cow gives milk and cream, yogurt and cheese, butter and ghee. The milk of a cow is believed to refine a person. The ghee (clarified butter) from the milk is used in ceremonies and in preparing religious food. Cow dung is used as fertilizer, as a fuel, and as a disinfectant in homes.
Murti
In Hinduism, a murti (also spelled murthi or murthy) usually means an image in which the Divine Spirit is expressed ('murta'). Hindus call the presence of God into the image so that they can communicate with him and receive his blessings.Hindus don't worship the murti or statue itself but the god who is present in their minds and souls. It can also be set up any where
Murtis sometimes are abstract, but almost always stone or metal images of God in a human-like form like Shiva or Ganesha, Rama or Krishna, Saraswati or Kali. Murtis are made according to strict prescriptions and then installed by highly trained priests through a ceremony. The priests can then call on God in the image daily.
Murtis in Hindu temples and shrines are a mystical form of communication with God and devas. This is similar to our ability to communicate with others through the telephone. One does not talk to the telephone; rather the telephone is a way to interact with another person. Without the telephone, one could not have a conversation across long distances; and without the sanctified image in the temple, one cannot easily talk with the Deity.
The image or murti of worship is a focus for prayers, although Hindus can see God is in all things, in stone and water, fire, air and ether, in the enlightened person of a satguru and inside their own soul. Some temples do not have any murti in the sanctum but a symbolic diagram. Some Hindu branches reject the worship of images.
In Hinduism, one of the highest achievements is when one goes beyond the need of all form and symbol. This is the yogi’s goal obtained through meditation. Hinduism is also one of the religions that uses more symbols to represent God in preparation for getting beyond them.
Image worship appears to be an intelligent, mystical practice shared by all of the world’s great religions. All religions have their symbols of holiness: the Christian cross, or statues of Mother Mary and Saint Theresa, the holy Kaaba in Mecca, the Sikh Adi Granth enshrined in the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Arc and Torah of the Jews, the image of a meditating Buddha, the totems of indigenous and Pagan faiths, and the artifacts of the holy men and women of all religions. Any Christian respects the Bible and considers it sacred. His book and the Hindu’s murtis are similar in this way.
Critics of image worship consider this practice "idolatry". People who practice idolatry believe that God is the material object itself. Instead, Hindus worship murtis to call on the presence of the spiritual God and then communicate with him.
Virtual Memory is a way of managing memory which is a recent trend of technology used in computers. Hardware (the physical part of the computer, such as the CPU or graphics card) runs software. This software will need computer memory to run, and do what it needs to do. Most computers in use today can do more than one thing at a time, they run more than one application. This is known as multiprocessing.
In this case, all the programs or applications that are running on the computer at a time share its resources. A computer does not have more processors or main memory (RAM) just because more programs run on it.
Virtual memory is the idea that the application "sees" a "block of memory" of a given size. The application can use this memory as it sees fit. This block of memory is "virtual" in the sense that it comes from different parts. Some of it may be in the main memory of the computer, but some may also be on disk. The CPU has a special part, called Arithmetic Logic Unit which does some of the translations between application memory and system resources. Modern operating systems also do a part of this work.
When a program tries to access a block of memory that is not in system memory, that program is stopped, and the block is loaded into system memory. What was in that part of the system memory is written to disk. This is usually called paging.
Certain computer systems, such as embedded systems, do not use virtual memory, because they need a very fast response time, or one that always stays the same. One of the problems is that with virtual memory it is difficult to predict the response time. An application that uses a part of memory which needs to be loaded from disk will have a different response time from one that does not. Therefore, virtual memory concept is not used in embedded systems.
Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi Theatre (Russian: Большой театр, Bol'shoy Teatr, Large Theater) is a world-famous theatre and opera company in Moscow, Russia, which gives performances of ballet and opera. It is in the centre of Moscow, near the Kremlin.
In 1776 the history of the Bolshoi Theatre began when Empress Catherina II allowed Prince Pyotr Urusov to run theatrical performances. That theatre burned down and a new one was built in 1825. That one burnt down too, but it was rebuilt and reopened in 1856. After that, no important repairs were made to the building for 150 years. By the beginning of the 21st century it was in a very bad state and in danger of falling down. Major repairs were started in 2005, and the work should be completed by the end of October 2011. When it is finished the theatre should look just as it did at the time of the tsars, with embroidered silk tapestry and the tsar's sign replacing the communist hammers and sickles. The total cost of the rebuild will be around £400 million which is 16 times what they originally said it would cost.
The theatre is lucky to survive at all. At the time of the Communist Revolution (1917), the Bolsheviks thought the theatre represented the old tsars and everything that had been bad in Russia. They wanted to demolish it. Then they started to use it for their meetings. Lenin and Stalin both gave speeches there. The operas that were performed had to be ones that did not criticize the Soviet Union in any way
A guild is an association of craftspeople or merchants who control the practice of their craft in a town.
Many groups of people started as guilds, including scholars, and religious guilds. Many modern organisations, like universities, started as guilds. However, the basic idea of a guild was to control the training and practice of a trade or business. In Europe, guilds were given authority by the monarch. New young members had to serve as apprentices to a master for a certain length of time (such as seven years). At the end they became full members of the guild, and could set up on their own, and take apprentices of their own. That is the way the European world worked up to and including the first part of the 20th century.
There were guilds of weavers and dyers in the wool trade, of masons and architects in the building trade. There were guilds of painters, blacksmiths, bakers, butchers, and so on. The Corporation of the City of London includes the "livery companies". These companies were originally guilds. The senior members of the livery companies choose the Lord Mayor of London, the sheriffs and certain other officers.
Guilds were common in the cities of the Middle Ages. After that, around 1700 to 1800 their influence lessened somewhat. Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Adam Smith were much opposed to the idea of guilds. They believed that guilds hindered economic development and free trade.
Delara Darabi
Delara Darabi (; September 29, 1986 - May 1, 2009) was a Iranian girl, who was sentenced to death at age of 17. She was convicted of murder, despite her highly probably innocence and was executed by hanging.
Her case has raised controversy for number a reasons:
Delara's sentence was upheld by Iran's Supreme Court. The only person who could commute the sentence is Iranian Head of Judiciary, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi.
In January 2007, Delara attempted to commit suicide.
Darabi was kept in Rasht Prison. According to her family and attorney, she was severely beaten by prison guards and fellow prisoners and left with a broken arm. Conditions in prison were extremely poor, leading Delara to repeatedly file requests to be transferred to another prison with better sanitary and overall conditions. Her requests were not answered.
Darabi was also a talented painter, poet and pianist. Her paintings were exhibited in Tehran and, recently, in Amsterdam.
She was executed May 1, 2009.
There was a petition online to save Darabi. A similar petition was started by Miss Canada 2003 Nazanin Afshin-Jam for another Iranian minor, Nazanin Fatehi, who was also sentenced to death. After worldwide attention and over 350,000 signatures Nazanin Fatehi was finally found innocent and freed. Amnesty International has also made many public statements and a letter campaign about Darabi.
She was born in city of Rasht (Province of Gilan), where she was a high-school student before her arrest. She had three sisters: Elaheh (21-year old), Ghazale (19) and Sheida (8). Elaheh and Ghazale are college students.
Her sisters were also born in Rasht.
Freestyle football
Freestyle football is a sport played by one person by kicking a football. Freestyle football is a new sport, which has become more popular in recent years.
To play freestyle football, one needs skill to keep the ball off the ground. This is done by juggling the ball with one's feet. Many people can do this well. At the same time, they can add in more difficult tricks. The most famous trick is called 'around the world'. There are five or more different ways of doing 'around the world'. Freestyle football can be played anywhere, such as in the street or a park.
Croydon is a large town in Greater London, southern England in the United Kingdom. It is south of London and is part of the London Borough of Croydon.
The town grew up from Anglo-Saxon times around a palace belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1276 the archbishop allowed a weekly market to take place nearby and this date is taken as the founding of the town. The town grew in the eighteenth century as a stage coach stop on the way to the popular seaside town of Brighton from London. In the nineteenth century railways put the town only 15 minutes from London by fast train and it grew 23 times in terms of the number of people living there between 1801 and 1901.
Croydon is well known for having many places to go shopping, which includes two shopping centres called Centrale and the Whitgift Centre. A third one called Park Place is planned. Croydon has been rated the 20 best shopping area in the UK. It is also well known for holding a lot of offices for companies to let. The council wants to keep Croydon a big town by building more offices and entertainment facilities so a new place called the Croydon Gateway is planned. Purley Way, just west of Croydon, is a large retail park area which has many shops like Comet (which went in admin in 2012), Sainsbury's, McDonald's, IKEA, Argos, M&S, Boots along with a cinema and bowling alley.
Croydon is very easy to get to. There is a large bus station on the edge of Croydon, and three railway stations called East Croydon, West Croydon, and South Croydon.
Croydon is also served by Tramlink, a tram system, the only tram system in all of Greater London. It is the place where all four routes meet. They go to places like Elmers End and Beckenham in Bromley to the east, Wimbledon and Mitcham in Merton to the west, and Addington and Addiscombe to the south.
Addington
Addington is a village in the London Borough of Croydon in south London. Addington is home to many historical sites in Croydon, like Croydon Palace and the Addington Palace. St Mary's Church is also in Addington and is known for the cross commemorating five archbishops in the foreground. Before the tram system was introduced in 2000 connections to the town were very short with only a few buses to Croydon.
New Addington is a town close by to Addington. Once there was only one school in the village and all the children went to it, now that school has been demolished.
The modern Flag of The Republic of India has three colours, which are placed horizontally. At the top is saffron, which signifies sacrifice and patriotism. In the middle is white, which stands for truth in word and actions and purity in our thoughts. At the bottom is green, which stands for life and prosperity. In the middle of the white is a blue wheel, which is called the Ashoka Chakra. It has 24 spokes and it stands for progress.The Chakra or the wheel also symbolizes the Power of the State governed by Dharma. It is also called the tiranga or tricolour. The flag was discovered by Venkayya Pingali.
Gandhi first in 1921, Congress spoke of their flag. The flag Pingali Venkayya, who had designed. There were two colours, red for the Hindus, and green for Muslims. Was in the middle of a cycle. For the other religions in the white paint was added. A few days before Independence, the Constituent Assembly national modified. The spinning wheel replaced by the Ashok Chakra Lee. The new flag of the country's second President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan explained again.
The national flag of India the top band of Saffron color, indicating the strength and courage of the country. The strip between the white is a symbol of peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The lower green stripe fertility, growth and auspiciousness of the land exhibits. Built on the white strip cycle menstrual cycle says. Wheel of Dharma wheel of the law that says the third century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka built the Sarnath Temple was taken from. The Chakra intends to show that this is life in movement and death in stagnation.
Are estimated using the following transfer in Indian flag colors. In flag saffron, white, green and blue colors that HTML Arljilbi and Web colors in the (hexadecimal notation); CMYK equivalent; Dye color and Penton equal number.
Trevor Royle, The Last Days of the Raj, Cornet Books, Hodder and Stoughton, London, pg. 217)
Coat of arms of India
The Indian Emblem of India is the symbol of the Republic of India, formally called 'National emblem'. It has four lions. The idea for this coat of arms was taken from the Sarnath Lion Capital that was built by Indian emperor Ashoka. It's a pillar in the city of Sarnath. Ashoka built it around 250 BC using a single piece of polished sandstone. The symbol is invariably used on all types of currency notes, passports and coins of India. In the two dimensional view of this symbol, one can see 3 heads (the fourth being hidden from view). It was adopted on 26 January 1950, the day that India became a republic.
The lions represent royalty and pride.
The wheel beneath the lions is called the Ashoka Chakra or Dharmachakra comes from Buddhism, representing Truth and Honesty. The horse and the bull probably stand for the Strength (Mental) of the people of India. There are four Ashoka Chakras in total around the emblem and two horses and bulls each.
The verse written below, Satyamev Jayate is a very popular and revered saying in the ancient language Sanskrit. It can be divided phonetically into three words - Satyam, which means truth, Ev or aev, that is, only and Jayate which means wins or won. The whole verse can be translated as, 'Only (the one who speaks) the truth will win or wins.' This verse describes the power of honesty and truth in society and religion. You can lie to your friends, family, but you cannot lie to God and yourself. Your conscience will forever be stained.
The verse can also be translated as 'The truth alone triumphs'. Meaning that even after all the lies and deceptions with which we have been fooled, the truth will finally emerge victorious.
Spanish Wikipedia
The Spanish Wikipedia (In Spanish: "Wikipedia en Español") is a Spanish-language edition of Wikipedia. Started in May 2001, it is the 9th-largest Wikipedia by article count. The Spanish Wikipedia has about articles.
Crystal Palace is a place and former site of a landmark in London, England. The town is between the London Boroughs of Croydon, Bromley, Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham.
The town is home of the Crystal Palace television mast, a large aerial which receives television and radio signals so that people in London can hear or see the channels. The Croydon Transmitter was also put in Crystal Palace, so if something went wrong with the Crystal Palace Ariel this one could take over.
The space used to hold The Crystal Palace, a large building made mostly out of glass. It was called The Great Exhibition of 1851 and used to be in Hyde Park, but the palace was moved to Crystal Palace in 1854. People went to it for over seven decades. Sydenham Hill, where the Crystal Palace was, is one of the highest locations in London and the size of the palace made it easy to see from Central London. This led to the area around the building becoming known as Crystal Palace instead of Sydenham Hill. The palace was destroyed by fire on the 30 November 1936 and the site of the building and its grounds are now known as Crystal Palace Park and include an olympic sized swimming pool.
Crystal Palace Park is a large park in Crystal Palace, which is known across South London, mainly for the statues of the dinosaurs. There is also a stadium used for national athletics and a large sports centre.
There is no town centre in Crystal Palace, as most of the area is covered by homes, although many people confuse Upper Norwood town centre (which has a Sainsbury's in it) as Crystal Palace. Anerley is also close by. There is a bus station on Crystal Palace Parade and there is a train station in Crystal Palace for Central London and Croydon.
Al-Askari mosque
Al-`Askarī or the `Askariyya Mosque/Shrine (Arabic: مرقد الامامين علي الهادي والحسن العسكري; transliterated: "Marqad al-Imāmayn `Alī l-Hādī wa l-Ħassan al-`Askarī") is a Shī`a Muslim holy site. It is in the Iraqi city of Samarra. Samara is 60 miles from Baghdad. It is one of the most important Shīite mosques in the world. It was built in 944. Its dome was destroyed in February 2006 (see al-`Askarī Mosque Bombing).
The remains of the tenth and eleventh Shī`a Imāms, `Alī l-Hādī and his son Hassan al-`Askarī, known as "the two "`Askarī"s" ("al-`Askariyyān"), rest at the shrine. It stands next to a shrine to the Twelfth or "Hidden" Imām, Muħammad al-Mahdī. The `Askariyya Shrine is also known as the "Tomb or Mausoleum of the Two Imāms", "the Tomb of Imāms `Alī l-Hādī and Hassan al-`Askarī" and "al-Hadhratu l-`Askariyya".
Also buried inside the Mosque are the remains of Hakimah Khatun, sister of `Alī l-Hādī, and of Narjis Khatun, mother of Muħammad al-Mahdi.
"Time" magazine reported at the time of the 2006 al-Askari mosque bombing that “al-Askari [is] one of Shi'ite Islam's holiest sites. Only the shrines of Najaf and Karbala are more important. Even Samarra's Sunnis hold al-Askari in high esteem. The expression 'to swear by the shrine' is routinely used by both communities".
The Imāms `Alī l-Hādī (also known as "an-Naqī") and Hassan al-`Askarī lived under house arrest in the part of Samarra that had been Caliph al-Mu'tasim's military camp ("`Askaru l-Mu'tasim"). As a result, they are known as the "`Askariyyān" ("Dwellers in the Camp"). They died and were buried in their house on Abī Ahmad Street near the mosque built by Mu'tasim. A later tradition attributes their deaths to poison.
The shrine around their tombs was built in 944 by the Hamdanid governor Nasīr ad-Dawla. It became a focus for pilgrims. It was developed and rebuilt several times in following centuries, including, in particular, by Arslan al-Basasiri around 1053 and by Caliph an-Nasīr li-Dīn Allāh in 1209.
Nasir ad-Din Shah Qajar undertook the latest remodelling of the shrine in 1868, with the golden dome added in 1905. Covered in 72,000 gold pieces and surrounded by walls of light blue tiles, the dome was a dominant feature of the Samarra skyline. It was approximately 20 metres in diameter by 68 metres high.
On February 22, 2006, at 6:55 a.m. local time (0355 UTC) explosions occurred at the mosque. The explosions destroyed its golden dome and severely damaged the mosque. Several men, one wearing a military uniform, had earlier entered the mosque. They tied up the guards there and set explosives, which resulted in the blast. Two bombs were set off by five to seven men dressed as personnel of the Iraqi Special forces who entered the shrine during the morning.
At around 9 a.m. on 13 June 2007, suspected al-Qaeda people destroyed the two remaining 36m-high golden minarets flanking the dome's ruins. No fatalities were reported. Iraqi police have reported hearing "two nearly simultaneous explosions coming from inside the mosque compound at around 9 a.m." A report from state run Iraqia Television stated that "local officials said that two mortar rounds were fired at the two minarets."
Hathor was an Egyptian goddess. She was a cow goddess and was associated with the Milky Way. Hathor was the daughter of Ra.
There are still remains of Hathor's temple in Dendera, Egypt. Dendara was her most well known. Her temple is 37 miles away from Luxor. It is thought that the temple of Hathor was built and decorated between the second century B.C.E. and the first century C.E. It had two intricately designed columned halls with the head of the goddess Hathor engraved in to each of them. Additionally, several shrines were built on the flat roof of the temple. There was also an enclosed sacred lake where the priests and patients would bath in order to heal themselves and become pure. There was sacred treasure hidden in two underground rooms near the sanctuary. At her temple people would pray to her for good wealth. Overall, Hathor was a busy goddess, as were most of the other gods and goddesses.
In Egypt, Hathor was the goddess of love, beauty, dancing, music, and fertility. Hathor is one of the main goddesses. Hathor means "House of Horus". Before Hathor was the nice goddess she was the goddess of destruction. There was a myth that Ra ordered Hathor (Sekmet) to go out to eat the people. But days passed and Ra wanted Sekmet (Hathor) to stop but Sekmet was enjoying it. So Ra dyed beer red and scattered it all over the land. Sekmet saw it and thought it was the blood of the people she killed, so she drank it all and became drunk. After she slept for three days and woke up renewed, she didn't want to eat human flesh any more and became a new goddess, Hathor.
Hathor appeared in four different forms. In human form, Hathor had a cow head with two cow horns. She was represented as a cow because cows were highly valued animals. She wore a menat which was a special necklace. A menat is a heavy beaded necklace with a crescent shape in the front and a tall mushroom shaped piece in the back. In one of her animal forms, she was a cow with an ankh. An ankh was the symbol of life. Another of Hathor's animal forms was a fierce lion. Hathor's symbol was a cow with a sun disc. The ancient Egyptians drew her as the sky of the Milky Way. Hathor's titles include the Golden One, the Lady of Song, the Mistress of Maidens, and the Lady of the Sycamore. She had traveled to Greece from a horrible argument with the gods and goddesses, she was banished from the land, and she was so ashamed of herself, she became the goddess of beauty and love.
Hathor had a lot of power over Ancient Egyptians moods. Hathor had the power to bring laughter, happiness and joy. If she was far away the Egyptians mood would become miserable. Hathor very much enjoyed helping and changing others moods embracing them and loving them dearly. Hathor saw past the hell that was placed and granted Peace to all for eternity. Everyone then became their own Ptah.
Santorini is a Greek island. The capital is Thira. Santorini is 63 miles from the island of Crete. The total population is 13,600.
Santorini is considered an active volcano.
Human presences on the island seem to have existed since the middle of the 3rd millennium B.C. The excavations at Akrotiri have confirmed that human activity on the island continued until the eruption of the volcano around 1500 B.C, which entirely buried the island beneath very thick layers of pozzuolona. At that point, all traces of human activity vanished from the island until the end of the 13th century B.C.
According to Herodotus, the island was initially called Strongyle (the Round One). Then later, because of its beauty, it was named Kalliste (the Fairest One). The Phoenicians settled in Kalliste, and after the Phoenicians, the Lacedaemonians arrived and renamed the island after their leader, Theras. In the 9th century B.C. Thera, became an important stopping point of that era in the travel routes between the East and the West. The Phoenician alphabet was adopted at this time for writing in the Greek language. Interestingly though, the conservative Therans, did not follow the cultural development of their counterparts in the other Cycladic islands. At about 630 B.C the Therans reached the north coast of the African continent where they founded Cyrene, the only Theran colony. From as early on as the 6th century B.C. Thera had its own coinage. During the Classical period in Greece [5th and 4th century B.C.] Thera did not play any significant role in the events of that Hellenic time. During the Peloponesian War Thera sided with Sparta, as expected. In Hellenistic times the island's strategic position made Thera an important base for the war campaigns in the Aegean of the successors to Alexander the Great.
During the Roman Empire, Thera was little more than a small, insignificant island. However, when Christianity reached the island early, an organized church was established by the 4th century A.D. The island had neither political nor military significance in Byzantine times, although Alexius I Comnenus [1081 - 1118] founded the church of the Panagia Episkopi at Gonia. After the fall of Constantinople in the Fourth Crusade [1204], the Duchy of Naxos was founded and Thera became the seat of one of the four Catholic Bishops of the Duchy. The name Santorini was given at that time by the Crusaders, named after a small chapel of Agia Irini [Santa Irene] which some say was at Perissa and others say it was at Riva on Therasia.
In the years under Frankish rule [1207 - 1579], Santorini experienced the development of a thriving cotton cultivation and viticulture, but the island suffered as much from piratical raids as it did from the rivalries between the local Latin rulers as well as the Duke and the Sultan.
The Turkish dominion [1579 - 1821] resulted in the abolition of piracy and the development of international trade. The Santorinians created close contacts with the great harbours of the Eastern Mediterranean (Alexandria, Constantinople, Odessa) where they founded important communities.
In 1821, Santorini with its shipping power, took part in the fight for independence from the Turks, and in 1830, the island became part of the independent Greek state. Up until the beginning of the 20th century shipping, textiles, tomato production and viticulture were all flourishing markets, but the change from sail to steam-driven ships and the relocation of the island's factories to mainland Greece had a negative effect on the island's economy. After the 1956 earthquake there was a huge decrease in the population resulting in an economic catastrophe. Towards the end of the 1970s however, tourism began to develop, bringing economic relief to the island.
The present-day crescent shape of the island is a consequence of the activity of the volcano in prehistoric times. The island itself owes its very existence to the volcano.
The last huge eruption of the volcano dates back 3,600 years, to the late Bronze Age. Thirty million cubic meters of lava in the form of pumice and ash were blown to a height of up to 36 kilometers above the island. Pumice deposits, dozens of meters thick, buried one of the most prosperous pre-historic settlements of that period, feeding the myth of the lost Atlantis.
The mild activity of the volcano after this major eruption continues into the present (the most recent eruption occurred in 1950) building up two small islands within the caldera, Palea and Nea Kameni. These islands represent the volcano's most recent activity.
The marvelous dry climate and continuous sunshine create year around conditions which are perfect for observation, photographs and videos under an extraordinary variety of natural lights and colours that give the visitor the exceptional advantage of reaching the interior of the volcano by boat.
Since the 1st of January 2002, the Euro (EUR) is the currency of Greece. Notes in circulation are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euro while coins are in denominations of 1 euro, 2 euro, 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents and 20 cents. A currency converter is available here.
The banks on Santorini are open 8.00 am-2.30 pm Monday to Thursday and 8.00 am-2.00 pm on Friday. ATMs are available in almost all villages on Santorini. Most accept Visa and MasterCards as well as debit cards of internationally recognised networks.
The electricity supply in Greece is alternating current, 220-250 volts, 50 cycles. Appliances for 110 or 120 volts may be operated by using step down transformers of 220 - 250/110 volts connected to each outlet.
Bottled water is recommended for drinking. Tap water can be used for washing, bathing and cleaning your teeth. In the area of Oia the tap water that comes from the local desalination plant is drinkable.
There is a taxi stand in the square of Fira. Taxi fares are based on a catalogue issued by the Ministry of Transport, and not based on the taxi's meter. KTEL buses carry out daily bus routes to almost all destinations. The KTEL terminal is also in the square of Fira next to the taxis.
ELTA is the official name of the postal service and their colours are blue and yellow. The main postal offices on Santorini are in Fira, Emporio and Oia. Postal agencies are in Pyrgos, Kamari and Perissa. Mailboxes are available in all the villages of Santorini. A standard letter or postcard less than 20 grams sent anywhere in Europe or abroad costs €0.65 (as per April 2007). Courier services are also available.
Most hotels provide internet access for their guests. Internet cafés are available mostly in Fira.
Santorini National Airport,an airport that serves as both military and civil airport, is north of the village of Kamari. The airlines that run here include Olympic Air and Aegean Airlines. To get to and from the airport you can use buses, taxis, hotel car-pickups and rental cars.
Samarra
Sāmarrā () is a town in Iraq. It is on the east bank of the Tigris in the Salah ad Din Governorate, 125 km north of Baghdad. In 2003, the town had an estimated population of 348,700 people.
Samarra is a city of culture and heritage. Samarra is home to the Malwiya Mosque Minerat. People from Samarra are known for looking different in physical appearance to other Iraqis. They tend to have lighter skin, hair, eyes and have more caucasian looking characteristics.
Holy See
The Holy See (Latin: "Sancta Sedes", "holy seat") is the office of the Bishop of Rome, that is, the Pope.
The term Holy See also means the Pope and the Roman Curia, the central government of the Roman Catholic Church.
Every episcopal see is seen as holy and the Eastern Orthodox Church constantly applies the adjective "holy" or "sacred" () to all its sees, but "the Holy See" (definite singular) normally means the see of Rome, which is also called "the Apostolic See". While "Apostolic See" can refer to any see founded by any of the Apostles, the term is in this case used to refer to the see of the bishop seen as successor of the chief of the Apostles, Saint Peter.
Aside from Rome, the archiepiscopal See of Mainz, which was also of electoral and primatial rank, is the only other Western see that bears the title of "Holy See", although this usage is less common.
The Pope governs the Church through the Roman Curia. The Roman Curia consists of the Secretariat of State, nine Congregations, three Tribunals, 11 Pontifical Councils, and a complex of offices that administer church affairs at the highest level. The Secretariat of State, under the Cardinal Secretary of State, directs and coordinates the Curia. The current incumbent, Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, is the Holy See's equivalent of a prime minister. Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary of the Section for Relations With States of the Secretariat of State acts as the Holy See's foreign minister. Bertone and Mamberti have been named in their respective roles under by Pope Benedict XVI in September 2006.
Among the most active of the major Curial institutions are the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which oversees church doctrine; the Congregation for Bishops, which coordinates the appointment of bishops worldwide; the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, which oversees all missionary activities; and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, which deals with international peace and social issues.
The Holy See is especially active in international organizations and is a member of the following groups:
The Holy See is also a permanent observer of the following groups:
The Holy See is an observer on an informal basis of the following groups:
The Holy See sends a delegate to the Arab League in Cairo. It is also a guest of honour to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The Holy See, not the Vatican City, maintains diplomatic relations with states (such as with the United Kingdom), and participates in international organizations. Foreign embassies are accredited to the Holy See, not to the Vatican City, and it is the Holy See that establishes treaties and concordats with other sovereign entities. When necessary, the Holy See will enter a treaty on behalf of the Vatican City.
Under the terms of the Lateran Treaty, the Holy See has extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Rome and five Italian sites outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo.
The same authority is extended under international law over the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See in a foreign country.
The Tigris is a river in the Middle East. It is the eastern of two rivers that define Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia literally means "(the land) between the rivers". The other river is called Euphrates. The source of the river is in the Taurus mountains in Turkey. From there, it flows through Northern Kurdistan in Turkey and forms part of the border between Turkey and Syria. The remainder is in Iraq.
The river is 1,900 kilometres (1,181 miles) long. It comes together with the Euphrates in the Shatt-al-Arab (which is called Arvand Rud in Persian). The Shatt-al-Arab flows into the Persian Gulf. The river had an important role in the development of civilization, as early farmers used water from the river to water their crops and produce more food.
Tawaret
In ancient Egyptian mythology, Tawaret (also "Taweret) "was the demon-wife of Apep, the first god of evil. She was often shown as a hippopotamus. Because female hippos are aggressive to protect their young, pregnant women wore amulets of Tawaret to protect their pregnancies.
Tawaret was a very popular goddess in the first Dynasty. She was, overall, the goddess who protected women during childbirth and pregnancy. In ancient Egypt, it was believed that if you wanted to live through childbirth it was necessary to pray to Tawaret.
Apep
Apep (also spelled Apepi, and Aapep, or Apophis in Greek) in Egyptian mythology was an evil demon. He was associated with darkness and chaos. He was often shown as a snake.
Apep's name was often incorrectly defined as he who was "spat out". It was said that he had been formed by Neith, who had been the goddess of the ancient waters in the Ennead, from a length of spit she had spat at Nu, the god of the ancient waters in the Ogdoad. Some subsequent commentators speculated that Apep must have been an earlier creator, and chief god, thus explaining why he had so much anger towards Ra.
It was believed that Ra (the sun) each night passed into Duat and then battled with Apep, always winning except for certain days in which Ra is momentarily devoured, what the Egyptians saw as an eclipse.
Instead of being worshipped he was done the exact opposite and spat upon. Models would be made of wax and clay and then burnt, spat upon, and defaced.
Apep was a fifty foot long snake. He was black, orange, and a little bit green. Apep was very strong. He symbolized darkness, storms, night, the underworld and death. Ramses sixth tomb depicted him, having nine heads, representing the souls he killed.
In some depictions he is shown being attacked by a cat. The cat represents Bast, the goddess of cats. Bast was Ra's 'Guardian', so to speak. Bast's job was to protect Ra on his trips through the Duat every night. this is how he became the physical description
Ville Valo
Prefix notation
Prefix notation is a mathematical notation. It is a way to write down equations and other mathematical formulae. Prefix notation is also known as "Polish notation". The notation was invented by Jan Łukasiewicz in 1920. He wanted to simplify writing logic equations.
When prefix notation is used, no grouping elements (like parenthesis) are needed.
With prefix notation, the function is noted before the arguments it operates on.
Some CASIO calculators use prefix notation. Some programming languages that were influenced by lambda calculus, like LISP, use prefix notation.
Nephthys
Nephthys was a goddess with wide power and capacity, and she was often referred to as "The Excellent Goddess."
She could also be dangerous, able to kill the enemies of the king with her fiery breath. In this capacity, she was considered a protector of the king. Nephthys was not only a goddess of death, decay, and darkness but also a magician with great healing powers. <br>
Nephthys has a central role in the popular myths of Osiris; it is her magical powers that helps to resurrect his body, as well as to protect and nurture Horus while he is a child.<br>
She is in some contexts presented as a protector of the dead, in other as protecting the baboon-headed Hapi, one of the 4 canopic jars.<br>
In the Late Period, she became linked with the goddess, Anuket.