title: Nintendo DSi

text: Because of the DSi's additions to the DS Lite design, critics recommended the console to those who had not purchased a previous DS model. Pete Metzger of the "Los Angeles Times" considered the DSi to be "more like version 2.5 than a total reboot", but called its new features "worthwhile additions to an already great product." Gladstone gave the DSi a score of 75/100, and said that Nintendo "puts in smart nips and tucks to its already-svelte handheld while adding a raft of useful multimedia features." Harris and Lowe defined the console's hardware redesign as "evolutionary", rather than "revolutionary". After the DSi was unveiled, Goldman Sachs analyst Matthew J. Fassler called the DSi Shop a "tangible early threat" to big-box stores and retailers. Martin believed that the cameras and DSi Shop did not justify purchasing the DSi at launch, but, in line with the general consensus, saw potential in future software for the console.


title: Nintendo DSi

text: Douglas Rankine of "Wired UK" and McKinley Noble of "GamePro" thought previously existing Nintendo DS games were revitalized with the Nintendo DSi XL's larger screens; games like "Scribblenauts" and "The World Ends with You" benefited from increased touchscreen precision and increased legibility of text, respectively. CVG's Mike Jackson argued that the bigger screens, which made its unchanged resolution blockier, would probably be less noticeable to the older demographic for which the XL is undoubtedly designed. However, Jackson and IGN's Scott Lowe and Chris Burke agreed its clear and vivid colors considerably compensated for its unchanged resolution. Carol Mangis of "PC Magazine" thought families looking to share a handheld between members should consider a DSi XL, but the larger screens were not enough of an incentive for current DSi owners to upgrade. Lowe, Burke, Jackson, and Bakalar concluded the larger DSi model is not an essential upgrade; Jackson explained "if you tend not to carry it out with you, and only ever tend to use it at home, then the DSi XL is the better choice".


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: JSC Kalashnikov Concern (), known until 2013 as the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant (), is a Russian defense manufacturing concern and joint-stock company headquartered in the city of Izhevsk in the Republic of Udmurtia as well as the capital city of Moscow. The concern designs and produces a wide range of civilian and military weapons including assault rifles, sniper rifles, designated marksman rifles, machine guns, squad automatic weapons, hunting rifles, shotguns, guided artillery projectiles, and a wide range of other precision weapons including remote controlled weapon stations, unmanned vehicles and military robots.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: The Kalashnikov Concern produces about 95% of all small arms in Russia and supplies to more than 27 countries around the world, making it the largest firearm manufacturer in Russia. Notable products include the Kalashnikov (AK) assault rifle series, the RPK light machine gun series, the Dragunov SVD semi-automatic sniper rifle, the SKS semi-automatic carbine, the Makarov PM pistol, the Saiga-12 shotgun, and the submachine guns Vityaz-SN and PP-19 Bizon. These firearms, except for the SVD, SKS and the PM, were based on the famous AK series, due to its reliability to endure harsh conditions, low production costs, availability in nearly every geographical region, and ease of use.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: As of 2018, 26% of the Concern's shares belong to Rostec, while 74% of the company belongs to private investors (Alexey Krivoruchko, Andrei Bokarev and Nikolaos i. Panagogiannopoulos).


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: The Concern contains three firearm brands: "Kalashnikov" (combat and civilian weapons), "Baikal" (hunting and civilian guns), and "Izhmash" (sporting rifles). The concern is developing new business lines that include remote weapon stations, unmanned aerial and ground vehicles, and multi-functional special-purpose boats.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: An armory in the city of Izhevsk was established by the order of the Emperor of All Russia Alexander I on 10 June 1807 and Andrey Deryabin, the chief mining engineer of the city's iron works, was put in charge with both construction and operation. Architect Semyon Emelianovich Dudin and Deryabin both developed a general long-term plan of further complex growth of the armory. The armory would be located at the bank of the Izh River, mainly due to the proximity of iron works, which immediately solved all the raw material supply problems.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: Deryabin employed Russian and Udmurtian plowmen living in the city. At that time, plowmen were to migrate to the armory and work there. Settlements nearby were released from this rule, but had to provide the armory with wagons, horses and harnessing. Deryabin also hired foreign armory specialists to guide the Russian craftsmen. In 1807, the Armory produced 7 long guns, 5 pair of pistols, and 6 backswords.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: The first weapons developed by the armory were the No. 15 17.7mm muskets, produced in the autumn of 1807. In 1808, the musket was later mass-produced for infantry equipping. The plant supplied the Imperial Russian Army with over 6,000 of the No. 15 17.7mm muskets. The armory also produced rifles, muskets, carbines, and flint blunderbusses for cavalry in 1809. The venture also produced pistols and gun parts and remelted trophy weapons. Firearms were produced at a rapid pace for the Russian Army during the Napoleonic Wars, mainly in the French invasion of Russia, even though construction of the armory had not been finished yet. During the first four years, the factory produced 2,000 long guns. In 1814, the output grew up to 10,000 guns and almost 2,500 backswords. By 1830, the armory achieved the desired annual output of 25,000 long guns and 5,000 backswords.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: Ten stone plants, several wooden constructions and a towered main building for the armory were erected in 1811–1816. By 1817, construction of the main armory building had been finished. It had 4 floors and was one of the first multistory industrial buildings in Russia. The manufacturing process was multilevel: it began with rough preparatory works (at lower floors) and finished with assembly of arms (at higher floors).


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: Starting in the 1830s, the armory started manufacturing "Gartung" short rifles, "Phalis" breech-loading rifles, and boarding guns for the Baltic Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy. In 1835, the armory transferred cold steel production of swords and lances to Zlatoust, focusing mainly on firearm production. In 1844, the armory started upgrading current guns into more rapid firing percussion muskets. The armory also started using the caplock mechanism for its products in 1845. During the Crimean War, Izhevsk supplied the Russian Imperial Army with 130,000 rifles, with a third of them grooved. By 1857, 50 years after the creation of the armory, over 670,000 flintlock firearms, over 220,000 percussion firearms, over 58 thousand rifles, as well as a plentiful number of swords and lances were produced.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: In 1867, the armory was reorganized into a lease and a private commercial enterprise. At this time, the armory was retrofitted and equipped with steam-engines, new machines, and an open-hearth furnace. This allowed the armory to produce more breech-loading weapons for the Russian Imperial Army, notably the "Krnk" and "Berdan" type rifles. The Berdan rifle was the most widely produced firearm at the plant during the time as well, indirectly allowing Russia to approach the European industrial empires' level of armaments.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: By 1870, production rate at the armory exceeded both the armories of Tula and Sestroretsk. Later, when the methods of high-quality steel production were well mastered, Izhevsk became the source of gun barrels and barrel receivers for Russian plants. For example, armory enterprises in Tula used annually up to 360,000 barrels from the armory at Izhevsk. In 1884, the plant was later returned to the state and became Izhevsk Gun and Steel Factories (IGSF). In 1885, IGSF started manufacturing hunting weapons and tools. In 1891, IGSF started mass-producing the Mosin–Nagant rifle. The IGSF also started using DC generators to produce electricity to illuminate the plant as well as to power the machines. The IGSF was the only Russian enterprise that produced firearms for all branches of the Russian military. Thanks to the IGSF, Izhevsk became a large industrial center in Russia.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: During the First World War, IGSF supplied the Imperial Russian Army with over 1.4 million new rifles and approximately 188,000 remelted shoulder weapons. Prior to the Russian Revolution, the IGSF took leading positions of the Russian defense industry in terms of manufacturing and manpower capacity. By 1917, about 34,000 people worked at IGSF. In 1918, a design bureau was established in the IGSF.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: After the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922, large changes came to the IGSF. The state's first hunting gun factory was opened on the enterprise's premises in the same year. The IGSF required more highly trained personnel in order to accommodate new production and to work on newer machines. Thus, by 1929, IGSF-bound personnel had to be trained at the Izhevsk Technical School. In 1930, a new open-hearth furnace was put into operation and in-house production of machines at the factory was launched.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: More re-organization took place in the 1930s, including the conversion of the IGSF into a Chief Designer Bureau, as well as the adoption and production of several new models of firearms: a modified Mosin–Nagant rifle design of 1891/1930, the battle rifle AVS-36, made by Sergei Simonov, and the SVT-38 self-loading rifle and the TT pistol, made by Fedor Tokorev. This gave rise to a flow line method of production. In 1938, the conveyor belt was implemented into the assembly of gun barrels and other parts, greatly increasing the production rate of firearms for the Soviet Army. In 1933, a New Design Bureau, "BNK", was established at the factory to develop and modify firearms. Today, the bureau is named the "Armory Design Center" (KOC). In the bureau's lifetime, about 300 models of small-arms, air ordnance, sport, hunting weapons, and other types of equipment were developed, most of which was in series production at the plant. In 1939, the main plant of the IGSF, Plant No. 180,was split into two independent enterprises: Metallurgical Plant No. 71 and Engineering Plant No. 74, which manufactured weapons. Engineering Plant No. 74 would later be renamed the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant, or simply, Izhmash.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: During World War II, Engineering Plant No. 74 served as the main firearm manufacturer for the Soviet Armed Forces. Since Operation Barbarossa left the Soviet Union in a very desperate position, the plant produced as many firearms as it was physically capable of, more firearms than its lifespan for 92 years prior. From 1941 to 1942, the plant set up mass production of Vasily Degtyarev's PTRD anti-tank rifle, Sergei Simonov's PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle, the Berezin UB aircraft machine gun armament, the 37mm Shpitalny Sh-37 and Nudelman-Suranov NS-37 aircraft guns, and sniper rifles with optic sights, along with the TT pistol and the Nagant M1895 revolver. A total of 11,450,000 rifles and carbines were produced in the plant, exceeding all the combined German firearm manufacturers' outputs of 10.3 million. Besides firearms, the plant also produced over 15,000 aircraft guns and over 130,000 anti-tank weapons.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: On 20 July 1942, Plant No. 622 separated itself from Plant No. 74, using equipment transferred from the evacuated mechanical plants at Tula and Podolsk. During the war, the plant manufactured more than 1 million pistols and 200,000 anti-tank rifles. Plant No. 622 would later be renamed as the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, or simply, Izhmekh.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: After World War II, the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant later recovered the production of its civilian arms and transportation. The plant also hired war veteran and ex-tank driver and mechanic, Mikhail T. Kalashnikov, after noticing his submachine gun design that gave him distinction as a gun designer. In 1947, Kalashnikov created his assault rifle, the 7.62×39mm AK-47. The AK-47 became the standard rifle of the Soviet Army in the same year, and later grew popular around the world. The AK-47 gave the plant fame and newer potential in the arms industry. The plant also created newer hunting weapons based out of the Mosin–Nagant rifle as well as sporting weapons. These sporting weapons helped the Soviet Union's team to win shooting competitions in European championships and the Summer Olympic Games numerous times.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: Kalashnikov later designed newer firearms: the AKM and the AK-74 assault rifle, the RPK light machine gun, and the PK belt-fed machine gun. These firearms helped contribute to greater firepower for the Soviet Army as well as numerous nations that had imported them. Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant gun designer Yevgeny Dragunov also help contribute to the plant's fame by creating his SVD sniper rifle. Designed in 1963 and based out of sporting rifles, the SVD became the squad support weapon for the Soviet Army in the same year as well as starting a new trend of semi-automatic sniper rifles.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Izhmash struggled with a decline in demand and competition with overseas firearm manufacturers. As a result, Izhmash created the Saiga semi-automatic rifle, and started producing the Tigr, a civilian version of the SVD which was created back in the 1970s, in batches. Izhmash also expanded to the Western market, which was extremely successful, especially with the Saiga. Izhmash also created two new sniper rifles, the SV-98 and the SV-99, which had a more enhanced fire precision than the regular SVD, for special units of the Russian Armed Forces.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: Despite the success, by 2008, Izhmash was composed of numerous enterprises that were on the verge of bankruptcy. The Russian state corporation, Rostekhnologii (Russian Technologies, now Rostec), revealed the poor state Izhmash was in by 2010. Only 32 companies of Izhmash were actually operating with a multi-level management system, high overheads and doubled up functions. The combined liability of Izhmash in early 2011 was ₽19 billion. The use of the existing modern equipment hardly exceeded 20%.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: As a result, Rostec took control of Izhmash and started restructuring and consolidating the company in 2011. According to Rostec, one of the objectives was to retain its research, industrial and human resources and turn Izhmash into a leading global small arms manufacturer. Izhmash was later reestablished through assets consolidation by 2012. As a result, there was a threefold increase in profits and a 10% cut in costs. In 2011, Izhmash increased the utilization rate of modern multipurpose equipment from 20% to 70%. The effect from the efforts to enhance production performance amounts to ₽100 million.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: On 13 August 2013, Izhmash and Izhmekh (formerly Izhevsk Mechanical Plant) merged, with the new concern named Kalashnikov Concern. Thanks to the merger, Kalashnikov Concern is Russia's largest and most important arms manufacturer.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: In July 2014, Kalashnikov Concern was sanctioned by the United States and the European Union as a result of the Russian annexation of Crimea and Russian military intervention in Ukraine. Since Europe and the United States were the largest customers of the concern's civilian firearms, the concern was forced to rethink its marketing strategy. The concern opened five new markets and started selling its civilian firearms to ten new foreign countries, which helped the concern make up for its losses.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: In the same year, Kalashnikov Concern has presented "Strategy 2020", which includes technical re-equipment and production modernization. When implemented, the project will qualitatively improve production technology and greatly reduce running costs and energy consumption while also improving working conditions and overall productivity.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: On 9 February 2017, Rostec's management board gave permission to transfer Kalashnikov Concern to private investors. As of now, Rostec owns 26% of the concern while private investors own 74%.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: JSC "Kalashnikov Concern" has its headquarters in city of Izhevsk and the Khamovniki District in the capital city of Moscow.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: On 9 February 2017, Rostec's management board gave permission to transfer Kalashnikov Concern to private investors. As of now, Rostec owns 51% of the concern while private investors own 49%.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: Vladimir Grodetsky, who headed Izhmash NPO since 1996 as general director left the bureau in 2011. He was later replaced by Maxim Kuzyuk, who left the bureau in June 2012. Alexander Kosov was later appointed as a temporary general director of the bureau from June to December. In December 2012, Konstantin Busygin was appointed general director of Izhmash. Busygin was later responsible for transformation of Izhmash and Izhmekh into the JSC "Kalashnikov" Concern, of which he became CEO.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: On 30 January 2014, Rostec's supervisory board approved the appointment of Alexei Krivoruchko, its new shareholder, as CEO of the Kalashnikov Concern, replacing Konstantin Busygin. He took up his duties on 31 January 2014. According to the interlocutor of the agency, since 2011, this is the fourth change of the general director at the enterprise.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: Although the arsenal was under construction in 1807, production of weapons immediately started: mainly long guns, pistols, and backswords. One notable long gun the arsenal made was the No. 15 17.7mm muskets, of which 6,000 of them were supplied to the Imperial Russian Army. The arsenal later manufactured rifles, muskets, carbines, and flint blunderbusses for cavalry in 1809. The venture also produced pistols and gun parts and remelted trophy weapons. Firearms were produced at a rapid pace for the Russian Army during the Napoleonic Wars, mainly in the French invasion of Russia, even though construction of the armory had not been finished yet. During the first four years, the factory produced 2,000 long guns. In 1814, the output grew up to 10,000 guns and almost 2,500 backswords. By 1830, the armory achieved the desired annual output of 25,000 long guns and 5,000 backswords.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: Starting in the 1830s, the armory started manufacturing "Gartung" short rifles, "Phalis" breech-loading rifles, and boarding guns for the Baltic Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy. In 1835, the armory transferred cold steel production of swords and lances to Zlatoust, focusing mainly on firearm production. In 1844, the armory started upgrading current guns into more rapid firing percussion muskets. The armory also started using the caplock mechanism for its products in 1845. During the Crimean War, Izhevsk supplied the Russian Imperial Army with 130,000 rifles, with a third of them grooved. By 1857, 50 years after the creation of the armory, over 670,000 flintlock firearms, over 220,000 percussion firearms, over 58 thousand rifles, as well as a plentiful number of swords and lances were produced. When the methods of high-quality steel production were well mastered, Izhevsk became the source of gun barrels and barrel receivers for Russian plants. For example, armory enterprises in Tula used annually up to 360,000 barrels from the armory at Izhevsk.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: In 1867, the armory was reorganized into a lease and a private commercial enterprise. At this time, the armory were renovated and it was equipped with steam-engines, new machines, and an open-hearth furnace. This allowed the armory to produce more breech-loading weapons for the Russian Imperial Army, notably the "Krnk" and "Berdan" type rifles. The Berdan rifle, designed by American firearm expert and inventor Hiram Berdan, became the standard issue rifle of the Imperial Russian Army in 1870. The Berdan rifle was the most produced firearm of the plant at the time as well, allowing Russia to approach the European industrial empires' level of armaments.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: In 1884, the plant was returned to the state and became Izhevsk Gun and Steel Factories (IGSF). In 1885, IGSF started manufacturing hunting weapons and tools. In 1891, IGSF started mass-producing the Mosin–Nagant bolt-action military rifle in a development of nine years, based on the design of the 1898 Mauser rifle (Gewehr 98) with new unique features such as a push feed recessed bolt head. In addition to being one of the most produced rifles in mass-produced military bolt-action rifles in history, the Nagant is also used in every war from the time it was developed to the modern day. The rifle was produced from both the Imperial period and the Soviet era, with military production concluded in 1965, but production for civilian use is continued to the modern day. In addition to the Mosin–Nagant rifle, Belgian industrialist Léon Nagant, who was a co-inventor of, developed the Nagant M1895 revolver. The revolver has a unique "gas-seal" system that provides a boost to muzzle velocity as well as make the weapon suppressed. The sidearm, like the Nagant rifle, was produced in the Soviet era as well, and was mass-produced and used widespread.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: On August 23, 2018, Kalashnikov Concern introduced a new electric car prototype, the CV-1. Its exterior design was based on the rare 1970s Soviet large family car IZh 2125 "Kombi". The range on one charge was claimed to be 350 km.


title: Kalashnikov Concern

text: Alongside the reveal of the CV-1, Kalashnikov also showed a prototype for the UV-4 4-door electric quadricycle, with a taxi variant being revealed in August 2019. The UV-4 was shown again in patent images later in November 2021, this time along with a 3-wheel, 2-door vehicle based on it.


title: Tom Noonan

text: Tom Noonan (born April 12, 1951) is an American actor, director, and screenwriter, best known for his roles as Francis Dolarhyde in "Manhunter" (1986), Frankenstein's Monster in "The Monster Squad" (1987), Cain in "RoboCop 2" (1990), The Ripper in "Last Action Hero" (1993), Sammy Barnathan in "Synecdoche, New York" (2008), Reverend Nathaniel in "Hell on Wheels" (2011–2014), the Pallid Man in "12 Monkeys" (2015–2018) and as the voice of everyone but the two main characters in "Anomalisa" (2015).


title: Tom Noonan

text: Noonan is also a writer and director of theatre and film. His debut feature film "What Happened Was" (1994) won the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and Screenwriting Award at the Sundance Film Festival.


title: Tom Noonan

text: Noonan was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, the son of Rita (McGannon), a mathematics teacher, and John Noonan Sr., a jazz musician and doctor of dental surgery. He had an older brother, John Ford Noonan, a playwright, and two sisters, Barbara and Nancy. Noonan was a very talented basketball player, and said "playing basketball is how I learned to perform in a lot of ways. It’s how I got interested in performing... I never acted as a kid. I never did school plays. I never acted until I was 27...you learn a lot when you’re in front of people and you’ve got a crowd going and you’re doing something that you love to do. A lot of the skills that you would need for acting come through that... It’s like a life and death struggle in front of people that you hope to impress."


title: Tom Noonan

text: Noonan started working in theatre (appearing in the original Off-Broadway production of Sam Shepard's play "Buried Child"), but in the 1980s he began working in film. At tall, Noonan's imposing presence is probably responsible for his tendency to be cast as menacing villains, as in "RoboCop 2", "Last Action Hero", "Manhunter", and "The Pledge". His height was used for comic effect in "The Moving Finger," the series finale of the horror anthology "Monsters" (several episodes of which he also directed and wrote).


title: Tom Noonan

text: In 1986, Noonan played Francis Dolarhyde, a serial killer who kills entire families, in Michael Mann's "Manhunter", the first movie to feature Hannibal Lecter. Another supporting role, and another collaboration with director Michael Mann was in 1995, as Kelso in "Heat". He also played the Frankenstein monster in "The Monster Squad". During the 1990s, he wrote various plays, including two that he made into movies, "What Happened Was..." (1994) and "The Wife" (1995). In the 2000s, Noonan appeared in various other movies, including a widely praised role as Sammy Barnathan in "Synecdoche, New York", Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut.


title: Tom Noonan

text: Noonan has also made numerous appearances in television series, including "The X-Files" (in the much-praised 1996 episode "Paper Hearts" that was written specifically for him), "", "", "Tales from the Darkside" and "" (in which he starred alongside William Petersen, who played his nemesis, Will Graham, in "Manhunter"), and Detective Victor Huntley in "Damages". He recently appeared on Blacklist as The Stew Maker, "Louie" as a doctor who takes the young Louie through the crucifixion in graphic anatomical detail. He also portrayed the Reverend Nathaniel Cole in the AMC original series "Hell on Wheels".


title: Tom Noonan

text: In 2015, Noonan voiced all of the supporting characters in Duke Johnson and Charlie Kaufman's stop-motion comedy-drama film "Anomalisa", for which he won the San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor.


title: Granola

text: Granola is a breakfast and snack food consisting of rolled oats, nuts, honey or other sweeteners such as brown sugar, and sometimes puffed rice, that is usually baked until crisp, toasted and golden brown. The mixture is stirred while baking to avoid burning and to maintain a loose breakfast cereal consistency. Dried fruit, such as raisins and dates, and confections such as chocolate are sometimes added. Granola is often eaten in combination with yogurt, honey, fresh fruit (such as bananas, strawberries or blueberries), milk or other forms of cereal. It also serves as a topping for various pastries, desserts or ice cream. Muesli is similar to granola, except that it is traditionally neither sweetened nor baked.


title: Granola

text: Granola is sometimes taken when hiking, camping, or backpacking because it is nutritious, lightweight, high in calories, and easy to store (properties that make it similar to trail mix and muesli). Manufacturers also add honey, corn syrup, or maple syrup to it and compress it into granola bars, which make it easy to carry for packed lunches, hiking, or other outdoor activities.


title: Granola

text: The names "Granula" and "Granola" were registered trademarks in the late 19th century United States for foods consisting of sweetened whole grain products crumbled and then baked until crisp. The name is now a trademark only in Australia and New Zealand, but is still more commonly called "muesli" there.


title: Granola

text: Granula was invented in Dansville, New York by Dr. James Caleb Jackson at the Jackson Sanitarium in 1863. The Jackson Sanitarium was a prominent health spa that operated into the early 20th century on the hillside overlooking Dansville. It was also known as Our Home on the Hillside; thus the company formed to sell Jackson's cereal was known as the Our Home Granula Company. Granula was composed of Graham flour and was similar to an oversized form of Grape-Nuts. A similar cereal was developed by John Harvey Kellogg. It too was initially known as Granula, but the name was changed to Granola to avoid legal problems with Jackson.


title: Granola

text: The food and name were revived in the 1960s, and fruits and nuts were added to it to make it a health food that was popular with the health and nature-oriented hippie movement. At the time, several people claim to have revived or re-invented granola.


title: Granola

text: Another major promoter was Layton Gentry, profiled in "Time" as "Johnny Granola-Seed". In 1964, Gentry sold the rights to a granola recipe using oats, which he claimed to have invented himself, to Sovex Natural Foods for $3,000. The company was founded in 1953 in Holly, Michigan by the Hurlinger family with the main purpose of producing a concentrated paste of brewers yeast and soy sauce known as "Sovex". Earlier in 1964, it had been bought by John Goodbrad and moved to Collegedale, Tennessee. In 1967, Gentry bought back the rights for west of the Rockies for $1,500 and then sold the west coast rights to Wayne Schlotthauer of Lassen Foods in Chico, California, for $18,000. Lassen was founded from a health food bakery run by Schlotthauer's father-in-law.


title: Granola

text: In 1969, during Woodstock, Lisa Law asked the festival organizers for $3,000 to buy, in New York City, rolled oats, bulgar wheat, wheat germ, dried apricots, currants, almonds, soy sauce, and honey to make muesli, volunteers fed circa 130,000 people with Dixie cups.<ref name="americanhistory.si.edu/lisalaw/7"></ref>


title: Granola

text: In 1972, an executive at Pet Milk, St. Louis, Missouri, introduced Heartland Natural Cereal, the first major commercial granola. At almost the same time, the Quaker Oats Company introduced Quaker 100% Natural Granola. Quaker was threatened with legal action by Gentry, and they subsequently changed the name of their product to Harvest Crunch. Within a year, Kellogg's had introduced its "Country Morning" granola cereal and General Mills had introduced its "Nature Valley". In 1974, McKee Baking (later McKee Foods), makers of Little Debbie snack cakes, purchased Sovex. In 1998, the company also acquired the Heartland brand and moved its manufacturing to Collegedale. In 2004, Sovex's name was changed to "Blue Planet Foods".


title: Granola

text: Granola bars (or muesli bars) have become popular as a snack, similar to the traditional flapjack familiar in the British Isles and Newfoundland. Granola bars consist of granola mixed with honey or other sweetened syrup, pressed and baked into a bar shape, resulting in the production of a more convenient snack. Granola bars are always individually packaged in a sealed pouch, even when a box of multiple bars is purchased. This enables people to place the packaged bar in a purse, backpack or another bag for consumption at a later point. The product is most popular in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, parts of southern Europe, Brazil, Israel, South Africa, and Japan.


title: Granola

text: Jayne Hurley, a senior nutritionist who works for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, states that granola bars are "not health food" and "[t]hey're basically cookies masquerading as health food". Compared to a Kit Kat chocolate bar, per weight, a peanut butter Nature Valley granola bar contains similar amounts of calories and fat, and significantly more sodium but half the sugar.


title: Granola

text: Matzo granola is a breakfast food eaten by Jewish people during the holiday of Passover. It consists of broken up matzo pieces in place of oats. Many variations are possible by adding other ingredients.


title: BTR-90

text: BTR-90 (GAZ-5923) () is an 8×8 wheeled armored personnel carrier developed in Russia, designed in 1993 and first shown publicly in 1994. It is a larger version of the BTR-80 vehicle, fitted with a BMP-2 turret. Armour protection is improved compared with the BTR-80, giving protection from 14.5 mm projectiles over the frontal arc.


title: BTR-90

text: It is armed with a 2A42 30 mm auto cannon, a coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun, an AT-5 Spandrel ATGM, as well as an AGS-17D 30 mm automatic grenade launcher. Limited numbers have been produced and are in service with Russian Internal Troops.


title: BTR-90

text: In October 2011, the Ministry of Defence refused to buy the BTR-90 and did not include them in the list of the state program of armament until 2020, and waived exports for the BTR-90.


title: BTR-90

text: Subsequently, the Russian army chose to assemble a large number of BTR-82A. The combat effectiveness has already increased significantly, and it is derived from the BTR-80. The development cost for BTR-82A is omitted and the production cost is cheaper, making the less advanced BTR-90 even less likely to change its fate. The 2015 Moscow Victory Parade exposed the next-generation VPK-7829 Bumerang wheeled armored vehicle, and officially announced that the BTR-90 program could no longer be resurrected.


title: BTR-90

text: The development of the BTR-90 was carried out at the Arzamas Machine Building Plant (AMZ), a subsidiary of the Military Industrial Company. Development commenced in the early 1990s, with the first prototype completed and displayed to the public in 1994. The vehicle was intended to be used by mechanized units of the Russian army, as well as marine units of the Russian Navy, as a vehicle for providing fire support, transportation of personnel, surveillance, reconnaissance, and patrolling tasks. A wide range of vehicles suiting various requirements can be developed on the basis of the BTR-90 chassis.


title: BTR-90

text: The vehicle is designed to be highly mobile and maneuverable in all terrain, while providing a high level of protection for its crew and passengers. The BTR-90 is fitted with a gun turret identical to the one used on the BMP-2.


title: BTR-90

text: The BTR-90 has a pointed nose, somewhat similar to that of the LAV-25. The hull is made of welded steel armour plate, and is slightly larger and higher than the BTR-80, from which it is developed.


title: BTR-90

text: A turbo charged, liquid cooled, multi-fuel diesel engine is used, which can develop 510 bhp. The vehicle has eight-wheel drive and has an automatic reversible hydro mechanical transmission, which is capable of providing different speeds to each side of the vehicle. It has duplicated electrical and compressed air engine start systems. The wheels are utilized with independent torsion-bar suspension and the traverse arms have high capacity telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers.


title: BTR-90

text: Communication equipment installed in the BTR-90 include an R-163-50U radio set for external communications, an R-163UP receiver, and an R-174 intercom device for communication between the crew members.


title: BTR-90

text: The commander and gunner are accommodated in a fighting compartment in the turret. This compartment houses a BPK-3-42 gunner's day/night sight and a 1P-13 commander's optical sight. Optionally, a BPK-M thermal imaging sight can be fitted in this compartment as the gunner's sight.


title: BTR-90

text: The driver is located somewhat to the middle of the hull, just in front of the turret. The troop compartment is located behind the driver's position and the turret. The engine compartment is at the rear of the hull.


title: BTR-90

text: Hatches are provided on the top of the turret and hull, and side doors are available on the middle of the vehicle. These are designed to allow quick dismounting and boarding of troops even while the vehicle is on the move.


title: BTR-90

text: The eight wheels are located as two sets, with two pairs at the front of the hull and two pairs at the rear. Split side doors are located between these two sets of wheels. The two forward pairs of wheels are utilized with power steering.


title: BTR-90

text: The BTR-90 is capable of achieving a maximum speed of 100 km/h, and has cross-country driving ability comparable to that of tracked vehicles, with an average speed of 50 km/h.


title: BTR-90

text: The vehicle is fully amphibious and can negotiate water obstacles without any preparation. Two water jet propellers power the vehicle in water. In water it can achieve a maximum speed of 9 km/h. It can enter and be deployed from amphibious assault ships from the water. The BTR-90 can be deployed by truck, rail and by water and air transportation means.


title: BTR-90

text: Its hydro mechanical transmission helps to increase its maneuverability by providing different speeds to each side of the vehicle. This allows the BTR-90 to have a low turning radius of 6 m. When turning with only the front four wheels, it has a turning radius of 14 m. It can cross up to 2.1 m wide trenches and can negotiate 60% gradients, 30% side slopes and 0.8 m vertical steps.


title: BTR-90

text: The vehicle has an inner capacity of 12 cubic meters, and can carry a load of 7,000 kg. An air conditioning system can be added optionally. The commander has the ability to carry out all-round surveillance and can take full control of the weapons from the gunner. An onboard information control system (OICS) enables automatic control over the transmission, engine and other important parts of the BTR-90, and it is the first armoured personnel carrier to have such a system. A centralized tire pressure control system is available, and allows the vehicle to move even if four of its wheels are destroyed.


title: BTR-90

text: The armour of the BTR-90 comprises welded steel armour plates. The armour can withstand hits from 14.5 mm rounds over the frontal arc. The side armour can provide protection against large caliber machine gun fire and shrapnel.


title: BTR-90

text: Additional armoured plates can be installed on the vehicle to increase protection. Active protection methods can be used, such as explosive reactive armour. These can be added over the existing armour of the vehicle. To increase protection, periscopes are installed instead of windscreens and vision blocks.


title: BTR-90

text: Collective NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) protection is available which can protect the occupants from shock waves and penetrating radiation from nuclear attacks, radioactive dust, and bacteriological and chemical weapons.


title: BTR-90

text: Its combat tires are capable of enduring anti-personnel mine explosions and small arms fire. If the vehicle is damaged while afloat, a drainage system is capable of removing incoming water. The BTR-90 features an automatic fire fighting system, and a system for the remote laying of smoke screens. The smoke discharge system includes six smoke grenade launchers, three on each side of the vehicle.


title: BTR-90

text: The main gun of the BTR-90 is a 30 mm Shipunov 2A42 auto cannon. The vehicle carries an ammunition load of 500 rounds for this weapon.


title: BTR-90

text: A 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machine gun with 2,000 rounds and a 30 mm AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher are the secondary armaments of the BTR-90.


title: BTR-90

text: A guided missile system is available for engaging armoured targets. This consists of four 9M113 Konkurs missiles mounted on the turret. The launching unit is detachable, and can be used to launch missiles from the ground.


title: BTR-90

text: All the weapons are mounted on the turret and are assisted by a fire control system. The fire control system allows the weapons to be used while the vehicle is moving, and in all weather conditions. The turret can be traversed 360 degrees with an elevation range of −5 to +75 degrees. The vehicle's weaponry allows it to engage targets at ranges up to 4 km. Helicopters and fortifications can be engaged at ranges up to 2.5 km.


title: BTR-90

text: In addition to the vehicle's weapons, its occupants have the ability to fire their weapons through available firing ports and hatches, increasing its firepower.


title: BTR-90

text: A prototype designated BTR-90M was built with a larger turret derived from the BMP-3, mounting a coaxial low-velocity 2A70 100mm rifled gun/missile launcher system (which can fire conventional shells or laser beam-riding 9M117 anti-tank missiles (ATGM), such as AT-10 Stabber), a 30mm Shipunov 2A72 cannon, and a 7.62mm PKT machine gun. The BTR-90M was first displayed publicly in 2001, and is not currently in service.


title: BTR-90

text: Another variant of the BTR-90 was produced with the low pressure 120 mm 2S9 Nona weapon, as with the BTR-80 "Nona-SVK".


title: BTR-90

text: On 30 July 2013, Russia revealed that it had developed and tested a hybrid-powered silent armored personnel carrier that could be turned into an unmanned ground vehicle. Called the Krymsk, it is based on the BTR-90 and can move silently on a battery-driven electric motor when its diesel engine is turned off. Currently, it can only move short distances on electric power, but new types of batteries can increase the distances by "dozens of times". During tests, the Krymsk moved at a maximum speed of 97 km/h (60 mph), accelerating to 80 km/h in 33 seconds. The Krymsk is a remotely controlled platform and can be equipped with weapon systems, including future laser or electromagnetic weapons.


title: Average

text: In ordinary language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a list of numbers, usually the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are in the list (the arithmetic mean). For example, the average of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 7, and 9 (summing to 25) is 5. Depending on the context, an average might be another statistic such as the median, or mode. For example, the average personal income is often given as the median—the number below which are 50% of personal incomes and above which are 50% of personal incomes—because the mean would be higher by including personal incomes from a few billionaires. For this reason, it is recommended to avoid using the word "average" when discussing measures of central tendency.


title: Average

text: If all numbers in a list are the same number, then their average is also equal to this number. This property is shared by each of the many types of average.


title: Average

text: Another universal property is monotonicity: if two lists of numbers "A" and "B" have the same length, and each entry of list "A" is at least as large as the corresponding entry on list "B", then the average of list "A" is at least that of list "B". Also, all averages satisfy linear homogeneity: if all numbers of a list are multiplied by the same positive number, then its average changes by the same factor.


title: Average

text: In some types of average, the items in the list are assigned different weights before the average is determined. These include the weighted arithmetic mean, the weighted geometric mean and the weighted median. Also, for some types of moving average, the weight of an item depends on its position in the list. Most types of average, however, satisfy permutation-insensitivity: all items count equally in determining their average value and their positions in the list are irrelevant; the average of (1, 2, 3, 4, 6) is the same as that of (3, 2, 6, 4, 1).


title: Average

text: The arithmetic mean, the geometric mean and the harmonic mean are known collectively as the "Pythagorean means".


title: Average

text: The mode, the median, and the mid-range are often used in addition to the mean as estimates of central tendency in descriptive statistics. These can all be seen as minimizing variation by some measure; see .


title: Average

text: The most frequently occurring number in a list is called the mode. For example, the mode of the list (1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4) is 3. It may happen that there are two or more numbers which occur equally often and more often than any other number. In this case there is no agreed definition of mode. Some authors say they are all modes and some say there is no mode.


title: Average

text: The median is the middle number of the group when they are ranked in order. (If there are an even number of numbers, the mean of the middle two is taken.)


title: Average

text: Thus to find the median, order the list according to its elements' magnitude and then repeatedly remove the pair consisting of the highest and lowest values until either one or two values are left. If exactly one value is left, it is the median; if two values, the median is the arithmetic mean of these two. This method takes the list 1, 7, 3, 13 and orders it to read 1, 3, 7, 13. Then the 1 and 13 are removed to obtain the list 3, 7. Since there are two elements in this remaining list, the median is their arithmetic mean, (3 + 7)/2 = 5.


title: Average

text: Other more sophisticated averages are: trimean, trimedian, and normalized mean, with their generalizations.


title: Average

text: where "f" is any invertible function. The harmonic mean is an example of this using "f"("x") = 1/"x", and the geometric mean is another, using "f"("x") = log "x".


title: Average

text: However, this method for generating means is not general enough to capture all averages. A more general method for defining an average takes any function "g"("x", "x", ..., "x") of a list of arguments that is continuous, strictly increasing in each argument, and symmetric (invariant under permutation of the arguments). The average "y" is then the value that, when replacing each member of the list, results in the same function value: . This most general definition still captures the important property of all averages that the average of a list of identical elements is that element itself. The function provides the arithmetic mean. The function (where the list elements are positive numbers) provides the geometric mean. The function (where the list elements are positive numbers) provides the harmonic mean.


title: Average

text: A type of average used in finance is the average percentage return. It is an example of a geometric mean. When the returns are annual, it is called the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR). For example, if we are considering a period of two years, and the investment return in the first year is −10% and the return in the second year is +60%, then the average percentage return or CAGR, "R", can be obtained by solving the equation: . The value of "R" that makes this equation true is 0.2, or 20%. This means that the total return over the 2-year period is the same as if there had been 20% growth each year. The order of the years makes no difference – the average percentage returns of +60% and −10% is the same result as that for −10% and +60%.


title: Average

text: This method can be generalized to examples in which the periods are not equal. For example, consider a period of a half of a year for which the return is −23% and a period of two and a half years for which the return is +13%. The average percentage return for the combined period is the single year return, "R", that is the solution of the following equation: , giving an average return "R" of 0.0600 or 6.00%.


title: Average

text: Given a time series, such as daily stock market prices or yearly temperatures, people often want to create a smoother series. This helps to show underlying trends or perhaps periodic behavior. An easy way to do this is the "moving average": one chooses a number "n" and creates a new series by taking the arithmetic mean of the first "n" values, then moving forward one place by dropping the oldest value and introducing a new value at the other end of the list, and so on. This is the simplest form of moving average. More complicated forms involve using a weighted average. The weighting can be used to enhance or suppress various periodic behavior and there is very extensive analysis of what weightings to use in the literature on filtering. In digital signal processing the term "moving average" is used even when the sum of the weights is not 1.0 (so the output series is a scaled version of the averages). The reason for this is that the analyst is usually interested only in the trend or the periodic behavior.


title: Average

text: The first recorded time that the arithmetic mean was extended from 2 to n cases for the use of estimation was in the sixteenth century. From the late sixteenth century onwards, it gradually became a common method to use for reducing errors of measurement in various areas. At the time, astronomers wanted to know a real value from noisy measurement, such as the position of a planet or the diameter of the moon. Using the mean of several measured values, scientists assumed that the errors add up to a relatively small number when compared to the total of all measured values. The method of taking the mean for reducing observation errors was indeed mainly developed in astronomy. A possible precursor to the arithmetic mean is the mid-range (the mean of the two extreme values), used for example in Arabian astronomy of the ninth to eleventh centuries, but also in metallurgy and navigation.


title: Average

text: However, there are various older vague references to the use of the arithmetic mean (which are not as clear, but might reasonably have to do with our modern definition of the mean). In a text from the 4th century, it was written that (text in square brackets is a possible missing text that might clarify the meaning):


title: Average

text: Even older potential references exist. There are records that from about 700 BC, merchants and shippers agreed that damage to the cargo and ship (their "contribution" in case of damage by the sea) should be shared equally among themselves. This might have been calculated using the average, although there seem to be no direct record of the calculation.


title: Average

text: The root is found in Arabic as عوار "ʿawār", a defect, or anything defective or damaged, including partially spoiled merchandise; and عواري "ʿawārī" (also عوارة "ʿawāra") = "of or relating to "ʿawār", a state of partial damage". Within the Western languages the word's history begins in medieval sea-commerce on the Mediterranean. 12th and 13th century Genoa Latin "avaria" meant "damage, loss and non-normal expenses arising in connection with a merchant sea voyage"; and the same meaning for "avaria" is in Marseille in 1210, Barcelona in 1258 and Florence in the late 13th. 15th-century French "avarie" had the same meaning, and it begot English "averay" (1491) and English "average" (1502) with the same meaning. Today, Italian "avaria", Catalan "avaria" and French "avarie" still have the primary meaning of "damage". The huge transformation of the meaning in English began with the practice in later medieval and early modern Western merchant-marine law contracts under which if the ship met a bad storm and some of the goods had to be thrown overboard to make the ship lighter and safer, then all merchants whose goods were on the ship were to suffer proportionately (and not whoever's goods were thrown overboard); and more generally there was to be proportionate distribution of any "avaria". From there the word was adopted by British insurers, creditors, and merchants for talking about their losses as being spread across their whole portfolio of assets and having a mean proportion. Today's meaning developed out of that, and started in the mid-18th century, and started in English. .


title: Average

text: Marine damage is either "particular average", which is borne only by the owner of the damaged property, or general average, where the owner can claim a proportional contribution from all the parties to the marine venture. The type of calculations used in adjusting general average gave rise to the use of "average" to mean "arithmetic mean".


title: Average

text: A second English usage, documented as early as 1674 and sometimes spelled "averish", is as the residue and second growth of field crops, which were considered suited to consumption by draught animals ("avers").


title: Average

text: There is earlier (from at least the 11th century), unrelated use of the word. It appears to be an old legal term for a tenant's day labour obligation to a sheriff, probably anglicised from "avera" found in the English Domesday Book (1085).


title: Average

text: The Oxford English Dictionary, however, says that derivations from German "hafen" haven, and Arabic "ʿawâr" loss, damage, have been "quite disposed of" and the word has a Romance origin.


title: Average

text: Due to the aforementioned colloquial nature of the term "average", the term can be used to obfuscate the true meaning of data and suggest varying answers to questions based on the averaging method (most frequently arithmetic mean, median, or mode) used. In his article "Framed for Lying: Statistics as In/Artistic Proof", University of Pittsburgh faculty member Daniel Libertz comments that statistical information is frequently dismissed from rhetorical arguments for this reason. However, due to their persuasive power, averages and other statistical values should not be discarded completely, but instead used and interpreted with caution. Libertz invites us to engage critically not only with statistical information such as averages, but also with the language used to describe the data and its uses, saying: "If statistics rely on interpretation, rhetors should invite their audience to interpret rather than insist on an interpretation." In many cases, data and specific calculations are provided to help facilitate this audience-based interpretation.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Orchiectomy (also named orchidectomy, and sometimes shortened as orchi or orchie) is a surgical procedure in which one or both testicles are removed. The surgery is performed as treatment for testicular cancer, as part of surgery for transgender women, as management for advanced prostate cancer, and to remove damaged testes after testicular torsion. Less frequently, orchiectomy may be performed following a trauma, or due to wasting away of the testis or testes.


title: Orchiectomy

text: A simple orchiectomy is commonly performed as part of gender reassignment surgery for transgender women, or as palliative treatment for advanced cases of prostate cancer. A simple orchiectomy may also be required in the event of testicular torsion.


title: Orchiectomy

text: For the procedure, the person lies flat on an operating table with the penis taped against the abdomen. The nurse shaves a small area for the incision. After anesthetic has been administered, the surgeon makes an incision in the midpoint of the scrotum and cuts through the underlying tissue. The surgeon removes the testicles and parts of the spermatic cord through the incision. The incision is closed with two layers of sutures and is covered with a surgical dressing. If desired, prosthetic testicles can be inserted before the incision is closed to present an outward appearance of a pre-surgical scrotum.


title: Orchiectomy

text: A subcapsular orchiectomy is also commonly performed for treatment of prostate cancer. The operation is similar to that of a simple orchiectomy, with the exception that the glandular tissue that surrounds each testicle is removed rather than the entire testis itself. This type of orchiectomy is performed to remove testosterone-producing glandular tissue while maintaining the appearance of an ordinary scrotum.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Inguinal orchiectomy (named from the Latin "inguen" for "groin", and also called radical orchiectomy) is performed when an onset of testicular cancer is suspected, in order to prevent a possible spread of cancer from the spermatic cord into the lymph nodes near the kidneys.


title: Orchiectomy

text: An inguinal orchiectomy can be either unilateral (one testicle) or bilateral (both testicles). The surgeon makes an incision in the groin area (in contrast to an incision in the scrotum, as is done in both simple and subcapsular orchiectomies). The entire spermatic cord is removed, as well as the testicle(s). A long, non-absorbable suture may be left in the stump of the spermatic cord in case later surgery is deemed necessary. After the cord and testicle(s) have been removed, the surgeon washes the area with saline solution and closes the layers of tissues and skin with sutures. The wound is then covered with sterile gauze and bandaged.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Partial orchiectomy is an option for individuals with testicular masses that want to preserve their testes and their function. During surgery, the testis is exposed in a similar way to inguinal orchiectomy. Once the testis is exposed and the spermatic cord is clamped, there is a current debate as to whether surgeons should deliver cold ischaemia which means submitting the organ, in this case the testis, into a cold/freezing environment. Whether or not it is submerged and frozen, the next step is to cut the tunica vaginalis and an ultrasound is used to find the tumor. After, the tumor is scraped away from the testis in a process called enucleation. Following enucleation, biopsies are taken of the tissues surrounding the testicle where the mass once was. Afterwards, each layer or tunica of the testis is sutured up and the testis is placed back in the scrotum. The skin layers are also closed up with sutures.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Guidelines state that fertility counseling should be offered to all patients undergoing inguinal orchiectomy, as there is a risk of reduced fertility or infertility. Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) accounts for 95% of cases of testicular cancer in young men. TGCT is associated with abnormal semen parameters. Because testicular cancer is commonly diagnosed in young, fertile men, it is critical that these individuals be educated on preserving their semen through freezing (cryopreservation) and complete a fertility assessment prior to surgery. In addition, testicular prosthesis placement counseling and education is encouraged to be given before an individual undergoes orchiectomy or before inguinal exploration with possibility of orchiectomy. This is an elective surgery which can be done at the time of orchiectomy. Testicular prosthesic placement has known psychological benefits (see below). Although risks for complications with prosthesis is low, individuals should also be informed of the possibility of infection, rotation, and replacement of prosthesis.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Following orchiectomy, those who have undergone the procedure are advised to avoid bathing, swimming, and heavy lifting for at least one month. If an individual had previously been taking hormone and/or hormone-blocking medications, modifications to their medication would be needed after the procedure. Any androgen-blocking medications, such as spironolactone or cyproterone, are stopped, and estrogen hormones can be resumed at the doctor's discretion. Post-operative pain management includes icing the surgical site, wearing supportive underwear, and the use of pain relief medications (analgesics) such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen; for more severe pain, narcotic analgesics may be needed. A follow-up appointment to monitor recovery and healing is routine.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Risks and complications should be discussed with an individual pre-operatively. Risks and complications for inguinal orchiectomy include scrotal hematoma (accumulation of blood in the scrotum), infection, post-operative pain (60% initially, 1.8% 1 year after), phantom testis syndrome (pain in the kidney as a result from trauma from the testicle), reduced fertility, and with the more rare complications being inguinal hernia, ilioinguinal nerve injury, tumor spillage, and hypogonadism.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Unilateral orchiectomy results in decreased sperm count but does not reduce testosterone levels. Bilateral orchiectomy causes infertility and greatly reduced testosterone levels. This can lead to side effects including loss of sexual interest, erectile dysfunction, hot flashes, breast enlargement ("gynecomastia"), weight gain, loss of muscle mass, and osteoporosis. It has been discovered that some individuals with a history of prostate cancer who had bilateral orchiectomy had effects on their new bone production, resulting in increased risk of bone fractures due to testosterone deficiency after the procedure.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Bilateral orchiectomy also reduces the use of exogenous medications for transgender women; the reduction in testosterone eliminates the need for testosterone-blocking medications and can contribute to feminizing features such as breast enlargement.


title: Orchiectomy

text: The loss of one or both testicles from orchiectomy can have severe implications in a male's identity and self-image surrounding masculinity, such that it can lead to an individual having thoughts of hopelessness, inadequacy, and loss. Among testicular cancer survivors who have lost a testicle, there are feelings of shame and loss, which are more evident in young and single men than older and non-single men. As many as one third of individuals who will undergo orchiectomy are not offered the option of having a testicular prosthesis. Data shows that simply offering testicular prosthesis to individuals undergoing orchioectomy is psychologically beneficial. While some individuals do not mind losing a testicle, studies have shown that there is a change in body image in testicular cancer survivors who have undergone orchiectomy and an improvement in body image in 50-60% of individuals who undergo testicular prosthesis placement. One year after testicular prosthesis placement, there are reports of increase in self-esteem and psychological well-being during sexual activity in a study that followed up on post-orchiectomy individuals including adolescents. On the other hand, there is a current debate whether children undergoing orchiectomy should be offered testicular prosthesis to be inserted at the time of orchiectomy procedure.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Bilateral simple orchiectomy is one option for gender reassignment surgery for transgender women. It may be performed as a standalone procedure or at the same time as a vaginoplasty. Bilateral orchiectomy is considered first before undergoing vaginoplasty. Vaginoplasty can still be administered after undergoing bilateral orchiectomy, as the orchiectomy preserves the penoscrotal skin that can later be transformed into a skin flap. Additionally, it is an option for those who are unable to undergo vaginoplasty due to the risk of complications.


title: Orchiectomy

text: In addition to alleviating gender dysphoria, the procedure allows trans women to stop taking testosterone-blocking medications, which may cause unwanted side effects. Some common testosterone-blocking medications that most use before undergoing orchiectomy are spironolactone and cyproterone. Common side effects caused by spironolactone are drowsiness, confusion, headache, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, gastritis, polyuria, polydipsia, and electrolyte imbalance (hyperkalemia). Cyproterone can cause side effects such as fatigue, low mood, and fulminant hepatitis. Orchiectomy allows individuals to stop taking these medications and avoid these adverse effects. It is also an alternative for trans women who have contraindications to antiandrogens and is a minimally invasive procedure to eliminate testosterone levels.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Criteria from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) are used as a framework to guide health care professionals in approving or denying an orchiectomy. When a transgender individual wants to complete an orchiectomy, they are in a state of gender incongruence and they must meet the criteria before having the procedure done. The criteria are as follows:


title: Orchiectomy

text: Additionally, persons wishing to go through with the procedure are required to obtain referrals from two independent qualified mental health professionals. This referral should include "the individual's demographic information, psychosocial assessment results, duration of the therapeutic relationship, type of evaluation and therapy performed, if the criteria for surgery have been met and if informed consent has been obtained from the patient."


title: Orchiectomy

text: An individual seeking to undergo orchiectomy is evaluated by a healthcare provider to ensure that the procedure is safe. Many candidates for orchiectomy are on estrogen therapy before the operation, which increases risk of intraoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE); thus, the provider must take this risk into account and determine whether prophylaxis (prevention) is necessary. Current smokers, individuals with limited mobility, individuals older than the age of 40, and individuals who have a medical history of thrombolytic disorder are at higher risk of developing VTE. For these high-risk populations, the use of sequential compression devices during the operation is recommended to prevent VTE complications.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Testicular cancer most commonly occurs in males ages 15 to 34. In 2017, there were 8,850 new cases and 410 deaths in the United States.


title: Orchiectomy

text: The American Urological Association (AUA) and European Association of Urology (EAU) 2019 guidelines recommend imaging with testicular ultrasound in any individual suspected of having testicular cancer following a physical examination. The ultrasound aids in differentiating diagnoses so that the individual may avoid the need of the surgical approach of inguinal orchiectomy. Inguinal orchiectomy is the gold standard treatment approach for those with confirmed malignancy of testicular cancer. Thus, it is imperative to diagnose the individual as having benign tumor vs. malignant tumor. Benign tumors are cancerous masses typically outside the testicle or surrounding it (extratesticular), whereas the malignant tumors typically lie within/inside the testicle (intratesticular).


title: Orchiectomy

text: An orchiectomy is used not only as a treatment option, but also as a diagnostic tool for testicular cancer. Before an orchiectomy is deemed necessary, liver function tests, tumor markers, and various blood panels are taken to confirm the presence of testicular cancer. Tumor markers that may be checked include beta human chorionic gonadotropin, lactate dehydrogenase, and alpha fetoprotein. These markers are rechecked after orchiectomy to stage the testicular cancer. Imaging, including chest radiography and an abdominal/pelvic CT (computed tomography) are also performed after orchiectomy to evaluate for metastasis. An inguinal orchiectomy is the primary treatment for any cancerous tumor that is found in the testicles; however, in cases where tumors are small, testis- or testes-sparing surgery may be performed instead.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Partial orchiectomy, also known as testis-sparing surgery, is another treatment option for smaller testicular masses which is becoming widely popular in recent years. This treatment option is an alternative to remove testicular cancer masses which are <20mm, have a high probability of being benign, and with negative serum tumor markers. Its benefits include preserving fertility and normal hormone function.


title: Orchiectomy

text: About half of testicular cancer germ cell tumors are seminomas. Individuals with seminomas are 80-85% likely to have a stage 1 diagnosis and the individual must undergo surveillance every 3–6 months in the first year following their orchiectomy, with an abdominal/pelvic CT at 3,6 and 12 months. Additional treatment such as chemotherapy may be given if they have risk factors for a relapse. Men with stage 1 seminoma after orchiectomy have been shown to be free from a relapse for five years following orchiectomy.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Among children and adolescents diagnosed with testicular torsion, the orchiectomy rate is as high as 42%. Though the goal during surgery is to correct the twist of the spermatic cord, orchiectomy is performed if the testicle is examined during the surgery to have dead tissue (necrosis) and suspected to no longer be a functioning testicle (no fertility). Delays in diagnosis and treatment increase the risk of orchiectomy, with diagnosis in the first four to eight hours of symptoms being critical to prevent permanent ischemic damage, decreased fertility, and need for orchiectomy.


title: Orchiectomy

text: Prostate cancer, if non-metastatic, is commonly treated with radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy. Less often, orchiectomy is used to treat prostate cancer. Prostate cancer grows in the presence of testosterone. When testosterone is present, " it is metabolized and converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which stimulates the growth of prostate cells. This leads to normal prostate growth in adolescents but contributes to abnormal cell growth in older men." Reducing the amount of testosterone in a person is one way in which prostate cancer is treated. If the prostate cancer is in fact metastatic, then orchiectomy may be used "...to abolish the stimulation of cancer cells by inhibiting testicular testosterone production and thereby reducing androgen levels in the blood: so-called androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)." Castration or orchiectomy is a suitable option for androgen deprivation therapy, and it should be used if a very quick reduction in testosterone levels is needed. However, in recent years, orchiectomy is not commonly used since medical castration is a viable option. Medical castration means that drugs or medications are used to suppress the production of androgens such as testosterone. Some examples of medications used in medical castration include, euprolide, goserelin (Zoladex), buserelin, and triptorelin (Trelstar). Some of the side effects of these medications include but are not limited to "Reduced sexual desire and libido, Impotence, reduced size of testes and penis, hot flashes, growth of breast tissue (gynaecomastia) and pain across the breasts, thinning of the bones or osteoporosis and risk of fracture, anemia, loss of muscle mass, weight gain, fatigue and memory problems, and depression."


title: Orchiectomy

text: Until the mid-1980s, pediatric testis tumors were managed in accordance with adult guidelines where the standard therapy was radical inguinal orchiectomy. It was later discovered that this procedure was being overused in the pediatric population, particularly those in pre-puberty, because it was assumed that the tumor was malignant. It was discovered that the majority of the pediatric tumor registries over reported malignant tumors and had biased reporting. It has now been found that most tumors are benign lesions and the majority are cases of teratoma which act benign in pre-puberty pediatric individuals along with other benign tumors that have been reported such as: Sertolic cell tumor, Leydig cell tumor and juvenile granulosa cell tumors. Most malignant tumors found in pre-pubertal individuals are pure yolk sac tumors. There is a difference in pre-pubertal, post-pubertal, and adult testis tumors in their histology and their level of malignancy with malignant tumors being rare in the pre-pubertal pediatric population. There has been a consideration to switch to testes sparing surgery (TSS) such as partial orchiectomy specifically for the pre-puberty pediatric populations who lack signs of malignant tumors. Partial orchiectomy allows the ability to preserve hormone function and the possibility of reproduction in the future. It has also been found to increase the quality of life. In the case that an individual is pediatric (<18 years of age) and is a post-pubertal with a malignant testes tumor, they must follow the adult recommended standard guidelines and proceed with radical inguinal orchiectomy.


title: Orchiectomy

text: The post-pubertal pediatric population and adults are at higher risk of malignant tumors and usually have a histology of a mixed germ cell tumor. Their first line of treatment is radical orchiectomy; however, they may be candidates for testis-sparing surgery such as partial orchiectomy, if there is a presence of a benign tumor. Although partial orchiectomy is controversial for this group of individuals, it has been found to be a successful procedure for benign masses such as stromal tumors, epidermoid cysts, and fibrous pseudotumors. There is greater use of partial orchiectomy with individuals who have small, benign testicular mass usually < 2 cm which indicate the tumors being benign. There is limited data on the size of tumors of the pediatric population, therefore, size cannot be used as a predictor of a tumor being benign.


title: Lisfranc injury

text: A Lisfranc injury, also known as Lisfranc fracture, is an injury of the foot in which one or more of the metatarsal bones are displaced from the tarsus.


title: Lisfranc injury

text: The injury is named after Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin, a French surgeon and gynecologist who noticed this fracture pattern amongst cavalry men, in 1815, after the War of the Sixth Coalition.


title: Lisfranc injury

text: The midfoot consists of five bones that form the arches of the foot (the cuboid, navicular, and three cuneiform bones) and their articulations with the bases of the five metatarsal bones. It is these articulations that are damaged in a Lisfranc injury. Such injuries typically involve the ligaments between the medial cuneiform bone and the bases of the second and third metatarsal bones, and each of these ligaments is called Lisfranc ligament.


title: Lisfranc injury

text: Lisfranc injuries are caused when excessive kinetic energy is applied either directly or indirectly to the midfoot and are often seen in traffic collisions or industrial accidents.


title: Lisfranc injury

text: Direct Lisfranc injuries are usually caused by a crush injury, such as a heavy object falling onto the midfoot, or the foot being run over by a car or truck, or someone landing on the foot after a fall from a significant height. Indirect Lisfranc injuries are caused by a sudden rotational force on a plantar flexed (downward pointing) forefoot. Examples of this type of trauma include a rider falling from a horse but the foot remaining trapped in the stirrup, or a person falling forward after stepping into a storm drain.


title: Lisfranc injury

text: In athletic trauma, Lisfranc injuries occur commonly in activities such as windsurfing, kitesurfing, wakeboarding, or snowboarding (where appliance bindings pass directly over the metatarsals). American football players occasionally acquire this injury, and it most often occurs when the athlete's foot is plantar flexed and another player lands on the heel. This can also be seen in pivoting athletic positions such as a baseball catcher or a ballerina spinning.


title: Lisfranc injury

text: In a high energy injury to the midfoot, such as a fall from a height or a motor vehicle accident, the diagnosis of a Lisfranc injury should, in theory at least, pose less of a challenge. There will be deformity of the midfoot and X-ray abnormalities should be obvious. Further, the nature of the injury will create heightened clinical suspicion and there may even be disruption of the overlying skin and compromise of the blood supply. Typical X-ray findings would include a gap between the base of the first and second toes. The diagnosis becomes more challenging in the case of low energy incidents, such as might occur with a twisting injury on the racquetball court, or when an American Football lineman is forced back upon a foot that is already in a fully plantar flexed position. Then, there may only be complaint of inability to bear weight and some mild swelling of the forefoot or midfoot. Bruising of the arch has been described as diagnostic in these circumstances but may well be absent. Typically, conventional radiography of the foot is utilized with standard non-weight bearing views, supplemented by weight bearing views which may demonstrate widening of the interval between the first and second toes, if the initial views fail to show abnormality. Unfortunately, radiographs in such circumstances have a sensitivity of 50% when non-weight bearing and 85% when weight bearing, meaning that they will appear normal in 15% of cases where a Lisfranc injury actually exists. In the case of apparently normal x-rays, if clinical suspicion remains, advanced imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT scan) is a logical next step.


title: Lisfranc injury

text: Options include operative or non-operative treatment. One study claims that in athletes, and if the dislocation is less than 2 mm, the fracture can be managed with casting for six weeks. The person's injured limb cannot bear weight during this period. In the majority of cases and stable fixation is indicated. A 2005 study suggests that closed reduction and Kirschner wire (K-wire) stabilisation or open reduction and stabilisation - generally using screws to avoid the complication of K-wires and maintain a stable reduction - are the treatments of choice.


title: Lisfranc injury

text: According to a 1997 study, for severe Lisfranc injuries, open reduction with internal fixation (ORIF) and temporary screw or Kirschner wire fixation is the treatment of choice. The foot cannot be allowed to bear weight for a minimum of six weeks. Partial weight-bearing may then begin, with full weight bearing after an additional several weeks, depending on the specific injury. K-wires are typically removed after six weeks, before weight bearing, while screws are often removed after 12 weeks.


title: Lisfranc injury

text: When a Lisfranc injury is characterized by significant displacement of the tarsometatarsal joint(s), nonoperative treatment often leads to severe loss of function and long-term disability secondary to chronic pain and sometimes to a planovalgus deformity. In cases with severe pain, loss of function, or progressive deformity that has failed to respond to nonoperative treatment, mid-tarsal and tarsometatarsal arthrodesis (operative fusion of the bones) may be indicated.


title: Lisfranc injury

text: During the Napoleonic Wars, Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin encountered a soldier who had developed vascular compromise and secondary gangrene of the foot after a fall from a horse. Subsequently, Lisfranc performed an amputation at the level of the tarsometatarsal joints, and that area of the foot has since been referred to as the namesake "Lisfranc joint". Although Lisfranc did not describe a specific mechanism of injury or classification scheme, a Lisfranc injury has come to mean a dislocation or fracture-dislocation injury at the tarsometatarsal joints.


title: Outer Banks

text: The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating Currituck Sound, Albemarle Sound, and Pamlico Sound from the Atlantic Ocean. A major tourist destination, the Outer Banks are known for their wide expanse of open beachfront and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The seashore and surrounding ecosystem are important biodiversity zones, including beach grasses and shrubland that help maintain the form of the land.


title: Outer Banks

text: The Outer Banks were sites of early European settlement in the United States and remain important economic and cultural sites. Most notably the English Roanoke Colony vanished from Roanoke Island in 1587 and was the first location where an English person, Virginia Dare, was born in the Americas. The hundreds of shipwrecks along the Outer Banks have given the surrounding seas the nickname Graveyard of the Atlantic. The Outer Banks were also home to the Wright brothers' first flight in a controlled, powered, heavier-than-air vehicle on December 17, 1903, at Kill Devil Hills. During the 20th century the region became increasingly important for coastal tourism.


title: Outer Banks

text: The Outer Banks are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise and coastal erosion; the effects of climate change compounds existing coastal erosion caused by poor coastal management and construction practices. In some locations on the banks, sea levels rose 5 inches from 2011 to 2015. Some sections have significantly eroded already, with portions of Hatteras Island at 25% of its original width as of 2014. Tropical storms like Hurricane Irene in 2011 have already destroyed significant infrastructure and property.


title: Outer Banks

text: The term "Outer Banks" refers to the islands, shoals, and spits from Cape Lookout northward, including Core Banks, and is frequently abbreviated OBX on regional tourism marketing. In recent decades, the beaches to the south of Cape Lookout have been marketing themselves as the "Southern Outer Banks", including the marketing as SOBX; this region includes the Crystal Coast beaches of Bogue Banks. The term Inner Banks and IBX is a similarly new term to refer to the mainland communities along Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds.


title: Outer Banks

text: The Outer Banks is a string of peninsulas and barrier islands separating the Atlantic Ocean from mainland North Carolina. From north to south, the largest of these include: Bodie Island (which used to be an island but is now a peninsula due to tropical storms and hurricanes that closed inlets that separated it from the Currituck Banks), Pea Island (which has, at times, been contiguous with neighboring Bodie Island or Hatteras Island), Hatteras Island, Ocracoke Island, Portsmouth Island, and the Core Banks. Over time, the exact number of islands and inlets changes as new inlets are opened up, often during a breach created during violent storms, and older inlets close, usually due to gradually shifting sands during the dynamic processes of beach evolution.


title: Outer Banks

text: The Outer Banks stretch southward from Sandbridge in Virginia Beach down the North Carolina coastline. Sources differ regarding the southern terminus of the Outer Banks. The most extensive definition includes the state's three prominent capes: Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout, and Cape Fear. Other sources limit the definition to two capes (Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout) and coastal areas in four counties (Currituck County, Dare County, Hyde County, and Carteret County). Some authors exclude Carteret's Bogue Banks; others exclude the county entirely.


title: Outer Banks

text: The northern part of the Outer Banks, from Oregon Inlet northward, is actually a part of the North American mainland, since the northern inlets of Bodie Island and Currituck Banks no longer exist. It is separated by the Currituck Sound and the Intracoastal Waterway, which passes through the Great Dismal Swamp occupying much of the mainland west of the Outer Banks. Road access to the northern Outer Banks is cut off between Sandbridge and Corolla, North Carolina, with communities such as Carova Beach accessible only by four-wheel drive vehicles. North Carolina State Highway 12 links most of the popular Outer Banks communities in this section of the coast. The easternmost point is Rodanthe Pier in Rodanthe, NC .


title: Outer Banks

text: The Outer Banks are not anchored to offshore coral reefs like some other barrier islands, and as a consequence, they often suffer significant beach erosion during major storms. In fact, their location jutting out into the Atlantic makes them the most hurricane-prone area north of Florida, for both landfalling storms and brushing storms offshore. Hatteras Island was cut in half on September 18, 2003, when Hurricane Isabel washed a 2,000 feet (600 m) wide and 15 feet (5 m) deep channel called Isabel Inlet through the community of Hatteras Village on the southern end of the island. The tear was subsequently repaired and restored by sand dredging by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It was cut off once again in 2011 by Hurricane Irene. Access to the island was largely limited to boat access only from August to late October until another temporary bridge could be built.


title: Outer Banks

text: Three state highway bridges connect the Outer Banks to the mainland, the Wright Memorial Bridge, the oldest (built in 1930, rehabilitated in 1966), carries US 158 between Point Harbor and Kitty Hawk. William B. Umstead Bridge, the second oldest (built in 1957, rehabilitated in 1966), carries US 64 between Manns Harbor on the mainland and Manteo on Roanoke Island. The newest bridge, the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge, was completed in 2002 and carries US 64 Bypass between Manns Harbor and Roanoke Island between Manteo and Wanchese. The Melvin R. Daniels Bridge carries US 64 between Roanoke Island and Nags Head. At Whalebone Junction, the three main highways of the Outer Banks (NC 12, US 158, and US 64) all meet. Additionally, NC 615 serves as the main route along Knotts Island in the extreme north; it connects only to Virginia by land.


title: Outer Banks

text: A number of ferries maintained by the North Carolina Department of Transportation Ferry Division also serve the Outer Banks. From north to south, these are the Knotts Island-Currituck Ferry, the Hatteras-Ocracoke Ferry, the Swan Quarter-Ocracoke Ferry, and the Cedar Island-Ocracoke Ferry. Additionally, a semi-regular emergency ferry often runs from Stumpy Point to Rodanthe to serve travelers due to frequent wash-outs of NC 12 between Nags Head and Rodanthe. Additionally, private ferries are commissioned by the National Park Service to access certain islands within the National Seashores along the outer banks, these include ferries to Portsmouth Island, to Cape Lookout Lighthouse, and various locations along Core Banks and Shackleford Banks.


title: Outer Banks

text: The vegetation of the Outer Banks has biodiversity, although it is considered the northern limit for many southern plants such as wild scrub palms. In the northern part of the Outer Banks, from Virginia Beach southward past the North Carolina border to Cape Hatteras, the main types of vegetation are sea grasses, beach grasses and other beach plants including "Opuntia humifusa" on the Atlantic side and wax myrtles, bays, and grasses on the Sound side with areas of pine and Spanish moss-covered live oaks. "Yucca aloifolia" and "Yucca gloriosa" can be found growing wild here in the northern parts of its range on the beach. Dwarf palmettos were once indigenous to the entire Outer Banks, and they are still successfully planted and grown. Its current most northerly known native stand is on Monkey Island in Currituck County.


title: Outer Banks

text: From Cape Hatteras National Seashore southward, the vegetation does include dwarf palmetto ("Sabal minor"), "Yucca aloifolia" and "Yucca gloriosa"; however, the area also has Cabbage palmetto ("Sabal palmetto"), which can be found in the north, although they are native in the southern part of the Outer Banks, specifically prevalent from Cape Hatteras and all points southward. Pindo palms and windmill palms are also planted widely throughout the Outer Banks; although, they are not indigenous to the area.


title: Outer Banks

text: The Outer Banks are home to Yaupon Holly ("Ilex vomitoria"), the roasted leaves of which were brewed into a high caffeine beverage called black drink by the Native Americans. The Outer Banks may be one of the few places where it is still consumed.


title: Outer Banks

text: The islands are home to herds of feral horses, sometimes called "banker ponies", which according to local legend are descended from Spanish mustangs washed ashore centuries ago in shipwrecks. Populations are found on Ocracoke Island, Shackleford Banks, Currituck Banks, and in the Rachel Carson Estuarine Sanctuary.


title: Outer Banks

text: The Outer Banks has a humid subtropical climate ("Cfa"). The outer banks have unusual weather patterns because of their unique geographical location. As the islands jut out from the eastern seaboard into the Atlantic Gulf Stream, the Outer Banks has a predisposition to be affected by hurricanes, Nor'easters (usually in the form of rain, and rarely snow or mixed precipitation), and other ocean-driven storms. The hardiness zone is 8b.


title: Outer Banks

text: The winters are typically milder than in inland areas, averaging lows in the upper 30s and highs in the lower 50s, and are more frequently overcast than in the summer. However, the exposure of the Outer Banks makes them prone to higher winds, often causing wind chills to make the apparent temperature as cold as the inland areas. The summer months average lows from the mid-70s to highs in the upper 80s, depending on the time of the summer. The spring and fall are typically milder seasons. The fall and winter are usually warmer than areas inland, while the spring and the summer are often slightly cooler because of the moderating effects of being surrounded by water.


title: Outer Banks

text: Although snow is possible, averaging from 3 inches in the north to less than 1/2 inch per year in the south, there are many times when years pass between snowfalls. The majority of nor'easters are "born" off the coasts of the Outer Banks.


title: Outer Banks

text: The Outer Banks is one of the most culturally distinctive areas of the East Coast of the United States. The Outer Banks were inhabited before the arrival of Europeans, with small branches of larger tribes, such as the Algonquin speaking Chowanoke, Secotan and Poteskeet living semi-nomadic lives. Oftentimes Native Americans would use the barrier islands facing the Atlantic Ocean for fishing in the summer, and reside on Roanoke Island or the North Carolina mainland in the winter.


title: Outer Banks

text: European explorers to the Outer Banks as far back as the 1500s noted encountering the friendly Hatteras Island and Outer Banks Natives, noting their hospitality to foreign explorers as well as their happiness and overall quality of life. European-borne diseases and migration to the mainland were likely the main causes for the decline of the Native population.


title: Outer Banks

text: Before bridges were built in the 1930s, the only form of transport between or off the islands was by boat, which allowed for the islands to stay isolated from much of the rest of the mainland. This helped to preserve the maritime culture and the distinctive Outer Banks accent or "brogue," which sounds more like an English accent than it does an American accent. Many "bankers" have often been mistaken for being from England or Ireland when traveling to areas outside of the Outer Banks. The brogue is more distinctive the further south one travels on the Outer Banks, with it being the thickest on Ocracoke Island and Harkers Island.


title: Outer Banks

text: Some residents of the Outer Banks, known as wreckers, made part of their living by scavenging wrecked ships—or by luring ships to their destruction. Horses with lanterns tied to their necks would be walked along the beach; the lanterns' up and down motion would appear to ships to represent clear water and a ship ahead; the unsuspecting captain would then drive his ship ashore following this false light. Ocracoke was the last refuge of pirate Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard. It is also where the infamous pirate was killed November 22, 1718, in a fierce battle with troops from Virginia.


title: Outer Banks

text: Major industries of the region include commercial fishing, boat building and tourism. Since the 1990s, the rise of tourism has led the region to become an increasingly service-oriented economy.


title: Outer Banks

text: There has been a long history of fishing in the Outer Banks, dating back to the end of the 17th century. Pirates ravaged the coast for the majority of the 1600s, but once they were ridden, the local settlers used fishing as their lifeline.


title: Outer Banks

text: In the mid-19th century, large-scale commercial fishing erupted, mostly due to the construction of the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, which simplified shipping methods for fishermen. Saltwater fishing became the cash-crop of the Outer Banks, and blossomed it into a popular tourist destination. In modern times, tourists will flock to the area just for the abundance of fishing opportunities. Anglers, otherwise known as fishermen, have a wide range of fishing methods, some dating back to when the first settlers arrived, to choose from in the Outer Banks.


title: Book of Numbers

text: The book of Numbers (from Greek Ἀριθμοί, "Arithmoi"; , "Bəmīḏbar", "In the desert [of]") is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah. The book has a long and complex history; its final form is possibly due to a Priestly redaction (i.e., editing) of a Yahwistic source made some time in the early Persian period (5th century BC). The name of the book comes from the two censuses taken of the Israelites.


title: Book of Numbers

text: Numbers begins at Mount Sinai, where the Israelites have received their laws and covenant from God and God has taken up residence among them in the sanctuary. The task before them is to take possession of the Promised Land. The people are counted and preparations are made for resuming their march. The Israelites begin the journey, but they "grumble" at the hardships along the way, and about the authority of Moses and Aaron. For these acts, God destroys approximately 15,000 of them through various means. They arrive at the borders of Canaan and send spies into the land. Upon hearing the spies' fearful report concerning the conditions in Canaan, the Israelites refuse to take possession of it. God condemns them to death in the wilderness until a new generation can grow up and carry out the task. The book ends with the new generation of Israelites in the "plains of Moab" ready for the crossing of the Jordan River.


title: Book of Numbers

text: Numbers is the culmination of the story of Israel's exodus from oppression in Egypt and their journey to take possession of the land God promised their fathers. As such it draws to a conclusion the themes introduced in Genesis and played out in Exodus and Leviticus: God has promised the Israelites that they shall become a great (i.e. numerous) nation, that they will have a special relationship with Yahweh their god, and that they shall take possession of the land of Canaan. Numbers also demonstrates the importance of holiness, faithfulness and trust: despite God's presence and his priests, Israel lacks in faith and the possession of the land is left to a new generation.


title: Book of Numbers

text: Most commentators divide Numbers into three sections based on locale (Mount Sinai, Kadesh-Barnea and the plains of Moab), linked by two travel sections; an alternative is to see it as structured around the two generations of those condemned to die in the wilderness and the new generation who will enter Canaan, making a theological distinction between the disobedience of the first generation and the obedience of the second.


title: Book of Numbers

text: God orders Moses, in the wilderness of Sinai, to number those able to bear arms—of all the men "from twenty years old and upward," and to appoint princes over each tribe. A total of 603,550 Israelites are found to be fit for military service. The tribe of Levi is exempted from military service and therefore not included in the census. Moses consecrates the Levites for the service of the Tabernacle in the place of the first-born sons, who hitherto had performed that service. The Levites are divided into three families, the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites, each under a chief. The Kohathites were headed by Eleazar, son of Aaron, while the Gershonites and Merarites were headed by Aaron's other son, Ithamar. Preparations are then made for resuming the march to the Promised Land. Various ordinances and laws are decreed.


title: Book of Numbers

text: The Israelites set out from Sinai. The people murmur against God and are punished by fire; Moses complains of their stubbornness and is ordered to choose seventy elders to assist him in the government of the people. Miriam and Aaron insult Moses at Hazeroth, which angers God; Miriam is punished with leprosy and is shut out of camp for seven days, at the end of which the Israelites proceed to the desert of Paran on the border of Canaan. Twelve spies are sent out into Canaan and come back to report to Moses. Joshua and Caleb, two of the spies, report that the land is abundant and is "flowing with milk and honey", but the other spies say that it is inhabited by giants, and the Israelites refuse to enter the land. Yahweh decrees that the Israelites will be punished for their loss of faith by having to wander in the wilderness for 40 years.


title: Book of Numbers

text: God orders Moses to make plates to cover the altar. The children of Israel murmur against Moses and Aaron on account of the destruction of Korah's men and are stricken with the plague, with 14,700 perishing. Aaron and his family are declared by God to be responsible for any iniquity committed in connection with the sanctuary. The Levites are again appointed to help in the keeping of the Tabernacle. The Levites are ordered to surrender to the priests a part of the tithes taken to them.


title: Book of Numbers

text: Miriam dies at Kadesh Barnea and the Israelites set out for Moab, on Canaan's eastern border. The Israelites blame Moses for the lack of water. Moses is ordered by God to speak to a rock but initially disobeys, and is punished by the announcement that he shall not enter Canaan. The king of Edom refuses permission to pass through his land and they go around it. Aaron dies on Mount Hor. The Israelites are bitten by Fiery flying serpents for speaking against God and Moses. A brazen serpent is made to ward off these serpents.


title: Book of Numbers

text: The Israelites arrive on the plains of Moab, across the River Jordan from Jericho. Here, the Israelites find themselves in conflict with the Amorites and Og, king of Bashan, both of whom they defeat. Balak, king of Moab decides to fight the Israelites as well, and summons a local diviner named Balaam to curse the Israelites. However, God tells Balaam not to curse them, and when Balaam attempts to travel to Balak with the Moabite officials God sends an angel to stop his donkey. Realising that he cannot curse the Israelites, Balaam blesses them instead, and foresees a figure whom he identifies as 'the Star of Jacob' who will defeat Israel's enemies. This angers Balak, but Balaam informs Balak that he cannot say anything except what God tells him to say.