title: Coober Pedy

text: Coober Pedy () is a town in northern South Australia, north of Adelaide on the Stuart Highway. The town is sometimes referred to as the "opal capital of the world" because of the quantity of precious opals that are mined there. Coober Pedy is renowned for its below-ground dwellings, called "dugouts", which are built in this fashion due to the scorching daytime heat.


title: Coober Pedy

text: The name "Coober Pedy" is thought to derive from the Aboriginal term "kupa-piti", which means "whitefellas' hole", but in 1975 the local Aboriginal people of the town adopted the name Umoona, which means "long life" and is also their name for the mulga tree.


title: Coober Pedy

text: Aboriginal peoples have a long-standing connection with the area. Coober Pedy is considered by the senior Western Desert people to be the traditional lands of the Arabana people country, but Kokatha and Yankunytjatjara people are also closely attached to some ceremonial sites in the area. The origin of the name of the town (decided in 1920) is thought to derive from the words in the Kokatha language, "kupa piti", usually translated as "whitefella – hole in the ground", or "guba bidi", "white man’s holes", relating to white people's mining activities (also reported as meaning "boys' waterhole" in some sources). Further investigation into the words by linguists shows that "kupa" may have originated from the Parnkalla language and that "piti" may be the Kokatha word specifically created for "quarry" (a white man's activity).


title: Coober Pedy

text: The first European explorer to pass near the site of Coober Pedy was Scottish-born John McDouall Stuart in 1858. The town was not established until after 1915, when the first opal was discovered by Wille Hutchison on 1 February of that year. Opal miners started moving in around 1916. The name of Coober Pedy was decided upon at a meeting in 1920, when a post office was established.


title: Coober Pedy

text: In July 1975 the local Aboriginal people of Coober Pedy adopted the name Umoona, which means "long life" and is also their name for the "Acacia aneura", or mulga tree, which is plentiful in the area. The name has since been used for various establishments in the town.


title: Coober Pedy

text: Coober Pedy is a small town about halfway between Adelaide and Alice Springs. It is situated on the edge of the erosional scarp of the Stuart Ranges, on beds of sandstone and siltstone deep and topped with a stony, treeless desert. Very little plant life exists in town due to the region's low rainfall, high cost of water, and lack of topsoil.


title: Coober Pedy

text: The harsh summer desert temperatures mean that many residents prefer to live in caves bored into the hillsides ("dugouts"). A standard three-bedroom cave home with lounge, kitchen, and bathroom can be excavated out of the rock in the hillside for a similar price to building a house on the surface. However, dugouts remain at a constant temperature, while surface buildings need air conditioning, especially during the summer months, when temperatures often exceed . The relative humidity rarely gets over 20% on these hot days, and the skies are usually cloud-free. The average maximum temperature is , but it can get quite cool in the winter.


title: Coober Pedy

text: The town's water supply, managed by the District Council which operates a bore and associated treatment plant, comes from the Great Artesian Basin. Problems with ageing pipes, high water losses, and lack of subsidies contribute to consumer water charges being the highest in South Australia.


title: Coober Pedy

text: By 1999, there were more than 250,000 mine shaft entrances in the area and a law discouraged large-scale mining by allowing each prospector a claim. Coober Pedy supplies most of the world's gem-quality opal; it has over 70 opal fields and is the largest opal mining area in the world.


title: Coober Pedy

text: In May 2009, South Australian Premier Mike Rann opened the $1.15 billion Prominent Hill Mine, south east of Coober Pedy. The copper-gold mine is operated by OZ Minerals.


title: Coober Pedy

text: In August 2010 Rann opened the Cairn Hill iron ore/copper/gold mine operated by IMX Resources near Coober Pedy. It was the first new iron ore mining area opened in South Australia since the 19th century. Due to low iron ore prices, the Cairn Hill mine was closed in June 2014. It was sold to Cu-River Mining who reopened the mine in 2016.


title: Coober Pedy

text: In 2013, a potentially significant tight oil (oil trapped in oil-bearing shales) resource was found near the outskirts of Coober Pedy in the Arckaringa Basin. This resource was estimated to hold between of oil, providing the potential for Australia to become a net oil exporter.


title: Coober Pedy

text: The town has become a popular stopover point and tourist destination, especially since 1987, when the sealing of the Stuart Highway was completed.


title: Coober Pedy

text: Coober Pedy today relies as much on tourism as the opal mining industry to provide the community with employment and sustainability. Visitors' attractions in Coober Pedy include the mines, the graveyard and the underground churches (the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church). There are several motels offering underground accommodation, ranging from a few rooms to the entire motel being a dug-out. The hybrid Coober Pedy Solar Power Station supplies power to the off-grid area.


title: Coober Pedy

text: The Umoona Tjutagku Health Service Aboriginal Corporation (UTHSAC) was established in 2005 to provide health services for local Aboriginal people.


title: Coober Pedy

text: Coober Pedy is home to the "Coober Pedy Regional Times", a free community publication released fortnightly since 15 March 2001. Under a previous name, it had begun as a newsletter called the "Coober Pedy Times", which was first issued in August 1982, itself continuing from a publication known as ""Opal Chips"". After some financial difficulties, the "Times" was bought by its editor, Margaret McKay, in 2006 and now includes online versions.


title: Coober Pedy

text: The local golf course – mostly played at night with glowing balls, to avoid daytime heat – is completely free of grass, and golfers take a small piece of "turf" around to use for teeing off. As a result of correspondence between the two clubs, the Coober Pedy golf club is the only club in the world to enjoy reciprocal rights at The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.


title: Coober Pedy

text: The town also has an Australian rules football club, the Coober Pedy Saints, established in 2004, which competes in the Far North Football League (formerly the Woomera & Districts Football League). Due to the town's isolation, to play matches the Saints must make round trips of over to Roxby Downs, where the rest of the league's teams are located.


title: Coober Pedy

text: The town has a drive-in theatre. It opened in 1965, but became less popular after 1980 with the arrival of television to the town, and ceased regular operation in 1984. It was re-opened in 1996.


title: Coober Pedy

text: A board for the Umoona Community Art Centre was established in 2021, but needs government funding to establish a permanent location in the town. A group of highly talented artists has joined the APY Art Centre Collective, which helps to create employment opportunities for Indigenous artists in the region. An exhibition in the Adelaide gallery of the collective in September 2021 featured the work of 24 of these artists.


title: Coober Pedy

text: A rare exhibition cachet, signed by Coober Pedy postmaster Alfred P. North, was discovered in Memphis, Tennessee by philatelist David Saks on 3 February 2016. To date, it is the only known example of this cachet in the world.


title: Coober Pedy

text: Both the town and its hinterland, for different reasons, are photogenic and have attracted film makers. The town itself was the setting for:


title: Coober Pedy

text: The town is featured in the 2016 racing game "Forza Horizon 3" and is the location of the Horizon Outback Festival.


title: Coober Pedy

text: Coober Pedy experiences a hot desert climate (Köppen: "BWh", Trewartha: "BWhl"), with very hot, dry summers; mild to hot, dry springs and autumns; and mild, dry winters. Typical of a desert climate, diurnal ranges are wider than in most places, with an annual average high of and an annual average low of just . Summer temperatures range from in the shade, with occasional dust storms. The annual rainfall in the area is low and amongst the lowest in Australia, at around . Precipitation is well-distributed through the year, although the lowest amounts are recorded in the winter months.


title: Coober Pedy

text: Coober Pedy was flooded when of rainfall was recorded in 24 hours (which is over three-quarters of the mean annual rainfall) on 10 April 2014.


title: Coober Pedy

text: The town is served by daily coach services from Adelaide by Greyhound Australia. The Ghan train serves the town through the Manguri Siding, from Coober Pedy, which is served by trains once weekly in each direction. Passengers on The Ghan are not usually allowed to disembark at Manguri unless they have prearranged transport, due to the siding's isolation and the extremely cold temperatures at night.


title: Coober Pedy

text: Coober Pedy is a gateway to the outback communities of Oodnadatta and William Creek, which are both located on the Oodnadatta Track. There is a twice-a-week mail run from Coober Pedy to these communities and other outback homesteads. It carries the mail, general freight and passengers.


title: Joe Tippett

text: Joe Tippett (born March 1, 1982) is an American actor. He is known for playing Sam Strickland in the NBC drama series "Rise" and John Ross in the HBO crime drama miniseries "Mare of Easttown."


title: Joe Tippett

text: Joe Tippett was born on March 1, 1982 and grew up in Damascus, Maryland. He attended Damascus High School, where he was involved in the football team. He was also involved in his school's theater department, where he performed in his first musical, "Bye Bye Birdie". After graduating from high school, he went to West Virginia University on a full scholarship but later dropped out.


title: Joe Tippett

text: Tippett did an apprenticeship and worked his first professional job at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. In 2015, he made his Broadway debut as Bait Boy in "Airline Highway". The same year, he played Earl Hunterson in the American Repertory Theater production of "Waitress". Two years later, Tippett played the leading man in the Off-Broadway production of "All the Fine Boys."


title: Joe Tippett

text: In 2018, Tippett played Coach Strickland on NBC's "Rise". In 2019, Tippett filmed the TV movie "Patsy & Loretta", playing the role of Doolittle Lynn, Loretta Lynn's husband. The TV film was broadcast on the "Lifetime" channel on October 19, 2019. The same year, Tippett was cast as Lucius King in NBC's "Prism" which is inspired by "Rashomon," a 1950 Japanese psychological thriller directed by Akira Kurosawa.


title: Joe Tippett

text: In the fall of 2021 Tippett reprised his role as Earl Hunterson in the Broadway return engagement of "Waitress".


title: Joe Tippett

text: In August 2015, Tippett met singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles during the out-of-town tryout for "Waitress" at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and they began a relationship in 2016. The couple made their first public appearance at the 2017 Tony Awards.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: Matthew Charles Eberflus (born May 17, 1970) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts from 2018 to 2021. Eberflus also previously served as the linebacker coach for the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys, as well as having coached at Toledo and Missouri.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: Eberflus was born on May 17, 1970, and attended Whitmer High School in Toledo, Ohio, where he graduated in 1988 after helping lead the team to the state semifinals in 1987.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: Eberflus was a four-year letterman and a three-year starting linebacker at Toledo from 1988 to 1991 under three coaches: Dan Simrell, Nick Saban and Gary Pinkel. Eberflus earned First Team All-MAC honors as a junior and again as a senior, leading the team in tackles both years. As a junior, Eberflus helped lead the Rockets to a 9–2 record and a MAC co-championship. As a team captain his senior year, Eberflus was chosen for the Nicholson Award as the team's Most Valuable Player. His 21 tackles against Northern Illinois University that year ranks as the fifth-best performance by a Toledo player in a single game in school history. Throughout his time at Toledo, Eberflus racked up 325 tackles, including a team-best 89 tackles as a junior and 138 tackles as a senior. Eberflus earned his degree in education from Toledo in 1993 and was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: As a walk-on who willed his way to all-league honors, former Rockets coach Dan Simrell called Eberflus "as intense of a player as I've ever coached. He made himself great."


title: Matt Eberflus

text: Eberflus spent the first nine years of his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Toledo. He served as a student assistant coach in 1992 under Gary Pinkel, then as a graduate assistant in 1993 before landing a full-time spot in 1994 as recruiting coordinator/outside linebackers coach when defensive coordinator Dean Pees left for Notre Dame. For his last two years at Toledo, Eberflus coached defensive backs. In his seven seasons as a full-time coach, Toledo achieved a winning record in each season, compiling a 56-22-2 record throughout Eberflus' tenure, including an 11-0-1 finish in 1995 and a 10-1 finish in 2000.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: When Gary Pinkel was named head coach at the University of Missouri (at Columbia) in 2001, he brought Eberflus with him as his defensive coordinator, where he also coached defensive backs. In 2006, Eberflus was also given the Associate Head Coach title. In 2003, Eberflus helped the Tigers reach the Independence Bowl - Mizzou's first bowl game in five seasons. The following year, the Tigers' pass defense ranked third in the country, and the team ranked second in the Big 12 in total defense. Building on his success, Eberflus guided the Tigers defense to the Big 12 North Division title in 2007 and 2008, compiling a 22–6 record over that span. During the 2007 season, Eberflus was twice recognized as the national defensive coordinator of the week, and capped the season off by holding the Arkansas Razorbacks to just seven points in a 35-7 Cotton Bowl victory. In the spring, Rivals.com recognized Eberflus as the eighth-best defensive coach in the nation.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: Eberflus proved as big an asset as a recruiter as he did as a defensive tactician, recruiting four-year starting quarterback Brad Smith, defensive back William Moore, and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon to Columbia. Smith, after becoming just the second player in Division I-A football history to ever pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a single season, among numerous collegiate honors, he would go on to be drafted by the New York Jets and enjoy an eight-year career as an NFL wide receiver. Under Eberflus' tutelage, Moore was named a First-Team All American (2007) and Second-Team All-Big 12 (2007), and would be drafted in the 2nd Round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, where he would become a Pro Bowl safety (2012). Weatherspoon became a three-time First Team All-Big 12 player (2007, 2008, 2009) and Third Team All-American (2008) under Eberflus before being drafted in the 1st Round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: In 2009, Eberflus left Missouri for the NFL, where he was hired as linebackers coach for the Cleveland Browns, where he would work under head coach Eric Mangini and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan for two seasons. In his first season, Eberflus guided a unit through a solid season despite the loss of both starting inside linebackers to injury by midseason. Eberflus transitioned David Bowens from outside linebacker to inside, where he finished with a career-high 71 tackles (47 solo) and 5.5 sacks. In 2010, four starters in Eberflus' unit finished in the top-10 on the team in tackles.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: In 2011, Eberflus followed Rob Ryan to the Dallas Cowboys, joining the staff of head coach Jason Garrett as the Linebacker Coach. The linebacker group was spearheaded at the time by All-Pro DeMarcus Ware. In Eberflus' first season, Ware registered 19.5 sacks, good for second in the NFC and the NFL and tops amongst all linebackers in the NFL en route to his sixth consecutive selection as a Pro Bowl starter. Eberflus also helped with the continued development of second-year linebacker Sean Lee, who lead the team with 131 tackles (91 solo) and tied for the team-lead with four interceptions, the most by any NFL linebacker in 2011. Eberflus' linebacker unit produced five of Dallas' top-10 tacklers and three of the top-five.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: In 2012, Eberflus guided DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer to Pro Bowl selections. The duo became the fifth in team history to reach double-digit sacks, Ware with 11.5 and Spencer with 11, the latter a career-high. Spencer also led the team with a career-best 106 tackles, while Ware finished with 72 tackles, a team-best 33 pressures and five forced fumbles. In week 2 at Seattle, Sean Lee posted a then career-high 21 tackles, which tied Lee Roy Jordan for the most tackles in a game in franchise history.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: In 2013, with Monte Kiffin replacing Rob Ryan as the team's defensive coordinator, Eberflus was integral in assisting the team's transition to a 4-3 scheme, alongside Rod Marinelli. Marinelli said he was impressed with Eberflus the first time he met him in 2013 in Dallas and credited Eberflus with the successful transition from Ryan's 3-4 defense to the 4-3 (and recently called Eberflus "one of my favorites"). The linebacker corps did not miss a beat, with Sean Lee logging 123 tackles (95 solo) on the season and a team-high four interceptions, all despite missing five games due to injury. Bruce Carter produced from the weakside linebacker position, tallying 122 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and three passes defensed.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: In 2014, Eberflus’ unit continued to overachieve through an adversity-plagued season. Sean Lee was placed on IR on July 2, having suffered a torn ACL during OTAs. The team replaced Lee by acquiring Rolando McClain in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens. Under Eberflus' tutelage, the once-thought-to-be bust compiled career highs in tackles (108) and interceptions (two) while leading the team with 9.0 tackles for loss. Eberflus was also credited with molding rookie Anthony Hitchens into a pro, as he started 11 of 16 games, playing at every linebacker position, and ultimately finishing third on the team with 100 tackles (74 solo) which not only ranked fifth most by a rookie in team history, but made Hitchens the first rookie defender to record 100 tackles in a season since Roy Williams (127 in 2002). Bruce Carter led the team with a career-high five interceptions, which tied for fourth most in a single season by a linebacker in team history, while also posting 75 tackles to place fifth on the team. Eberflus' work with the linebackers helped the Cowboys improve their rushing defense from No. 27 in 2013 to No. 8 in 2014, and tied for the seventh-most interceptions in the league.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: In 2015, Sean Lee returned to the field and Eberflus was charged with transitioning him to the weakside linebacker position, which produced immediate results. Lee totaled 156 tackles (109 solo), 11.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and one interception on the season en route to his first career Pro Bowl selection. Eberflus also moved Ronaldo McClain to the middle linebacker position, where he registered 97 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. Eberflus also received strong production from Hitchens, who racked up 85 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks on the season.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: In 2016, after being sought after for various defensive coordinator positions around the league, the Cowboys were able to keep Eberflus in house and made him the team's Defensive Passing Game Coordinator in addition to his linebacker coaching duties. Eberflus helped the Cowboys defense boast the NFL's No. 1 overall rushing defense (83.5 yards per game) in 2016, and the No. 5 ranked scoring defense. Sean Lee led the defense with 175 tackles (120 solo) and 12.0 tackles for loss, both career highs, and was named First Team All-Pro and selected to his second consecutive Pro Bowl.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: In 2017, Eberflus guided a linebacker group that accounted for 34% of the team's tackles, helping the defense rank No. 8 in total defense (318.1 yards per game) and rushing defense (104.0 yards per game), and the No. 11 passing defense (214.1 yards per game). Most impressively, Eberflus was credited with the development of Jaylon Smith to become an immediate contributor after missing the 2016 season due to an injury he suffered in his final collegiate game at Notre Dame. In his first year on the field, Smith played in all 16 games, starting in six of them, tallying 81 tackles (50 solo), 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, two passes defensed and two forced fumbles. In total, Eberflus' linebacker trio of Sean Lee (101 tackles), Anthony Hitchens (84 tackles) and Jaylon Smith (81 tackles) finished as the Cowboys' top-three tacklers. Both Lee and Smith have credited Eberflus for helping them excel at their positions.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: With Josh McDaniels set to take the head coaching job with the Indianapolis Colts, Eberflus was hired to be his defensive coordinator. Though when McDaniels ultimately withdrew his acceptance and decided to stay in New England, Eberflus stayed on as defensive coordinator when Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator Frank Reich was hired as the Colts' head coach. Though Eberflus and Reich had never met, Colts' General Manager Chris Ballard "was very persuasive and very strong in his conviction [to Reich] that Matt was the right guy." Eberflus was credited with instilling an "ultra-demanding culture of hustle, discipline and teamwork" that ultimately helped turn the Colts around from a 4-12 team in 2017 to a 10-6 playoff team, reaching the AFC Divisional Playoff Round.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: Inheriting a defense that finished No. 30 in the NFL in both scoring defense (25.2 points allowed per game) and total defense (367.1 yards allowed per game) in 2017, Eberflus immediately turned the defense around in just one season to rank No. 10 in scoring defense (21.5 points allowed per game) and No. 11 in total defense (339.4 yards allowed per game) in 2018.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: Eberflus' cultural impact and expertise in player development was put on display throughout the 2018 season, achieving the team's defensive heights without preeminent talent. The team's previous coaching staff advocated for cutting linebacker Anthony Walker last year, but the front office resisted and he was retained. Under Eberflus, Walker became the team's second-leading tackler with 105 on the season (53 solo). Rookie Shaquille Leonard, a 2nd round pick out of South Carolina State, led the NFL with 163 tackles (93 solo), earning First Team All-Pro Honors and making the All-Rookie Team. Eberflus' improved the Colts rushing defense from No. 26 in 2017 (120.4 rushing yards allowed per game) to No. 8 in 2018 (101.6 rushing yards allowed per game). The Colts rushing defense allowed just 3.6 yards per carry, good for 6th in the NFL, and did not allow a single 100-yard rusher all season.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: Eberflus also improved the Colts' passing defense from No. 28 in 2017 (246.6 passing yards allowed per game) to No. 16 in 2018 (237.8 passing yards allowed per game), doing so with their number one corner, Pierre Desir, already having been waived by three NFL teams since being drafted in 2014, and Kenny Moore II, who was an undrafted free agent out of Valdosta State last season. Even more remarkably, Eberflus accomplished such feats with a Colts' defense that ranked dead last in the NFL in defensive unit salary cap spend.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: Eberflus interviewed with the Cleveland Browns for their head coaching vacancy in 2019. The Browns decided to hire Freddie Kitchens instead, who was fired a year later.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: On January 27, 2022, Eberflus was named the 17th head coach of the Chicago Bears. Eberflus won his head coaching debut on September 11, 2022 as the Bears beat the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 19-10 in a come-from-behind victory.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: After his impressive 2018 campaign, NBC Sports' Peter King voted Eberflus 2018 Assistant Coach of the Year, as did Steve Serby of the New York Post. Eberflus ultimately finished 3rd in votes for the 2018 Associated Press NFL Assistant Coach of the Year Award, with first place going to former Bears defensive coordinator and previous Broncos head coach Vic Fangio.


title: Matt Eberflus

text: Under Eberflus' tutelage, Shaquille Leonard earned the award for 2018 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Leonard's First Team All-Pro selection make him Eberflus' second player in his position group to earn such honors after Sean Lee. Leonard followed up his rookie campaign with another great sophomore season, earning Second-Team All-Pro honors, as well as his first Pro Bowl selection.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: Lake Okeechobee (), also known as Florida's Inland Sea, is the largest freshwater lake in the U.S. state of Florida. It is the tenth largest natural freshwater lake among the 50 states of the United States and the second-largest natural freshwater lake contained entirely within the contiguous 48 states, after Lake Michigan.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: Okeechobee covers and is exceptionally shallow for a lake of its size, with an average depth of only . It is not only the largest lake in Florida or the largest lake in the southeast United States, but it is too large to see across, giving it the feel of an ocean. The Kissimmee River, located directly north of Lake Okeechobee, is the lake's primary source. The lake is divided between Glades, Okeechobee, Martin, Palm Beach and Hendry counties. All five counties meet at one point near the center of the lake.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: The earliest recorded people to have lived around the lake were the Calusa. They called the lake Mayaimi, meaning "big water," as reported in the 16th century, by Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda. The name "Okeechobee" comes from the Hitchiti words "oki" (water) and "chubi" (big). Slightly later in the 16th century, René Goulaine de Laudonnière reported hearing about a large freshwater lake in southern Florida called "Serrope". By the 18th century the largely mythical lake was known to British mapmakers and chroniclers by the Spanish name "Laguna de Espiritu Santo". In the early 19th century it was known as "Mayacco Lake" or "Lake Mayaca" after the Mayaca people, originally from the upper reaches of the St. Johns River, who moved near the lake in the early 18th century. The modern Port Mayaca on the east side of the lake preserves that name.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: On the southern rim of Lake Okeechobee, three islands—Kreamer, Ritta, and Torey—were once settled by early pioneers. These settlements had a general store, post office, school, and town elections. Farming was the main vocation. The fertile land was challenging to farm because of the muddy muck. Over the first half of the twentieth century, farmers used agricultural tools—including tractors—to farm in the muck. By the 1960s, all of these settlements were abandoned.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: All of Lake Okeechobee was included in the boundaries of Palm Beach County when it was created in 1909. In 1963, the lake was divided among the five counties surrounding the lake.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: In 1926, the Great Miami Hurricane hit the Lake Okeechobee area, killing approximately 300 people. Two years later in 1928, the Okeechobee Hurricane crossed over the lake, killing thousands. The Red Cross reported 1,836 deaths, a figure which the National Weather Service initially accepted, but in 2003, the number was revised to "at least 2,500". In both cases the catastrophe was caused by flooding from a storm surge when strong winds drove water over the mud dike that circled the lake at the time. After the two hurricanes, the Florida State Legislature created the "Okeechobee Flood Control District".


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: The organization was authorized to cooperate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in actions to prevent similar disasters. U.S. President Herbert Hoover visited the area personally, and afterward the Corps designed a plan incorporating the construction of channels, gates, and nearly 140 miles of levees to protect areas surrounding Lake Okeechobee from overflow.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: The Okeechobee Waterway was officially opened on March 23, 1937, by a procession of boats which left Fort Myers, Florida on March 22 and arrived at Stuart, Florida the following day. The dike was then named the "Herbert Hoover Dike" in honor of the president.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: The 1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane sent an even larger storm surge to the crest of the new dike, which was expanded again in the 1960s.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: Four recent hurricanes – Frances, Jeanne, Wilma, and Irma – had no major adverse effects on communities surrounding Lake Okeechobee, even though the lake rose after Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Hurricane Ernesto increased water levels by in 2006, the last time it exceeded . However, the lake's level began dropping soon after and by July 2007, it had dropped more than to its all-time low of .


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: In August 2008, Tropical Storm Fay increased water levels to above sea level, the first time it exceeded since January 2007. Over a seven-day period (including some storms that preceded Fay), about of rain fell directly onto the lake.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: During construction of the dike, earth was excavated along the inside perimeter, resulting in a deep channel which runs along the perimeter of the lake. This channel is known as the rim canal. In most places the canal is part of the lake, but in others it is separated from the open lake by low grassy islands such as Kreamer Island. During the drought of 2007–2008, this canal remained navigable while much of surrounding areas were too shallow or even above the water line. Even when the waters are higher, navigating the open lake can be difficult, whereas the rim canal is easier, so to reach a specific location in the lake it is often easiest to use the rim canal to get close then take one of the many channels into the lake.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: In 2007, during a drought, state water and wildlife managers removed thousands of truckloads of toxic mud from the lake's floor, in an effort to restore the lake's natural sandy base and create clearer water and better habitat for wildlife. The mud contained elevated levels of arsenic and other pesticides. According to tests from the South Florida Water Management District, arsenic levels on the northern part of the lake bed were as much as four times the limit for residential land. Independent tests found the mud too polluted for use on agricultural or commercial lands, and therefore difficult to dispose of on land.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: Through early 2008, the lake remained well below normal levels, with large portions of the lake bed exposed above the water line. During this time, portions of the lake bed, covered in organic matter, dried out and caught fire. In late August 2008, Tropical Storm Fay inundated Florida with record amounts of rain. Lake Okeechobee received almost a increase in water level, including local run-off from the tributaries.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: In 2013, heavy rains in central Florida resulted in high runoff into the lake; rising lake levels forced the CoE (Army Corps of Engineers) to release large volumes of polluted water from the lake through the St. Lucie River estuary to the east and the Caloosahatchee River estuary to the west. Thus the normal mix of fresh and salt water in those estuaries was replaced by a flood of polluted fresh water resulting in ecological damage.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: Since 2013, the CoE has been forced to pump billions of gallons of water out of the lake to avoid jeopardizing the integrity of the Hoover dike holding back the water from inundating the surrounding populated area. Some claim that sugar plantations have been pumping polluted water from their flooded fields into the lake, but U.S. Sugar claims back pumping is only to avoid flooding of communities, never to protect farmland. In March 2015, the rate was daily. This results in pollution problems for the Treasure Coast, St. Lucie estuary, and the Indian River Lagoon.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: In May 2016, of the southern portion of the lake were affected by an algal bloom. The outbreak was possibly due in part to nutrient-laden waters reaching the lake from farms and other sources. Microcystin was found among the other species involved in the outbreak.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: In July 2016, the Federal Government denied Governor Rick Scott's request for Federal Disaster Aid to the Treasure Coast as a result of the toxic algal bloom in the St. Lucie Estuary which was responsible for millions of dollars of lost income for local businesses: this reaffirmed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) finding that the lake's water quality was a State issue. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Martin County had carried out toxicity testing on the algae, but had not funded any work to clean up the water, and a FEMA spokesman said that "The state has robust capability to respond to emergencies and disasters."


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: On June 23, 2017, the South Florida Water Management District was granted emergency permission to back pump clean water into Lake Okeechobee to save animals and plants in bloated water conservation areas."


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: Lake Okeechobee sits in a shallow geological trough that also underlies the Kissimmee River Valley and the Everglades. The trough is underlain by clay deposits that compacted more than the limestone and sand deposits did along both coasts of peninsular Florida. Until about 6,000 years ago, the trough was dry land. As the sea level rose, the water table in Florida also rose and rainfall increased. From 6,000 to 4,000 years ago, wetlands formed building up peat deposits. Eventually the water flow into the area created a lake, drowning the wetlands. Along what is now the southern edge of the lake, the wetlands built up the layers of peat rapidly enough (reaching thick) to form a dam, until the lake overflowed into the Everglades. At its capacity, the lake holds of water and is the headwaters of the Everglades.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: The floor of the lake is a limestone basin, with a maximum depth of . Its water is somewhat murky from runoff from surrounding farmlands. The Army Corps of Engineers targets keeping the surface of the lake between above sea level. The lake is enclosed by a high Herbert Hoover Dike built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after a hurricane in 1928 breached the old dike, flooding surrounding communities and killing at least 2,500 people. Water flows into Lake Okeechobee from several sources, including the Kissimmee River, Fisheating Creek, Lake Istokpoga, Taylor Creek, and smaller sources such as Nubbin Slough and Nicodemus Slough. The Kissimmee River is the largest source, providing more than 60% of the water flowing into Lake Okeechobee. Fisheating Creek is the second largest source for the lake, with about 9% of the total inflow. Prior to the 20th century, Lake Istokpoga was connected to the Kissimmee River by Istokpoga Creek, but during the rainy season Lake Istokpoga overflowed, with the water flowing in a 40 km wide sheet across the Indian Prairie into Lake Okeechobee. Today Lake Istokpoga drains into Lake Okeechobee through several canals that drain the Indian Prairie, and into the Kissimmee River through a canal that has replaced Istokpoga Creek. Historically, outflow from the lake was by sheet flow over the Everglades, but most of the outflow has been diverted to dredged canals connecting to coastal rivers, such as the Miami Canal to the Miami River, the New River on the east, and the Caloosahatchee River (via the Caloosahatchee Canal and Lake Hicpochee) on the southwest.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the congressionally authorized uses for Lake Okeechobee include the following:


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: The wide dike surrounding Lake Okeechobee is the basis for the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST), a part of the Florida National Scenic Trail, a trail. There is a well-maintained paved pathway along the majority of the perimeter, although with significant breaks. It is used by hikers and bicyclists, and is wide enough to accommodate vehicles.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: The most common fish in this lake are largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill. Pickerel have been less commonly caught.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: This shallow lake has been previously studied for its algal blooms. Lake Okeechobee is known for its algal blooms in consequence of increased eutrophication. Algal blooms like this can be harmful to the environment, including the lake's flora and fauna, because of released toxins. The vegetation at Lake Okeechobee is important in maintaining the oxygen in the lake, of which many aquatic biota are reliant on. There are various species of biota in Lake Okeechobee that are interdependent on each other for food, habitat, and other resources. Multiple limnological studies and related research has been conducted at Lake Okeechobee.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: Lake Okeechobee is shallow lake, with an average depth of only 3 meters, and has a fetch of 54 km. In total, the lake has a surface area of 1730 km². The lake is normally mixed, but on days with direct sunlight and limited wind, the lake can exhibit diurnal thermal stratification. Although daily thermal stratification is brief, a hypolimnion can form during this time resulting in decreased amounts of dissolved oxygen at the lake bottom. Lake transparency, measured as secchi depth, is found to be inversely correlated with the amount of suspended solids in the lake. Suspended solids varied with season with higher amounts of suspended solids in the winter, and thus less transparency on average, and lower amounts of suspended solids in the summer, leading to more transparency on average. Secchi depths not only varied across seasons, but also by location in the lake. Secchi depths ranges average from about 0.2 – 0.5 meters in the winter, depending on location in the lake, and 0.3 – 0.9 meters in the summer. Secchi depths of 1.7 meters have been recorded, indicating higher transparencies than average for the lake.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: Lake Okeechobee is home to more than 40 species of native fish, along with introduced species, such as the Mayan cichlid, "Cichlasoma urophthalmus". Fish species displaying varying distributions throughout the lake depending on seasonality, site depth, sediments, and turbidity. Yearly fish recruitment was found to be positively correlated with increased water levels, providing more substrate and protection. These fish populations support different wading birds, including various species of egrets, ibises, wood storks, and herons, along with alligator populations. Fish diets in Lake Okeechobee depend on macro-invertebrates and zooplankton, such as calanoids, cyclopoids, and cladoceran. Lake Okeechobee supports over 3,800 different arthropods, including insects and arachnids, along with around 400 species of nematodes.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: Vascular macrophytes are important in the nutrient dynamics of lakes, along with creating micro-habitats for fish and invertebrates, and providing substrate for epiphytes. Macrophytes provide the lake with oxygen through photosynthesis, along with acting as a buffer for eutrophication by uptake of phosphorus. However, with increased eutrophication of lakes along with climate change, trends are showing decreased richness of macrophytes. Because the fauna are so reliant on the macrophytes for habitat, food, and protection from predation, a decrease in macrophyte diversity and abundance has negative consequences on fauna richness. Macrophyte abundance is dependent on many abiotic factors such as water depth, water transparency and light availability, and nutrients, along with influence of biotic factors. Increasing phytoplankton and algal blooms from eutrophication and nutrient abundance can decrease water transparency and light availability to submerged macrophytes, providing one explanation how macrophytes are sensitive to eutrophication. Some submerged macrophytes that have been recorded at Lake Okeechobee include southern naiad ("Najas guadelupensis"), Illinois pondweed ("Potamogeton illlinoensis"), vallisneria ("Vallisneria americana"), and hydrilla ("Hydrilla verticillata"). Lake Okeechobee is afflicted with the invasive terrestrial plant, torpedograss ("Panicum repens").


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: The concerning levels of total phosphorus (TP) began to be noticed in 1970s, and since then inputs of TP have averaged 516 tons per year. These yearly inputs can vary based on the volume of runoff entering the lake. The years 2005 and 2018 had particularly large volumes of water and TP inputs in relation to hurricanes increasing runoff. Despite limiting TP inputs by decreasing phosphorus use in agriculture, Lake Okeechobee has yet to be reach the aimed target set by the South Florida Water Management District's in the 1980s of reducing the lake's TP by 40 μg/L. Although proposed by the South Florida Water Management District, this initiative of limiting the lake's TP to 40 μg/L was adopted by The Lake Okeechobee Technical Advisory Committee (LOTAC), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), but phosphorus inputs have yet to be controlled enough to reach this goal. Concerning estimates of phosphorus assimilation capacity indicates that even if phosphorus inputs were to be stopped, or severely limited, the extensive saturation of the lake would result in it taking years before improved water quality can be observed.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: These inputs of phosphorus provide optimal conditions for harmful algal blooms (HABs). Cyanobacteria (CyanoHABs), which need nitrogen and phosphorus for growth, have the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen. With this ability along with the high inputs of phosphorus, the shallow nature of the lake providing plenty of sunlight, and cyanobacteria's preference for warm waters, Lake Okeechobee is an optimal environment for a cyanobacteria algal bloom. The presence of various species of cyanobacteria in Lake Okeechobee have been recorded since the 1980s. Cyanobacteria produce various toxins, including microcystin, which is not only harmful to the environment, but humans. In 2016, Lake Okeechobee experienced an extensive cyanobacteria algal bloom that lasted from May to mid-July. During the previous 2015–16 winter, there were relatively high recorded temperatures, and higher than average rates of precipitation and storms in relation to the El Niño event. As mentioned, higher rates of precipitation can lead to greater influxes of runoff which unload more phosphorus into the lake, enabling harmful algal bloom. Along with this algal bloom in 2016, other algal blooms have been found to occur in relation to hurricanes and other climate events leading to increased water flow into the lake.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: Research done by James et al. (2009) aimed to evaluate and compare shallow lakes, including Lake Okeechobee and Lake Taihu in P.R. China, including their light, temperature, and nutrient dynamics. This research provides important knowledge on conditions that influence algal blooms. They found that for both lakes, wind, nutrients, water depth, and water transparency varied seasonally, and this had implications on phytoplankton abundance. Different locations in the lake may have had different limiting factors based on the light and nutrient availability in those locations. At Lake Okeechobee specifically, algal blooms were found to have strong effects during the winter on the western side of the lake.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: In the limnological study conducted by Beaver et al. (2013) at Lake Okeechobee, lake phytoplankton composition was examined in response to conditions of anthropogenic inputs, including nutrient inputs, along with natural events, like extreme weather conditions. Lake Okeechobee was a great location for this study because of its long history of agricultural runoff causing algal blooms, along with its location in the Gulf of Mexico making it susceptible to weather events like tropical storms and hurricanes. From 2000–2008, phytoplankton samples were collected using an integrated tube sampler, and weather conditions, including temperature and wind conditions, were recorded. They found that phytoplankton composition transitioned from non-nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria dominating the lake before 2000, to nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria dominating the lake after 2000 and up until 2004 as phosphorus inputs were high and nitrogen was limiting. This time was referred to as the "pre-hurricane" time period, and the period after the 2004–2005 hurricane season was referred to as the "post-hurricane" period. During the post-hurricane period, light became limiting and influenced phytoplankton composition.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: Kramer et al. (2018) studied Lake Okeechobee during and after its major 2016 algal bloom that was related to the El Niño event. They collected information on nutrient availability, phytoplankton communities, and the presence of toxins, along with the genetic makeup of the phytoplankton communities and their genetic abilities to produce toxins. Additionally, they conducted nutrient experiments to couple with their findings. They found that cyanobacteria with the ability to do nitrogen fixation were in high abundance during this 2016 algal bloom. During this time, nitrogen was a limiting factor due to the extreme amounts of phosphorus in the freshwater ecosystem. The field experiments conducted with this study found that microcystin, the toxin produced by cyanobacteria, was produced in higher quantities when there was more nitrogen present.


title: Lake Okeechobee

text: A study conducted by Pei, Zhang, and Mitsch (2020) examined nitrate concentrations, and their respective isotope compositions, in hopes of determining origins of major inflows and outflows of nitrogen into the lake and what their respective contributions are. They found that ammonium based fertilizers and soil nitrogen were the largest contributors to nitrate found in the lake. Manure and precipitation were two other sources of nitrate. These results can aid in monitoring and regulation of nitrogen uses around Okeechobee, and subsequently aid in restoring the lake.


title: Qinghai

text: Qinghai (; alternately romanized as Tsinghai, Ch'inghai), also known as Kokonor, is a landlocked province in the northwest of the People's Republic of China. It is the fourth largest province of China by area and has the third smallest population. Its capital and largest city is Xining.


title: Qinghai

text: Qinghai borders Gansu on the northeast, Xinjiang on the northwest, Sichuan on the southeast and the Tibet Autonomous Region on the southwest. Qinghai province was established in 1928 during the period of the Republic of China, and until 1949 was ruled by Chinese Muslim warlords known as the Ma clique. The Chinese name "Qinghai" is after Qinghai Lake, the largest lake in China. The lake is known as Tso ngon in Tibetan, and as Kokonor Lake in English, derived from the Mongol Oirat name for Qinghai Lake. Both Tso ngon and Kokonor are names found in historic documents to describe the region.


title: Qinghai

text: Located mostly on the Tibetan Plateau, the province has long been inhabited by a number of peoples including the Tibetans, Mongols, Han (concentrated in the provincial capital of Xining and nearby Haidong), Hui, Monguors, and Salars. According to 2021 census reports, Tibetans constitute a fifth of the population of Qinghai and the Hui compose roughly a sixth of the population. There are over 37 recognized ethnic groups among Qinghai's population of 5.6 million, with national minorities making up a total of 45.5% of the population.


title: Qinghai

text: The area of Qinghai was controlled by Manchu-led Qing China around 1724, after their defeat of Khoshut Mongols, which controlled most of the area that is now Qinghai. After the internal overthrow of the Qing dynasty in 1912, Qinghai came under Chinese Muslim warlord Ma Qi's control until the Northern Expedition by the Republic of China consolidated central control in 1928. In the same year, the province of Qinghai was established by the Nationalist Government, with Xining as its capital.


title: Qinghai

text: During the Bronze Age, Qinghai was home to a diverse group of nomadic tribes closely related to other Central Asians who traditionally made a living in agriculture and husbandry, the Kayue culture. The eastern part of the area of Qinghai was under the control of the Han dynasty about 2,000 years ago. It was a battleground during the Tang and subsequent Central Plain dynasties when they fought against successive Tibetan tribes.


title: Qinghai

text: In the middle of 3rd century CE, nomadic people related to the Mongolic Xianbei migrated to pasture lands around the Qinghai Lake (Koko Nur) and established the Tuyuhun Kingdom.


title: Qinghai

text: In the 7th century, the Tuyuhun Kingdom was attacked by both the Tibetan Empire and the Tang dynasty as both sought control over the Silk Road trade routes. Tibetan King Songsten Gampo was victorious, and settled the area around Tso ngon (Lake Go, or Kokonor Lake). Military conflicts had severely weakened the Tuyuhun kingdom and it was incorporated into the Tibetan Empire. The Tibetan Empire continued expanding beyond Tso ngon during Trisong Detsen's and Ralpacan's reigns, and the empire controlled vast areas north and east of Tso ngon until 848, which included Xi'an.


title: Qinghai

text: After the disintegration of the Tibetan Empire, small local factions emerged, some under the titular authority of Central Plain polities. The Song dynasty defeated the Kokonor Kingdom in the 1070s. During the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty's administrative rule of Tibet, the region comprised the headwaters of the Ma chu (Machu River, Yellow River) and the Yalong (Yangtze) rivers and was known as Amdo, but apportioned to different administrative divisions than Tibet proper.


title: Qinghai

text: Most of Qinghai was once also a short time under the control of early Ming dynasty, but later gradually lost to the Khoshut Khanate founded by the Oirats. The Xunhua Salar Autonomous County is where most Salar people live in Qinghai. The Salars migrated to Qinghai from Samarkand in 1370. The chief of the four upper clans around this time was Han Pao-yuan and Ming granted him office of centurion, it was at this time the people of his four clans took Han as their surname. The other chief Han Shan-pa of the four lower Salar clans got the same office from Ming, and his clans were the ones who took Ma as their surname.


title: Qinghai

text: From 1640 to 1724, a big part of the area that is now Qinghai was under Khoshut Mongol control, but in 1724 it was conquered by the armies of the Qing dynasty. Xining, the capital of modern Qinghai province, began to function as the administrative center, although the city itself was then part of Gansu province within the "Tibetan frontier district". In 1724, 13-Article for the Effective Governing of Qinghai (Chinese:青海善后事宜十三条) was proposed by Nian Gengyao and adopted by the Central Government to gain full control of Qinghai.


title: Qinghai

text: During the rule of the Qing dynasty, the governor was a viceroy of the Qing Emperor, but the local ethnic groups enjoyed much autonomy. Many chiefs retained their traditional authority, participating in local administrations. The Dungan revolt (1862–77) devastated the Hui Muslim population of Shaanxi, shifting the Hui center of population to Gansu and Qinghai. Another Dungan revolt broke out in Qinghai in 1895 when various Muslim ethnic groups in Qinghai and Gansu rebelled against the Qing. Following the overthrow of the Qing dynasty in 1911, the region came under Chinese Muslim warlord Ma Qi control until the Northern Expedition by the Republic of China consolidated central control in 1928.


title: Qinghai

text: In July–August 1912, General Ma Fuxiang was "Acting Chief Executive Officer of Kokonur" (de facto Governor of the region that later became Qinghai). In 1928, Qinghai province was created. The Muslim warlord and General Ma Qi became military governor of Qinghai, followed by his brother Ma Lin (warlord) and then Ma Qi's son Ma Bufang. In 1932 Tibet invaded Qinghai, attempting to capture southern parts of Qinghai province, following contention in Yushu, Qinghai, over a monastery in 1932. The army of Ma Bufang defeated the Tibetan armies. Governor of Qinghai Ma Bufang was described as a socialist by American journalist John Roderick and friendly compared to the other Ma Clique warlords. Ma Bufang was reported to be good humoured and jovial in contrast to the brutal reign of Ma Hongkui. Most of eastern China was ravaged by the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War, by contrast, Qinghai was relatively untouched.


title: Qinghai

text: Ma Bufang increased the prominence of the Hui and Salar people in Qinghai's politics by heavily recruiting to his army from the counties in which those ethnic groups predominated. General Ma started a state run and controlled industrialization project, directly creating educational, medical, agricultural, and sanitation projects, run or assisted by the state. The state provided money for food and uniforms in all schools, state run or private. Roads and a theater were constructed. The state controlled all the press, no freedom was allowed for independent journalists.


title: Qinghai

text: As the 1949 Chinese revolution approached Qinghai, Ma Bufang abandoned his post and flew to Hong Kong, traveling abroad but never returning to China. On January 1, 1950, the Qinghai Province People's Government was declared, owing its allegiance to the new People's Republic of China. Aside from some minor adjustments to suit the geography, the PRC maintained the province's territorial integrity. Resistance to Communist rule continued in the form of the Huis' Kuomintang Islamic insurgency (1950–58), spreading past traditionally Hui areas to the ethnic-Tibetan south. Although the Hui composed 15.6% of Qinghai's population in 1949, making the province the second-largest concentration of Hui after Ningxia, the state denied the Hui ethnic autonomous townships and counties that their numbers warranted under Chinese law until the 1980s.


title: Qinghai

text: Qinghai is located on the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau. The Yellow River originates in the southern part of the province, while the Yangtze and Mekong have their sources in the southwestern part. Qinghai is separated by the Riyue Mountain into pastoral and agricultural zones in the west and east.


title: Qinghai

text: By area, Qinghai is the largest province in the People's Republic of China (excluding the autonomous regions). Qinghai Lake is the largest salt water lake in China, and the second largest in the world. The Qaidam basin lies in the northwest part of the province. About a third of this resource rich basin is desert. The basin has an altitude between 3000 and 3500 meters.


title: Qinghai

text: The Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve is located in Qinghai and contains the headwaters of the Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Mekong River. The reserve was established to protect the headwaters of these three rivers and consists of 18 subareas, each containing three zones which are managed with differing degrees of strictness.


title: Qinghai

text: The average elevation of Qinghai is over above sea level. Mountain ranges include the Tanggula Mountains and Kunlun Mountains, with the highest point being Bukadaban Feng at . Due to the high altitude, Qinghai has quite cold winters (harsh in the highest elevations), mild summers, and a large diurnal temperature variation. Its mean annual temperature is approximately , with January temperatures ranging from and July temperatures ranging from . It is also prone to heavy winds as well as sandstorms from February to April. Significant rainfall occurs mainly in summer, while precipitation is very low in winter and spring, and is generally low enough to keep much of the province semi-arid or arid.


title: Qinghai

text: The Politics of Qinghai Province in the People's Republic of China are structured in a dual party-government system like all other governing institutions in mainland China.


title: Qinghai

text: The Governor of Qinghai (青海省省长) is the highest-ranking official in the People's Government of Qinghai. However, in the province's dual party-government governing system, the Governor has less power than the Qinghai Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Provincial Committee Secretary (青海省委书记), colloquially termed the "Qinghai Party Chief".


title: Qinghai

text: Because the Han form Qinghai's ethnic majority and because none of its many ethnic minorities have clear dominance over the rest, the province is not administered as an autonomous region. Instead, the province has many ethnic autonomous areas at the district and county levels. Qinghai is administratively divided into eight prefecture-level divisions: two prefecture-level cities and six autonomous prefectures:


title: Qinghai

text: The eight prefecture-level divisions of Qinghai are subdivided into 44 county-level divisions (6 districts, 4 county-level cities, 27 counties and 7 autonomous counties).


title: Qinghai

text: There are over 37 recognized ethnic groups among Qinghai's population of 5.2 million, with national minorities making up 45.5% of the population. The Han population stand at 54.5% of the total population, Tibetan 20.7%, Hui 16%, Tu (Monguor) 4%, with also some groups of Mongol, and Salar, all of those groups being the most populous in the province. Han Chinese predominate in the cities of Xining, Haidong, Delingha and Golmud, and elsewhere in the northeast. The Hui are concentrated in Xining, Haidong, Minhe County, Hualong County, and Datong County. The Tu people predominate in Huzhu County and the Salars in Xunhua County; Tibetans and Mongols are sparsely distributed across the rural western part of the province.


title: Qinghai

text: Of the Muslim ethnic groups in China, Qinghai has communities of Hui, Salar, Dongxiang, and Bao'an. The Hui dominate the wholesale business in Qinghai.


title: Qinghai

text: The predominant religions in Qinghai are Chinese folk religions (including Taoist traditions and Confucianism) and Chinese Buddhism among the Han Chinese. The large Tibetan population practices Tibetan schools of Buddhism or traditional Tibetan Bön religion, while the Hui Chinese practice Islam. Christianity is the religion of 0.76% of the province's population according to the Chinese General Social Survey of 2004. According to a survey of 2010, 17.51% of the population of Qinghai follow Islam.


title: Qinghai

text: From September 1848, the city was the seat of a short-lived Latin Catholic Apostolic Vicariate (pre-diocesan missionary jurisdiction) of Kokonur (alias Khouhkou-noor, Kokonoor), but it was suppressed in 1861. No incumbent(s) recorded.


title: Qinghai

text: Qinghai has been influenced by the interactions "between Mongol and Tibetan culture, north to south, and Han Chinese and Inner Asia Muslim culture, east to west". The languages of Qinghai have for centuries formed a Sprachbund, with Zhongyuan Mandarin, Amdo Tibetan, Salar, Yugur, and Monguor borrowing from and influencing one another. In mainstream Chinese culture, Qinghai is most associated with the "Tale of King Mu, Son of Heaven". According to this legend, King Mu of Zhou (r. 976–922 BCE) pursued hostile Quanrong nomads to eastern Qinghai, where the goddess Xi Wangmu threw the king a banquet in the Kunlun Mountains.


title: Qinghai

text: The main religions in Qinghai are Tibetan Buddhism, Islam and Chinese Folk Religions. The Dongguan Mosque has been continuously operating since 1380. Measures of education in Qinghai are low, particularly among the ethnic minorities. The yak, which is native to Qinghai, is widely used in the province for transportation and its meat. The Mongols of Qinghai celebrate the Naadam festival on the Qaidam Basin every year.


title: Qinghai

text: Qinghai's economy is amongst the smallest in all of China. Its nominal GDP for 2011 was just 163.4 billion RMB (US$25.9 billion) and contributes to about 0.35% of the entire country's economy. Per capita GDP was 19,407 RMB (US$2,841), the second lowest in China.


title: Qinghai

text: Its heavy industry includes iron and steel production, located near its capital city of Xining. Oil and natural gas from the Qaidam Basin have also been an important contributor to the economy. Salt works operate at many of the province's numerous salt lakes.


title: Qinghai

text: Outside of the provincial capital, Xining, most of Qinghai remains underdeveloped. Qinghai ranks second lowest in China in terms of highway length, and will require a significant expansion of its infrastructure to capitalize on the economic potential of its rich natural resources.


title: Qinghai

text: Xining Economic & Technological Development Zone (XETDZ) was approved as state-level development zone in July 2000. It has a planned area of . XETDZ lies in the east of Xining, from downtown. In the east of the province, Xining stands at the upper reaches of the Huangshui River—one of the Yellow River's branches. The city is surrounded by the mountains with an average elevation of 2261 meters and the highest at 4393 meters. XETDZ is the first of its kind at the national level on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is established to fulfill the nation's strategy of developing the west.


title: Qinghai

text: XETDZ enjoys a convenient transportation system, connected by the Xining-Lanzhou expressway and running through by two main roads, the broadest in the city. It is 4 kilometers from the railway station, 15 kilometers from Xi'ning Airport — a grade 4D airport with 14 airlines to cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu and Xi'an. Xining is Qinghai province's passage to the outside world, a transportation center with more than ten highways, over 100 roads and two railways, Lanzhou-Qinghai and Qinghai-Tibet Railways in and out of the city.


title: Qinghai

text: It focuses on the development of following industries: chemicals based on salt lake resources, nonferrous metals, and petroleum and natural gas processing; special medicine, foods and bio-chemicals using local plateau animals and plants; new products involving ecological and environmental protection, high technology, new materials as well as information technology; and services such as logistics, banking, real estate, tourism, hotel, catering, agency and international trade.


title: Qinghai

text: During the hot summer months, many tourists from the hot Southern and Eastern parts of China travel to Xining, as the climate of Xining in July and August is quite mild and comfortable, making the city an ideal summer retreat.


title: Qinghai

text: Qinghai Lake () is another tourist attraction, albeit further from Xining than Kumbum Monastery (Ta'er Si). The lake is the largest saltwater lake in China, and is also located on the "Roof of the World", the Tibetan Plateau. The lake itself lies at 3,600m elevation. The surrounding area is made up of rolling grasslands and populated by ethnic Tibetans. Most pre-arranged tours stop at Bird Island (). An international bicycle race takes place annually from Xining to Qinghai Lake.


title: Qinghai

text: The Lanqing Railway, running between Lanzhou, Gansu and Xining, the province's capital, was completed in 1959 and is the major transportation route in and out of the province. A continuation of the line, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway via Golmud and western Qinghai, has become one of the most ambitious projects in PRC history. It was completed in October 2005 and now links Tibet with the rest of China through Qinghai.


title: Qinghai

text: Xining Caojiabao International Airport provides service to Beijing, Lanzhou, Golmud and Delingha. Smaller regional airports, Delingha Airport, Golog Maqin Airport, Huatugou Airport, Qilian Airport and Yushu Batang Airport, serve some of the local centers of the far-flung province; plans exist for the construction of three more by 2020.


title: Qinghai

text: Since the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology began its "Access to Telephones Project", Qinghai has invested 640 million yuan to provide telephone access to 3860 out its 4133 administrative villages. At the end of 2006, 299 towns had received Internet access. However, 6.6 percent of villages in the region still have no access to the telephone. These villages are mainly scattered in Qingnan Area, with 90 percent of them located in Yushu and Guoluo. The average altitude of these areas exceeds 3600 meters, and the poor natural conditions hamper the establishment of telecommunication facilities in the region.


title: Qinghai

text: Satellite phones have been provided to 186 remote villages in Qinghai Province as of September 14, 2007. The areas benefited were Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Qinghai has recently been provided with satellite telephone access. In June 2007, China Satcom carried out an in-depth survey in Yushu and Guoluo, and made a special satellite phones for these areas. Two phones were provided to each village for free, and calls were charged at the rate of 0.2 yuan (about a quarter of a US cent at that time) per minute for both local and national calls, with the extra charges assumed by China Satcom. No monthly rent was charged on the satellite phone. International calls were also available.


title: Gary Cherone

text: Gary Francis Caine Cherone ( ; born July 26, 1961) is an American rock singer and songwriter. Cherone is known for his work as the lead vocalist of the Boston rock group Extreme and for his short stint as the third lead vocalist for Van Halen. He has also released solo recordings. In 2007, he reunited with Extreme.


title: Gary Cherone

text: Cherone grew up in Malden, Massachusetts and attended Malden High School. He is the third of five brothers and the younger fraternal twin of Greg Cherone.


title: Gary Cherone

text: In his teenage years, Cherone turned to singing in local bands and was heavily influenced by the reigning rock frontmen of the day, most notably Roger Daltrey of The Who, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, and Queen's Freddie Mercury. In 1979 Cherone and drummer friend Paul Geary along with guitarist Matt McKay, formed a hard-rock band called Adrenalin, which performed locally. In 1981, they changed the band's name to The Dream and recorded a six-song independent vinyl EP.


title: Gary Cherone

text: A few years later, Cherone and The Dream appeared in a music video produced by David Horgan, on the early MTV program, "Basement Tapes", a show in which the viewing audience "voted" (via a toll-free telephone number) for one of two competing amateur music videos submitted by unsigned artists. The Dream's video for "Mutha, Don't Wanna Go to School Today", won their contest, beating a then-unknown Henry Lee Summer by just 1% of the total vote.


title: Gary Cherone

text: In 1985, Cherone and Geary met guitarist Nuno Bettencourt and bassist Pat Badger in an altercation over a dressing room, but the rivals soon became collaborators and shortly after the combined foursome took the name "Extreme", and began writing their own material. The name Extreme came from a play on the words "Ex-Dream". By the late 1980s, the group had attracted a large regional following; in 1987, the band signed with A&M Records, which released their self-titled debut album in 1989. Selling over 250,000 copies, the band's debut album justified a second, and in 1990 the band recorded the critically acclaimed "", a mix of hard rock, funk, and pop propelled by Bettencourt's guitar playing. The album's lyrical content, mostly written by Cherone, was loosely based on the concept of a fictional young boy named "Francis" and his observations of a decadent, corrupt, and misogynistic society.


title: Gary Cherone

text: Although well received by the rock world in the press, initial sales and chart success for the album were sluggish until A&M released the acoustic ballad "More Than Words" in the early spring of 1991. The song was picked up by mainstream radio and became a huge smash, reaching No. 1 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 that summer. "Extreme II: Pornograffiti" was eventually certified double platinum. Also in 1991, Extreme toured in support of David Lee Roth.


title: Gary Cherone

text: Cherone's career came full circle in April 1992 when he performed "Hammer to Fall" onstage with the three surviving members of Queen at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium. Extreme also performed a medley of Queen hits during the first half of the concert. Later that year, Extreme released "III Sides To Every Story", a concept album.


title: Gary Cherone

text: "Waiting for the Punchline," was a stripped-down affair that was only modestly successful. After the supporting tour, Bettencourt became dissatisfied and left the group to launch a solo career. "Extreme" officially folded soon afterward.


title: Gary Cherone

text: In 1996, rock band Van Halen had a falling out with their second lead singer, Sammy Hagar, who had been with the band since 1985. After a failed reunion attempt with original lead vocalist David Lee Roth, who had been with Van Halen from 1974 to 1985, Van Halen was once again without a lead vocalist. At the urging of Van Halen's manager, Ray Danniels (who also managed Extreme), Cherone was called for an audition. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen liked Cherone's lyrics, as well as his work ethic, and in November 1996 Cherone became Van Halen's third lead vocalist. That year, Cherone took up residence in Eddie's guest house and spent the next year writing and recording a new studio album.


title: Gary Cherone

text: Released on March 17, 1998, "Van Halen III" debuted at No. 4 on the "Billboard" 200 album chart, selling 197,000 copies in its first week then 500,000 by summer (RIAA gold certified in the United States) and over 700,000 copies as of 2011. The album featured an eclectic and diverse set of songs, marking a departure from the straightforward arena rock that Van Halen had played with Hagar and contrasting with the tongue-in-cheek bombast that originally attracted Van Halen fans to Roth. "Van Halen III"s songs were often longer and more lyrically intricate than earlier Van Halen material, giving it a progressive influence. The album only produced a sole No. 1 "Billboard" Mainstream Rock hit in "Without You".


title: Gary Cherone

text: By most band standards the album would be considered an unmitigated commercial success but by Van Halen's standards it was considered a flop. Neither the album nor the supporting tour performed to financial expectations since "Van Halen III" was the first album in the band's career to not achieve at least double platinum status. However, the tour was well received by fans. The tour brought back many older Van Halen songs that fans had wanted to hear since Roth's initial departure in 1984. This was largely because Hagar refused to play all but the most famous of Roth-era songs. Unlike the band's subsequent 2004 and 2007–08 tours, Van Halen toured outside of North America in 1998, playing dates in Japan, Europe and for the first time, Australia and New Zealand. One date in Australia was filmed and aired on MTV.


title: Gary Cherone

text: Plans progressed for a follow-up album, rumoured to be called "Love Again," to be released at the end of 1999. Releasing a new studio album only a year after the previous one had not been done by Van Halen since 1982, when the band released "Diver Down". Reportedly, Van Halen's then-record company Warner Bros. sent back the new album twice because they did not hear a "hit" pop single on it. Frustrated by the rejections from the record label, Cherone left Van Halen amicably. Since then, he has remained on good terms with his former bandmates, going on record numerous times with his thoughts about why the collaboration failed to work.


title: Gary Cherone

text: Years later, when reflecting on his time in the band, Cherone stated "I was one of the three singers in the mighty Van Halen. You can't take that away from me."


title: Gary Cherone

text: After his departure from Van Halen, Cherone returned to Boston and put together a new project, Tribe of Judah. The band played several shows in the Boston area and released a CD on Spitfire Records entitled "Exit Elvis".


title: Gary Cherone

text: He has on occasion guested with Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony during their "The Other Half" performances, and Nuno Bettencourt's recent projects, as well as with the Boston Rock Opera.


title: Gary Cherone

text: In February 2003, just one week after The Station nightclub fire, Gary and his brother Markus performed "More Than Words" during a memorial service for the victims. The memorial was broadcast live on WHJY in Providence, RI.


title: Gary Cherone

text: In 2005, Cherone released a four-song sampler CD, "Need I Say More", that was written and produced by Steve Catizone and Leo Mellace. This album was recorded by Jeff Yurek at Sanctum Sound in Boston, Massachusetts, and mixed by Carl Nappa in New York City. Musicians including Dave DiCenso (drums), Baron Browne (bass) and Steve Hunt (keyboards) are also featured on the record.


title: Gary Cherone

text: In May 2006, Cherone sang in three shows as part of Amazing Journey, a tribute to The Who created by ex-Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, featuring Paul Gilbert on guitar and Billy Sheehan on bass. Not long after, Gary and his brother Markus Cherone created their own tribute to The Who, Slip Kid. Presently the band continues to perform regularly in the Greater Boston area.


title: Gary Cherone

text: Later that year, Van Halen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cherone's three-year stint with the group did not establish him as a band member eligible for induction. However, at the televised induction ceremony, the group's former bassist Michael Anthony thanked Cherone for his contributions.


title: Gary Cherone

text: Since 2004 Extreme have re-united with Cherone on several occasions for "one off" shows in their home town and in New England, but in November 2007 they announced plans to do another world tour along with a new album.


title: Gary Cherone

text: In 2016, the band released Pornograffitti Live 25: Metal Meltdown, an audio/video presentation of its 2015 concert at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Casino.


title: Gary Cherone

text: Cherone has toured with SlipKid, a tribute to The Who. Cherone's former Extreme bandmate, Paul Mangone, is the bassist, and his brother, Markus Cherone, is the guitarist.


title: Gary Cherone

text: Cherone has formed a new band with his brother Markus on guitar, Joe Pessia on bass/mandolin and Dana Spellman on drums. They have released a self-titled debut album in early 2011 and have toured to promote it.


title: Norwegian krone

text: The krone (, abbreviation: kr (also NKr for distinction); code: NOK), plural "kroner", is currency of the Kingdom of Norway (including Svalbard). Traditionally known as the Norwegian crown in English. It is nominally subdivided into 100 "øre", although the last coins denominated in øre were withdrawn in 2012.


title: Norwegian krone

text: The krone was the thirteenth-most-traded currency in the world by value in April 2010, down three positions from 2007.


title: Norwegian krone

text: The Norwegian krone is also informally accepted in many shops in Sweden and Finland that are close to the Norwegian border, and also in some shops in the Danish ferry ports of Hirtshals and Frederikshavn. Norwegians spent 14.1 billion NOK on border shopping in 2015 compared to 10.5 billion NOK spent in 2010. Border shopping is a fairly common practice amongst Norwegians, though it is seldom done on impulse. Money is spent mainly on food articles, alcohol, and tobacco, in that order, usually in bulk or large quantities. This is due to considerably higher taxes and fees on tobacco and alcohol purchased domestically in Norway.


title: Norwegian krone

text: The krone was introduced in 1875, replacing the Norwegian speciedaler/spesidaler at a rate of 4 kroner = 1 speciedaler. In doing so, Norway joined the Scandinavian Monetary Union, which had been established in 1873. The Scandinavian currencies were mutually exchangeable at par until 1914 with the suspension of the gold standard due to World War I. After this date, the currencies of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden ceased to be mutually equivalent to each other.


title: Norwegian krone

text: Within the Scandinavian Monetary Union, the krone was on a gold standard of 2,480 kroner = 1 kilogram of pure gold (1 krone = 403.226 milligrams of gold). The gold standard was suspended from 1914 to 1916 and from 1920 to 1928, and in 1931 it was permanently suspended. In 1933 the krone was pegged to the pound sterling at 1 pound = 19.9 kroner, and in 1939 the krone was pegged to the U.S. dollar at $1 = 4.4 kroner.


title: Norwegian krone

text: During the German occupation (1940–1945) in the Second World War, the krone was initially pegged to the Reichsmark at a rate of 1 krone = 0.6 Reichsmark, later reduced to 0.57. After the war, a peg of 1 pound = 20 kroner was established in 1946, equivalent to US$1 = 4.963 kroner before the 1949 devaluation of sterling revised it to US$1 = 7.142 kroner.


title: Norwegian krone

text: In December 1992, the Central Bank of Norway abandoned the fixed exchange rate system in favor of floating exchange rates (managed float) due to the heavy speculation against the Norwegian currency in the early 1990s, which lost the central bank around two billion kroner in defensive purchases of the NOK through the usage of foreign currency reserves for a relatively short period of time.


title: Norwegian krone

text: In 1875, coins were introduced (some dated 1874) in denominations of 10 and 50 øre and 1 and 10 kroner. These coins also bore the denomination in the previous currency, as 3, 15, and 30 skillings and specidaler. Between 1875 and 1878, the new coinage was introduced in full, in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, and 50 øre and 1, 2, and 10 kroner. The 1, 2, and 5 øre were struck in bronze; the 10, 25, and 50 øre and 1 and 2 kroner, in silver; and the 10 and 20 kroner, in gold.


title: Norwegian krone

text: The last gold coins were issued in 1910; silver was replaced by cupro-nickel in 1920. Between 1917 and 1921, iron temporarily replaced bronze. 1917 also saw the last issuance of 2 kroner coins. During the German occupation of Norway in the Second World War, zinc was used in place of cupro-nickel in 10, 25, and 50 øre coins and production of the 1 krone piece was suspended.


title: Norwegian krone

text: In 1963, 5 kroner coins were introduced. Production of 1 and 2 øre coins ceased in 1972. The following year, the size of the 5-øre coin was reduced; production of the denomination ceased in 1982, along with the minting of the 25 øre. Ten-kroner coins were introduced in 1983. In 1992, the last 10 øre coins were minted.


title: Norwegian krone

text: Between 1994 and 1998, a new coinage was introduced, consisting of 50 øre, 1, 5, 10, and 20 kroner. These are the only coins that are currently legal tender, with the exception of the 50 øre coin which was withdrawn on 1 May 2012. It was withdrawn because it was no longer circulating as an ordinary coin used for payment. However, banks in Norway will still exchange 50 øre coins for higher values until 2022.


title: Norwegian krone

text: The 10 and 20 kroner coins carry the effigy of the current monarch. Previously the 1 and 5 kroner coins also carried the royal effigy, but now these denominations are decorated only with stylistic royal or national symbols. The royal motto of the monarch (King Harald's motto is ", meaning "Everything for Norway") is also inscribed on the 10 kroner coin.


title: Norwegian krone

text: Up to 25 coins of any single denomination is considered "—a legally recognized method of payment, in which the intended recipient can not refuse payment, according to Norwegian law.


title: Norwegian krone

text: The characteristics of the ten Syrian pound (LS 10) coin have been found to so closely resemble the Norwegian 20 kroner (NKr 20) coin that it can fool vending machines, coins-to-cash machines, arcade machines, and any other coin-operated, automated service machine in the country. Machines are unable to tell the coins apart, owing to their almost identical weight and size.


title: Norwegian krone

text: As of mid-February 2017, LS 10 was worth NKr 0.39, making the 20-kroner coin 51.5 times more valuable than the 10-pound coin. While not easy to find in Norway, the Syrian coins are still used in automated machines there with such frequency that , the Norwegian postal service, decided to close many of their coins-to-cash machines on 18 February 2006, with plans to develop a system able to differentiate between the two coins. In the summer of 2005, a Norwegian man was sentenced to 30 day suspended sentence, for having used Syrian coins in arcade machines in the municipality of Bærum.


title: Norwegian krone

text: In 1877, Norges Bank introduced notes for 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 kroner. In 1917, 1 krone notes were issued, and 2 kroner notes were issued between 1918 and 1922. Because of metal shortages, 1 and 2 kroner notes were again issued between 1940 and 1950. In 1963, 5 kroner notes were replaced by coins, with the same happening to the 10 kroner notes in 1984. Two hundred kroner notes were introduced in 1994.


title: Norwegian krone

text: The value of the Norwegian krone compared to other currencies varies considerably from one year to another, mainly based on changes in oil prices and interest rates. In 2002 the Norwegian krone grew to record high levels against the United States dollar and the euro. On 2 January 2002, 100 kroner were worth US$11.14 ($1 = 8.98 kroner). In July 2002, the krone hit a high at 100 kroner = $13.7 ($1 = 7.36 kroner). In addition to the high level of interest, which increased further on 4 July 2002, to 7 percent, the price of oil was high. At the time Norway was the world's third largest oil exporter.


title: Norwegian krone

text: In 2005, oil prices reached record levels of more than 60 dollars per barrel. Although interest rates had decreased to around 2 percent, the Norwegian krone grew even stronger.


title: Norwegian krone

text: However, in late 2007 and early 2008, the dollar suffered a steady depreciation against all other major currencies. The Norwegian krone was gaining value at the same time; as a result, the krone became stronger than ever compared to the dollar, making the dollar worth about 5 kroner in April 2008. By October 2008, the dollar had recovered and was worth approximately 7 kroner. Following 2009, the krone once again saw strong growth, making the dollar worth about 5.8 kroner as of the beginning of 2010. Since then, the dollar has gone up further and as of October 2019 was worth about 9 kroner. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the krone fell heavily, making one dollar cost 12.00 kroner on 19 March 2020.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: The M1117 Guardian, also denoted Armored Security Vehicle ("ASV"), is an internal security vehicle based on the V-100 and V-150 Commando series of armored cars. It was developed in the late 1990s for service with the United States' Military Police Corps. The first prototypes appeared in February 1997 and serial production of the M1117 commenced between 1999 and early 2000.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: The M1117 was one of the first U.S. military vehicles to be built on a specialized mine-resistant hull, and after 2001 was adopted in increasing numbers as a direct response to the threat posed by improvised explosive devices to US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its armament consists of an Mk 19 grenade launcher and M2HB Browning machine gun, mounted in a turret similar to that used on the United States Marine Corps' Amphibious Assault Vehicle, and a M240H Medium Machine Gun mounted outside the gunner's hatch.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: The vehicle was utilized by American military police and convoy security units in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a more heavily protected and heavily armed alternative to the armored M1114 HMMWV aka "Humvee", which was not originally designed to be a protected fighting vehicle.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: The vehicle (originally the ASV-150) is a purpose-built 21st-century version of Cadillac Gage's V-100 Commando family of Armored fighting vehicles which was used by the U.S. Army Military Police during the Vietnam War; whose duties often consisted of providing armed escort for wheeled convoys. The USAF in South Vietnam utilized an open hatched (turret-less) "Commando" for base security missions. The ASV 150 was a much improved version of the earlier Cadillac Gage vehicle, with improved armor protection and better maneuverability due to the use of Timoney's independent suspension system.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: In the 1980s, U.S. military doctrine emphasized two distinct types of equipment. Tanks and infantry fighting vehicles were for frontline combat, and unarmored utility vehicles for transport behind the lines. In 1993, the military had to fight through Mogadishu in unarmored Humvees, leading to the development of up-armored models. Many generals doubted the benefits, but the Military Police Corps, tasked with patrolling the "safe" rear area behind the battle line, insisted that the Army fund a slow but steady production of the bullet resistant M1114 Humvee.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: In 1999, the United States Army began buying a limited number of M1117s for the Military Police Corps. They were field tested by MP units in Kosovo, mostly by members of the 709th MP Battalion. The program was canceled in 2002 because of budget priorities. The United States Army believed that existing vehicles could be used without an "unacceptable level of risk." (At $800,000 each in 2011, the M1117 was significantly more expensive than the $140,000 price for an M1114 and $220,000 for an armoured M1114.)


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: When the Iraq War began in 2003, there were 49 ASVs in service, with almost all of them being assigned to MP units. The first MP unit to officially use them in a combat zone was the 527th MP Company and other elements of the 720th Military Police Battalion. However, the onset of events in Iraq gave new life to the ASV program as HMMWVs proved vulnerable to attacks and a large source of casualties. Up-armored HMMWVs were not designed to be armored cars like the M1117, which are designed to withstand hits from small arms, mines and rockets in front-line combat units. Soldiers who used the M1117s, and some members of Congress visiting Iraq, favored them over other mine protected vehicles.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: A variant was to be evaluated by the United States Marine Corps as part of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle program. In May 2007, after its vehicle submission failed ballistics testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Textron received word that it would not receive further orders as part of the MRAP program. However, in early 2008, Textron was awarded a contract worth $228 million to build 329 ASVs, to be delivered with the latest fragmentation protection kits. The total number of ASVs produced and remaining to be delivered to the U.S. Army at the time was 2,058 vehicles.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: At about 15 tons, the M1117 is lighter than the 20 ton Stryker ICV or 25 ton M2 Bradley armored vehicle. It can reach a speed of 20 miles per hour in 7 seconds. It is only wide, compared to for a Bradley. Buttoned up, the crew has 360° visibility. In size and capability, it fits between the Humvee and the $5 million Stryker. The crew compartment is fully air-conditioned.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: The ASV uses an advanced modular expandable armor package from IBD Deisenroth Engineering, consisting of ceramic composite applique on the exterior and spall liner on the interior. The Guardian's armor is designed to defeat small arms fire, mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The armor is angled presenting no vertical surfaces, deflecting many rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) hits. If an RPG does hit the vehicle directly, it can still function, although crew survivability varies depending on the location at which the RPG hits. Angled armor is more resistant to attack than vertical armor due to the shape of the V-shape hulls deflecting explosive forces, as opposed to a single-plane hull which takes the entire force impact.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: ASVs in Iraq and Afghanistan have withstood several IED attacks, some vehicles multiple times. One ASV returned after an IED destroyed all four tires. As for chemical and biological attacks, the ASV's gas particulate air filtration system was designed to provide additional protection, but is currently not in service due to lack of crew masks for the system. The ASV has experienced several rollover incidents. Soldiers have a higher survivability rate when rolling over, as the turret is fully enclosed protecting the gunner from ejection. However, there have been at least two incidents of rollovers that resulted in the deaths of two soldiers when the turret broke away from the vehicle. Since the incidents, Textron has started adding 15 additional bolts to the vehicle turret.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: The typical mission profile of an ASV involves 50% travel primary roads, 30% travel on secondary roads, and 20% cross-country travel. It uses a model MD3560 Allison Transmission. Front and rear independent suspension provides smooth highway speeds of up to , while it is capable of fording depths of water, climbing gradients of 60%, negotiating 30% side slope, and overcoming obstacles of five feet. Its turning radius is , and it has ground clearance.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: With the adoption of the M1117 as the Mobile Strike Force Vehicle (MSFV) by the Afghan National Army, demand increased for much larger caliber weapons systems mounted on the same chassis which would provide it with an organic anti-tank and fire support capability. On 22 October 2013, a new fire support variant of the M1117 was unveiled by Textron at the annual Association of the United States Army (AUSA) exhibition. This model, described as the Commando Select 90mm Direct Fire Vehicle, was designed with an exceptionally large turret ring and carried a Cockerill Mk III 90mm low-pressure cannon.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: It provided the M1117 with an extremely potent form of firepower for its size and weight class, firing canister, high explosive, high explosive squash head, and high explosive anti-tank shells, as well as an armour-piercing discarding sabot round capable of destroying older main battle tanks. One advantage of the low-pressure cannon was that, in spite of its relatively large caliber, it could be mounted on a vehicle weighing only 18 metric tonnes, or about 40,000 pounds, combat loaded. The new armament was also fitted with a single-baffle muzzle brake and concentric hydro-spring recoil mechanism as standard to reduce the pressure exerted on the relatively light chassis.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: According to Textron, it invested in the 90mm Direct Fire Vehicle as a direct response to the Afghan requirement for a more heavily armed MSFV. Afghanistan immediately ordered 50 and offered to purchase the vehicle through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, with grants from the US government. However, since the 90mm cannon and most of the turret components were made in Belgium, US military officials blocked the sale until they could qualify and approve that particular combination for export through FMS.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: In 2014, the procurement process was suspended when the US canceled its funding for the sale of almost 300 MSFVs, including the 50 Direct Fire Vehicles, to the Afghan National Army, citing budgetary constraints. The US military had not yet finished its testing of the Belgian weapons system at the time, so none were ever delivered. As Kabul's requirement for a fire support variant of the MSFV remained unfulfilled, Textron agreed to revisit the potential sale with Afghan officials in 2017.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: Around the same time, Iraq requested an undisclosed number of 90mm Direct Fire Vehicles from Textron for its ongoing campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The sale was pending review by the US government in February 2017.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: The Textron Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV) are used by the Canadian Army and is a heavy armoured upgrade of the M1117. 500 in service


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: Bulgaria uses a variant of the M1117 APC fitted with a NSVT heavy machine gun instead of the M2. Not all vehicles have been converted this way.


title: M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

text: The Iraqi Armored Personnel Carrier ASV variant is configured for transport. Iraq has also modified some of its ASVs' turrets to accommodate an anti-aircraft capability.


title: Mousa Dembélé (Belgian footballer)

text: Mousa Sidi Yaya Dembélé (born 16 July 1987) is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder. He was regarded as one of the best box-to-box midfielders in Europe due to his excellent dribbling skills and ability to maintain possession.


title: Mousa Dembélé (Belgian footballer)

text: Dembélé started his career at Belgian Pro League team Germinal Beerschot before spells at Eredivisie sides Willem II and AZ in the Netherlands. He won the league title and the Johan Cruyff Shield with the latter in 2009. Dembélé transferred to Premier League side Fulham in 2010 before joining Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £15 million in August 2012. He was ranked 91st in "The Guardian"s list of the 100 best current footballers in 2012.


title: Mousa Dembélé (Belgian footballer)

text: Dembélé was born in Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium. His father Yaya is Malian, while his mother, Tilly Huygens, is Belgian of Flemish ethnicity. Dembélé is a Muslim.


title: Mousa Dembélé (Belgian footballer)

text: Dembélé uses the spelling "Mousa" for his first name (e.g. on his Twitter account), and so do his club, national team and most news articles about him. However, in a 2016 interview, he said that the proper spelling ought to be "Moussa". In a 2018 interview he further clearified that his first name was accidentally misspelled "Mousa" when he had to renew his passport one time and then just decided to keep on using it that way.


title: Mousa Dembélé (Belgian footballer)

text: Dembélé played for K. Berchem Sport as a youth. He started his professional career for Germinal Beerschot, a team in the Belgian Pro League. He made his debut on 24 April 2004 against Charleroi. In 2005, he signed for the youth section of Willem II, despite apparent interest from Eredivisie giants AFC Ajax.


title: Mousa Dembélé (Belgian footballer)

text: Dembélé spent the 2005–06 season in the Eredivisie with Willem II. The team had a very poor season that year, but Dembélé nonetheless scored nine times. After the season, he attracted further interest from the bigger Eredivisie teams and was subsequently transferred to AZ in the summer of 2006.


title: Mousa Dembélé (Belgian footballer)

text: In 2006–07, Dembélé was one of the most important players of Louis van Gaal's team. They were poised to win the championship but on the last day lost the title to PSV and only finished third after losing 3–2 to Excelsior. AZ also lost the final of the KNVB Beker against AFC Ajax. Dembélé scored after two minutes played, but AZ lost 8–7 after a penalty shootout, with Dembélé scoring AZ's fifth penalty attempt. AZ further lost the play-off final for qualification to the Champions League, again to Ajax. Dembélé scored six times that season.


title: Mousa Dembélé (Belgian footballer)

text: The season of 2007–08 was a very disappointing season for AZ. They finished 12th, with Dembélé scoring four times for them. The 2008–09 season started disappointingly as well for Dembélé's team after two defeats, but then AZ started to win more games and eventually won the championship. Dembélé was out injured from October until December with a knee injury, but on his return, he was hailed as being one of the players of the season in the Eredivisie.


title: Mousa Dembélé (Belgian footballer)

text: Dembélé was said to be "edging closer" to join English Premier League club Birmingham City, but on 12 August 2010, Dembélé declined a move to Birmingham in favour of London club Fulham. On 18 August 2010, Fulham announced that Dembélé had joined from AZ on a three-year deal for a fee of £5 million.