title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: "Beautiful" has been widely embraced as an anthem by the LGBT community for its message of self-empowerment and inner-beauty. An accompanying music video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund, and earned Aguilera a GLAAD Media Award for its positive portrayal of gay and transgender people. In 2011, UK LGBT rights organization Stonewall named "Beautiful" the most empowering song of the previous decade for gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. In 2009, "Rolling Stone" and VH1 listed it as one of the best songs of the 2000s.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: "Beautiful" was written and produced by Linda Perry. Christina Aguilera recorded the song at two studios: The Enterprise Studios in Burbank, California, and Conway Recording Studios in Hollywood. Prior to the collaboration with Aguilera, Perry had written the song and wanted to keep the "personal" record for her own singing career. Perry previewed the song for Pink during recording sessions for the latter's sophomore studio album "Missundaztood" (2001), on which Perry worked as a producer. However, after hearing Aguilera sing the song at Perry's house to "break the ice", Perry was very impressed and allowed Aguilera to include the track on her then-upcoming album "Stripped", effectively deciding not to pursue a solo career. The choice resulted in a feud between Pink against Aguilera and Perry, with the former stating that it was "annoying" for the latter to collaborate with artists "[she] didn't like".


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: Perry later revealed to ASCAP, "When Christina came over to my house to start working, she asked me to play some songs to break the ice. [...] I had a long conversation with my manager about it. We both decided to hear Christina sing it. We demoed the song with her singing it, and I was like, 'Wow'. That rough vocal is what is out there on radio. It was that vocal that got her the song". Perry's then-wife Sara Gilbert confirmed on her show "The Talk" that the final version was "just a demo." Gilbert also revealed that Aguilera wanted to re-record the song because she did not like the initial vocals. Perry denied the request because the song is supposed to be about imperfection and being vulnerable. Perry said as Aguilera stepped in the booth to record, she said to her friend, "Don't look at me" – which Perry left at the start of the final track. She told "Rolling Stone": "I knew I was going to keep that on the record, and I knew she was the right person for the song. I realized, 'Oh, she's insecure. She's one of those beautiful people who's got everything but is super insecure. Okay, this song is hers.'"


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: "Beautiful" is a pop and R&B ballad that discusses issues of self-esteem and insecurity, promoting a message of self-empowerment and embracing inner beauty. Larry Flick of "Billboard" added that the song talks about "overcoming life's trials", Chuck Taylor also of "Billboard" observed that it has a message of "holding oneself up against criticism from the outside," and Todd Burns of "Stylus" noted that the song "also explores the main theme of the record, being stripped bare in front of the public." Its instrumentation incorporates bass guitar, cello, drum kits, keyboards, piano, and violin. "Beautiful" is composed in the key of E major and moving at a slow 76 beats per minute. Aguilera's vocal range spans over two octaves from the low note of E♭ to the high note of G; she uses several melismas in the song, fitting as many as seven notes in one syllable.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: "Beautiful" was released as the second single from "Stripped". It was first sent to American contemporary hit and rhythmic radio stations on November 16, 2002. The song was later released as a CD single on January 27, February 10, February 24, and February 25, 2003, in Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, and France, respectively. Also on February 25, a digital remix EP of "Beautiful" was released worldwide. Two days later, the single was released as a maxi single in Canada. On March 11, 2003, the single was released as a CD in the United States.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: "Beautiful" received universal acclaim from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic commended the song for not following the "club and street-level R&B, which fit her poorly". Similarly, a reviewer from "Billboard" described "Beautiful" as a "single-worthy ballad" from a record of "pleasantly surprising depth". In a separate review, Chuck Taylor from the same magazine deemed the song "breathtaking", and highlighted its melody and lyrical message. "Entertainment Weekly"s David Browne called the song one of "Stripped"s "moments", noting that it is "more restrained" than the other songs from the album. Sal Cinquemani of "Slant Magazine" commented that the collaboration with Linda Perry found Aguilera "truly naked" and reflective of the album's title. "Stylus Magazine"s Todd Burns gave "Stripped" a negative review, but complimented "Beautiful" for "tastefully [reining] in Aguilera's frequent vocal acrobatics". Jane Dark of "The Village Voice" compared the song to the works of Mariah Carey "made back when she was a natural", and the "Attitude" magazine called it "universal". "The Advocate"s Larry Flick named "Beautiful" a "Beatlesque ballad" and the "great queer anthem of 2003". He also listed it as one of the best songs of the year. In contrast, Amanda Murray from Sputnikmusic criticized the "platitude-drenched" lyrics but praised the overall production. At the 2004 Grammy Awards, "Beautiful" won the award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and was nominated for Song of the Year.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: "Beautiful" is considered to be Aguilera's signature song and has been recognized as being among the strongest tracks in her catalog. The song was ranked as her third-best single by Rachel McRady of Wetpaint, who commented that "[Aguilera]'s inspiration ballad motivated an entire generation". PopCrush's Alexandra Capotorto named it as her favorite track by Aguilera, opining that the song is "definitely one of the most memorable and greatest Christina Aguilera songs to date". "Rolling Stone" ranked "Beautiful" at number 52 on their list of the 100 best songs of the 2000s, stating that it is "delivered with full-fathom force by the bottle-blond with the biggest voice". Similarly, VH1 positioned the track at number 18 on their list of the 100 greatest songs of the past decade. It is listed as one of the 100 best pop songs of all time by About.com.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: "Beautiful" was quickly released after the underperformance of the album's first single, "Dirrty" in the United States. It achieved international success and was the highest-charting single from "Stripped" in several territories. The song peaked at number two on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 for one week behind B2K's "Bump Bump Bump" and became Aguilera's longest-charting solo track, spending 27 weeks on the chart. The song additionally topped "Billboard" Adult Contemporary, Hot Dance Club Songs, and Pop Songs component charts. In October 2022, it was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of 2,000,000 copies. , the single has sold 1,512,000 digital copies in that country. In Canada, the song peaked at number one on the "Billboard" Canadian Hot 100. In 2022, the song was certified 2x platinum by the RIAA for sale in excess of 2 million units.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: Similarly, "Beautiful" proved successful in Europe, where it peaked within the top five of most markets in which it was released. Spending a total of 51 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, the song eventually peaked atop the chart becoming Aguilera's fourth UK number one; it was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry. It peaked at numbers three and 18 on the Belgian Ultratop 50 and Ultratop 40, respectively. In Germany, the song peaked at number four after charting for thirteen weeks on the Media Control Charts. However, "Beautiful" proved less successful on the French Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique, where it reached number 27. The song was a success in Australia, peaking at number one on the ARIA Charts, where it spent a total of 13 weeks. "Beautiful" was later certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 70,000 units. The song also charted on the New Zealand Top 40 Singles Chart for 23 weeks, during which period it peaked at number one.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: In 2011, Aguilera performed the song alongside her finalist Beverly McClellan on the first-season finale of "The Voice". The following week, it debuted at number 74 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 and peaked at number 52 on the Hot Digital Songs diagram with first-week sales of 42,000 downloads on the iTunes Store.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: The accompanying music video for "Beautiful" was directed by Jonas Åkerlund and premiered on December 9, 2002. It opens with Aguilera speaking the line "Don't look at me", followed by scenes of her singing alone in a room intercut with self-image-related sequences of other people. An anorexic girl examines herself in a mirror, eventually punching through it; a thin teenage boy stands lifting weights in a room plastered with images of bodybuilders; and an African-American girl rips out pages of women's magazines including photos of only white women and throws them into a fire. In one sequence, a girl is physically bullied by several peers, and in another, a goth man sits at the back of a bus while several people get up and move. The video also touches on LGBT issues; one scene features a gay couple, portrayed by Jordan Shannon and Justin Croft, kissing on a bench and ignoring the stares of people who pass them. Another shows a transgender woman, played by Robert Sherman, putting on makeup, a wig, and women's clothing. The music video debuted at number 2 on "Total Request Live", spending a total of 50 days on the chart and retiring at number 6. It topped MuchMusic's "Countdown" for two consecutive weeks and remained on the countdown for 15 weeks.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: The video was positively reviewed by music critics, and received a Special Recognition award, presented by David LaChapelle, from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation at its 14th GLAAD Media Awards. After an a cappella performance of the song, Aguilera stated in her acceptance speech that "this song is definitely a universal message that everybody can relate to – anyone that's been discriminated against or unaccepted, unappreciated or disrespected just because of who you are. It was so important to me that I support the gay community in this sense." "Billboard" included "Beautiful" on its list of the greatest music videos of the 21st century, and Gail Mitchell wrote that it "eloquently touches on insecurity". Gay journalist Larry Flick praised the video for its "stunning execution" and depiction of self-love, and noted that with its help the song "became a perfect slice of cinematic empowerment".


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: On October 21, 2022, Aguilera released a new music video for the song, which depicts kids and teens grappling with the onslaught of negative messaging on social media, body dysmorphia, plastic surgery, depression, and suicidal ideation. "CelebMix" called the message behind the video "powerful", noting that it "highlights the impact of popular culture and social media on young people". Aguilera was given the Cybersmiler of the Month Award after the video was released.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: Recognized as one of her signature songs, Aguilera has performed "Beautiful" at a number of venues and events. During the promotion of "Stripped", she appeared on VH1's Big In Awards, "Top of the Pops", and the 46th Annual Grammy Awards. The song was included on the setlists of The Stripped Tour, the Justified and Stripped Tour in 2003 and the Back to Basics Tour in 2006. "Beautiful" was also sung on the television special "VH1 Storytellers" in 2010. "Beautiful" has also been performed on charity events and fundraisings, such as "CNN Heroes" introduced by Anderson Cooper saying, "It's my pleasure to introduce a performer with unparalleled range and passion; her song is a reminder that out of great trials and tribulations we can all create something beautiful"; "Justin Timberlake & Friends" in 2010, and "" in 2012.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: In 2021, Aguilera sang "Beautiful" at the Verizon's "Big Concert for Small Business" Super Bowl afterparty, at her performance at the Hollywood Bowl with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, as well as the 47th People's Choice Awards.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: "Beautiful" has been embraced by the LGBT community as an anthem. "The Advocate"s Larry Flick believed the release of the song was "one of the most powerful moments of queer activism in 2003". On October 5, 2010, several hundred people gathered in front of the Massachusetts State House and sang "Beautiful" as a tribute to the teenagers who had committed suicide due to anti-gay bullying during the previous months. In March 2011, the Columbus Children's Choir and Columbus Gay Men's Chorus joined to perform the song as a contribution to the It Gets Better Project. UK LGBT rights charity Stonewall named "Beautiful" the most empowering song of the decade for lesbian, gay and bisexual people; media personality and Stonewall contributor Paul Gambaccini called the song "a major achievement that has inspired millions of young people around the world." The result is based on the choice from 1,007 readers. Aguilera commented of the song's reception from the LGBT community, "I cannot express in words how much the LGBT community means to me. On my darkest day their support lifts me up. I feel honored that some of my songs become anthems to them as well."


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: "Beautiful" inspired a subgenre of empowerment pop songs including Katy Perry's "Firework" (2010) and Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" (2011). The transgender character from its music video seemingly influenced the Denis O'Hare's role in the horror television series "". The song was also used for the commercial of SkinWhite in the Philippines in early 2019. In September 2020 the song was played in the ""s episode "". On October 29, 2021, it was featured on the Netflix series "Colin in Black & White", a six-episode limited series about Colin Kaepernick's teenage years.


title: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)

text: In 2022, "Billboard" ranked the song the second on their list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of 2002". They noted that the "Grammy-winning empowerment anthem provides a stunningly detailed illustration of the search for one's inner beauty amid battling insecurities".


title: Moses Moody

text: Moses Josiah Moody (born May 31, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Arkansas Razorbacks.


title: Moses Moody

text: Moody was drafted 14th overall in the 2021 NBA draft by the Warriors. During his rookie season with the team, he won an NBA championship.


title: Moses Moody

text: Moody began playing high school basketball for Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he helped his team reach the state championship game in his freshman season. As a sophomore, he moved to North Little Rock High School in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Moody averaged 18.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, leading his team to the Class 7A state title. He was named to the "Arkansas Democrat-Gazette" All-Underclassman Team and the Arkansas 7A All-State Team. For his junior year, Moody transferred to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. He averaged 17.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game for Bradley Beal Elite at the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) regular season and was named to the All-EYBL honorable mention. In his senior season, Moody averaged 11.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game for Montverde, the consensus number one team in the nation, who he helped achieve a 25–0 regular season record.


title: Moses Moody

text: Moody received several high major NCAA Division I scholarship offers as early as his sophomore season. He finished high school as a consensus four-star recruit in the 2020 class. On November 9, 2019, Moody committed to play college basketball for Arkansas over offers from Michigan and Virginia, among others. He became the highest ranked player to commit to Arkansas since Bobby Portis of the 2013 class.


title: Moses Moody

text: Moody recorded a career-high 28 points four times in the 2020-2021 season for the Razorbacks. As a freshman, he averaged 16.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Moody earned SEC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-SEC honors. After helping Arkansas to a 25-7 overall record, an Elite Eight appearance in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, and a Top Ten finish in the polls, he declared for the 2021 NBA draft on April 9, 2021, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.


title: Moses Moody

text: Moody was selected with the 14th pick in the 2021 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. On August 5, 2021, Moody signed with the Golden State Warriors . On October 19, 2021, Moody made his debut in the NBA, coming off the bench with two points and two rebounds in a 121–114 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. On January 11, 2022, on assignment with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA G League, Moody scored 37 points in a 132-130 overtime victory over the Memphis Hustle. On March 7, 2022, Moody scored a career-high 30 points in a 131–124 loss to the Denver Nuggets. On June 16, 2022, Moody won the 2022 NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors of the NBA. He scored a finals high of 2 points in game 2.


title: Xiphos

text: The xiphos ( ; plural xiphe, ) is a double-edged, one-handed Iron Age straight shortsword used by the ancient Greeks. It was a secondary battlefield weapon for the Greek armies after the dory or javelin. The classic blade was generally about long, although the Spartans supposedly preferred to use blades as short as around the era of the Greco-Persian Wars.


title: Xiphos

text: Stone's "Glossary" has "xiphos" being a name used by Homer for a sword. The entry in the book says that the sword had a double-edged blade widest at about two-thirds of its length from the point, and ending in a very long point.


title: Xiphos

text: The word is attested in Mycenaean Greek Linear B form as , "". A relation to Arabic "saifun" ('a sword') and Egyptian "sēfet" has been suggested, although this does not explain the presence of a labiovelar in Mycenaean. One suggestion connects Ossetic "äxsirf" "sickle", which would point to a virtual Indo-European "*ksibhro-".


title: Xiphos

text: Most "xiphe" handles followed a two-piece construction (similar to a knife) using either native woods or for more exotic imports like ebony and animal bone. The two slabs were attached to the tang of the sword, secured via two or three pins and then made smooth via filing giving the characteristic oval shape of a "xiphos" grip. Hand guards usually followed a "bridge" shape and were either also of organic material or iron or a combination of both, also secured via pins on each point. Some swords found in Italy or Macedonia tended to have an iron extension/reinforcement running along the handle (see picture of modern reconstruction of a "xiphos" made by Manning Imperial above).


title: Xiphos

text: There have been finds of "xiphe" with hilts decorated with gold foil. These swords were most likely ceremonial since they are always found in burial sites.


title: Xiphos

text: Surviving "xiphe" are relatively rare, but appear alongside iron weapons in burial sites, indicating both a household status and continued use into the Iron Age.


title: Xiphos

text: The period between the Classical and Iron Ages is often referred to as a "dark age", but it featured important developments and innovations in metal casting, alloy construction, and procurement as widespread use of metallurgy slowly spread out of Iberia.


title: Xiphos

text: The xiphos sometimes has a midrib, and is diamond or lenticular in cross-section. It was a rather light weapon, with a weight around . It was generally hung from a baldric under the left arm. The "xiphos" was generally used only when the spear was broken, taken by the enemy, or discarded for close combat. Very few "xiphe" are known to have survived.


title: Xiphos

text: The "xiphos"s leaf-shaped design lent itself to both cutting and thrusting. The origin of the design goes back to the Bronze Age; the blade of the "xiphos" looks almost identical to the blade of the Mycenean Naue II sword, which itself transitioned from having a blade of bronze into a blade of iron during the Archaic period. It is likely that the "xiphos" is the natural evolution of the iron version of the Naue II but with a more sophisticated handle design.


title: Xiphos

text: The leaf-shaped short swords were not limited to Greece, as mentioned, but can be found throughout Europe in the late Bronze Age under various names.


title: Xiphos

text: The early Celtic La Tène short sword, contemporary with the "xiphos", had a virtually identical blade design as the "xiphos".


title: Xiphos

text: Contrary to popular belief, no example of a "xiphos" made from bronze has ever been found. The several whole or partial "xiphe" blades found in places such as Olympia, Macedonia and Southern Italy were all made exclusively from iron. Furthermore "Xiphos" swords only began to appear centuries after typical Bronze Age weapons - such as the Naue II - had transitioned from bronze to iron. In reality the Bronze Age sword during the Bronze Age was a completely different weapon, and Xiphe were not developed until after the end of the Bronze Age circa 1200 BCE. Researchers think the misidentification of Bronze Age ornaments has created the modern-day myth that the "xiphe" were ever cast in bronze.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: ConocoPhillips Company is an American multinational corporation engaged in hydrocarbon exploration and production. It is based in the Energy Corridor district of Houston, Texas.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: The company has operations in 15 countries and has production in the United States (49% of 2019 production), Norway (10% of 2019 production), Canada (5% of 2019 production), Australia (12% of 2019 production), Indonesia (4% of 2019 production), Malaysia (4% of 2019 production), Libya (3% of 2019 production), China (3% of 2019 production), and Qatar (6% of 2019 production). The company's production in the United States included production in Alaska, the Eagle Ford Group, the Permian Basin, the Bakken Formation, the Gulf of Mexico and the Anadarko Basin. Approximately 1/3 of the company's U.S. production is in Alaska, where it has operations in the Cook Inlet Area, the Alpine oil field off the Colville River, and the Kuparuk oil field and Prudhoe Bay Oil Field on the Alaska North Slope.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: As of December 31, 2019, the company had proved reserves of , of which 50% was petroleum, 37% was natural gas, 8% was natural gas liquids and 5% was bitumen.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: The company is ranked 156th on the Fortune 500. In the 2021 Forbes Global 2000, ConocoPhillips was ranked as the 574th-largest public company in the world. ConocoPhillips also ranked 207th on Forbes Best Employers for Diversity (2021), 125th on Forbes America’s Best Employers (2021) and 76 on Forbes Canada’s Best Employers (2021).


title: ConocoPhillips

text: The company was ranked as the 14th most polluting company in the world by "The Guardian" in 2019. It is responsible for 0.91% of global industrial greenhouse gas emissions from 1988 to 2015.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: The Conoco Museum in Ponca City, Oklahoma, and the Phillips Petroleum Company Museum in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, are dedicated to the history of the company.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In 1875, the "Continental Oil and Transportation Company" (acronym "Conoco") was founded in Ogden, Utah. In 1885, Conoco was reincorporated as part of Standard Oil. After the Supreme Court of the United States dissolved Standard Oil, Conoco became independent in 1913.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: By 1929, it had become a fully integrated oil company. The company was a coal, oil, kerosene, grease and candles distributor in the West.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: Marland Oil Company, founded by exploration pioneer E. W. Marland, later acquired the assets of Continental Oil Co.. On June 26, 1899, Marland Oil changed its name to Continental Oil Co. and moved its headquarters to Fargo, North Dakota. The acquisition gave Conoco the red bar-and-triangle logo previously used by Marland. Conoco used the logo between 1930 and 1970, when the current red capsule logo was adopted. Conoco was based in Ponca City until 1949, when it moved to Houston, Texas.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In 1998, Conoco acquired an interest in 10.5 blocks in the Kashagan Field in the Caspian Sea off Kazakhstan through the North Caspian Sea Production Sharing Agreement (NCSPSA). On November 26, 2012, in its largest acquisition ever, ONGC Videsh agreed to buy ConocoPhillips’ 8.4% stake in the Kashagan oilfield for approximately US$5 billion.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: On August 30, 2002, Conoco Inc. and Phillips Petroleum Company, whose headquarters were in nearby Bartlesville, Oklahoma merged into ConocoPhillips. By January 2002, the groups organizing the merger had selected Houston as the site of the headquarters. Governor of Oklahoma Frank Keating said that the move to Houston was "regrettable."


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In March 2006, ConocoPhillips acquired Wilhelmshavener Raffineriegesellschaft mbH, based in Germany. It also acquired Burlington Resources for $35 billion in cash and stock.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: On May 10, 2006, Richard Armitage, former deputy-secretary of the U.S. State Department, was elected to the board of directors of the ConocoPhillips oil company.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: On July 14, 2011, ConocoPhillips announced its intent to separate the company's upstream and downstream businesses into two stand-alone, publicly traded corporations, with the intent of maximizing shareholder value. On May 1, 2012, all midstream, downstream, marketing and chemical operations were separated into a new company named Phillips 66, headquartered in Houston. As a result, ConocoPhillips continued its operations as an upstream (exploration and production) company.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In April 2012, ConocoPhillips sold its Trainer Refinery to Monroe Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In May 2012, ConocoPhillips completed the corporate spin-off of its downstream assets as Phillips 66.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In 2012, the company began the process of divesting onshore and offshore assets in Nigeria. ConocoPhillips contracted a French bank, BNP Paribas to sell all assets including a 17% stake in Brass Liquefied Natural Gas LNG, Oil Mining Lease OML 131 in which ConocoPhillips had a 47.5℅ stake. ConocoPhillips operated in Nigeria for more than 46 years.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In January 2013, Conoco announced that it would sell its Rocky Mountain assets to Denbury Resources for $1.05 billion.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In July 2016, the company agreed to sell a 35% stake in three Senegalese deepwater oil and gas exploration blocks for about $350 million to Woodside Petroleum.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In February 2017, Ecuador was ordered to pay $380 million to the company for unlawfully expropriating the company's oil investments.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In March 2017, the company agreed to sell its Foster Creek Christina Lake Partnership interest, Western Canada Deep Basin Gas assets to Cenovus Energy for $13.3 billion. Along with the sale of natural gas fields in the U.S., it led to a reduction of close to 30% of its proved oil and gas reserves.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In May 2018, ConocoPhillips seized assets belonging to the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA from the Isla refinery on Curacao to collect on $2 billion owed since a 2007 court decision.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In March 2019, the World Bank ruled that Venezuela must pay ConocoPhillips $8.7 billion to compensate for the 2007 expropriation of oil assets.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In April 2019, the company sold a 30% stake in the Greater Sunrise Fields to the government of Timor-Leste.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: For the 2019 Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS), ConocoPhillips was awarded three operatorships and ownership interests in a total of five production licenses. Two which are located in the Norwegian Sea (PL 1009 B and PL 1064) in Warka and Slagugle, one in the North Sea (PL 917 B) for two discoveries in Busta Voe and Cape Enniberg, and the other is the Hasselbaink prospect, where drilling has already begun.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In July 2020, the company announced the acquisition of acreage in the Montney Formation in Canada for $75 million.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: On 1 August 2020, Steinar Våge who has been with the ConocoPhillips company since 1988, was elected into the position of President for ConocoPhillips Europe, Middle East and North Africa. He was previously the Senior Vice President of Global Operations, Wells and Projects at the corporate headquarters in Huston, United States, and is now located in Stravanger where the main office is located.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, ConocoPhillips had to reduce its production in May as the price of oil in North Slope, which stood at about $10 per barrel at the end of April, rose to $40 per barrel.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: On October 19, 2020, ConocoPhillips announced it will buy Concho Resources for $9.7 bln. The purchase will make it the third largest energy company currently operating a substantial presence in the oil-rich Permian Basin.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In December 2020, ConocoPhillips made the largest discovery of oil for the year, between 75.5 million and 201 million barrels in the Slagugle well. Executive Vice President Matt Fox, stated that this was the fourth successful exploration well to be found on the Norwegian continental shelf in the past 16 months.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: The acquisition of Concho Resources was confirmed in January 2021, after shareholders from both companies announced the approval. ConocoPhillips chairman and chief executive officer, Ryan Lance, stated that the acquisition should lead to a structural change in the industry which is essential for investors. The company expects to be able to provide affordable energy to the world, generate large returns, and demonstrate ESG Leadership.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In September 2021, ConocoPhillips announced it would buy all of Royal Dutch Shell PLC's assets in the Permian basin for around $9.5 billion in cash.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: ConocoPhillips explores for, produces, transports and markets crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, natural gas liquids and liquefied natural gas on a worldwide basis. The company manages its operations through six operating segments, defined by geographic region: Alaska; Lower 48; Canada; Europe, Middle East and North Africa; Asia Pacific; and Other International.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: On April 11, 2007, ConocoPhillips became the first U.S. oil company to join the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, an alliance of big business and environmental groups. In January 2007, the partnership advised President George W. Bush that mandatory emissions caps would be needed to reduce the flow of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In 2007, ConocoPhillips announced it would spend $150 million that year on alternative and unconventional energy sources, up from $80 million in 2006. However, ConocoPhillips left the U.S. Climate Action Partnership in February 2010, at the same time as BP and Caterpillar Inc. left the partnership.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: ConocoPhillips is a signatory participant of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights. In 2016, ConocoPhillips was ranked as being among the 12th best of 92 oil, gas, and mining companies on indigenous rights in the Arctic. In May 2020, it was reported that the company was planning new drillings in Alaska's North Slope which would affect the life of 400 in the Native village of Nuiqsut. According to the 2021 Arctic Environmental Responsibility Index (AERI), ConocoPhillips is ranked as the 4th most environmentally responsible company out of 120 oil, gas, and mining companies involved in resource extraction north of the Arctic Circle.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In 1990, ConocoPhillips agreed to pay $23 million to buy 400 homes and compensate families in Ponca City, Oklahoma, who said its refinery gave them cancer and other illnesses.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In June 2011, ConocoPhillips China Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of ConocoPhillips, was responsible for the 2011 Bohai bay oil spills in Bohai Bay.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In 2015, ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66 agreed to pay $11.5 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that hundreds of their gas stations violated California anti-pollution laws since 2006. The civil complaint, filed in January 2013, alleged that the companies violated state laws on the operation and maintenance of underground gasoline storage tanks at more than 560 gas stations in the state. These violations included failing to properly maintain leak detection devices, testing secondary containment systems, conducting monthly inspections and training employees in proper protocol.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In May 2019, ConocoPhillips settled a lawsuit with homeowners in northwestern Oklahoma City who accused the company of polluting their soil and water to such a degree that no trees or flowers will grow.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: In May 2017, ConocoPhillips agreed to a $39 million settlement to resolve complaints brought by New Jersey over groundwater contamination. ConocoPhillips was one of 50 companies named in a 2007 lawsuit filed against manufacturers, distributors and other industrial users of the gasoline additive MTBE, found in groundwater at locations throughout New Jersey.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: Bobby Berk, one of the stars from Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” spoke out against ConocoPhillips' water pollution in Missouri, saying that there were so many chemicals at one point, they could “actually light a glass of our water on fire.”


title: ConocoPhillips

text: According to the Political Economy Research Institute, ConocoPhillips ranked 13th among U.S. corporate producers of air pollution.


title: ConocoPhillips

text: ConocoPhillips reported Total CO2e emissions (Direct + Indirect) for the twelve months ending 31 December 2020 at 16,200 Kt (-4,300 /-21% y-o-y).


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: Wayne Enterprises, Inc., also known as WayneCorp and Wayne Industries, is a wealthy fictional company appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Wayne Enterprises is a large, growing multinational company.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: The American diversified multinational conglomerate is owned and chaired by Bruce Wayne, the son of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Wayne Enterprises is a green company based out of Gotham City and headquartered in Wayne Tower.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: Wayne Enterprises and the Wayne Foundation are largely run by Bruce Wayne's business manager, Lucius Fox. Fox makes most company decisions on Bruce Wayne's behalf, since Wayne's time is largely occupied by his duties as the vigilante, Batman.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: Wayne Enterprises has been presented in films and television as a business conglomerate, modeled after the standards of a multinational company. In the 2020 storyline "Joker War", the Joker became the rightful owner of the company, and proceeded to waste most of the Wayne Fortune by waging a war on Gotham City, crippling the company's future and destroying the Wayne family legacy.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: Founded by merchant ancestors of the dead Wayne family in the as a merchant house, it is among the oldest companies in the DC Universe. The company began as a dozen businesses started by brothers Judge Solomon Wayne and Joshua Wayne. With the revenue generated Judge Wayne essentially built Gotham City by hiring Cyrus Pinkney.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: Judge Wayne's son and heir, Alan Wayne, officially made it a corporate company in the 19th century. Alan Wayne, who was Bruce Wayne's great-great-grandfather, erected Wayne Shipping, Wayne Chemical, and Wayne Manufacturing. All these companies were energized by the world's Industrial Revolution; more branches were created and diversified while others dwindled and subsequently discarded. Along the years, it has developed from a merchant house to a large multinational conglomerate company in the DC Universe; exceeding LexCorp, Stagg Enterprises, and Ferris Aircraft.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: Under the control of Patrick and Laura Wayne, Wayne Enterprises became a "green company" and environmentally conscious from that time forward.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: After Bruce Wayne returned from the past after a final battle with Darkseid, he revealed that he had been publicly funding Batman for years and founded Batman Inc to publicly fund Batman's allies throughout the world.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: Following the end of the Joker War, Wayne Enterprises officially shut down Batman Inc. as a result of Bruce Wayne's choice to publicly fund Batman. Lucius Fox officially regained control of the Wayne fortune but warned Bruce that even if he did return his wealth to him, he would no longer be able to use the companies to fund his crusade as Batman as the board of directors would be monitoring the money. The board also set about attempting to remove Bruce Wayne from active participation within the company and simply pay him a large amount to fund his playboy lifestyle. Lucius Fox is attempting to fight the situation on Wayne's behalf and return his fortune to him with no legal results.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: Within the DC Universe, Wayne Tower is the headquarters of Wayne Enterprises. Also called "Old Wayne Tower" and "Wayne Industries Headquarters"; it was built in 1888 by Alan Wayne. After its construction, the tower was the tallest building in Gotham City. Built as a symbol to welcome all of those who enter the city, Wayne Tower has 13 gargoyles or "guardians", which Alan Wayne insisted they be called, welcome visitors for each of the 13 entry points into the city. The five guardians on the first tier watch the original five gateways into Gotham, the three bridges and two tunnels. Higher up, the seven guardians watch the seven train lines that converge at Union Station below the tower's base. A 13th guardian was added in 1930 and sits in the middle of the tower. This last one, added by Henry Wayne, watches the airport and cannot be seen by elevator or from the deck.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: At the top of the tower is an observation deck which Alan Wayne asserted be open to the public for free every weekend. It has double bonded laminated float glass for windows that are crystal-quality, weatherproof, and unbreakable.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: The Wayne Foundation is the holding company for the Thomas Wayne Foundation and the Martha Wayne Foundation; it is the largest transparently operated private foundation within the DC Universe. The primary aims of the foundation are, globally, the arts and humanities: to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty, to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology, and to fund scientific research and help altruistic people with research by providing facilities and training. The scale of the foundation and the way it seeks to apply business techniques to giving makes it one of the leaders in venture philanthropy, though the foundation itself notes that the philanthropic role has limitations.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: The foundation has its own building, called the Wayne Foundation Building, which includes a penthouse where Bruce Wayne lived for a period of time. It also has a secret elevator that leads to a matching Batcave in a secret sub-basement under the building.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: Through the Wayne Foundation and the affiliated organizations underneath, Bruce Wayne addresses social-economic problems encouraging crime, assists victims of crimes, and maintains connections to the streets through the soup kitchens and social services groups; all of which augments his crime fighting efforts in a way that his Batman persona cannot. This arrangement also provides a large network of connections in the world of charities. He finds out about the newest trends, sciences and the arts.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: The Thomas Wayne Foundation is a foundation for medicine and medical help. This foundation gives annual awards for medical breakthroughs and lifelong commitment, similar to the Nobel Foundation. The Thomas Wayne Foundation is also responsible for funding the Thomas Wayne Memorial Clinic in Park Row, Gotham's infamous Crime Alley. The foundation funds and runs dozens of clinics in Gotham. Bruce Wayne's surrogate mother, Dr. Leslie Thompkins, runs the Memorial Clinic in Crime Alley and governed the other clinics until she left Gotham.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: The Martha Wayne Foundation is a patron and supporter of arts, families, education, and tolerance. The foundation supports and helps to run a number of orphanages and free schools, and provides teachers for those who have learning difficulties. Artists can apply for grants from the foundation to help support them in furthering the arts. The foundation sponsors companies like Family Finders. Family Finders is an organization directed at finding lost people and uniting families. The Martha Wayne Foundation also sponsors and runs dozens of soup kitchens within the city.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: Under the Wayne Foundation building, there is a secret bunker, which is similar to the secret bunker of New Babylon in The Hague. As of "Batman" #687, Dick Grayson has taken to using this as his "Batcave," stating that he wishes to embody the role of Batman in a way that is specific to him as well as getting closer to the action in the city. The bunker is as well-equipped as the original Batcave, including the Subway Rocket vehicle (which is Grayson's favorite means of transport during the "Prodigal" storyline) stationed beneath the bunker.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: Wayne Enterprises appears in the film "Joker" as Wayne Investments where three employees of the company attack Arthur Fleck/Joker at a Gotham City subway train until he kills all three of them. The company's CEO Thomas Wayne, his wife Martha Wayne and their son Bruce Wayne appear as well with the former being the mayor of Gotham City until he is killed alongside his spouse during a riot.


title: Wayne Enterprises

text: In "The Batman", the Wayne family moved into Wayne Tower after Thomas Wayne had Wayne Manor turned into an orphanage. Bruce would use the Tower as his base of operations. It was represented by the Tribune Tower in Chicago.


title: The To Do List

text: The To Do List is a 2013 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Maggie Carey in her feature film directorial debut, starring Aubrey Plaza, Johnny Simmons, Bill Hader, Alia Shawkat, Sarah Steele, Scott Porter, Rachel Bilson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Andy Samberg, Donald Glover, Connie Britton, and Clark Gregg. The film centers on a recent high school graduate (Plaza) who feels she needs to have more sexual experiences before she starts college.


title: The To Do List

text: Brandy Klark (Aubrey Plaza), from Boise, Idaho, is an overachieving but socially awkward teenager who graduates as the valedictorian of her high school in 1993. After the ceremony, Brandy's two best friends, Wendy (Sarah Steele) and Fiona (Alia Shawkat), take Brandy to a party, where she gets drunk for the first time. Brandy makes out with a muscular college boy she has a crush on named Rusty Waters (Scott Porter). Since the room is dark, he mistakes Brandy for someone else and when he realizes who she is, he rejects her. Brandy blames her lack of sexual experience and resolves to learn all about sex over the summer to prepare for college. She decides that her end-of-summer goal will be to have sex with Rusty to complete her "To Do List".


title: The To Do List

text: Brandy gets a job at the pool as a lifeguard to be close to Rusty and her study-buddy Cameron Mitchell (Johnny Simmons). As the newbie, she is hazed by her slacker boss, Willy (Bill Hader) and her other co-workers by being given the most unpleasant jobs. Brandy is told to clean waste from the pool that appears to be feces. She assumes her co-workers are playing a prank on her, based on the Baby Ruth joke from the film "Caddyshack", so she takes a bite only to find out it is actual feces. As revenge, she pushes Willy, who does not know how to swim, into the pool. She agrees to teach him how to swim in exchange for ending the hazing.


title: The To Do List

text: Brandy gets advice from her sister, Amber (Rachel Bilson), her mother, and her two best friends, while her father, a conservative judge, is uncomfortable with the talk of sex. Using this information, she makes a "to do list" of sexual acts to learn and perform. As the summer progresses, Brandy has several sexual encounters with Cameron and other boys, all while trying to catch Rusty's eye. Cameron begins to fall in love with her but is crushed after discovering her list and realizing he was just part of her "mission". Willy catches Brandy, Wendy, Fiona, and adult members of a male grunge band in the pool after hours. Brandy is sent home where she is confronted by Cameron over the list. Cameron leaves in a huff and Brandy cries. Duffy (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), whom Wendy has a crush on, comes over to comfort Brandy and the two hook up.


title: The To Do List

text: When Wendy and Fiona come over to watch the film "Beaches" with Brandy, they discover her list and see the list of boys with whom she had experimented. They get upset after finding out that Brandy hooked up with one of their crushes and leave angrily. They declare that Brandy has failed to put "Bros before hoes" and call her a slut.


title: The To Do List

text: Brandy finally gets close to Rusty when they vandalize a rival pool, but they get caught because Brandy leaves her bra, which has her name on it, and Willy fires her. Brandy asks out Rusty, and he takes her to a popular make-out spot to have sex, but the sex is brief and disappointing. She sees her father and mother in the Dodge Caravan next to them having sex, causing her to freak out and demand that Rusty take her home immediately.


title: The To Do List

text: Willy goes to the Klark house to stop Brandy from having sex with Rusty, but is met at the door by Amber, who seduces him. When Rusty and Brandy arrive home, a jealous Cameron is there to meet him with a sucker-punch, and they fight until Brandy breaks it up. She compliments them on their good qualities, apologizes sincerely to Cameron for using him, and offers her own view of sex.


title: The To Do List

text: Afterward, she seeks out Wendy and Fiona to apologize to them. She sings "Wind Beneath My Wings" at Wendy's door, and the two girls eventually join in, forgiving her. Brandy meets with Willy at the pool, and he offers her his job if she comes back next summer—as he has quit to follow the Grateful Dead.


title: The To Do List

text: In the fall, Brandy and Cameron meet again at Georgetown University. Brandy apologizes to Cameron. They have various forms of sex, and Brandy finally achieves orgasm, the last thing on her list, through anal sex, just as her father walks in on them.


title: The To Do List

text: The script was originally entitled "The Handjob". The film was rejected by studios, but ended up on the "blacklist" of the most popular unproduced scripts of 2010. A live table reading of the script at the Austin Film Festival led CBS Films to produce the project.


title: The To Do List

text: During the film's first weekend, "The To Do List" earned $1,579,402 from 591 theaters, opening in 15th place. This was below expectations; the "Los Angeles Times" predicted an opening weekend of $2–3 million, and CBS Films was expecting $2 million.


title: The To Do List

text: "The To Do List" received mixed reviews, holding a 54% rating on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 117 reviews, with an average rating of 5.75/10. The site's critical consensus reads: ""The To Do List" may play things disappointingly safe given its rather daring premise, but writer-director Maggie Carey's sure hand – and Aubrey Plaza's performance – keep the laughs coming." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on reviews from 40 critics.


title: The To Do List

text: Plaza's role as Brandy Klark was praised by film critic Alan Scherstuhl, of "The Village Voice", who wrote "unlike for the female characters in previous sex comedies, sex for her is a straight-up choice, something she offers or refuses according to no agenda but her own", but notes that "there's something dispiriting about [the film's] junky look, indifferent pacing, and sketch-comedy characterization."


title: The To Do List

text: On a more critical front, Rafer Guzman of "Newsday" gave the film one out of four stars, calling it "a fake feminist comedy that pays lip service to female empowerment but inadvertently makes sex seem both demeaning and meaningless," as well as "Vulgar, cynical and rarely funny." Paul Doro of the "Milwaukee Journal Sentinel" criticized the film for its extreme raunchiness, which he found to be unneeded; he named the film "an absurdly profane comedy that spends its entire time serving up filthy jokes and then trying to top them".


title: FNB Stadium

text: First National Bank Stadium or simply FNB Stadium (), also known as Soccer City () and The Calabash, is an association football (soccer) and Rugby union stadium located in Nasrec, bordering the Soweto area of Johannesburg, South Africa. The venue is managed by Stadium Management South Africa (SMSA) and is a home of Kaizer Chiefs F.C. in the South African Premier Soccer League as well as key fixtures for the South African national football team.


title: FNB Stadium

text: It is located next to the South African Football Association headquarters ("SAFA House") where both the FIFA offices and the Local Organising Committee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup were housed. Designed as the main association football stadium for the World Cup, the FNB Stadium became the largest stadium in Africa with a capacity of 94,736. However, its maximum capacity during the 2010 FIFA World Cup was 84,490 due to reserved seating for the press and other VIPs. The stadium is also known by its nickname "The Calabash" due to its resemblance to the African pot or gourd.


title: FNB Stadium

text: It was the site of Nelson Mandela's first speech in Johannesburg after his release from prison in 1990, and served as the venue for a memorial service to him on 10 December 2013. It was also the site of Chris Hani's funeral. It was also the venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final, which was played by the Netherlands and Spain. The World Cup closing ceremony on the day of the final saw the final public appearance of Mandela.


title: FNB Stadium

text: The stadium has been officially known as FNB Stadium since it was opened in 1989. This was due to a naming rights deal with First National Bank. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as well as in the month before the tournament, the stadium was referred to as Soccer City. This was done as FIFA does not allow stadiums to be referred to by sponsored names during FIFA-sanctioned tournaments. The stadium's current name is FNB Stadium.


title: FNB Stadium

text: Built in 1987, the stadium underwent a major upgrade for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with a new design inspired by the shape of an African pot, the calabash. The South African main contractor GLTA, part of the Aveng Group in a joint venture with the Dutch company BAM who had a 25% stake, constructed the upgrade, which was designed by HOK Sport (now known as Populous) and Boogertman + Partners. The upgrade included: an extended upper tier around the stadium to increase the capacity to 88,958, an additional two executive suites, an encircling roof, new changing room facilities and new floodlights. The number of suites in the stadium was increased to 195. Grinaker-LTA and BAM international won the R1.5 billion tender to upgrade the stadium. The construction was completed on Wednesday, 21 October 2009 and was marked by a huge celebration at the stadium.


title: FNB Stadium

text: The outside of the stadium is designed to have the appearance of an African pot; the cladding on the outside is a mosaic of fire and earthen colours with a ring of lights running around the bottom of the structure, simulating fire underneath the pot. No spectator is seated more than 100 metres (330 ft) from the field, and there are no restricted views in the stadium.


title: FNB Stadium

text: The stands in the FNB Stadium are articulated by ten black vertical lines; nine are aligned geographically with the nine other stadiums involved in the 2010 World Cup. Because 9 is considered to be an unlucky number in South African traditional culture, a tenth line was added. This tenth line is aimed at Berlin's Olympic Stadium, which hosted the previous World Cup final in 2006. This represents the road to the final and it is hoped that after the World Cup, each goal scored at the stadium will be placed in pre-cast concrete panels on a podium so that the full history of the tournament's scores can be seen for years to come.


title: FNB Stadium

text: Before the upgrade, the stadium had a capacity of 40,000. The newly reconstructed stadium retains part of the original structure's west upper tier, although this and the entire lower tier were rebuilt to improve sightlines. The lower tier was completely reconstructed and divided into two segments which enabled the creation of a new lower concourse (the lower embankment concourse) linked to the existing ground level concourse.


title: FNB Stadium

text: FNB Stadium served as the main venue for the tournament. It hosted the opening game, 5 other group games, a quarter final, a semi final, the 3rd place play-off and the final. The games were:


title: FNB Stadium

text: The stadium hosted the opening ceremony followed by the opening match between South Africa and Mexico, 4 other group stage matches, a Round of 16 match, a quarter-final and the final.


title: FNB Stadium

text: FNB Stadium served as a venue for the tournament. It hosted the opening game, one group game and the final. The games were:


title: FNB Stadium

text: FNB stadium has been used by the South African national football team for both friendlies and qualification matches. It was seen as the de facto national stadium for Bafana Bafana after re-admission in 1992, who played their third ever international match there on 11 July 1992 where they drew 2–2 with Cameroon courtesy of goals from Phil and Bennett Masinga for South Africa in front of 65,000 supporters. The "old" FNB Stadium also housed the then South African Football Association (SAFA) headquarters as well as the offices of the semi-professional National Soccer League (which later traded as the professional Premier Soccer League).


title: FNB Stadium

text: The stadium has also hosted large continental club fixtures. It is largely remembered as the venue where Bafana Bafana lifted the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations when they beat Tunisia 2–0 in front of a full capacity in a match witnessed by then South African president, Nelson Mandela, his then deputy president and former South African State President, FW de Klerk, as well as Zulu monarch, King Zwelithini. The South African national football team also won their first ever trophy here when they lifted the Simba Four Nations Cup in 1995, in a competition featuring Egypt, Zambia and Zimbabwe.


title: FNB Stadium

text: The venue for the first leg of the 1995 African Cup of Champions Clubs final, between Orlando Pirates and ASEC Abidjan. The stadium has also hosted the CAF Super Cup twice. It hosted the 1994 CAF Super Cup, between Zamalek and Al-Ahly, as well as the 1996 CAF Super Cup between Orlando Pirates and JS Kabylie. In 2004, the stadium hosted final of the Vodacom Challenge, between AS Vita Club and Kaizer Chiefs.


title: FNB Stadium

text: Some of the most memorable Bafana Bafana matches at the venue include the narrow 3–2 defeat to Brazil in 1996 as well as the country's memorable triumph when they secured passage through to a first ever World Cup appearance for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France when they beat Republic of Congo 1-0 through a Phil Masinga strike in 1997.


title: FNB Stadium

text: During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, one of the most entertaining matches was played here in the quarterfinal stages when Uruguay beat Ghana in a penalty shootout made more memorable by a blatant handball in the last minute of the extra time by Uruguay striker Luis Suárez, which denied a Ghana and Africa a first ever semifinal appearance at the world soccer showpiece.


title: FNB Stadium

text: The FNB Stadium is home to Kaizer Chiefs Football Club. It is also the preferred venue for the Soweto derby soccer matches – the country's biggest sporting showpiece – involving Soweto based Premier Soccer League clubs, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. It was also the traditional home of the Iwisa Maize Meal Spectacular and later, the Telkom Charity Cup, which were charity soccer season openers in South African football from 1990 to 2006, before it was closed for renovations. The stadium was re-opened when it hosted the 2010 Nedbank Cup final between Bidvest Wits and Amazulu. The game ending 3–0 to Bidvest Wits. Fabricio Rodrigues was the first player to score at the rebuilt Soccer City. The Charity Cup then returned in 2010. The first league match at the stadium since being rebuilt, was a 2010–11 Premier Soccer League match between Orlando Pirates and Free State Stars. The first MTN 8 match at the stadium was the first leg of the 2010 MTN 8 semifinal, between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs. The venue has also hosted high-profile Bafana Bafana matches, including their 1–0 win over Spain in 2013 as well as the side's worst ever defeat when they lost 5–0 to Brazil in another international friendly in 2014.


title: FNB Stadium

text: In May 2018, Mamelodi Sundowns hosted FC Barcelona in an exhibition match, dedicated to the late Former President of South Africa in his centenary. The match ended 31 in the favour of Barcelona.


title: FNB Stadium

text: FNB stadium is a multi-purpose venue and hosted its first rugby union match in 2010, the Tri Nations match between South Africa and New Zealand, won by the latter. The attendance was 94,713 which is listed as the third highest rugby attendance ever in the Southern Hemisphere and a record attendance for the redeveloped stadium, until it was eclipsed on 1 August 2015, when 94,807 was recorded when Orlando Pirates played Kaizer Chiefs in the Carling Black Label Cup fixture. The stadium hosted New Zealand again in the 2012 Rugby Championship on 6 October, with the All Blacks defeating the Springboks 32–16 in front of 88,739. In 2013, the Springboks defeated Argentina 73–13 at FNB Stadium in front of a crowd 52,867. In 2016, the venue hosted Varsity Cup rugby fixtures.


title: FNB Stadium

text: A The Coldplay concert was a rehearsal concert in preparation for their Mylo Xyloto Tour. As part of the concert, they filmed scenes for the music video for their song "Paradise".


title: FNB Stadium

text: B Ed Sheeran, Chris Martin, Pharrell Williams, Usher, and others also performed during the festival headlined by Beyoncé & Jay Z.


title: FNB Stadium

text: On 29 July 2017, two people were killed and 17 were injured in a stadium crush while trying to enter the stadium before a match between the Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.


title: Malted milk

text: Malted milk or malt powder is a powdered gruel made from a mixture of malted barley, wheat flour, and evaporated whole milk powder. The powder is used to add its distinctive flavor to beverages and other foods, but it is also used in baking to help dough cook properly.


title: Malted milk

text: London pharmacist James Horlick developed ideas for an improved, wheat- and malt-based nutritional supplement for infants. Despairing of his opportunities in the United Kingdom, Horlick joined his brother William, who had gone to Racine, Wisconsin, in the United States, to work at a relative's quarry. In 1873, the brothers formed J & W Horlicks to manufacture their brand of infant food in nearby Chicago. Ten years later, they earned a patent for a new formula enhanced with dried milk. The company originally marketed its new product as "Diastoid", but trademarked the name "malted milk" in 1887.


title: Malted milk

text: Despite its origins as a health food for infants and invalids, malted milk found unexpected markets. Explorers appreciated its lightweight, nonperishable, nourishing qualities, and they took malted milk on treks worldwide. William Horlick became a patron of Antarctic exploration, and Admiral Richard E. Byrd named Horlick Mountains, a mountain range in Antarctica, after him. Back in the US, people began drinking Horlick's new beverage for enjoyment. James Horlick returned to England to import his American-made product and was eventually made a baronet. Malted milk became a standard offering at soda shops, and found greater popularity when mixed with ice cream in a "malt", for which malt shops were named.


title: Joseph Heller

text: Joseph Heller (May 1, 1923 – December 12, 1999) was an American author of novels, short stories, plays, and screenplays. His best-known work is the 1961 novel "Catch-22", a satire on war and bureaucracy, whose title has become a synonym for an absurd or contradictory choice.


title: Joseph Heller

text: Heller was born on May 1, 1923 in Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, the son of poor Jewish parents, Lena and Isaac Donald Heller, from Russia. Even as a child, he loved to write; as a teenager, he wrote a story about the Russian invasion of Finland and sent it to the New York "Daily News", which rejected it. After graduating from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1941, Heller spent the next year working as a blacksmith's apprentice, a messenger boy, and a filing clerk.


title: Joseph Heller

text: In 1942, at age 19, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. Two years later he was sent to the Italian Front, where he flew 60 combat missions as a B-25 bombardier. His unit was the 488th Bombardment Squadron, 340th Bomb Group, 12th Air Force. Heller later remembered the war as "fun in the beginning ... You got the feeling that there was something glorious about it." On his return home he "felt like a hero ... People think it quite remarkable that I was in combat in an airplane and I flew sixty missions even though I tell them that the missions were largely milk runs."


title: Joseph Heller

text: After the war, Heller studied English at the University of Southern California and then New York University on the G.I. Bill, graduating from the latter institution in 1948. In 1949, he received his M.A. in English from Columbia University. Following his graduation from Columbia, he spent a year as a Fulbright scholar in St Catherine's College, Oxford before teaching composition at Pennsylvania State University for two years (1950–52). He then briefly worked for Time Inc., before taking a job as a copywriter at a small advertising agency, where he worked alongside future novelist Mary Higgins Clark. At home, Heller wrote. He was first published in 1948, when "The Atlantic" ran one of his short stories. The story nearly won the "Atlantic First".


title: Joseph Heller

text: He was married to Shirley Held from 1945 to 1981 and they had two children, Erica (born 1952) and Theodore (born 1956).


title: Joseph Heller

text: While sitting at home one morning in 1953, Heller thought of the lines, "It was love at first sight. The first time he saw the chaplain, [Yossarian] fell madly in love with him." Within the next day, he began to envision the story that could result from this beginning, and invented the characters, the plot, and the tone that the story would eventually take. Within a week, he had finished the first chapter and sent it to his agent. He did not do any more writing for the next year, as he planned the rest of the story. The initial chapter was published in 1955 as "Catch-18", in Issue 7 of "New World Writing."


title: Joseph Heller

text: Although he originally intended the story to be no longer than a novelette, Heller was able to add enough substance to the plot that he felt it could become his first novel. When he was one-third done with the work, his agent, Candida Donadio, sent it to publishers. Heller was not particularly attached to the work, and decided that he would not finish it if publishers were not interested. The work was soon purchased by Simon & Schuster, which gave him US$750 and promised him an additional $750 when the full manuscript was delivered. Heller missed his deadline by four to five years, but, after eight years of thought, delivered the novel to his publisher.


title: Joseph Heller

text: The finished novel describes the wartime experiences of Army Air Corps Captain John Yossarian. Yossarian devises multiple strategies to avoid combat missions, but the military bureaucracy is always able to find a way to make him stay. As Heller observed, "Everyone in my book accuses everyone else of being crazy. Frankly, I think the whole society is nuts – and the question is: What does a sane man do in an insane society?"


title: Joseph Heller

text: Just before publication, the novel's title was changed to "Catch-22" to avoid confusion with Leon Uris' new novel, "Mila 18". The novel was published in hardback in 1961 to mixed reviews, with the "Chicago Sun-Times" calling it "the best American novel in years", while other critics derided it as "disorganized, unreadable, and crass". It sold only 30,000 hardback copies in the United States in its first year of publication. Reaction was very different in the UK, where, within one week of its publication, the novel was number one on the bestseller lists. In the years after its release in paperback in October 1962, however, "Catch-22" caught the imaginations of many baby boomers, who identified with the novel's anti-war sentiments. The book went on to sell 10 million copies in the United States. The novel's title became a standard term in English and other languages for a dilemma with no easy way out. Now considered a classic, the book was listed at number 7 on Modern Library's list of the top 100 novels of the century. The United States Air Force Academy uses the novel to "help prospective officers recognize the dehumanizing aspects of bureaucracy."


title: Joseph Heller

text: The movie rights to the novel were purchased in 1962, and, combined with his royalties, made Heller a millionaire. The film, which was directed by Mike Nichols and starred Alan Arkin, Jon Voight and Orson Welles, was not released until 1970.


title: Joseph Heller

text: In April 1998, Lewis Pollock wrote to "The Sunday Times" for clarification as to "the amazing similarity of characters, personality traits, eccentricities, physical descriptions, personnel injuries and incidents" in "Catch-22" and a novel published in England in 1951. The book that spawned the request was written by Louis Falstein and titled "The Sky Is a Lonely Place" in Britain and "Face of a Hero" in the United States. Falstein's novel was available two years before Heller wrote the first chapter of "Catch-22" (1953). "The Times" stated: "Both have central characters who are using their wits to escape the aerial carnage; both are haunted by an omnipresent injured airman, invisible inside a white body cast". Stating he had never read Falstein's novel, or heard of him, Heller said: "My book came out in 1961[;] I find it funny that nobody else has noticed any similarities, including Falstein himself, who died just last year".


title: Joseph Heller

text: Other works by Heller are examples of modern satire which center on the lives of members of the middle class.


title: Joseph Heller

text: Shortly after "Catch-22" was published, Heller thought of an idea for his next novel, which would become "Something Happened", but did not act on it for two years. In the meantime he focused on scripts, completing the final screenplay for the movie adaptation of Helen Gurley Brown's "Sex and the Single Girl", as well as a television comedy script that eventually aired as part of "McHale's Navy".


title: Joseph Heller

text: In 1967, Heller wrote a play called "We Bombed in New Haven". He completed the play in only six weeks, but spent a great deal of time working with the producers as it was brought to the stage. It delivered an anti-war message while discussing the Vietnam War. It was originally produced by the Repertory Company of the Yale Drama School, with Stacy Keach in the starring role. After a slight revision, it was published by Alfred A. Knopf and then debuted on Broadway, starring Jason Robards.


title: Joseph Heller

text: Heller's follow-up novel, "Something Happened", was finally published in 1974. Critics were enthusiastic about the book, and both its hardcover and paperback editions reached number one on the "New York Times" bestseller list.


title: Joseph Heller

text: Heller wrote another five novels, each of which took him several years to complete. One of them, "Closing Time," revisited many of the characters from "Catch-22" as they adjusted to post-war New York. All of the novels sold respectably well, but could not duplicate the success of his first novel. Told by an interviewer that he had never produced anything else as good as "Catch-22", Heller famously responded, "Who has?"


title: Joseph Heller

text: Heller did not begin work on a story until he had envisioned both a first and last line. The first sentence usually appeared to him "independent of any conscious preparation." In most cases, the sentence did not inspire a second sentence. At times, he would be able to write several pages before giving up on that hook. Usually, within an hour or so of receiving his inspiration, Heller would have mapped out a basic plot and characters for the story. When he was ready to begin writing, he focused on one paragraph at a time, until he had three or four handwritten pages, which he then spent several hours reworking.


title: Joseph Heller

text: Heller maintained that he did not "have a philosophy of life, or a need to organize its progression. My books are not constructed to 'say anything. Only when he was almost one-third finished with the novel would he gain a clear vision of what it should be about. At that point, with the idea solidified, he would rewrite all that he had finished and then continue to the end of the story. The finished version of the novel would often not begin or end with the sentences he had originally envisioned, although he usually tried to include the original opening sentence somewhere in the text.


title: Joseph Heller

text: After the publication of "Catch-22", Heller resumed a part-time academic career as an adjunct professor of creative writing at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania. In the 1970s, Heller taught creative writing as a distinguished professor at the City College of New York.


title: Joseph Heller

text: On Sunday, December 13, 1981, Heller was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré syndrome, a debilitating syndrome that left him temporarily paralyzed. He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Mount Sinai Medical Hospital the same day, and remained there, bedridden, until his condition had improved enough to permit his transfer to the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine on January 26, 1982. His illness and recovery are recounted at great length in the autobiographical "No Laughing Matter", which contains alternating chapters by Heller and his good friend Speed Vogel. The book describes the assistance and companionship Heller received during this period from a number of his prominent friends—Mel Brooks, Mario Puzo, Dustin Hoffman and George Mandel among them.


title: Joseph Heller

text: Heller eventually made a substantial recovery. In 1987 he married Valerie Humphries, formerly one of his nurses.


title: Joseph Heller

text: Heller returned to St. Catherine's as a visiting Fellow, for a term, in 1991 and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the college. In 1998, he released a memoir, "", in which he relived his childhood as the son of a deliveryman and offered some details about the inspirations for "Catch-22".


title: Joseph Heller

text: He died of a heart attack at his home in East Hampton, on Long Island, in December 1999, shortly after the completion of his final novel, "Portrait of an Artist, as an Old Man". On hearing of Heller's death, his friend Kurt Vonnegut said, "Oh, God, how terrible. This is a calamity for American literature."


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: In "Marvel vs. Capcom 2", players select a team of characters from the Marvel and Capcom universes to engage in combat and attempt to knock out their opponents. While the game uses similar tag team-based game mechanics to the series' previous iteration, "", it features several significant changes, such as three-on-three gameplay, a new character assist system, and a more simplified control scheme. The character artwork uses traditional 2D-animated sprites, while the backgrounds and visual effects are rendered in 3D. This makes "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" the first game in the franchise to feature 2.5D graphics.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: The game received positive reviews from critics, who praised its gameplay, visuals, and character roster, while criticizing its soundtrack and initial lack of online multiplayer support outside Japan. Since its release, it has been considered one of the best fighting games of all time as well as one of the greatest games of all time in general. Following its release, Capcom lost the use of the Marvel Comics license, putting the series on a decade-long hiatus. In April 2010, Capcom announced the development of a sequel, "", which was later released in February 2011.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: "Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes" is the fourth installment in the "Marvel vs. Capcom" series of tag team-based fighting games. Players select a team of three characters to compete in a one-on-one battle, as opposed to teams of two characters in the series' previous entry, "". The game introduces a more refined version of the "Variable System" used in past "Marvel vs. Capcom" games, which allows players to tag in other team members at any point during the match. Unlike "Clash of Super Heroes", which features unplayable partner characters that the player can summon at will, "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" re-implements the "Variable Assist" gameplay mechanic introduced in "Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter", allowing players to call upon one of their off-screen team members to perform a single special move to aid them. Each playable character possesses three different types of assists, denoted by the Greek letters α, β, and γ, which can range from projectile attacks to healing moves. Assist characters receive extra damage if struck by the opponent. As characters fight, the team members not in play will also slowly regenerate their life gauges. A match lasts until one team completely runs out of vitality for all three fighters; if the match timer reaches zero before either team is knocked out, the player with the most remaining health is declared the winner.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: Similar to prior installments, as characters deal and receive damage, a colored meter at the bottom of the screen known as the "Hyper Combo Gauge" will gradually fill. When the meter is full, the player can use it to perform several special techniques, such as "hyper combos", powerful attacks that deal heavy damage; "delayed hyper combos", which allow the player to execute multiple hyper combos consecutively; and "variable combinations", which summon the player's entire team to use their hyper combos simultaneously. The game also introduces a new gameplay mechanic called the "snapback", which forces the opponent to switch characters. "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" features a modified version of the six-button control scheme from "Clash of Super Heroes". Instead of six attack buttons separated as three pairs of low, medium, and high-strength punches and kicks, the game utilizes a setup of four attack buttons and two assist buttons.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: "Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes" features both single-player and multiplayer game modes. The game has an Arcade Mode, where the player must defeat seven AI-controlled teams to reach the final boss character, Abyss, who sports three different forms. Unlike previous games in the series, "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" does not have character-specific endings, as the player will earn the same ending regardless of the characters they used to complete Arcade Mode. Versus Mode allows two players to compete against one another. Players can practice moves and combos in Training Mode, where they can also adjust certain settings, such as the number of bars available in the Hyper Combo Gauge. Score Attack, similar to Arcade Mode, pits the player against waves of AI-controlled characters; however, the main objective is to accumulate the highest score possible without the use of continues.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: The arcade version of "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" includes an experience system which unlocks hidden characters after a certain number of experience points are earned. This system was removed in the console versions in favor of the "Secret Factor" menu, where the player can buy hidden characters, stage backgrounds, and color schemes using points earned through normal play. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions both featured online multiplayer, which includes player matches, ranked matches, and lobbies. The Japanese release of "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" for the Dreamcast also featured online play through Capcom's "Match Service" network; however, it was limited to between two different Dreamcast systems.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: "Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes" contains a roster of 56 playable characters. The roster features characters from various Marvel Comics properties, such as "The Avengers" and "X-Men", and Capcom video game franchises, including "Street Fighter", "Darkstalkers", and "Mega Man". The game also introduces three original characters: Amingo, a cactus-like creature; Ruby Heart, a French-speaking air pirate; and SonSon, a bō-wielding monkey girl and granddaughter of the protagonist from the 1984 Capcom arcade game "SonSon". In the arcade version of "Marvel vs. Capcom 2", half of the characters are unlocked from the start while the other half are unlocked as revenue increases, while in the console versions of "Marvel vs. Capcom 2", 24 characters are available from the start, while the remaining 32 characters must be unlocked using experience points; however, in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions, all fighters are initially unlocked.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: On December 1, 1999, Capcom announced that a sequel to "", titled "Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes", was in development. It was developed for the Sega NAOMI arcade board and the Dreamcast, Capcom's first attempt at a fighting game outside of the CP System II and III hardware systems. The game was the first in the "Marvel vs. Capcom" series to combine hand-drawn two-dimensional sprites upon three-dimensional backgrounds. The Japanese home and arcade versions of the game were revealed to be compatible with the Dreamcast VMU. Players were able to connect their VMU to the arcade version to exchange data, earning them experience points which could be used to unlock new characters, stages, and costume colors in the home version. The experience system included three types of points: "N-Points", earned by playing through the arcade version; "D-Points", gained by playing through the Dreamcast version; and "V-Points", obtained by playing online multiplayer. The game featured online play between two Dreamcast consoles through a specialized network known as "Match Service". The service, developed by Capcom and KDD Corp, used KDD-developed technology called "Data on Demand" as a foundation, which offered transfer rates below 70 milliseconds. These features were removed in all future domestic and international ports of "Marvel vs. Capcom 2".


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: During a press conference prior to the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2002, Capcom unveiled its plans to bring "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" over to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles. While the PlayStation 2 version allowed players to compete against one another via USB modem connections, the Xbox version didn't feature Xbox Live support. Once again, online multiplayer was not available outside Japan. Online service was discontinued when Capcom began to dissolve its dial-up support in 2004.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: Following the commercial and critical success of "Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix" in 2008, Capcom stated its intentions to continue making high-definition remakes of its past games. When asked specifically about "Marvel vs. Capcom 2", Capcom's vice president of business development and strategic planning, Christian Svensson, indicated that the game was their most requested title by fans. On April 27, 2009, Marvel and Capcom jointly announced that "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" would be coming to the Xbox 360 through the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation 3 through the PlayStation Store. A demo was released on April 30 exclusively for the PlayStation Network. When questioned about the lack of a Wii port, Svensson stated that Capcom was unable to release the game on the console due to licensing restrictions and WiiWare's file size limit.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 ports were developed by Backbone Entertainment, who previously worked with Capcom on "Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix". The game was built using the original Dreamcast version's code base. The online functionality in "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" utilized the same net code from "Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix". Additional changes for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions included various filtering options for character sprites, labeled "Smooth", "Crisp", and "Classic". Widescreen support was implemented; since "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" was originally designed with a 4:3 aspect ratio, the developers were able to widen the camera field of view. The ports also added independent music volume controls and support of custom soundtracks. Capcom offered a free downloadable hip hop mixtape as an alternative soundtrack for the game.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: In April 2012, Capcom announced the release of "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" for iOS devices. Capcom created two control configurations for iPhone and iPad touch screens. Players have a choice between the standard six-button layout, or a compact four-button control scheme with "flick controls". While the game does not support online play, a Versus Mode option is available over Bluetooth.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: "Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes" debuted in Japanese arcades on the Sega NAOMI arcade platform in early 2000. The game was soon released on the Dreamcast in Japan on March 30, 2000, and North America on June 29; the European version, which was released on July 16, was published by Virgin Interactive. "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" was ported to the PlayStation 2 on September 19, 2002, in Japan, November 19 in North America, and November 29 in Europe. The Xbox version launched alongside its PlayStation 2 counterpart in Japan on September 19, 2002, which later received a North American release on March 30, 2003. It was then released internationally through the Xbox Live Arcade on July 29, 2009, and the PlayStation Network on August 13. Lastly, the game became available for iOS devices on April 25, 2012.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: On December 15, 2013, Capcom announced that "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" would be removed from the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network stores towards the end of the month, following the apparent expiration of Capcom's licensing contracts with Marvel Comics. The game was pulled from the PlayStation Network on December 17 and 19 in North America and Europe, respectively, and from the Xbox Live Arcade globally on December 26. Eventually, the iOS version was also delisted from the Apple App Store.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: On August 2, 2021, prominent fighting game community member Maximilian Dood began a hashtag campaign to gather support for re-releases of "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" onto modern consoles after it was delisted from digital platforms. The campaign led to #FREEMVC2 trending on Twitter and Mike Mika, the studio head for video game developer Digital Eclipse, expressing interest in re-releasing the game. On August 5, 2022, Arcade1Up revealed a "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" arcade cabinet during the 2022 Evolution Championship Series. The cabinet will include Wi-Fi connectivity for online multiplayer, as well as other games, including "Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes", "Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter", "X-Men vs. Street Fighter", "Marvel Super Heroes", "", "", and "Marvel Super Heroes in War of the Gems".


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: Upon release, "Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes" received positive reviews for its frantic gameplay style, detailed backdrops and visuals, and enormous cast of playable characters. In Japan, "Game Machine" listed it on their April 15, 2000 issue as being the most-successful arcade game of the month. Anoop Gantayat of IGN praised the game for its refined battle system, despite its sheer level of insanity, labeling it as "one of the best fighting games out there". Game Revolution lauded the game for its character roster and crazy action, claiming that Capcom crafted an excellent sequel by combining "timeless gameplay, an ensemble cast, and hyper energy". The site also praised the graphics for creating a "2.5D graphical wonder that is candy for the eyes". Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot praised the new control scheme and the addition of three-on-three combat; he concluded that fans of the previous games would be pleased with the changes made in "Marvel vs. Capcom 2".


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: The early Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and Xbox versions of "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" were criticized for their lack of online support outside Japan. Gerstmann commented that online multiplayer would have added a lot to the game's appeal. In his Xbox review, Aaron Boulding of IGN was particularly critical over its exclusion, citing Capcom's failure to deliver on its promise for Xbox Live support as the reason for his low score. However, following the release of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 ports, critics praised the game for providing a smooth online multiplayer experience. Topher Cantler of Destructoid praised the network performance, calling it "outstanding" and "flawless". Wesley Yin-Poole of VideoGamer.com stated that the addition of online play made the game "an essential purchase".


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: Across all platforms, many reviewers cited the jazz-inspired soundtrack as the game's biggest flaw. Jeremy Dunham of IGN described the music as "plain god-awful", stating that the "jazzy lounge lizard music and snappy beats" did not fit the action in the slightest. Martin Taylor of "Eurogamer" expressed his disappointment that the game's visual flair was backed by "a horrific, lift music-oriented soundtrack and low quality sound effects". Game Revolution shared the sentiment, declaring it as "some of the lamest music that you've ever heard".


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: Reviewing the Dreamcast version, Blake Fischer of "Next Generation" wrote that "overall, this is the best 2D fighting experience available on a console. If you have a Dreamcast and you can't wait for "SF: Third Strike", this is the game to get." The game was a runner-up for "GameSpot"s annual "Best Fighting Game" award, which went to "".


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: Over the years since its release, "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" has repeatedly been included by various critics into their lists of the best fighting games ever, including ScrewAttack at GameTrailers in 2007, where it placed second, and Virgin Media in 2009, where it placed third. It was declared the best 2D fighting game by "Complex" in 2011 and 2013. In 2013, the game was also named as the most iconic Marvel video game by Nerdist. In 2010, "GamePro" also chose it as the 33rd best PS2 game of all time. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game sold 1.4 million units before their removal on December 15, 2013.


title: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

text: Following the release of "Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes", Capcom was unable to retain the Marvel Comics license due to legal issues over copyright, placing the series on indefinite hiatus. However, on April 20, 2010, ten years after the game's original debut, Capcom announced the development of a sequel: "Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds". Production of "Marvel vs. Capcom 3" was headed by Ryota Niitsuma, who had previously worked with Capcom on "". While it utilizes largely similar game mechanics to "Marvel vs. Capcom 2", the sequel features new methods of play designed for newcomers to the fighting game genre, such as the addition of a simplified three-button control scheme. "Marvel vs. Capcom 3" was released in February 2011 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.


title: Fall of Tenochtitlan

text: The Fall of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire, was a decisive event in the Spanish conquest of the empire. It occurred in 1521 following extensive manipulation of local factions and exploitation of pre-existing political divisions by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. He was aided by indigenous allies, and his interpreter and companion La Malinche.


title: Fall of Tenochtitlan

text: Although numerous battles were fought between the Aztec Empire and the Spanish-led coalition, which was composed mainly of Tlaxcaltec men, it was the siege of Tenochtitlan that directly led to the downfall of the Aztec civilization and marked the end of the first phase of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. The Aztec population was devastated at the time by high mortality due to a smallpox epidemic, which killed much of its leadership. Because smallpox had been endemic in Asia and Europe for centuries, the Spanish had developed an acquired immunity and were affected relatively little in the epidemic.


title: Fall of Tenochtitlan

text: The conquest of the Aztec Empire was a critical stage in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. With this conquest, Spain gained substantial access to the Pacific Ocean. Through that, the Spanish Empire could finally achieve its original oceanic goal of reaching the Asian markets.


title: Fall of Tenochtitlan

text: In April 1519 Hernán Cortés, a nobleman recently landed in present-day Cuba, and the leader of the third Spanish expedition to the coast of what is known as Mexico, landed at San Juan de Ulúa, a good harbour on Mexico's east coast, with 508 soldiers, 100 sailors, and 14 small cannons. (Survivors of the previous two expeditions directed him to this harbour.) Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, the Governor of Cuba, called for Cortés to lead an expedition into Mexico after favourable reports from two previous expeditions to Yucatán caught the interest of the Spanish in Cuba. Under pressure by his relatives, who had a different leader in mind, Velázquez revoked Cortés's mandate to lead the expedition before the man left Cuba. Thus Cortés had to struggle to persist as expedition leader while still in Cuba; twice messengers from Velázquez arrived to depose him, and twice they were dissuaded from executing their mission. After Cortés sailed, Velázquez sent an army led by Pánfilo de Narváez to take him into custody.


title: Fall of Tenochtitlan

text: But after reaching Mexico, Cortés used the same legal tactic as had been used by Governor Velázquez when he invaded Cuba years before: he created a local government and had himself elected as the magistrate. He was thus theoretically responsible only to the King of Spain. Cortés followed this tactic when he and his men established the city of "Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz", also known as Veracruz, seven miles from the harbour of San Juan de Ulúa on the east coast of the area. An inquiry into Cortés' action was conducted in Spain in 1529 and no action was taken against him.


title: Fall of Tenochtitlan

text: Cortés happened to land at the borders of Cempoala, a vassal state to the Aztecs that had many grievances against them. As he encountered several polities who resented Aztec rule, Cortés told them he had arrived on orders of his Emperor to improve conditions, abolish human sacrifices, teach the locals the true faith, and "stop them from robbing each other". He was successful in enforcing excellent behaviour by his army when among potential allies. Cortés clashed with some of these polities, among them the Totonac and Tlaxcalan. The latter gave him two good day battles and one night battle, and kept up a strong defence, holding off his army on a hilltop for two weeks. His numerically inferior force finally triumphed when the Tlaxcalan began to consider his ceaseless offers of peace. Notably Xicotencatl the Elder wanted to form an alliance with the Spaniards against the Aztecs, which was the goal of Cortés as well.


title: Fall of Tenochtitlan

text: It once was widely believed that the Aztecs first thought Cortés was Quetzalcoatl, a mythical god prophesied to return to Mexico—coincidentally in the same year Cortés landed and from the same direction he came. This is now believed to have been a myth of the conquerors, and perhaps of natives who wished to rationalize the actions of the Aztec "tlatoani", Moctezuma II. Most scholars agree that the Aztecs, especially the inner circle around Moctezuma, did not believe that Cortés was a god in any shape or form. Messages between Cortés and Moctezuma, however, frequently allude to the legend, which was widely known across the Aztec dominions to both Aztecs and their subjects. It strongly influenced them, as Bernal Díaz del Castillo repeatedly attests.


title: Fall of Tenochtitlan

text: Moctezuma sent a group of noblemen and other emissaries to meet Cortés at Quauhtechcac. These emissaries brought golden jewelry as a gift, which greatly pleased the Spaniards. According to the Florentine Codex, Lib. 12, f.6r., Moctezuma also ordered his messengers to carry the highly symbolic "penacho" (headdress) of Quetzalcoatl de Tula to Cortés and place it on him. As news about the strangers reached the capital city, Moctezuma became increasingly fearful and considered fleeing the city. He reportedly resigned himself to what he considered to be the fate of his people.


title: Fall of Tenochtitlan

text: Cortés continued on his march toward Tenochtitlan. Before entering the city, on November 8, 1519, Cortés and his troops prepared for battle, armoring themselves and their horses, and arranging in proper military rank. Four horsemen led the procession. Behind these horsemen were five contingents: foot soldiers with iron swords and wooden or leather shields; horsemen in cuirasses, armed with iron lances, swords, and wooden shields; crossbowmen; more horsemen; soldiers armed with arquebuses; and lastly, native peoples from Tlaxcalan, Tliliuhquitepec, and Huexotzinco. The indigenous soldiers wore cotton armor and were armed with shields and crossbows; many carried provisions in baskets or bundles while others escorted the cannons on wooden carts.


title: Fall of Tenochtitlan

text: Cortés's army entered the city on the flower-covered causeway from Iztapalapa, associated with the god Quetzalcoatl. Cortés was amicably received by Moctezuma. The captive woman Malinalli Tenépal, also known as Doña Marina, translated from Nahuatl to Chontal Maya; the Spaniard Gerónimo de Aguilar translated from Chontal Maya to Spanish.


title: Fall of Tenochtitlan

text: The Spanish soon took Moctezuma hostage on November 14, 1519, as a safety measure because they were so outnumbered by the Aztec. Secondly they learned that Moctezuma had heard from a messenger, a few days before Cortes, that at least eight hundred more Spaniards in thirteen great ships had arrived on the coast. Cortés had been communicating to the Crown that he already had control of the territory and was practically running the city of Tenochtitlan. He was at risk of having his commission revoked, because the vast new Spanish forces were sent by his enemy Diego Velázquez. If they competed for power, they could have ended his campaign in Mexico and might have doomed the try for a lightning conquest.